The Moriarty MKII, a new project bike for a friend

**Serpentza** · 10-04-2013, 02:19 PM

Final shots as daylight faded... many an hour spent on this thing today...

rideme1.jpg

This bike is screaming "ride me"... :P

rideme2.jpg

The exhaust will have to change I'm guessing, but that will come after the engine change...

rideme3.jpg

Still a lot to do, but we can all get an idea of where this bike is headed...

Till next time....

- SerpentZA (youtube.com/serpentza)

**Wittrup Sport** · 10-04-2013, 03:57 PM

Very impressive build speed.
Looks good too.
What is the budget like?

**Serpentza** · 10-04-2013, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Wittrup Sport

Very impressive build speed.
Looks good too.
What is the budget like?

So far around 5k (including the new engine etc)

**zhu** · 10-05-2013, 05:59 AM

no the bike is screaming put a seat on before you ride me !

**Serpentza** · 10-05-2013, 07:22 AM

Today since I have to work in the Afternoon I only had two hours to work on the bike.. I did however manage to sort out the front end!

morenew2.jpg

I brushed down and sanded the crappy alloy front wheel...

morenew3.jpg

Some Automotive matt black rattle-canning later...
morenew4.jpg

A new Kenda 90/90/18 (I love these tyres)

mornew1.jpg

And a new master cylinder for the front brake... now we're talking...

Next I add the new front disc, get the brakes working, add a new speedo driver and cable and basically finish up the front end...

**Serpentza** · 10-05-2013, 07:31 AM

Okay... time to take care of that shitty speedo driver:

final1.jpg

Begone foul filthy speedo driver!

final2.jpg

Hello new front end!

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Now the speedo is working and all hooked up...

final4.jpg

And the front brakes are like new (new pads, new disc, new master cylinder)....

stay tuned for more as it happens

- SertpentZA (youtube.com/serpentza)

**modron** · 10-06-2013, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by Serpentza

WD40... I bathe the bike in it and then scrape off the crud with steel wool or something similar... basically oil is the key ;)

Thanks

the bike looks pretty good.
Seems like a bit dear project ;) ....for Chinese standards i mean

**felix** · 10-06-2013, 02:30 PM

amazing the difference the tires make! can't wait to see how it evolves.

**Serpentza** · 10-06-2013, 06:31 PM

I had to go to Dongguan to a friend's wedding today, so I was limited to about 2 and a bit hours of work on the bike today.. but I managed to do quite a bit:

First! Take out that crappy 125 engine (I traded it with the boss of the shop for the new front forks and new swingarm... fair deal as far as I'm concerned... it's a shit franken-engine anyway)...

engine1.jpg

It's an easy one man job, but a car jack makes it much easier!

engine2.jpg

Looking rather vacant....

engine4.jpg

Once the engine was out, I could really get in there with the wire brush and remove all the rust (it's important! If you leave any rust behind, that shit will breed)

engine5.jpg

Nothing better than getting rid of years of rust!

engine3.jpg

It's easy to be lazy and paint over rust, but trust me... take your time and eliminate every single bit of rust you see.

Next, I paint the frame (the front part) and put it all back ready for the new engine!

- SerpentZA (youtube.com/serpentza)

**Serpentza** · 10-06-2013, 06:43 PM

It's important to paint several layers of paint... I know it's time consuming, but lay down a thin layer first, let it dry and then another... and then another until you're satisfied with the finish... the more layers the better (on the frame anyway).

frame1.jpg

It's nice to have it stripped down to basics... although I discovered that the rear wheel rim is badly warped... so I'm going to have to buy a new one :(

frame2.jpg

Next I installed the toolbox... this is very important as the battery is actually installed on top of this (also it's really nice to have a toolbox with a few spares (spark plug, spanners, cable ties etc)... this is going to be a Chinese bike after-all... foreign built... but well you know how it is...

frame3.jpg

Next, a new air filter... I don't subscribe to the whole cone filter theory... lots of bike builders like to throw away air-boxes and use cone filters... I've done that in the past and on a rainy muddy, crappy day the cone filters get soaked and well... I'd rather have my engine breathing nice clean dry air..

frame4.jpg

Nice new airbox (I'll only install it when I install the engine as it's a pain in the arse getting the engine in when this is already on the bike).

frame5.jpg

And here it stands.... all nice, rust free... waiting for it's new engine :)

- Next update will be once the engine (or seat) arrives!

- SerpentZA (youtube.com/serpentza)