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-   -   Old Love, New Form : Restoring my '91 Yamaha RX100 (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motorbikes/100977-old-love-new-form-restoring-my-91-yamaha-rx100.html)

I would be sharing my restoration experience with my 1991 make RX 100. The restoration was done during October-December 2010.

I bought this bike in Feb 2006 when the bike was not really in a good condition but the engine was in the best condition that I had seen! At that time I had a Hero Honda Sleek which was giving me a lot of trouble with its gearbox and regular visits to the mechanic did not really solve the issue. So I decided to sell it off and got the RX as a primary mode of commuting. Rode it fast and hard for about 6 months and suddenly one fine day the engine siezed. Took it to my mechanic and he suggested I get the engine work done. He also suggested I make the whole bike (repaint, etc.) in one go. I agreed and the guy did a decent enough job. But it was only after a year or so, I realized that the guy had used all duplicate/local parts which were giving way. The bike lay in my parking for all these years and was used very rarely. I had only run it for about 3200 kms since the restoration job in September 2006. Was also looking for a good mechanic to restore it again with original parts

Then, came across a friend on another forum, who helped me with this guy called Jatin Bhapkar who has his workshop opposite City Pride, Satara Road, Pune. Met him and showed him my bike. First look at the engine block and he said it was bored once and can be re-bored. Then after removing the whole block, he showed me that the block was sleeved and there was oil leaking between the plates. He said that he can get it re-sleeved but that engine will last for maybe 10K kms. I made a call to get the engine in a perfect condition(by replacing the block and piston) and also start with the restoration. Left the bike with him on 21st October 2010 and paid him a visit 26th Oct to start off the work with some advance. Have clicked pics of the bike before the process and the engine work that was started by him.

Before:






















Pics of the engine that I clicked on 26th Oct 2010

Also, I paid a visit to the garage on 28th Oct and he had assembled the bike to some extent. The bike did not have the engine, silencer, tank and the side panels mounted on them, rest everything is there. New tyres too I could not take pics, but it appears to be a good job done. The mech had promised me the bike a week after that since the painting of the tank and the side panels took longer than expected.

Pics of the parts below

Went to see the status of the bike after giving a call to Jatinbhai on 25th November. He said the only thing remaining on the bike is the tank and the side panels. They have not been done yet He said that the painter's brother passed away and he has gone to his hometown/village. Don't know when he will be back. This time I went all prepared with my camera to take some pics for you guys.

Here you go

Its time for me to present to you the RX in a new form. But first a little story of how things got delayed. As promised I called up the mechanic on 3rd December and he told me that the tank had arrived from the paint shop and the decals needed to be fixed and the bike tested. So I should come on 4th December and collect it. When I called him on 4th afternoon, he tells me that the bike will be done in an hour and he will call me. I get no call from him and I get busy with something and forget to call him.

Sunday the garage is closed So called him up on Monday, the 6th when he tells me the bike is complete and I should collect it in the evening. I went there in the evening and find the bike ready with some last minute replacements being done. It seems in his road test he found the speedo to be not working, so he gets another cable and puts it on. I test ride and find that the speedo is still not working. He tells me to let him get the speedometer replaced since he has not delivered the bike yet otherwise the parts vendor will not give a replacement. I agree and tell him that I will be there the next day.

Next day, 7th December, I went there in the evening with my friend Vipin Rathor (who initially helped me with this mech). We find the bike complete. Took a test ride around the garage and confirmed everything to be working. Paid the final amount. He had promised to get the bills from the spare parts vendor and pass it on to me. He even had the bill for the tyres but told him that I will collect it all together. Have clocked about 2100+ kms since I got her...

Now let's take a look at the pics after the restoration





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Neat looking RX100
Well worth the wait.
how much did you end up spending?
Were the genuine parts easy to obtain?

Congrats MurtazaGhiya! Wishing you many many happy miles with this beauty.

This is one of the best restorations I've seen; the reason being that I can see the parts are very well aligned and proportionate with each other.

I even liked the chain cover.

Please provide inputs about the engine kill switch.

Thanks,
Jose.

Thanks man! Not sure if I can state the cost here. But it cost me a bomb. When I tell people how much I spent on her, people are like :Shockked:, you could have got a new bike :D

Thanks Jose! The engine kill switch is from the shogun, I believe. I have owned a Pulsar 150 earlier and now a Pulsar 220 and am pretty used to the engine kill switch on those bikes. The RX also got it after the restore and am just loving it. I usually switch off the engine on the signal and the switch makes it convenient to do so.

Hi Murtaza, congrats. You have a very clean bike both cosmetically and engine wise considering u have replaced it with new bore kit and engine overhauling. I dont know whether you noticed it or not. But in the pictures of your bike before restoration, its having the original RX100 kicker which is curved and after restoration, its having a later version one. Nothing to worry about but that will eventually make it complete.

Once again worth the money u have spent.

Very good observation. Well everything on the bike is new, except for the engine casing, chassis, tank and silencer! The kick is of the RX135 IIRC.

If possible can you share details of the spare parts cost , whether genuine Yamaha spares and their availability? I must say your bike looks pretty neat!

Hi pratik, thanks for your comment :)

I have yet to get the bills of all the spares from the mechanic. Once I get them, I will create an excel sheet and upload it here.

Excellent restoration!!! If you have the changed parts, I think you can easily revert the kicker lever. I always felt the RX100 lever is easier to use because of its angle.

With thanks and regards

Thanks for those kind words Glomus123 :)

The parts were changed by the mechanic and he should (possibly) have the old kick lever in his junk. But I find the new kick lever much more better in terms of looks though there is hardly any difference (in angle) between the two. The new one is as easy to operate as the old one :)

Just transported my college day steed from my granny's place to my home. Probably I will be scolded (kicked) by the two stroke fanatics here looking at the present condition of the motorcycle. She was not touched for 3 years and with bloodshed in my eyes looking at the condition, I swore to give her old glorious days back.. Lots of memories, amazing ones.. Never had time for her so far since I was working elsewhere until sometime back and I regret that decision.. Never wanted to sell her since she carried lots of emotions..

Her being my first ever geared motorcycle, I want to see her in the same way as I got her in 2002.

Would need your advice on this project, since I am not that much of a grease monkey. Initially thought of doing this myself and started collecting all workshop manuals online, but thought of giving it to mech since it might take ages if I do it.

I am looking to get her back to stock!

Hope to update this thread regularly on the progress..

Attaching few pics..

- Get a new tank with the badges.
- New badges for side panels.
- Painting (stick to the original colour)
- Put the same pin stripes on the tank and not the RX135 stickers that lot of people do.
- Remove the AX 100 rear mudguard and put a chrome Yamaha one.
- Re-chrome or replace the chromed parts.
- Get an original RX headlight.
- Get the RX 100 sidelights (Not the RX135 ones).
- Get the Yamaha Decals for the engine.
- Replace the ESCORTS speedo with a Yamaha one. Better still also install the Tacho from the RXZ (You will loose a little originality but it will look like the RX125 it was based on).
- Get the 5-Speed conversion done.
- Get the 12v conversion.