Vara 125 Winter Project

[Bikerbill]

Hi to all the members on here, i joined this forum a while back, looking for info on the Varadero 125. I bought a 2005 Varadero obviously the carb model back in 2017. I rode twice the weekend a bought it and since then it has lived outside under a tarp untouched. In 2019 I have had a workshop built for the purpose of repairing and storing my motorcycle. However 2018 and 2019 came and went and the Varadero remained under the tarp. During the lockdown i ran the spanners over my Chinese bike which has been running since 2006 as i used it to commute to work everyday. This weekend the Varadero was pushed into the workshop and has become my winter project. I have been collecting parts (not knowing if i will need them or not) over the last year or so when they became available, to future proof the bike as parts will soon become harder to find.
In light of all that, i was wondering if there would be any interest from members of the forum if i documented (vids and photos) of my journey rebuilding my Varadero.

Biker Bill

[Bikerbill]

I have started a website and blog. bikerbill.simplesite.com but will be putting material here too.

Biker Bill

[lew07]

Hi Bill .I would love to see Your Varadero photos. Happy Xmas!!!!

[Bikerbill]

I am sorting out some photos to put on here. I didn't realise just how time consuming recording and photographing was going to be, so i apologise for the delay in putting stuff up.

[Bikerbill]

Here's an observation i made during the strip down. Changing the air filter is quite a faff while the fairing is still attached. Must admit its easy to get to the tank breather pipe with the fairing totally removed. It would appear the previous owner never changed the air filter. When i removed the filter the plastic moulding was stamped 2006 if thats correct. As you will see in the photos, it was totally clogged. This must have reduced the performance and fuel economy dramatically. I am now very concerned that the carburettor settings have been tampered with to keep the engine running, only time will tell.

[Bikerbill]

Started to strip the carbs out over the weekend. The top of the air box had been removed previously. To remove the lower part, its best to remove the breather hoses attached, then the screw holding the air intake tubes. Care must be taken not the damage the metal tabs covering the the screws (see photo below).



Keep these parts in a safe place, and in the correct order to ease re-assembly later. Once removed you will be left with two funnels which are secured under the carb base housing.







To be continued...

[Bikerbill]

Carb refurb put on hold until i get the repair kits, not the easiest parts to find, any suggestions?

Electrical Issues
One problem needing to be resolved was the flat battery situation, if the bike was left standing for more the a couple of days. Having previously removed all the aftermarket toys which were festooned over the bike and all wiring repaired (back to stock). I rechecked the amperage draw, and was pleased to see it had gone from 2.6 mV down to 0.2 mV, not sure what the factory spec is, but 0.2 mV i will take any day. Items I removed was as follows, Oxford heated grips, 1 usb charger which had been wired unswitched, a rubbish alarm system which had partially been removed except the live wires which had not been capped off, 2 power packs 1 being a tomtom unit again unswiched. Guess you can see where all the electricity was going.

This left two issues on the electrical side of things the first an easy fix, replacing all the bulbs from front to back if they we faulty or not, giving the holders a good blast of contact cleaner, this saves time replacing bulbs at inconvenient times. Item 2 on the list was faulty indicators, a subject well written about on the forum. I decided to replace the indicator relay for a new one and the switch gear for a know good unit. I gave the replacement unit a good clean, re-greased the internal then tested its functionality with a multimeter to confirm is was good. As with most things I have done on this bike, having the fuel tank removed makes things much easier. I unplugged the unit from the loom, tied the ends with a piece of string long enough to pull the wires back through to maintain the correct routing. Once completed the unit was test and functioned as expected.

[Bikerbill]

Correction for previous item  "gone from 2.6 mV down to 0.2 mV, not sure what the factory spec is, but 0.2 mV " should be mA   

[Bikerbill]

First Cock up 

I reassembled the air box which is quite fiddly when the base part has been removed from the carbs. I replaced the o rings attached the bottom of the base, ensuring the funnels where correctly positioned in the carb apertures (take lots of photos when stripping down as you will certainly need them for reference on reassembly). I replaced the base and body of the Air box gaskets with some 1.5 mm o ring cord as the original gaskets were missing on this bike. These gaskets are not manufactured anymore and even David Silvers had no stock.




Base O ring gasket in place.




Funnels in position

Having screwed everything together and squeezed the air box into placed, i then discovered a part on the workbench, i had not noticed it before reassembly, a drain plug. After much head scratching I could not see where it belonged because of the amount of vacuum and water pipes around the engine.  Time to break out the endoscope so i could see behind all the pipework. Sometime later I found where the beastie lived, and no chance of getting to it. The entire air box had to come off again "What a pain". Top Tip check you have all the parts laid out on the bench before you start.




Drain pipe fitted before reassembly.

[Bikerbill]

Gone off the rails

I have indulged myself in an after market add on, yes I know this Varadero was going to be returned to stock, but who could resist this 

[Bikerbill]

Back again  It's been awhile due to home and work commitments, but work has continued unfortunately not photographed. Got the bike running today, the first time in years. I also added and aux loom while the tank was off, just in case i decide to add any kit to the bike.

I did an oil and filter service before starting the bike, the old oil would have been degraded after a few years sitting in the sump. I disconnected the ht leads and turned the engine over for a few mins to get the oil around the engine before firing her up. After a few failed attempts she burst into life and i let her run until she reached normal operating temperature. I was going to put a couple of vids on here but can't see how

[Bikerbill]

The bike is finished apart from the Tyres being changed and balanced which is going to be done at a local bike shop, while the wheels are off the front disc and pads will be changed and the drive chain. The MOT will be done at the same place.

This project has been great fun, The Varadero is very easy to work on even when its been left outside for a few years. My top tip if your bike has been neglected for years as this one had, is preparation before you start. Having the correct tools is vital for any project and well worth the investment.

Before you start, spend some time and price up the parts you are changing and parts associated to it. Cost the project up using a simple spreadsheet include everything (Hardware Screws, Nuts and Bolts Consumables  such as grease, thread-lock, penetrating fluid, brake fluid etc.) basically anything your going to need to complete the project. Be realistic, it's going to cost money, cutting corners will certainly come back and bite you further down the road. All thats said, some parts may be salvageable with a little effort, but you need to work out if the time and effort exceeds the value of the item. Any work that needs to be outsourced will be expensive, shop around and get the best value, ensure the company your entrusting your parts to have a good reputation, it's not just the price that matters, quality is everything.

Before i start spannering, a week or so before i give all the fixings a squirt of penetrating fluid, repeating the process over at least a 5 day period. This will give you a fighting chance of removing corroded nuts and bolts without shearing them off, if thats doesn't work i use little heat providing its safe to do so, and will not damage any parts close to where I am working. I avoid using power tools, they can snap things with no effort at all, hand tools give you a better idea of how much effort is required to loosen or tighten things and on the subject of tightening things, invest in a torque wrench as you will need it working on a Varadero.

Make sure you have enough work space and a bench with good lighting (and heating if you are doing a winter project like this one). 

Top 10 Tools I would not be without:
1 Bike stand
2 Torque wrench
3 JIS screw driver set
4 O ring picks
5 Multimeter
6 Vacuum Brake bleed kit
7 Micrometer and Vernier Gauge
8 Soldering Iron
9 3/8 Drive and 1/4 drive socket set
10 Mug of tea.

Thanks for reading my blurb and I hope you have enjoyed it. I am now looking for another Varadero 125 to do next winter for a total strip down to frame project and engine rebuild with a bbk.

[The Prodded Dog]

Well done. Onwards and upwards!!
TPD

[Bikerbill]

MOT tomorrow fingers crossed, thought you may like to see the finished result