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Inspired by Dutchy's MBD thread I decided to do a sort of blog post to document my relationship with this bike. As posted elsewhere it's a '98 that I purchased from a recently retired co-worker with 54,000km on the clock. I've been riding and modifying an '85 RZ350 for the last 20 odd years and too busy raising kids/supporting a family to expand on that. Kids are now older, life is a bit easier, and this came along at the right time. It didn't need much in the way of TLC but is mostly original other than an updated Reg/Rec, smoked windscreen, and the Kerker end can. The bike started it's life on Manitoulin Island and had owners even further north before moving down to southern Ontario. I expected it would need a chain and sprockets to pass safety inspection so I ordered a 520 kit from the Sprocket Center and went up a couple on the rear. Luckily it didn't need it to pass because the COVID effect made it take 6 weeks to get here. It did however need steering head bearings so I ordered an All Balls tapered roller kit for that job. I also threw in a set of EBC HH pads to see if I could change my opinion of the linked brakes. And my wife said I'd never use those barbells again! When the chain and sprockets finally showed up I spent a lot of time cleaning the rear end up, as I did at the front while it was apart. 22 years of brake dust and chain lube, to scrape and scrub off. Without dropping the motor this bike is now as clean as it can get. I also repacked the silencer while it was off and spooned on a set of very lightly used Metzeler M7RR's. After it was back together I wet sanded all the scuff marks out and gave it a good polish and ceramic glaze.

Shipped my stator to Custom Rewind yesterday. It will cost $135. Gary said, he should have it rewound within 3 days.

When I was returning from the ride where I took the 'calendar pic' above, a car pulled in front of me at an intersection and was driving quite slow, so I passed them. When I pulled into my driveway they pulled up a minute later, a guy and his wife. He asked me if I recently bought the bike in Wasaga Beach, which I had, so I smiled and said 'I guess you know my friend'. He told me that the bike was his dads before he died of cancer, and it was sold to his cousin, my friends son. We chatted for quite a while and his description of his father made him sound like the sterotypical 'Mad Englishman' and said was nice to know the bike was in such good shape and to let him know if I ever want to sell it. It was a nice way to end my first good ride on the bike, and I enjoyed hearing some of its history. After they left my wife asked how I knew them. She shook her head when I told her I didn't, the bike did, they just followed it home. 😄

Plastics can be repaired by either solvent or heat welding, there are numerous specialists around or do it yourself My RC24 came with broken plastics and a piece 6x4” missing from the right hand side, all repaired with acetone and ABS slurry ...there’s numerous YouTube videos about both methods Its really not that difficult and is worth trying

Please update us on how this goes. C.R. has been a good resource.

Great first post..........

+1 on condom free riding!

Congrats Dutchy! Like me, I'm sure you'll be in a much Happier Place!!

It sounds like you are having a similar experience to me, I wasn’t really looking but a clean ‘98 came along with similar miles at a similar price and I couldn’t say no. I also found a ton of chain spooge everywhere and years of brake dust and spent several days cleaning the bike up. I’ve ridden it most of the summer now and every time I get off it or even look at I think ‘damn, what a great bike’. I hope you enjoy your as much as I enjoy mine.

Thank you so much Terry! I measured 33V AC between the yellow wires when engine running and 0.3 ohms not running with ignition on. I checked the wires to the front brake switch, disconnected them and measured continuity from the right side of the turn signal/ brake light fuse to ground, still shorting. Also i have some pictures of the horror i found, i have found that when i disconnect the black wire that goes from R/R to brake switches there is no short to ground and the turn signals are working. I have ordered a new SHINDENGEN MOSFET FH020AA REGULATOR/RECTIFIER KIT so i hope it will do the trick, but is 33V AC and 0.3 ohms from stator to little and it may be some trubble with it too?

A weak point on the 5G is the stator connector to the RR, a 3 pin plug left side behind the sidecover below the seat. It gets wet and can corrode, the corrosion causes higher resistance leading to heat leading to the plug melting and possibly the 3 phases shorting. Personally I think that has probably contributed to RR or stator failures on many bies. Keep that connector clean plus add dielectric grease, or if it already looks bad (blackened or crispy) cut the connector out and solder the wires permanently plus heat shrink to finish.

Or as the Scots say..... Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! I just accepted a position as SOx Compliance Officer Benelux for a Japanese multinational Very very happy, albeit that my riding and wrenching time will be curtailed. Each plus has a minus eh?

Found this on the net for people who want to upgrade the rear shock. https://www.cyclecycle.info/bicycle-compatibility-charts/motorcycle-rear-shock-lengths

Have yours rewound by Custom Rewind.

Either a secondhand one or find a winder near you & have the old one re-wound. If you are really keen it is possible to diy it.