This was a weekend of "get motorcycles fixed".
First was my '96 Buell S2T. Got it a year ago from a buddy who bought it new. 7101 miles on it. Rode it for a year, 8500 miles now...and the transmission output shaft was walking its bearings out. My buddy ran it with the drive belt too tight, which put a side load on the output shaft (attached to the front belt pulley). So, I pulled it apart
Charging rotor and clutch assembly (primary drive) and transmission out, output shaft pressed out of the engine case.
Ordered and got a replacement output shaft, put it in the freezer overnight, pressed it in (super easy when frozen/shrunk!), reassembled all and test drove about 100 miles, with no issues.
Then...I started an "eternal" project. My 1998 Buell S3T Defender. Buell made the S3T as its touring bike starting in '97, until 2002. It was their "sport touring" bike and it replaced the S2T. The '98 Defenders were prototype police bikes that were built for the 1998 Harley 95th Anniversary event - they built 12 of them. Total. VIN research shows mine was #2 built. I got mine and it has had a hard life - these bikes are torque monsters and will pull the front wheel anytime you want - and the previous owner had done just that, with this bike. Not only were the fork seals blown, but the bike has been looped (road rash on top of the tank and on top of the tail; damaged dashboard; missing windshield), and the front cylinder head was broken where it attaches to the motor mount that hangs from the frame.
The red and blue decals are all reflective (a la "police"), and other than the road rash and missing windshield, it's not in bad shape.
I bought the bike maybe 10 years ago, and have been accumulating parts. I sourced a replacement head for it years ago (used) and have had it sitting on the workbench, mocking me....so this weekend I got a wild hair and put it on the lift and disassembled.
The head bolts to the same 4 bolts that hold the cylinder to the case, so when you unload the pressure by removing the head, you need to also remove the cylinder and replace the base gasket. Did that, reinstalled everything with the replacement head...and it won't run on the front cylinder. Pulled plugs, and I could HEAR the compression difference while cranking the engine. So, I pulled that used front head and looked at it. Couldn't see anything. Poured water into the chamber...and it poured right back out the exhaust port. That valve was NOT seated. Pulled the valve out, chucked it in a drill so I could lap it in...and the stem was WAAAAY bent. Pulled the exhaust valve out of the bike's original (broken) head, it was straight. Lapped IT into the seat, reassembled everything...and it runs. First time in a decade!
Took it out of the shop and hit it with some Reliable cleaner and a pressure washer
And now it's starting to look like something! Put the tank and seat on it, and blazed it up and down the driveway, and DAMN this thing is quick. I was very impressed.
Now, it's back on the lift for the other stuff - replace the front rotor, replace the blown rear shock, replace the blown fork seals, replace the dash and busted speedometer...but hey, it runs again! And being one of 12 built...I'm glad I was able to save it, instead of having it lost forever.
