rookieraj

I recently had my KB125, a July 98 model, delivered to my house. She has been gathering dust for the past eight years and was in a sorry state.

A preliminary inspection revealed:-
(a) The kick pedal wouldn't move, so I guess the piston is jammed. I didn't try to force the issue.
(b) Both tyres wouldn't budge.
(c) The petrol tank had some rust on the outside; the innards would have much more I guess.
(d) All fuel/oil hoses had hardened - so I guess these will have to be replaced.
(e) The electrical harness looks like its lived its life - will need to be replaced.
(f) All lamps are intact; I will try to use the indicator and tail light lenses at least.

I have decided to rebuild the bike myself. My experience in all matters (except driving) related to automobiles is zilch; this in spite of owning two bikes and a car over the past 14 years. So, while I try my hand at becoming a mobike mechanic, I solicit your advice, opinions, suggestions (even mild rebukes would be welcome).

The idea is to post all developments progressively. I will also include the cost incurred.

Lastly, I wish to thank psr, aargee, harishkumarko, locomotor, kb100, et al who have undertaken similar projects earlier and have shared their experiences and wisdom for rookies like myself. Kudos to the enthusiasts who founded this forum and have provided a platform for sharing the collective knowledge of motorcycle lovers.

Regards.

sunilg

Query approved.

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rookieraj

Thanks for the prompt approval sunilg.

Well, the plan of action is:-

1. I will strip down the bike. Identify parts which can be salvaged.
2. Clean the engine and transmission parts including the carburetor and oil pump.
3. Hunt for the spare parts.
4. The chassis, petrol tank, panels and other metal parts will be given for sandblasting/painting/buffing.
5. The bike then gets assembled - will seek professional help, if required, especially for the engine and transmission.

Let's see how it goes. Comments/suggestions solicited.

In the interim, I bought a basic set of tools:-
Double sided open ended wrenches 6-27: 220
Double sided ring wrenches 6-22 : 330
Nose pliers : 90
Medium file : 95
Multimeter :320
12" pipe wrench :150
Screw drivers flat/Philips :100
Hack saw with two blades :40
Chisel 1/2" :30
Oil can :60


Costs so far:-
Transportation till my house-1100 (incidental & hence not included in overall costs)
Tools-Approx 1500 (incidental & hence not included in overall costs)
Duplicate keys-135
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Total - 135

kb100

Welcome to xbhp and best of luck for ur rebuld ,do download the workshopmanual and parts catalogue for kb125 its posted in my kb100 thread they will be your bible for the build

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Kawasaki KB100/enduro/125 substitute parts list http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/508615-post105.html

psr

Congrats on your attempt to resurrect a KB125....it is not for the faint hearted, and be prepared to loose your hair over non-availability of spares and good mech with knowledge...that said, it is one of the most stable and fun to ride bike.....
1. The bore and Piston are NOT AVAILABLE any more..it is an all aluminum bore with no Sleeve and coated with Hard chrome through sputtering process.So try to save the Bore and Piston.You can open the top head by undoing the 4 of 12mm Nuts with Box spanner. The workshop manual will be useful in this regard.After opening inspect the cylinder and piston. Pour 50ml of 2T oil on top of piston,and gently kick the kick starter.If the piston still does not move ,engage 3rd gear and push the vehicle which will move the piston...Now Kick a few times to make the piston move freely.Re-assemble the head with gasket sealant.
2.The petrol tank rust may be outside,because these tanks are TIN coated inside and rust free..My KB is 23 yrs old and still no sign of rust.
Still the inside of Petrol and Oil tank should be cleaned thoroughly using Petrol....petrol tap to be changed, oil pump to be opened and cleaned ....AFTER all this only you should start the bike with pre-mix petrol...Oh you should also bleed and refill engine oil.
3.Other materials like oil ,petrol tubes etc., are easily available.
The wiring harness is again not available...so try to make it ok with the help of an auto electrician.

Good luck ...

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rookieraj

@kb100 - The parts list and workshop manual were downloaded even before I joined the forum-kind courtesy your thread. I've read your thread post by post at least three times. Couldn't thank you enough.

@psr - Anna, thanks for the prompt reply. The tips on the piston will be followed. I removed the air cleaner and had a peep. There appears to be a thick coat of dust and grime. I was planning to clean every thing first. About the petrol tank, there is some rust inside. I was planning to clean it by the electrolysis method that I read somewhere on this forum. I take solace from the fact that it was running well before it was stowed away. Also, my brother tells me that he had the piston and the rings changed. I will make the harness myself. It doesn't appear to be very complicated.

kb100

Try and get a new cylinder kit if your cyl is rebored as it destroys the liner ,if the wiring kit is shot then replace it , swiss still makes it should cost abt <400rs kbs tanks rust so remove it and give it a coat of antirust since u r in delhi parts wont b an issue but quality will be pslease do post a few pics

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Kawasaki KB100/enduro/125 substitute parts list http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/508615-post105.html

psr

Rookie when you open the top head please see if the BORE is rusted..it most probably will be.Clean the rust off with Kerosene,(soaking a piece of cloth in Kerosene and repeatedly wiping the inside of bore,in circular motion) and spray WD 40 oil to clear and lubricate the rings from the top of piston .WD40 also works against rust and thaws frozen parts, so use the spray liberally in circular pattern on the top of Piston edge with the bore.
You can also try Colgate white Toothpaste to polish the bore,before trying to kick and move the piston...Tooth paste is a mild abrasive and cleans and polishes surfaces well.

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When Was The Last Time,You Did Something For The First Time.

http://www.codewins.com/motorcycles/...alveclearance/.( D I Y Valve clearance setting.. )

yb100

here in Pk we have Kawasaki GTO 125
124.00 ccm and it has 17.50hp 12.8kw

rookieraj

@kb100: In my limited knowledge, the cylinder of a kb125 can not be rebored as it is made of an aluminum alloy. Will heed your advice for the wiring kit. Ditto for the petrol tank. It does have considerable rust inside. I have stripped most of the bike; will post pictures soon. By the way, I have uploaded one snap of the way it looked prior to the disassembling in my album. Thanks a ton.

@ psr: Roger Anna. Kerosene oil has worked wonders in helping me unscrew these rusted and stubborn bolts. I will buy some WD40 too.

[QUOTE=yb100;589149]here in Pk we have Kawasaki GTO 125
124.00 ccm and it has 17.50hp 12.8kw

@yb100. Aadaab. The KB125, if what I understand is correct, is more or less a copy of the GTO125, tuned down to generate lesser power.