Intro - Hoge's Husa (Australia)

Slow progress lately with life getting in the way. Needed to get motivated and with the Spring weather bringing out the sunshine I thought it was high time to make the bike look pretty, even if it is still not running.

The SCRUB DESIGNZ decal kit is a quality item. Very happy with it. This was my first time ever applying decals. I read the instructions, watched some YouTubes and got on with the job.

I wanted to keep my original 2002 graphics on their original plastics so used a mix of spares that I've accumulated. I had only just picked up the yellow shrouds last week along with some other random bits including a top triple clamp from a later berg which I need for the steering damper install kit (4 bolt versus 8 bolt clamp). I hadn't quite realised at first but the original blue and yellow has now sort of been flipped front to back.

For prep, I first got everything clean in the laundry tub and dried the parts. Then I wiped them down with acetone. The instructions tell you NOT TO USE WATER. I couldn't find the instructions at first, but realised much later they were on the back of the packet. After opening the packet the decals began to curl up - I was worried this might affect the application but it didn't and may have just been because it was a warm sunny day.

The decals on the radiator shrounds come in 2 parts (4 if you include the upper and lower tank sections). I found I had to centre the decal around the hole in the radiator shroud and then try to line up the edges. To do this I very slightly trimmed back the paper around the hole and test fitted a few times before I was happy. Then I had to do the same with the other half but also try to get the text to line up - tricky but patience saw it done right.

The glue is super strong. If you get it wrong its a fair effort required to pull it back up from the surface but luckily the decals are good quality and don't distort when being lifted. I didn't try to get it on it one go, opting to just start in the middle and the progressively work outwards, chasing down the contours and pushing out any bubbles as I went.

It took me about 3 hours to get the tank/shrouds and headlight mask done but it was well worth it. I simply ran out of time to do the rear of the bike and I'd prefer to restore the plastic as much as possible before doing so anyway.

Super happy with the result so far. The bike just looks so fresh.

Prepping my bike for a visit to someone with a hydraulic press to finally deal with this stuck swing arm bolt. I've been warned there may be carnage.

Got me thinking about the other broken 2002 Fe501 from a while back. I decided to get in touch and try to trade a motorbike trailer for it. No deal, he still wanted cash.

Add to this that bike was in Mildura, a solid 550km away. Some texts went back and forth over price and in the end I wasn't going to be overly stubborn about it considering the value in having a spare engine, even if it was fubar.

So I left Melbourne at 11:30AM, arrived Mildura at 5:30PM. Set to work to strip the bike to pieces and fit it in the back of the trusty 80 series Landcruiser. Money changed hands and I was out of there. Quick bite in town and back on the road arriving home 1:30AM after 1100km on the most boring road in the country. Its just wheat fields and scrub the whole way. In other parts of the world if you drove that far you'd practically be in another country.

This bike is a bit newer than mine carrying engine 501 2 682 (versus 501 2 237) but much worse for wear. Its been used as a race bike, still had its numbers, the plastics were trashed, no speedo and generally very rough looking.

On the plus side it has had the forks done by Kroozetune but no idea what the set up/spring rate is. There are bar risers and FORCE radiator guards. The stator is there and what's left of the engine.

Looks as though the engine has dropped a valve and its made a mess of the head and piston. Its also bent the conrod. The liner could be salvaged with work but is scored. I suppose at least it gives me a spare set of cases.

Wish me luck on the press. I really don't want to break anything.

Finished off the rear;
This rear fender was fairly perished and it took a lot of work wet-rubbing it back with 400 grit. I wasn't happy with how it turned out after using the heat gun but at least the stickers cover the worst of it.

Little bit tricky to apply the stickers in multiple parts over compound curves. Inevitably I did end up with a few bubbles and creases. You'd have to look very close to find them though as I trimmed the worst crease out and hid it with the extra "SCRUB" sticker. Alignment was near perfect.

Having no luck getting onto the guy who offered use of his press and may need to resort to paying an engineer to do it

I've had a ****** year but I got serious about some old projects again. Not just the Berg.

Scored some KTM motard rims. They're badly weathered from washing with some corrosive chemicals I'd guess. But they were cheap. I had to get some adaptors from BRC (26mm V 20mm axle).

Still chipping away at this resto!

I haven't logged in for over a year! Moved house and currently have no garage space at home. Every time I want to do anything I need to drive for an hour to get to where all my gear is stored.

Here's where it's at:
New headgasket purchased
Motard rims have been on/off while sorting the brakes
Got a 4 piston radial brembo for it but still need a bracket/master/320mm disk
Picked up some Force radiator guards new in the packet

Canned the hydraulic press idea. Went to see some engineers about it and it was nothing but logistical hassles.

New idea involves using an air chisel/hammer. I set up everything to do the job and the air chisel was cactus. Just my luck. I think it should do a reasonable job of shocking the bolt loose. Will try to get video of it in action.