Steve Cooper
Who do you believe? Or was pub banter and club talk better than the internet?
There’s a saying that goes ‘believe half of what you see and none of what you hear’. If you want multiple, definitive answers to just the one question, then, by all means, post that enquiry on an internet forum. These virtual platforms are increasingly seen by many as the go-to setting for all technical data and it’s easy to see why.
You’re asking for information from a wide, spectrum of enthusiasts and so you’d expect to find a fair degree of commonality amongst the responses surely? Well, yes, possibly. The issue is that many of the responses are little more than cut-and-paste, creatively acquired from other web-based sources. All of which would be fine if it were not for the fact a lot of knowledge out there is variously erroneous, without substantive support, confused, muddle headed and often downright wrong.
Much of what is trotted out as fact amounts to little more than digitised old wives’ tales at best and total tosh at worst. The internet can be a remarkable source of knowledge but you generally have to verify what you’re told elsewhere – but don’t rely on the web for that.
Having seen three websites repeat the same howler suggests, to me at least, that plagiarism is rife. As far as I’m aware, Yamaha’s XJ650 was never built as a four cylinder disc valve twostroke!
Not so long ago there was a thread going around that suggested Kawasaki H1 triple main bearings could be had for substantially less than the specialist suppliers were asking for and, taken at face value, that information seemed to be correct. The bearings were indeed made in Japan and by the OEM supplier to Kawasaki. Even better they were the correct grade of clearance (C3 in case you wondered) so who’s up for a bargain?
What few realised was that although the specifications looked right the machined grooves in the bearings’ outer races were subtly different in terms of location and yet they would fit the cases, apparently, when built up into a rebuilt crankshaft assembly.
Those few microns/thous/gnat’s cock’s difference were sufficient to damage the engine cases and cause untold wailing, gnashing of teeth, rending of garments. All of which rather succinctly runs counter to the school of thought
Who do you trust?
Steve makes a point many forget – the ’net can be useful, but trust what you read online at your peril
that says: ‘Don’t buy bearings from your main dealer because they only buy them in from someone else and stick a mark-up on them’.
That you can buy wheel bearings and the like from third party suppliers isn’t up for debate but when it comes to components you might term as mission critical you really do need to ensure what you’re feeding an engine or gearbox is absolutely correct…. believe half of what you see etc.
A similar argument has been made many times for oil seals, and to a greater degree a lipped seal that keeps the speedo drive’s grease away from brake linings is just that. However, when it comes to seals that hold two-stoke primary compression inside the crankcases, you could be chancing your luck. Amazingly such seals are still available for this columnist’s venerable, 100cc, YL1 Yamaha twin and they weren’t especially expensive. They are exactly the correct specification for the job, enjoy modern, low friction sealing lips and are available from UK dealers within a few days. Alternatively you can take your chances with a random online seller and hope they work but is it really worth taking a chance for a fiver? We’re back to that maxim again, folks.
If you’re a stickler for originality then you might want to skip the next bit – once again it shows populace opinion ain’t always right. In the restoration of a Yamaha street scrambler, I hit an issue when it came to securing induction rubbers to the airbox. Social media recommended the automatic, default, use the ubiquitous worm drive clips but personally I think they’re ugly and a little too gauche. With everyone shouting eBay, an online search did indeed bring up period NOS clips for auction, in America, at just $27 each, plus postage and import duty? Really? Are you serious?
Yet another call to the ever helpful Webbs of Lincoln divvied up that yes the clips were still available but would probably be in a different finish. At just over £4 each it was, and is, a nobrainer. They fit, are the correct diameter and crucially not twice the width as per the general purpose automotive substitute. That they are finished in black matters not a jot to me and if I feel the need I can always get them zinc plated.
Believe half of what you see and nothing of what you hear or … do your own research and don’t rely on a stranger’s version of the facts!