2007 ec 250 refresh

[imsimon]

hello all
my bike has started to look a little tired so I thought I would do a little thread of a freshen up of it. its not a major rebuild like some of the amazing threads on here just want to bring a few things back up to where they should be. Im not a mechanic and hardly have any experience. im in the uk and I race very slowly in sportsman class (that's the slowest class!) heres me at my last race 2 weeks ago


anyway after this event I just couldn't get the bike clean from normal washing so decided to start taking bits off etc and have now decided to do a few jobs the main job being removing the suspension for a service. the other jobs are going to be
coolant change, clean up the exhaust chamber (and maybe polish up) new lower shock bearing as slight play, (ive already done this) new graphics, either just rad or complete kit not sure yet, clean the carb and probably a load of other little jobs, like I said I know its nothing major but thought id document it anyway.

I hadn't decided to do a thread when I started so heres the first pic as I was getting stuff off the bike

[imsimon]

The first job was on the rear brakes, I had thought something had happened during the race as I had lost all braking power on the rear very noticeable on the steep down hill bits! got to the end and found the slider pin that holds the caliper to the carrier had gone! along with the shim that holds the pads in, as a result the pads had come away hence the no brakes, the caliper was a bit of a mess so ive tidied it up and installed new pin and rubber, and shim. I ordered new pads but the company sent the wrong type so still waiting for them, no pics of this im afraid,
next was one of the most important jobs for me, the rear lower shock bearing, there had been a bit of play in the rear and I knew it was the lower shock bearing as I had recently replaced the top shock bearing and had checked the swing arm bearings, was a little nervous for some reason as hadn't done one of these before but with the help from this forum it was surprisingly easy, wish I had taken pics but anyway I used a vice and a 16mm socket to push it out and the new back in, pleased and it looks so much cleaner now

next job was remove the rear shock, always a little fiddly but came out fine, looks a little dirty hey! Im going to be taking it to a shop for a service, I know you can self service but ive never done it and thinks its probably a job best left to an expert unless someone wants to tell me different!

[imsimon]

shock looking a little better and ready to go for service next week

[imsimon]

heres a pic of the doglegs obviously one cleaned and one not. Im trying to get it all nice and clean, all bolts get a soaking to clean them up!

[shang]

Keep it coming! I love threads like this!

[Jakobi]

Originally Posted by shang

Keep it coming! I love threads like this!

Pics are good!

My bikes due for headstem, linkage, shock and fork servicing. Might snap a couple during the process and make a thread of it too.

[RockefellerGG]

I wish more people would create build threads. I like seeing the transformations and it keeps me occupied on slow days at work.


Looking good!

[imsimon]

Shang - thank you very much I love others threads like this so thought I might as well do my own!

Jackobi - thanks i'll keep the pics coming

Rockerfella - your thread was awesome, Im hoping to pinch your way of doing the exhaust, I would love to do the 2011 conversion, im still toying with it but I might just save my money for now and actually get a 2011 in a year or so? not sure yet.

anyway yesterday I had an "educational" moment with the bike! stupid looking back but didn't think at the time, rear wheel is out as you know, took the front wheel out and the bike wasn't balanced so as I took the front wheel out the whole bike fell forward on me, got it back up ok but made me laugh and look stupid all the same! ive put the back wheel in just to keep it still.

I took the forks out, then gave them the shock a wash, also started to clean the exhaust, the silencer is quite new about 5 rides fmf powercore 2 so that just got a little wash, I think the chamber however will take a bit more patience for what I want from it!

hoping to get in the garage again for an hour later so hopefully some more pics tomorrow

for now heres the new lower shock bearing in, wish I had taken a pic of the old one!


and heres the exhaust just prior to its wash, that's mostly mud the darker colour but its going to take a lot of wd40 and elbow grease to get it up to standard!

[imsimon]

oh and graphics, I will probably stick with the plastics ive got and put new graphics on (if you look at my first picsture when I was racing look in front of my left boot you can see my rad graphics hanging off!)

I like the look of these but they only have a picture of the bike on a 2015 model, think I might just go for it and hope they look good!

[imsimon]

been out in the garage for a couple of hours, not sure what I actually achieved!
mostly cleaning stuff again.
heres the forks out the bike


just a little shot of the tiny sort of cleaning jobs ive been up to today


bit of a scrubb and not perfect but



then did the plastics, no pics sorry
then my attention turned to the exhaust, its going to take more elbow grease than first thought! this is the before but my hands were to messy to pick the camera after!