The shortened version is ..... having done a full top end rebuild over the weekend on the NXA and fitted new (read second hand), untested 'A Kit' reed blocks, the first session was about running in the pistons/rings and seeing what the new reed arrangement gave in terms of advantage or indeed disadvantage.
That lasted all of 3 laps as cylinder 'dropped out' on the start finish straight entering the fourth lap and it limped home to pits. Something seemed wrong and ive had that before when a reed petals have broken in the past.
Back in the pits Andy and Stephen came to investigate with me and didnt like the look of the plug on the top cylinder. We stripped it and to my absolute horror when i took the reed block out the whole bank of reeds, the retaining strip and all three screws were GONE!
With a sinking heart and a glazed look, i couldnt believe my eyes. Looking into the crankcase from the intake just looked horrendous
BUT Andy and Stephen were positive and supportive and to be totally honest, if it was not for their support and encouragement i would of gone home there and then to cry into a beer or several.
You would not believe how folk rallied round, getting it stripped to see what the damage was going to be, I have to include Fontyyy in all of this too and the lad with the MC18 whose name i didnt pick up on.
After an hour or so of some very well led encouragement and spannering from Andy and Stephen we found the bent retaining strip and two of the three screws, no reeds, they had been well mashed into a black carbon fibre/2T oil paste.
After some unconventional crank case flushing, we didnt find the third screw and was told the cycliner looked ok
.... So the next stage was to throw the whole thing back together with a new piston/ring/pin and little end .... Once again ....Thanks Andy, you have no idea how much your support meant at that point.
Whilst Andy was helping throw the bike back togeher Stephen was helping out doing something different to help salvage a disasterous start to the day. Thats another story.
It turned out that we got the NXA up and running just before dinner time, when the rain set in ....... and there in lies the story, not completely but that's about it.
Have to say, when i joined this community having bought the RS as a 'Want To Return' to teenage fun ... and a bit more' ... i hadn't fully realised quite what i had bought and soon found out that an RGV250 and RG500 is not infact an RS250R ...
I was then looking around to find somewhere to sit and feel comfortable with the folk and knowledge that i had none of..
In here i have found the very nicest, knowledgable and enthusiastic people the internet can bring you.
As i have said earlier ... Thank you Andy, Stephen and all there today, the NSR-W family... It was memorable in the face of adversity
