Someone, please tell me I will get the bike back together.

[SoloScott]

I have owned my Kat for a total of 2 weeks now and the weather has permitted me to ride about 150 miles. It has been sitting in pieces in my garage for the entire past week. The last owner took the bike apart for repairs and maintenance, and when he put it back together he lost most of the bolts. I have about 60 nuts, bolts, and grommets ordered from bikebandit.com to put it together properly. Recently BB emailed me to say that they are waiting for 1 bolt to ship my order and it will take up to 4 days. I think that's ridiculous. My bike is in pieces and they are waiting to ship everythiing together to save $0.50 in shipping on their end!

Each time I take a piece of the bike off, it appears that more bolts are loose or missing. Is there any reason that someone would lose the grommets on the bottom of the headlight assembly??? They are tricky to get in and out, so they don't get misplaced easily when it's apart. The roads are dry and I'm going stir-crazy!!

[Mojoe]

well maybe a pic of the mess I have will cheer you up. I still have to finish tearing this one down...yanking out the motor and removing everything to paint the frame.
So just tell yourself, "at least I am farther ahead than Mojoe is".

[soccersteve]

good luck man. i was there this winter, had everything apart. but you'll get it back together, no doubt. you'll just have to get a nice jacket this summer so you can ride later in to the year to make up for lost time

[Anonymous]

I don't know if it would be cheaper for you...but mine had some missing or stipped bolts as well.

I just went to a speciallized hardware store where they sell metric bolts. Super cheap and the bolts were of better quality/strength than the OEM ones.

[SweetLou]

Don't woprry, it will all come togther.

At least that is what I tell myself everytime I look at mine.

Mine is just a frame, engine, wheels and lights right now.

[SoloScott]

Alright, I'll pull myself together. Thanks

kickit, That would be a good solution, but the hardest part is just trying to figure out what type of bolt goes where. The diagrams on bikebandit don't tell/show whether many of the pieces are machine screws, bolts, or regular screws. I ordered one "batch" of bolts to get it somewhat together. No doubt I will have to reassess the situation and order a second shipment for the parts I missed the first time.

I'm a new rider, so at least I wasn't staring at a bike in storage all winter long

[*GP*]

if all of your lights are working, you can ride it no matter how it looks... that's the important part. Are you gonna tell me that you never took home the fat chick from the bar that looked like 100' of bad concrete? She'll ride...

[WildKat]

all i know is. everytime I take the plastics off my bike, there seems to be more and more bolts each time!!

[Black Kat]

before



after




after is more fun.........

[Mojoe]

I don't know if it would be cheaper for you...but mine had some missing or stipped bolts as well.

I just went to a speciallized hardware store where they sell metric bolts. Super cheap and the bolts were of better quality/strength than the OEM ones.

I agree.

kickit, That would be a good solution, but the hardest part is just trying to figure out what type of bolt goes where. The diagrams on bikebandit don't tell/show whether many of the pieces are machine screws, bolts, or regular screws. I ordered one "batch" of bolts to get it somewhat together. No doubt I will have to reassess the situation and order a second shipment for the parts I missed the first time.

even if you bought 20 of each bolt just to make sure you had enuff of each, it is still cheaper than oem.

Are you gonna tell me that you never took home the fat chick from the bar that looked like 100' of bad concrete?

Man...I am glad to hear I am not the only one. The kind you shove out the door and send on their way before the sun comes up....so the nieghbors don't see.

[HS2020]

SoloScott. YOur bolts are a 4mm, 5mm, and the only 6mm I know of is the grab rail. So go get some 4mm and 5mm allen head bolts at different lengths and there you have it.

I know about the extra bolts that show up. I was putting everything back on that 88 Ninja the other day and I had 2 bolts left over. I was like where do these go. Finally I found out that they go under the headlight to help hold on the front part of the fairing.

Now when I pull my fairings off I have platcis bags labeled left front, right front, right rear, and left rear and rear. I take one side off at time putt all them in the bag for that side and seal them up. Since then I do not lose and bolts so far.

[WildKat]

it only took me 1 time of removing the body work to learn to do what hs2020 does. keep em separate and clearly marked. I looked for an hour for one of the bolts that fell down behind the grill in the garage!

[Katgirl]

I learned the hard way too, as most do.
You'll get her back together and it will be a great learning experience.
I think I have 2 bolts left still

[SoloScott]

For many of the unseen bolts, I think I will try to use generic hardware bolts. I insist on using stainless steel, however.

The update is that I put on some of the most important bolts and took it out with no fairings. Things were rattling and it was WINDY!! I only took a 5 minute ride, because I didn't have the front blinkers on (I'm not legal, so I don't need to give them a reason to pull me over). I just needed to warm it up before lubing the chain and changing the oil.

I do use a magnetic tray to hold all my bolts. That's better than many people, but separating everything in bags is a good idea.

Black Kat, NICE WORK!!! That's the kind of motivation I need!

[SlytlyDeranged]

I will post pics next weekend of mine. I still have to start on mine, gotta swap engines, changing the rear swingarm and dog bones(if i can ever get to HS2020's to pick them up) putting on a gixxer rear shock, all new(used) plastics, new gauges, new clip ons, new lights, new turn signals, new mirrors, paint everything, and this is just the tip if the iceburg that I havent even started yet. I think I am going to buy/borrow a buddies spare bike for the summer so I will have something to ride while I am wrenching on this one.

All of you are way ahead of me LOL.