When is a motor considered unrepairable?

A friend told me that the first time he pulled a Japanese motor apart, he shit himself. The first time you pull a particular type of motor apart is probably the only time you will have any anxiety. After that, it is a soda. British bikes are made to be rebuilt. With Japanese bikes you just keep plugging in the parts until the crankcases, barrels and heads are all shagged. Then you throw it away and start again with a new bike.

gtsun said:

That's very nice, what model is that?

Click to expand...

its a 1948 BSA C11

Easy answer, when you have lost it and can't find the bits, mind you it is pretty impressive when you see a cylinder head held on the head steady and the rear halves of the cases and nothing else - the barrel and crank had left the bike when it went bang. Awesome photo, wish I took a copy!

If you have all the parts there is not much that can't be repaired and recovered these days. Even valve seats deep inside a one piece barrel and head are easily replaced and recovered these days.