As we're all stuck at home wishing we were out and about blatting I thought I'd share the story of my Harris Magnum GPZ1000RX. I've gone into more detail than I usually do in my posts, just to give you guys something to read so sorry if I ramble a bit...
As some of your may know I was into bikes many years ago and still have a bike that I built in 1988 in the garage. Well now is the time to get it back on the road after over 25 years, not sure how much I'll use it but it's no use as a load of bits spread around the garage, shed and loft.
The bike is very much in the same vein as a kit car, it was from back in the days when the Japs made great engines but not such good chassis, although that changed once Suzuki introduced the GSXR1100 and Yamaha the FZR1000 in the late 80s so these type of bikes became more of a niche.
There were a few companies making racing chassis and road race kits and I persuaded my father to buy me the Harris Magnum kit for my 18th birthday. It was a rolling chassis and I sourced the rest from various breakers as I went along, including the Kawasaki GPZ900R engine.
I didn't have a garage and lived at home so I started the build in a spare corner at work, tinkering in the evenings and weekends. After about a year it passed an MOT and was issued a Q plate - no IVA back then. The RD350 I was riding was then put to use on the race track but that's another story...
After a year or so I noticed and ad in LOOT for an GPZ1000RX engine, it had been used in a racing side car outfit and had a gas flowed head so I swapped it out. The RX was the next generation Kawasaki to the 900R but apart from the oversized engine, the only change I had to make was the ingniter box (ECU).
I rode it to Assen, Paul Ricard Circuit, Spain, Milan etc as well as running it at Long Marsden and Santapod - 10s 1/4 miles. My brother had a V Max which at the time was the most powerful production bike ever made, he had it bored out to 1260 with Cosworth pistons so it's a miracle that we're both still here!
In 1994 I was racing a CBR600 and along with 2 other guys we decided to compete in the Snetterton 6 hour endurance race. None of us wanted to thrash our track bikes for that long and risk blowing them up so I suggested using the Harris. By now it had racing carbs, ignition and a Wiseco big bore kit fitted. It went quite well and even though we were only pushing to about 90% it was still competitive. Sadly it did not last the distance, after about 4 hours the main bearings gave up. So this left a big rebuild and a lot of parts to put back on after it had been stripped back for the track, just as I bought my first house, moved in with my girl friend and got a proper job.
So, it sat in my parents garage until they had both passed away and I then moved it to my house in 2014, just as I bought my first Westfield, so there it sat... until now!
I rebuilt the engine in 1995 so I'm hoping that will be okay. So far this weekend I've got the front brakes sorted, the hydraulic clutch sorted, the carbs stripped and rebuilt, the back end stripped and reassembled and the wiring loom removed for a good clean and tidy up. I've taken the exhaust off for a coat of paint and will clean and paint the rad too. Lots and lots of cleaning to be done. I might update the colour scheme once it's done, it's a bit too 80s possibly
Working on it has been really strange. As you can see I've got a lot of history with this bike and it has brought back so many memories, working in the garage on a warm day with a beer in my hand. To be honest it brought a lump to my throat a couple of times.
Junk cleared from around and on top of it. The seat and fairing are in the loft
Harris Magnum Rebuild
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Harris Magnum Rebuild
Steve
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
What a cracking story Steve. A friend of mine had a RD350 and that was quick back then, all standard set up.
The story has got some meaning and a look down memory lane does us all good sometimes, if also brings a tear then it means something special.
Looking forward to seeing it close up at some stage, you have got to video the first time you fire it up ?
Good read Steve keep going.
The story has got some meaning and a look down memory lane does us all good sometimes, if also brings a tear then it means something special.
Looking forward to seeing it close up at some stage, you have got to video the first time you fire it up ?
Good read Steve keep going.
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Great story, I remember Harris frames when I was out and about on my CB1100RC (amongst others).
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Great write up, keep us updated please
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Brilliant write up Steve, I remember Harris frames being the dogs nuts back in the day. Are you keeping it retro with the colours?
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Excellent
As it was raced in those colours, it really is a classic bike with race history and a nice story. If you repaint it, I think it will lose a lot of that nostalgic feel. As it is the real deal, not a modern retro replica, I think you should keep it as it was in its heyday
As it was raced in those colours, it really is a classic bike with race history and a nice story. If you repaint it, I think it will lose a lot of that nostalgic feel. As it is the real deal, not a modern retro replica, I think you should keep it as it was in its heyday
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
oh, i love threads like this, even if they hammer home that i am a true mechanical numpty, or a numpty when it comes to things mechanical!
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
cracking story, love the nostalgia.
looking forward to the next step.
looking forward to the next step.
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Nice bike, you’ve got to keep the paint as it is.
Great write up look forward to the next update
Great write up look forward to the next update
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Re: Harris Magnum Rebuild
Excellent story! Will be following with interest.
Never heard of Harris but then I don't know much about bikes.
As others have said, I think you should keep the paintwork as it is and relish the memories that it invokes.
Never heard of Harris but then I don't know much about bikes.
As others have said, I think you should keep the paintwork as it is and relish the memories that it invokes.
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