Thought I would start a thread on my latest NSR. Really liked the look of the mc18 in Terra colours, got to be one of the prettiest NSR's around. I had one of these on my wanted list and was toying with the idea of getting one when I finish the other projects in my garage, when Stephen rc45 put his up for sale in the classifieds for a very reasonable price though it just seemed to good an oportunity to miss so I phoned him up and the deal was done If you go back a page in the members builds section you will find Steve's thread on this bike.

So I have been riding the 18 for a couple of months now and she is a lovely little thing, in fact I think I prefer it to the Pentax at the moment! The bike is in very tidy condition but needed a couple of little jobs doing (all things I was informed of before purchase) the front discs were warped but these were soon changed for a spare set I had lying around. The speedo was working intermitantly I guessed this would be a worn plastic drive that goes over the sprocket, had a new one in the spares draw so this was fitted and the problem cured, replaced the knackered rear tyre and I fitted a spare dry clutch cover I had kicking around.Thats how she was used until last week.

I decided this is going to be a bit of a rolling restoration with parts being repaired, replaced and refurbed as and when I can. Reasons for this are: havent got any room in the garage to strip another bike anyway, its in pretty good nick anyway and I like riding it to much at the moment to take it off the road.

My aim is pretty much the same as Steve's was, to get it looking as mint and original as possible. This isnt going to be a show pony and will be used as Honda intended but I want it to look as mint as possible. It has HRC F3 swinging arm and rear shock, these will stay on as they look standard anyway and being HRC parts are pretty trick. Steve had derestricted it, drilled the airbox and rejetted the carbs, it runs nicely and puts out 61bhp so this set up will remain, although the right hand pipe has a small scuff and dent on the stinger so I would like to source a better one of these. Currently has "r" forks so will need to source some SP forks. Bodywork is in good condition, the upper fairing is mint. this will get some localised repairs and paint as it would be a crime to strip and repaint bodywork in this good original condition.

At some point I will drop the engine for a strip, rebuild and to have the cases vapour blasted but no big rush to do this at the moment.