bandit 1200 head
 

Hi

I never claimed to be much of a handyman with bikes and this proved me right.
tried to change header exhaust gaskets and when re-torquing the header bolts I stripped a thread and also broke the ally bit the thread sits within (can't hellicoil).
Any ideas appart from stripping the head off and replacing with a new one (more than cost of the bike).

I like the bike, it's a good Europe tourer as long as you keep a thermos full of fuel for emergencies. I'm gutted and want to know if something can cure my bike's ailments. Oh and my wallet

There's not too many things you can do to the heads on these things that can't be repaired by someone skilled enough. I think you need to call around some small engineering firms, or ask a bikeshop where they farm these sort of things out to. Broken casting can usually be rebuilt, and drilled and tapped. Any fix like this will almost certainly need the head off.http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...milies/sad.gif
:(

Regards

Nigel in NZ

head woes
 

as a bike mechanic by trade i have to say there are some things when its best to take it to a shop and pay the bit more it costs if youre not sure.bandit exhaust a notorious for rotting at the collector and seizing the header bolts.I would say you're up s**t creek now.you could try using some of them ally welding kits you get from aftermarket people and have a go or try bodging it with that plastic steel stuff but nothing is going to do it properly other than taking the head off and getting an engineering shop to weld it up.you could try getting a second hand head but there aren't many of them about.phone some breakers.
either way you're looking at +- 300 quid.if your tempted to try taking the head off yourself you'll save a fair bit but get a manual and read it first!

breakers head i think
 

thanks guys, a shop is the way to go I think, I'll scour breakers etc and get one fitted rather than a bodge, they never work and you end up spending even more

broken exhaust studs
 

One thing you might want to try is using exhast springs. Lots of racing bikes hold their exhausts on with springs. Over here in montana snowmobiles have used this system for years. If the bike isn't especialy pretty have a tab with a hole in it welded on to the pipe. Then situate another tab on the engine or even on a bracket fabricated off of the frame. The idea is to have the spring exert pressure to hold the header into the head. Not like new but it would let you get some more life out of the old beast. Good luck.

If you need to go the replacement route(I too, think it could be welded), the heads from the early GSXR's and the Katana GSX1100F are the same part.