GS1000 Phasar

(Photo courtesy of Alan Eaves)

Here you see it a decade later in my workshop, pretty much as I bought it in 2003, requiring a complete overhaul and re-engineering job,

March 2004

Happily it passed it's MOT at the first attempt, but all was not well in the engine so, 2 Days after it's MOT ......

The engine has to come out to check out the problem

Here you can see that the starter clutch has self destructed. (There were also several problems with the generator, so it turned out to be lucky that I'd taken it apart at this stage).

The engine hoists out thanks to a removable chassis member above it

Whilst I've got the engine out, it seems like a good idea to re-position the engine so as to sort out the drive-shaft mis-alignment.  This means that the engine needs to move c1/4" to the right.  I've cut out all the R.H. engine mountings, spaced the engine over as required and tack-welded the mountings in place while bolted to the engine.  Now all I have to do is take the engine out again and weld them in properly.

April 2004

With the new starter clutch fitted and the generator repaired and re-installed, I finally get the engine back together and back into the chassis.  At this stage I have to mount the drive-shaft and re-check the alignment.  This is done by bolting the drive-shaft to the back of the engine and mounting a DTI on the rear end.  Turn the shaft by hand to check for run-out.

The run-out is down to +/- 3-4 thou, an marked improvement as it was originally over 200 thou.

As you can see from the above, moving the engine over has now got the drive shaft and UJ central to the swing-arm 'tunnel', and now I just have to weld in the support bearing bracket to keep it there.

Finally, with everything back together and some paint splashed over the front and rear bodywork, I finally get to try the Phasar out properly on the road, and start the long process of sorting out all the mechanical, electrical and ergonomic problems and start to turn it into a useable, roadworthy bike. 

The most immediate problems are the fact that the battery struggles to turn over the engine once hot, (and a lack of instruments to tell me what the charging system's doing).  The clutch drags so you can't get it into neutral at standstill. The brakes are weak and judder ferociously. The caliper mountings are crooked, and the disks are both warped and of uneven thickness.  The engine's running pretty roughly at small throttle openings and doesn't tick over. The handling's pretty dire and the bike writhes over joints and white lines on the road.  The suspension's too hard and the headlamps are way too low, but can't be easily raised because of the small openings in the bodywork to accommodate them.

I have about ten days to sort it all out before I'm due to ride the Phasar to Wiltshire and back. 

May 2004

Old-time FFers gather at Field Cottage to mark the 10th anniversary of Malcolm's death.  Many of the faces from the 1980's were there including Royce Creasey, Chris Baker, John Bruce, John Cunningham, Ian Kew, and many more.

The Phasar made it's maiden voyage, (a 340 mile round trip), without any serious problems, in spite of my chucking it into the bushes on it's side on Malcolm's notorious track.  This sure ain't no trials bike !

These and other photos of the event are available courtesy of Ian Kew at   http://www.apcf98.dsl.pipex.com/MM04/index.htm

September 2004

Alan Eaves, owner of a GS1000-engined MkII Quasar, rode the Phasar at the annual Quasar rally.  He liked it so much that he wouldn't let anyone else on it and went home contemplating converting his Quasar to the same layout as the Phasar.  Maybe this isn't going too badly after all !

Last updated 31st Dec. 2004