Scumbags in Hastings

[hairygit]

Went to visit my mum in Hastings last weekend, took my 750 F1, and it performed superbly on the way down (250 miles from where I live in Devon). Anyway, went to visit an old mate while I was there, and when I came back to the bike, some Bas***d had stolen my front caliper Local police just gave me a crime number on the phone, they couldn't spare anyone to come and see me . My insurance company was the biggest shock, they didn't want to know, as 1, the bike itself wasn't stolen, 2, the small print on the policy states that the theft cover does not apply between 10p.m. and 6 a.m. if the bike is not locked in a garage . Luckily I'm a member of the AA, and they ferried the bike and me back to Devon . Managed to find a used caliper on E-Bay, paid £53 for it, knowing the bleed nipple was sheared. It arrived yesterday, what the seller failed to mention was the fact he had tried to get the nipple out, and had snapped an easy out screw extractor in it So, anyone got any ideas on how to remove it, it's broken flush with the top of the nipple so I can't try using a punch to tap it round, and it's too hard to drill it out. I have found a seller on E-Bay in germany who has a few NOS calipers, but at 380 euros each (about £330) plus postage, I can't afford to justify spending that sort of cash at the moment

[Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP)]

Hairygit.
Sorry to hear of your loss your right scumbags.Many moons ago where I lived there was a multi storey car park and that had a nickname of Pentagon spares.Someone has probably nicked yours to order or keep watching you know what.Bye the way I bet nobody saw bugger all.
Hope you get sorted soon.
Regards
Bitsa

[kifer]

Wow, Your lucky the fookers left the bike. Not much room to work on the caliper presume the easy out is fluted you could try drilling down the flutes? but I suspect you will req a bush by the time you have removed old nipple. You could give DK Motorcycles 01782 338707  a ring they may have a good second hand one. I have had all sorts off them good lads always try to help. Good luck.

[hairygit]

Sadly it's NOT fluted, otherwise I'd have been in there with th punch, there isn't any bit sticking up, it's totally flat

[Tomb]

Sorry to hear that Hairy

The way my insurance was explained to me by my insurer was   .......If the vehicle is at my home it has to be kept in a locked garage between 10pm and 6am, if its not at home, like at a rally, or Euro trip you obviously can't lock it your garage every night, then its OK to not be in a locked garage during those hours. I would go back to your insurers and check that small print again. EG does it have European travel cover? mine does, so that automatically moots the locked garage clause whilst not at home.

Many times I've used masonry drills, the ones with tungsten carbide tips brazed in, ground a proper sharp edge onto them, (this is possible with a normal carborundum wheel but better with a diamond wheel.)

These sharpened drills will drill an easy-out ('kin hate that name, when EVER have they been "easy-out", shite things )
Be sure to use coolant, the tips get hot enough to melt the braze, don't ask me how I know

The other option, is there any little engineering places near, Toolmakers? they'll have a spark eroder which will rip the thing out in minutes

[Spitfire]

I knew F1 front calipers were like rocking horse poo from trying to source a spare one for my bike, but having one stolen like that is terrible, the really bad thing is that this must have been done by a "fellow" biker who knew exactly what he was after. I have heard of side panels and mirrors being stolen but a caliper is a first. Hope your replacement one works out.

Cheers

Den

[mick]

Sorry to hear some scumbag has been messing with your bike Twats, have a word with Bryanj he has some Bleed nipple repair kits for sale will save you having to buy another Caliper, cheers Mick.

[meerkat]

The other option, is there any little engineering places near, Toolmakers? they'll have a spark eroder which will rip the thing out in minutes.

Sorry to hear about the theft.
As Tomb states, spark erosion is definitely the way to go, even if you have to post it.

[UK Pete]

Thats Bad news, and as den says it has to be a fellow biker who knows how difficult these are to get hold of, i try not to leave any of  my classic bikes unatended as unlike newer bikes they are irreplaceble, i suppose you were lucky in some respects that they did not take more or even the whole bike, good luck with the repair of your new caliper, the best way is spark erroding but it is going to add a bit to the cost making your caliper even more expensive, i would not bother drilling as its going to result in tears, it did for me
Pete

[Waggles]

Crap luck Hairy, and typical insurance company response. Rather negates using a classic bike for transport if you can't go anywhere without a garage doesn't it.

For what its worth I agree with the others, spark erosion is the way to go and cheaper than a new caliper.

May 1,000 elephants crap upon the scumbags bike, preferably while he is on it.

[matthewmosse]

Is there enough near the surface to blob some weld on there to get something to grip on? I hate easy outs, I can think of few if any occasions they have ever worked, if somit is loose enough for them to take effect it genrally comes out at the drilling stage. Spark erosion definately carries lowest risk of futher thread dammage.

[UKROBK7]

Put a nut over it and weld the nut to the easyout (try a repair shop or SMALL garage if  you haven't a welder).  You might be able to turn the lot out using the nut.

[Waggles]

On a slightly different tack this is a good reason for security marking your bikes parts. Whilst it wont actually stop a determined thief some may be deterred by it and you may stand a chance of getting your bits back if they are found or you suspect where they may have gone ( seeing them on e-bay for example ) I got an 'invisible' dna marker set free from Carole Nash insurers, am sure you can get them elsewhere, the fluid contains microscopic discs that flouresce under UV and are coded to your reg no. I shall be marking my brake parts too this weekend!  Anything we can do to ruin a scumbags day is a good thing.

I must admit I had in mind more that the bike might be stolen and broken for spares, hadn't thought the b*****s would just strip off parts at the roadside or wherever

[florence]

I know it is not the correct way but until you can afford a better solution you could get a combined banjo bolt/bleed nipple.  I have one on mine and it works very well and seems easier to bleed the brakes.

[Robbo]

Having grown up in Hastings I feel for you! Whenever I go back on my bike I lock it up out of sight.
I might have a spare F2 calliper, I'll have a look later on - if it fits and it's not f@@ked you can have it