Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods BIG BORE IN BALT-DC

Hiya, folks. I'm looking to do a 904BB kit this winter, but unlike some of you more adventurous folks I'm going to pay someone to do the whole thing for me.

I'm a lousy mechanic without a proper garage, so there's no way I'll even TRY something this complex.

Anyway.

For those of you who have done the BB (esp in the Balt-DC area), I have a few questions:

1) Do I need to buy the kit myself or should I let the shop buy it?

2) What should I expect to pay for _labor only_?

3) Anybody have a recommendation (or warning) on a shop here outside DC (or up in Baltimore, or surrounds) where I should go to get the work done?

4) Any general words of wisdom? This will be by far the biggest thing I've done on any bike I've owned, so I can use whatever advice y'all can give.


Thanks!

--Jaeger

I recommend the kit from Bill Gately at bonnevilleperformance.com, it comes with pre-sleeved jugs (no machine work required), pistons, and gaskets. He will send it to you and you just return your stock cylinders back when you're done. A Triumph shop has a time quote book they go by for labor, I think it calls for a 4 hour job to swap out. I had a lot of extra work done, they re-built a second head (with bigger valves and parts from the head already on the motor) and re jetted my carbs and put a new back tire on all at once and labor was only 500. I took all my parts into the shop (minus the back tire) and had them just install it, it was a 2 day turnaround. I say go for it! Here is the link I posted today with my dyno run from after the work with a comparison to the original run I had.
http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...ge=0#Post350489

i second what roadworthy said, if a shop charges you more than 2 days labor then they are either robbing you or not very good mechanics. i did mine and it took me only about 1/2 a day to take a part and a day and a 1/2 to put back together but thats running into a bunch of problems. also if you buy from bill gatley you can call him on his cellphone if you have ANY issues. that alone is worth it imho.

Frank

Agreed, I have Bill's number stored in my cell, and he is very helpful