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Frank Mitchell has built what can simply only be described as a stunning MC21 Rolfo Replica! Read all about the transformation from forgotten "fixer-upper" to one of the tidiest NSRs we've ever seen!
Our roving reporter Dave Booth isn't going to be happy!
Frank says: "In December 1994 I purchased a brand new MC21R out of a crate. The guy who was selling them had imported 40 of them from Spain and had rented an industrial unit near to where I live and had them stacked up. I bought a red and white one. He got it down with a fork truck and we unpacked the crate - I fell in love with it straight away.
I rode it through the winter as it was my only transport, but in march 1995 I threw it up the road! I smashed all the panels down the left hand side and bent a few things as well. I had to rebuild it so I had it painted in REPSOL colours as that was the latest HRC design. I then run this bike until January 1997, when I part-ex'd it on a new GSXR600W (shameful I know!). I had few 4-srtokes including an SP-1 and a CBR600rr over the next couple of years.
Last year at Le Mans though, I was standing on main pit straight and the FORTUNA RSW's were coming past whilst qualifying. I fell in love with them, and whilst in France I dreamt of creating an NSR based replica. As I had already had an NSR years ago I knew they were excellent bikes and I had some knowledge about them."
When I returned home I was busy at work so I was unable to look for a donor bike until about late August. I searched local and national papers, websites, and then eventually I started ringing dealers in desperation. I got a few responses like "why do you want one of them they are too old - everybody wants a four-stroke now!", but of course comments like this made me really want to find one even more! Anyway I rang BAT MOTORCYCLES on the off chance and the salesman gave me the phone number of a guy who had one.
It was now the beginning of October. I rang the guy up and he an MC21; perfect I thought. I took my mate's van with me one Saturday to look at the bike. When we got there the bike was outside and had a tarpaulin over it. We took this off to find a very battered bike. The fairings were knackered, the pipies had scrapes on them, the swing arm had rubbed on the chambers, and it was rusty, oily, and generally in a state of disrepair! I kicked it over and after a couple of goes she fired up though. As soon as I smelt the smoke it was sold. The guy gave me lots of paper work including the import docs. The bike had come into this country in 2001 and was rebuilt including a new crank and dry clutch conversion, and was dynod at 57hp.
I got the bike home at looked at properly on the drive. It was a right pile of sh*t but I was well happy as I now had an NSR again, and was great for a project. I stripped it down piece by piece and by Saturday evening it had no fairings on it and I had jet washed the whole rolling chassis.
In the months leading up to this I had been scouring the net for tuning info, parts suppliers and ideas.
I knew that I wanted a RSW replica so I gave Paul at TYGA Performance a ring and we discussed bodwork and paint etc. I also started to sort out what I wanted to acheive and began ordering parts.
I decide to go for RVF forks as they're easy to get hold of. Purists will probably moan that I did not use RS items but the RVF items felt the right way to go. I got hold of a set from a breakers and then took them to HM Racing to be rebuilt with K-Tech internals and set up for both me and the NSR. Whilst I was ther I ordered an Ohlins rear shock.
Through the cold months the bike was stripped. The swingarm and various other alloy parts were cleansed and given a brushed look to match the original Honda finish. I personally think the polished look is a bit streetfighter and would not have suited the build.
The forks and yokes were installed and the swingarm was put back in with the new Öhlins rear shock. I then got in contact with Jamie Wheeler in Japan and sorted some parts out with him. He sent me the i-factory RS coils and leads, a heavy duty clutch cable, Antlion billet quick action throttle kit and clutch lever, Daytona free-flow air filter and a few other things.
I also had to find an RVf front wheel and brakes and I managed to get these from e-bay. In the mean time I was collating other parts from differnet suppliers and by the end of February I had almost everything to get the bike back together.
All through the winter I spent time meticulously cleaning the bike and all bearings etc were renewed. I put the new TYGA subframe on the rear and started to bolt the bike back together using either titanium or anodised alloy fasteners. I have used stainless bolts as well but I kept these to a minimum to save weight.The bike went together well, and in March it was complete.
It took alot of hours to build let alone hours and hours of research!
I never thought I was capable of doing a project like this, and have learnt alot along the way. I am so chuffed that I have turned a nearly dead NSR into a competent and stunning motorcycle again. Nearly everthing on the bike has been changed and it all works well!
The information on NSR-WORLD.COM is superb and never under estimate the value of the site, as without it this bike would have never had happened.
I don't claim that this bike is the best but I am chuffed as I have built something that is special to me."
We have to agree, this MC21 certainly is something special! Here's the spec' sheet:
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| Click for larger image | |||
Brakes:
| Front: | Cast iron rotors with titanium bolts. Goodridge stainless steel lines with anodised fittings. EBC pads. Brembo radial master cylinder. HRC reservoir cover. |
| Rear: | EBC disc with titanium bolts. New rear caliper. Goodridge stainless steel braided hoses. HRC light weight reservoir. |
Chassis:
| Front: | RVF front forks re-built with K-Tech internals. RVF yokes with NSR stem. Titanium bolts. New front wheel spindle. RVF front wheel powder coated to match bodywork Harris GP hinged clip-ons. Renthal grips. Anodised pre-load adjusters. TYGA Lyte fairing stay. |
| Rear: | Ohlins rear shock. TYGA rear sets. TYGA rear subframe. AFAM chain and sprockets. Rear wheel powder coated to match bodywork. Carbon look rear hugger. New rear wheel spindle and nut. |
Motor:
Genuine HRC F3 radiator c/w HRC overflow kit. i-factory RS coils and leads. HRC front cylinder head c/w RS shorty plug and cap. TYGA Hy-Flo reed cages with Aktiv carbon reeds. Modified air box. HRC jet kit. Daytona Turbo filter. Anodised gearbox oil filler cap. Tyga SS expansion chambers and carbon/Kevlar cans. HRC clutch plates and springs.
Bodywork:
TYGA Performance GP250 bodywork and RCV style front mudguard. Fortuna paint by TYGA Performance (special order). New bolts and rubbers throughout. TYGA 2001 rear seat unit.
