SteveD wrote: ↑Wed Oct 28, 2020 7:25 pmNot yet Rob
Work is in the way at the moment.
Spline looks fine, just dry.
Looking at the length of the flat swarf, I'm wondering if an edge of one of the gears has snapped off and as it was being processed to its current size and shape if there wasn't a partial lock of the gears? I had the clutch in pdq and there was a momentary jolt of the bike then it settled.
Good luck... don't let work get in the way of the important things in life ... Let us know what you find.
Whoa! Looks almost too big to have just fallen out of the drain hole on its own.
You've got me stumped.
Initially I was thinking it's part of the selector mechanism, but a with a chunk like that gone, some gears surely wouldn't work.
My only guess is that it's possibly one of your shifter fork arms, and that the broken fork is still shifting with its one remaining arm.
Exploratory surgery will tell all, keep us posted.
Mechanic from Hell "I remember every raging second of it...
My bike was on fire, the road was on fire, and I was on fire.
It was the best ride ever!"
gspd wrote: ↑Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:05 am
Whoa! Looks almost too big to have just fallen out of the drain hole on its own.
You've got me stumped.
Initially I was thinking it's part of the selector mechanism, but a with a chunk like that gone, some gears surely wouldn't work.
My only guess is that it's possibly one of your shifter fork arms, and that the broken fork is still shifting with its one remaining arm.
Exploratory surgery will tell all, keep us posted.
I bought something from Dandenong, 24kms a month ago. Took 3 weeks.
I bought some engine parts for my other project from Motorworks, 17000kms took 7 days.
I bought some flywheel bolts yesdee from Munich Perth 3000kms ? got 'em today.
Bethanga to Croydon ~300kms...we'll see.
gspd wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2020 6:45 am
It didn't occur to me that your 81RS had a kickstarter.
If the kicker no longer works, BINGO!
It never worked, or more accurately, it might've started the bike once over 15 years ago. I never use it except to maybe move the flywheel and even then I prefer the rear wheel for that task.
The kicker feels more loose, less resistance to movement. That's the culprit. I looked in with a scope and there's fresh small bits of metal in the base.
Bonus...had a better look thru the box of tools and there's a flange puller in there. Charlie...I hope you haven't posted just yet?
... Let us know what you find. 
Charlie...I hope you haven't posted just yet?