|
benwards posted:The PO of my bike musta torqued the hell outta the screws on the master cylinder. I went to change the brake fluid today and discovered that I couldn't loosen one of the screws. I've sort of been following your progress, but don't know how long the bike has been dormant. You may pop the top and find the fluid is now a curious mix of brown sugar and honey. It may be what's fusing the screws in place, though you'd probably have seen this effect in the downstream hardware. If the reservoir is crazed and faded, this may not be apparent from the outside. If you do have this crud, a thorough cleaning is in order, as well as some compressed air through the lines to be on the safe side.
|
#
¿
Jun 7, 2010 20:52
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 22:49 |
|
|
Benwards: I have neither an impact driver nor a dremel, so I guess I'll be drilling it out and hunting down a replacement. Yeehaw. Best of luck with the prep...I have an '83 750SC and always wanted to try the "S." About the same bike minus 100 lbs of chrome. Don't sweat the oil leak until it ruins your best boots. Also, look into Harbor Freight as a lo-buck alternative for single/infrequent-use tools. Where else on the planet can you get a set of Helping Hands for $2.99?
|
|
#
¿
Jun 8, 2010 16:36
|
|
|
Afternoon, Honda DOHC fans. My formerly pristine tank now suffers from Monty Clift/Harvey Dent Syndrome thanks to fuel weeping out of the cap. I think in one case I was guilty of overfilling, but I now know: a) these don't have HD's nifty little oversqueeze chamber, so back off a bit. b) use the center stand whenever possible. Still, it seems to have a problem and I don't want to invest in new paint until it's solved. This is possibly a function of the bike getting more use in the past two weeks than the past decade. Cursory reading thus far points to possible blocked/kinked overflow or breather tubes, and the cap seal. Anything else to look for based on your experiences?
|
|
#
¿
Jun 28, 2010 19:19
|
|
|
Gnomad posted:Try to find some Harley Sportster take-offs. Perfectly good mufflers, but too quiet for the rugged individualists. Seconded. Usually yanked from the bike within the first 100 miles, so they're pristine and plentiful. There was just a set here locally for $30, so that gives you an idea of market val. Amazes me how many UJMs have them--you'd think they'd go out of their way to make them proprietary, like everything else.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 15, 2010 17:29
|
|
|
BlackMK4 posted:I'd kill for 200 mile range, my bike hits 'fuel low' at ~110mi, and that is down 1, up 2 so about 10% off. Having just done the range math for a CX500 Deluxe, you have to decide if you want to include reserve in the calculation, in which case the CX would exceed 200 handily. Reserve on down should remain a paper exercise, because you never want to find out the true number. The rule of thumb is this: if a life-size portrait of Vincent Price will fit on your tank, you can get from one end of the country to the other in six stops 
|
|
#
¿
Jul 23, 2010 20:01
|
|
|
Endless Mike posted:Unless Harley did something I don't know about, springer front ends are super old school design. Retuning isn't much more than "buy Power Commander with fuel map, plug in." The 1942 WLA. If German intelligence had seized the scientists responsible for this advanced spring technology, the war would have had a very different outcome indeed. 
|
|
#
¿
Jul 25, 2010 19:03
|
|
|
Rontalvos posted:For all intents and purposes, this is my bike. (This is an 82 and mine's an 80, close enough.) Congrats and welcome to DOHC Four country. We're separated by a bit of bodywork and a few years, but yours gets you legit entree into the vintage bike thread, whereas I'm still using a fake ID. Sensory deprivation, flailing around in crosswinds, struggling to keep your lane, and feeling like the whole works could fly apart at any second--that's called motorcycling. A lot of people can run the hell out of a bike designed for 100+, but it takes a special insanity to go WOT with a machine conceived during the Carter Administration. Enjoy, and learn from the folks at the F-model forum. Additionally, the DOHC Custom forum is an excellent resource. Again, same motor, slightly different feature sets. I think there might have been an optional OE bikini fairing, and no doubt there are aftermarket ones. I don't know that that resolves much of what you're perceiving as a problem. Make it safe, tune it to the best of your ability, and you'll have a blast.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 3, 2010 06:22
|
|
|
I stumped the band with this one. I have the following arrangement for a speedo gear and retainer. It's a common arrangement, having been included on, oh, a bajillion bikes. Gear on left sits in a speedo drive, which mates with the retainer at right, which sits stationary behind a seal and in front of a bearing, with its little raised tangs jutting outward. My question is simply: how does this dagnabbit thing go together? To me, it makes infinitely more sense if the mating surface of the gear was exactly the opposite of what it is--large tabs with small recesses. Is the idea to drop it in anywhere and have the retainer tangs push the gear around? 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 3, 2010 06:48
|
|
|
Z3n posted:What are you confused about? The end of the gear on the left sitting on the ground drives a worm gear that drives the speedo cable. The mental and plastic parts doesn't mesh together exactly to make it easier to install, and the part that is installed on the wheel uses those small lifted metal tangs to connect with the teeth on the white gear. Thanks, and you're right--there is no other way. I was just looking for verification from someone who'd done it. I snapped my drive after a recent reassembly and want to rule out culprits for when I replace everything. Having looked at other assemblies of the era, there are some designed to mesh more closely as I've described. The situation doesn't exactly demand close tolerances, but I couldn't fathom why they cut it that small. I suppose it sped up the manufacturing process by 12 seconds.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 3, 2010 17:49
|
|
|
+1 on fouled plug(s), if only because it's easily fixed. It is possible to feather the bike up to an acceptable road speed and limp along, but in my experience the stuttering is random and not easily reproduced at a given speed/gear as indicated above. It's usually accompanied by sporadic backfiring as well. As I recall, your bike seemed well cared for and I'll bet the original tool kit is under the seat. If so, it'll contain a crude spark plug wrench. Use it and clean the ends with whatever you've got at your disposal. Slap 'em back in and you'll be good to go for a while, if that was the problem. Worry about root causes of the fouling when you have that luxury. It doesn't exactly square with the symptoms described, but I'd also be headed directly for the battery compartment to make sure the connections are tight. Stick with the basics and glaringly obvious before heading off to advanced troubleshooting. Your personal safety comes first, but try to avoid leaving the bike alone on the side of the road for any length of time. If you do, consider it gone, and if it isn't, consider yourself lucky. Keep us informed--if anyone is willing and able to bring you in for a safe landing, it's this crowd.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 6, 2010 07:10
|
|
|
ChiTownEddie posted:Perfect! Don't forget failure modes: Chain - when they go to moto heaven, they occasionally take chunks of engine with them. Belt - politely exits the rear of the vehicle. Common last moves before a break are rapid downshifts and hard launches. In both cases you're dead in the water, but belts are cheaper than engine guts. I've experienced neither of these things, so I can't tell you how to react to them at speed. I had a KZ shaft, and it required nothing beyond draining and topping off the unit with the correct oil. Power delivery is a noticeably different, and may take a bit of getting used to--but it's just a handling characteristic and not some brain-reprogramming game changer like swapping to right-side shift.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 7, 2010 04:00
|
|
|
Bottom Liner posted:So I put a new spark plug in and cleaned my carb, and I'm still not able to go over 50 mph. It feels like a complete loss of power at about 50% of the redline RPM, like its not getting gas or something. I'm clueless, it's a single cylinder bike so it can't be a misfiring cylinder. Any suggestions other than take it to a mechanic? Quick check out there in webland says that KZ250s of the same vintage have been capped at 45-50 mph due to a pin hole or tear in the carb diaphragm. In one case it solved it, no post mortem on the other. Easy to check, not so easy to source. I leave it to the more proficient motorheads to yay/nay the possibility. http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/mechanics-corner/78864-1980-kz250-engine-troubles.html http://www.justanswer.com/questions/1fn6w-i-have-a-kawasaki-kz-250-and-it-will-not-go-over-45-miles-an
|
|
#
¿
Aug 7, 2010 04:28
|
|
|
ChiTownEddie posted:83 Nighthawk 550 (CB550SC). I am pretty sure the battery is fine though*. There is an order of diagnostics and replacement to these components that should be followed. If not, they can and will fry each other and you'll be replacing them multiple times. This can get expensive--figure roughly $100 each for repro, so there's an incentive to get it right. There's a cottage industry of people who re-manufacture these parts, and they're usually superior to OEM. If it comes to that, let me know and I'll refer you to some of the better ones. What you have to remember is that it was the dawn of the kickerless age and the technology just wasn't there yet. Theories abound as to why the design is flawed, most of them having to do a lack of heat dissipation for the rotor/stator assembly. (errr, makka setan sort of beat me to the buzzer)
|
|
#
¿
Aug 9, 2010 19:11
|
|
|
From the "Is that a real poncho, or a Sears poncho?" Dept: Check out Wal-Mart's new modest, yet dedicated moto accessories section. Not too shabby, given that previously all you've ever been able to get there is an eagle-themed license plate and MAYBE an oil filter. While it is a gauntlet-free zone, I did pick up a pair of gloves. I'd classify them as demi-gauntlets, but it's my first pair with padded palms. I'm less impressed by the product line than I am with being part of a consumer group that is now somewhere between scrapbookers and gun nuts on the shelf-worthiness spectrum. 
|
|
#
¿
Aug 16, 2010 21:53
|
|
|
Blaster of Justice posted:How many boxes of .22lr did you honestly pick up with those new gloves? Ammo
|
|
#
¿
Aug 16, 2010 22:52
|
|
|
Nate Falls posted:
Current t-shooting status aside, if you eventually replace the R/R, my generic Happy Sun Moon Star Bubble Joy Fine Fine aftermarket R/R has gone two seasons with no issues. Then again, I don't have a lot of alternatives, as I think the OE is discontinued or ridiculously cost prohibitive. I WISH I paid only $35. Monitor the forums associated with your particular bike, and there will typically be a consensus on which charging system component suppliers are best. Don't be surprised if it happens to be someone who remans the things in his garage. Oh, and tell my mom I said Hi...
|
|
#
¿
Sep 7, 2010 18:34
|
|
|
dogpower posted:Hi everybody GS500 is probably the catch-all designation for all associated variants--of which there were two, based on a cursory check. The F appeared in '04 and featured a Fairing. The E came prior to that, and featured an Empty space where a fairing would be. Cosmetics and the curb weight associated with the fairing appear to be the only differences. The various manuals should note the differences if and when they come into play.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 14, 2010 03:20
|
|
|
MrZig posted:Well no dice, no locksmith can make a key from me from the VIN and the dealer wanted me to buy a whole new ignition. gently caress that. Time to rip the old one out and take it to a locksmith. This loving sucks. Should just be two bolts and a connector, unless Suzuki made it more complex and/or difficult to reach. Fake edit: Oh crap, never mind: http://www.thumpertalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-746942.html
|
|
#
¿
Sep 15, 2010 20:19
|
|
|
MrZig posted:Hammer and punch would destroy the screws. Also upon closer look they look rounded.. Kindof. They look like they would only tighten but if you tried to loosen them the bit would just spin. So my only option is to take the top triple right off. Which I might end up doing. Now I understand why your DR brethren are hacking them with a Dremel. Sucks, but I guess it's logical from a security standpoint to make the swap non-trivial.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 15, 2010 23:09
|
|
|
Good Ship Theseus posted:'Sup crazy Cycle goons. I've already asked about this in "Tell me what bike to buy!" but I'm going to look at one of the bikes tonight and I'll take whatever input I can get before then. I think I can explain what's going on with the side cover on the Custom in link 2. I know it looks like the work of Red Green, but the covers for some C and SC models fetch $300 a pair in OK condition. For those so inclined, it wouldn't be hard to finance the purchase of one of these by selling off the rare parts. Assuming $US/CDN parity, the '79 is overpriced a bunch, but if you're dead set on it and don't need the bags and whatnot, one way to get the price down is to see if he'll part with the bike alone. There's some sentimental value baked into that number, and maybe it's intentionally high--sometimes these are token ads designed to appease a SO. Speaking of, tis the season for garage cleanout, so you have the upper hand. Use it, or hang in there for a more desperate seller.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 23, 2010 22:27
|
|
|
Nerobro posted:The filters available for your bike were not cones, but were long oval tubes. If they are actually K&N, clean them, and lightly oil them. I think what convinced to avoid pods was the inherent lack of physical support for the back of the carbs. A rack of four or even two is some pretty substantial weight to be flopping around and held on by a few clamps. Some people make provisions for this, but most don't. Not hard to imagine it creating all sorts of downstream problems.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 12, 2010 19:25
|
|
|
clutchpuck posted:I got another friend into riding, he got his endorsement about a month ago and we picked up a Honda CX500 from Seattle on Saturday for $850. Thing runs like a champ and it has upgraded front brakes with a 4-piston Honda caliper, but it's been dropped a stops a few times, is brownish, and has weird handlebars so looks aren't its strength. Sanchezz, call for you on line 7....
|
|
#
¿
Jul 6, 2011 06:53
|
|
|
I think the google war Crayvex and I got into on this topic began with me cleaning 20-odd years of crud off of a Honda chain and its immediate vicinity with WD--not necessarily with the intent to lube it. And while the KLR rider below might not have Dow Chemical credentials, it seemed to me that his methods and analysis were sound: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=345397 Bottom line--you're not going to kill your chain with it, but if you want to do the job properly, you probably need an array of chems listed in the posts above, based on your preferences and the known trade-offs. Oh, and stay away from carb cleaner.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 7, 2011 18:17
|
|
|
I like turtles posted:
I think it largely depends on how much prior riding experience you've had. The closer that is to zero, the bigger the permagrin the minute you transition from powerwalking to feet on pegs. In places like Cali, you're issued a minibike while still in the womb, so I can't imagine it being a huge deal. For me it was zero, so I was happier than a fat kid with a ham sandwich. Deal with the two things as separate challenges. Traffic/commuting is generally not anyone's favorite venue, it's a thing to be tolerated on the way to better roads and destinations. It almost inevitably means that you will discover rural America; this is a good thing. The riding doesn't get special until the first whiff of manure. It's here, as Z3n mentions, that self-actualization is more likely to occur. And once it does, there's usually no turning back. I'm sure there are people out there who are ambivalent about motorcycling after getting a taste; I just haven't met any yet.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 11, 2011 06:27
|
|
MOTORCYCLES
|
"[panic posted:"] Underfunded sucks, but then it's sort of to be expected with a $25 entrance fee. That won't even get two in and out of a theater nowadays. We had a fleet of near new Nighthawk 250s, with a handful of runts that had jammed up shifters and other tweakage. Not cool trying to fight a bike under those circumstances.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 12, 2011 01:22
|
|
|
Zelda posted:I'm wondering, should I worry about having trouble with the bikes that might be at the classes if I have a bit of trouble lifting? Are they generally heavy bikes? Maybe I should start lifting something with my arms. In MI, you'd have no trouble at all because the instructors had a stated zero tolerance policy for drops, which may explain why the bikes were in relatively good shape. In reality, it was more like a two strikes policy with progressively less slack as the course went on. A few got a pass, more than a few had to do the walk of shame. Which sucks, because drops happen, and if I were an instructor I'd be way more interested in watching how the student dealt with an event that is arguably more real-world than a good number of the exercises. Those that did the self pity dance would get shown the door; those that did a safety walkaround and jumped right back in like nothing happened would make it to the next round. Just stay focused, and remember that it's not a contest.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 12, 2011 03:48
|
|
|
Z3n posted:Draw the absorbed evil from it's engine with an exhaust molded from Scylla's body, and hear it expelled in the screams of 6 tiny dying cherubs. So if the CBX more murmur'st, wouldst thou rend an oak and peg thee in his knotty entrails till it hast howled away twelve winters? 
|
|
#
¿
Jul 12, 2011 23:52
|
|
|
GanjamonII posted:Question on body position. I went to a pretty tight track today and by the end of the day I was dragging my toes through every one of the really tight corners. As far as I can tell I was putting my foot on the peg as instructed, and hanging off. While I didn't hang off 100% right every time, I still dragged toe when I thought I was doing it right. Pretty lengthy, recent discussion on this in the chatting thread, if it helps.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 18, 2011 02:26
|
|
|
Ola posted:Skyteam is glorious flower! It axle distance and suspends on a cloud to make father proud! Not bringing shame on family with more than 50 mph. TEAM SKY!
|
|
#
¿
Jul 23, 2011 03:25
|
|
|
tastyburrito posted:So I'm an idiot and haven't been checking my oil level regularly on my 2002 SV650S (45,000 miles, last oil change was at 42,000). Dunno, but even if it bursts into flames tomorrow, it will have seen ten times the utilization of the average street bike sold that year. Props to Suzuki, I had no idea these were 100K+ workhorses. And to the rider(s), obviously, it's unclear from the post how much of that is your saddle time...
|
|
#
¿
Jul 28, 2011 07:02
|
|
|
many things have useless quality. A $100 mallet doesn't bash better than a $5 one. Yes, and frequency of use is a factor as well. You should have a micrometer on hand if you're measuring shims, but it needn't be a top of the line Starrett. For my Honda, that frequency = ONE/MY LIFE. One suggestion: When you get socket kits or wrenches, make sure they are six sided and not twelve sided. Uh-hun-less there's a Harley involved, in which case that funny looking thing holding the calipers on that kinda looks like a reverse torx but they ain't such a thang, is actually a 12-sided bolt. The bikes are a veritable fastener-o-rama, with a mix of SAE, metric, torx, allen head, etc. HINT: Keep an eye on K-Mart--they have the worst inventory management on the planet, they stock Craftsman due to their affiliation with Sears, and no one goes to K-Mart to buy tools. Hence, there is always a pile of last year's tools marked down significantly to make way for this year's. Because no one wants a 2010 hammer.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 29, 2011 16:15
|
|
|
Z3n posted:This is why I will never own a Harley. First layer: SAE. Second layer: Metric. Third Layer: Allen. Fourth Layer: Torx. Fifth Layer: 12 sided bolt. They know exactly what they're doing...it's all designed to send Bubba into a rage and straight into the stealership for routine maintenance. This is why there's no on-board factory toolkit...it'd be the size of a 12-pack of Old Milwaukee.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 29, 2011 17:49
|
|
|
Ola posted:Exactly. There is room for a toolkit in theory, but that space is taken up by the OEM 12 pack of Old Milwaukee. Of course, by Old Milwaukee I do mean rebadged Old Milwaukee. 
|
|
#
¿
Jul 29, 2011 18:52
|
|
|
Rev. Dr. Moses P. Lester posted:Although I guess that's not too far off from modern Harleys. Do they actually use torx now too? In their defense, those stupid 12 point things on the brake calipers are just 1/4" and will fit a 1/4" 12pt socket or the box end of a 12pt wrench just fine. Yes. One of everything, up to T45 (humungous) for some of the motor mounts, which need to be cranked to spec occasionally. Lots of people buy kits to try to get everything to one type, so it's at least keeping someone in the aftermarket gainfully employed. Metric comes in because the front end is 100% Showa. For the Sporty anyway, that particular fastener's a 10mm 12 point, which would be sitting right in any socket set over $20--if you knew to look for it (I didn't at the time).
|
|
#
¿
Jul 30, 2011 01:37
|
|
|
Z3n posted:That'd keep any heat it generates contained inside it though. Heatsink or some source of airflow (like a processor fan). +1. I just replaced a radiator fan relay on a car--a black box with one input, one output, and one decision to make. The OE design had no sink, and was prone to failing and melting downstream connectors. Redesigned unit was, ummmm, massive in comparison--probably a 5:1 sink/component ratio, height-wise. That bike's ECU has a thousand times more going on. Shame there isn't more real estate to work with.
|
|
#
¿
Aug 6, 2011 04:39
|
|
|
Gnaghi posted:Well I could pick up a servo buddy, which would free up some space by eliminating the stock exhaust's servo motor, maybe enough for a decent sized heat sink. The ECU would still be further away from the exhaust then it was before. Here's what I'm talking about, this hexagonal thing. Not familiar with the product, but if what it's replacing is redundant/superfluous, you can easily revert back to stock if the spirit moves you, and the cost/benefit is there, by all means. Oh, and be sure to let Kaw know you should be getting paid to engineer their bikes If you want another practical example of this theory, stick a router on top of a cable box and cut off its ventilation. See how long your connection lasts. Not that I've ever done this myself... LOW PIPES SAVE BRAINS! Marv Hushman fucked around with this message at 17:37 on Aug 6, 2011 |
|
#
¿
Aug 6, 2011 17:31
|
|
|
Saga posted:Yamaha "Virago" XV535. Cheap and surprisingly decent. Daaaaaimmmn do those things look killer with a Corbin seat. Seconded, just avoid reaching back to the 80s if you can possibly help it. Yamaha was a little slow on the uptake when it came to building/sourcing starters for the Virago range. It spawned a cottage industry in the US of people who put little shims and springs and things in zip-loc bags and send them all over the world. The 535 may have escaped this madness, I'm not sure.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 5, 2011 19:43
|
|
|
AncientTV posted:It's time to play What the gently caress Happened to This Gas Tank! Dick Cheney took it duck hunting?
|
|
#
¿
Oct 2, 2011 19:49
|
|
|
thechalkoutline posted:My buddy recently bought a '76 Honda CB550 SuperSport and had a mechanic give it a once over. He mentioned it needed new tires and gave a vague quote of ~$350. Half-rear end googling indicates that $150 per tire is 'normal'. 1) You can almost always beat locally quoted prices for tires, but in cases where the savings are minimal, let the installer have the markup. He's performing a crucial service--the more incentive he has, the better. For indies, I'll even drop a tip for karma purposes and so they answer the phone next time I need a bike done. 2) Don't cheap out on tires or tubes, unless this is part of a stable and will rarely see the street. 3) Raised white letters if you're after historical accuracy, otherwise don't bother. I think there's a negligible price difference, maybe $5 each. Make sure you or they order correctly, typically the same p/n with -RWL 4) If you're up to the task, "off-bike" labor charges are significantly lower than "on-bike." 5) Great opportunity to do a wheel alignment. Most will just install the tires and call it good. Ask if this is part of their service.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 21, 2012 22:55
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 25, 2024 22:49 |
|
|
CombatMedic posted:Is this just something that the touring folks deal with? I think that unless you're on a purpose-built adventurer with insane range, most street bikes are going to need topping off at about the two hour mark anyway, assuming you're on open road. Walk around the Snappy Mart, observe the locals, look through the Merle Haggard CDs, update Facebook, go back to the bike with fresh legs. It's amazing how your faculties and reflexes are top notch again when you hit that onramp.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 22, 2012 05:09
|
|