B's Motorcycles: Blog

Sold!

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:54:58 GMT

A few days ago I sold my XL250. It was a great rider, with tons of available power, but with the addition of the 650 to our motorcycle family somebody needed to go. The one who I traded it to was in the market for a good rider, and we struck a deal. Sort of ironic, but I'm glad it turned out this way.

The stator on the KTM needs to be rebuilt, and dad found a guy in Michigan that will do it for about $100. Seeing as these parts aren't available just everywhere anymore, getting it rebuilt is probably a pretty good idea.

The maneater's time has come...

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:23:08 GMT

I've been in possession of a 1981 KTM MC495 dirtbike for just over a year now and haven't done anything with it more than tarping it in my backyard. Well, last weekend while I was back home for my brother's wedding, my dad (who just gave me his '81 Honda) expressed a desire to get a dirtbike to putter around his farm on. He said he didn't want anything fancy or huge, just big enough that he could go where he wanted to go without having to worry about getting stuck. I mentioned the old KTM at my house, and his ears perked up. I showed him some pics I took last year when I brought home, and he seemed pretty interested but I didn't realize just HOW interested he was until he called me the next day to tell me he'd been poking around the internet and calling KTM dealers and other motorcycle shops. Long story short...all of the parts it needs to run again are either here or on their way. The tank and other plastics are being painted today or tomorrow (except the side panels, which I ordered new from Reproduction Decals) and it is entirely possible I may have it running by tomorrow. At this point, it's a $400 project and I am hoping not to have to spend too much more before I know it's going to turn out the way I'm planning it to :) Guess I'll know tomorrow, right?

Also, I installed a throttle assist on the 650. I'm hoping this will help with the hand cramps on long rides - I'm taking it to Pittsburg next weekend. That's a 4-hour ride, and I've been having trouble with 2.5...keep you posted.

Boring and goring

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 05:51:58 GMT

Title says it all. The latest chapter in my motorcycle adventures has me breaking into the engine of my new/old bike (registered today at the RC courthouse :) to repair a stripped bolt. Some knucklehead overtightened a bolt that secures the cylinder head cover to the cylinder head and it's been leaking like a sieve ever since. This is more complicated than it seems initially. The fact that there was oil leaking from the bolt means that it has direct contact with the oil supply. This means that the hole cannot simply be drilled from the surface - the engine needed to be disassembled down at least to the bottom of the bolt hole (to find the base threads). More than 30 bolts and screws of various lengths stand in the way of removing the breather cover, valve covers and cylinder head cover, not to mention the fact that all of this happens while the engine is still in the frame. Space is tight. When I finally got the covers off, I found the accumulated waste of 20-odd years of use and abuse. Burned oil, aluminum flecks, grit and grime covered everything - so I cleaned it all out before getting "down to business." Speaking of goring, when you get a new, sharp drill bit that's shrink wrapped to the paper backing...be careful opening it. I was ready to bore out what was left of the old threads and tap the new ones so I grabbed the bit I purchased just for this job and pushed it through the shrink-wrap...right into my thumb. !!!!!!!!!!! Blood! About an hour later, when I finally got the bleeding stopped and my thumb all bandaged up, I got back down to business. Tapping aluminum is possibly the easiest job ever done, so from then on it was smooth sailing. Tapped the hole, reassembled, tightened all the bolts down to 10N as the manual suggested, 2 Newtons at a time in a careful, deliberate criss-cross pattern (took an hour and a half...). Results are good - no leaks! Still, I don't cherish the idea of ever doing that again any time soon.

New Addition

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:19:51 GMT

My father has seen fit to pass along the Honda CB650 Custom that was passed on to him a few years ago. It's a sentimental favorite of mine - I had the tank welded, repainted the fuel tank and side covers for him. Dad had boatloads of work done by a mechanic in Kansas City, and spent a long time cleaning and polishing. The head gasket is a little leaky, and there are a few other quirks and leaks here and there, but it is the best ride I've had. It looks sharp, and rides great - rode it all the way back from K.C. without a tick. I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time on that bike.

Up and running

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:49:49 GMT

I finally fixed my bike - it took about an hour, and when I was done it ran better than it ever has...after a little tinkering, of course. I rode to school today, and it bogged a bit at about 5.5k rpm's (like usual) so when I got home I adjusted the fuel-air and idle speed. Eureka! The thing runs great. It still looks like crap, though. I got a lot of nice comments on it, which surprises me because the bike is just so ugly. I let one of my students take it for a spin around the parking lot - he seemed to enjoy it, and is now trying to convince his dad to buy my bike. He's going to be sad when I tell him it's not for sale, not for sentimental reasons or its irreplaceable nature but because I'm not sure I could take money for it at this time and in its condition.

Carburetor calamity

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:27:09 GMT

No, it's not really all that serious. I was just cruising down 24 one day, shifted up into 5th and when I rolled on the throttle I got no response. Panic. Idling along, 65, 55, 45...this was a feeling I had felt before though. I reached under the seat and (with my thumb) manually operated the throttle. This got some strange looks from more than a few people because as you're cruising down the road the last hand you would expect to see off the handlebars is the throttle hand. Cruise control on a dual-sport? I think not. Crotch-throttled it home and put it up next to the house. I finally took it all apart on Sunday, to find that the screw which secures the throttle-cable guide fell out. When I get the screw, I will be back on the road. I'm going to take the opportunity to clean out the tank and rebuild the petcock. I would like to have it done by this weekend so I can ride to J.C. for their Huckfest State Tourney.

Warm weather friends

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 03:55:44 GMT

I've discovered that my 250 doesn't like the cold. It would seem that in temperatures below 35 degrees, it bogs down and has a hard time running with any power over 5k rpm. This is unfortunate because now that I've got it running well, the temperature rarely gets above 35 an any given day. I can deal with it - the bike won't run. Perhaps it is a fuel problem more than a temperature problem - I've got the petcock rebuild kit, and just need a nice clear day and an empty tank to try it on.

Riding smooth

Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:17:21 GMT

My XL250 has been performing pretty smoothly now for the last few days. Every time the weather gets conducive (above 20, not snowing or raining or 40-50 mph winds) I go out for a ride and with the exception of a few minor quirks (bogging at ~5500rpm) the bike is running great. The good 'ol boys at Alternative Welding were able to put the kickstand mount back together, and I ordered a new kickstand because the old one was pretty bashed up. Add that to the list of new things ordered, now including headlights, turn signals, mirrors, fuel petcock kit, fuel lines, carb floats and a kickstarter and it becomes clear that this bike has required a lot more of me than I expected. I'm still not sure that the trade was the right thing to do - I really miss the consistent reliability of my CB125, and the classic good looks that bike has really turned heads. This 250 is...well, it's functional. When I get it tuned right, it has more than enough power, but it's not pretty. More incentive to get my 350 finished, right? I've got all I need to put the engine back together now - a few months ago I accidentally dropped a shim from the cam-chain tensioner into the crankcase and haven't been able to find it. It was a demoralizing loss, and I lost total interest in continuing the project for months. I'm really itching to get it under way. The deadline I set for myself to get it re-assembled and out of the basement has passed, and I'm no closer to finished than I was when I set it. Time to get crackin!

Side note - I harvested my first deer in over 12 years this Saturday. She was waiting for me by my stand with 6 others. When they saw me and bolted up the hill into the distance, she was the only one to stop and see if I was following. Bad idea. Single shot through the ribcage took care of her lungs - she dropped like a stone. No running or squirming, no suffering. Sniper's motto: "one shot, one kill." I took her with my Yugo SKS, shooting 123 grain Barnaul Hollow Point. It did massive damage inside, and didn't exit. I'm convinced that I will find the bullet when I butcher the carcass - I'm curious to see if it held together or not. I really like that round, and the rifle that shot it, but if it doesn't hold its mass then it is inappropriate for deer hunting.

Ice storms <3 motorcycles

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 06:10:18 GMT

I went for another nice ride tonight, around the University campus to the north side of town and then back home. That's 2 rides in a row with no problems! Tomorrow I'm taking it in to get the kickstand fixed. For now, I submit for your viewing pleasure proof positive that God loves motorcycles best. Not a branch touched it - the tree folded under the weight of the ice and cradled my motorcycle. Sweet.

Snow + dual-sport = FUN!

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 02:26:07 GMT

I never thought falling off a motorcycle could be so much fun. My kickstarter came in from Bike Boneyard.com and I was immediately disappointed in a big way. It looked exactly the same as the one I had for my 350 (which I already tried and it was too big in every way). Dejected, I threw it down in the basement and planned to contact BBY and get a replacement. MORE WAITING! Then I lost power for a week from this freak ice-storm and had lots of time to contemplate darkness and cold and subtle differences in motorcycle parts. It WAS different - everything was backwards. Today I had a spare moment, having spent all day yesterday and Friday clearing half a ton of fallen-oak limbs from my front and back yards, so I decided to try the part out just in case it worked. It did! The bike had sat for three weeks, through rain and sleet and ice and snow, so it took some work to get it started. Once it did, though...ran like a beauty. I couldn't contain my happiness, so even though Friday brought 6 inches of snow and we haven't had a melting day yet, I went out for a ride. I'd never ridden an off-road bike in the snow, so I had to try it - last I rode in weather like this, it was on my Passport scooter. I found every snow-packed alley and byway and gunned the throttle, slinging snow chunks from my 4" back tire while fish-tailing along at 5mph. I made sure to go slow, and I kept a close eye out for cars and telephone/power poles, and eventually got what I asked for. Pulling away from a yield sign on Thurston, the rear tire went out from under me and I bit it. Not hard - the bike is pretty light, so I was able to lay it down easy and even kept it running with my left hand tight on the clutch. I don't think anybody noticed - if they did, I'm sure they thought I was just some stupid kid screwing around. How true...I've never had more fun on a motorcycle. The bike's fine - the thing was made to wallow in dirt and come out smelling like a rose. Sliding to a stop from 10mph on a soft snowy road can't touch this thing. I'm riding to school tomorrow - I'm not even checking the forecast. I hope the kids can spare some room in the bikeracks.

Salvage parts & vintage bikes

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 05:19:35 GMT

All I need is one measly part, and I have to order the whole assembly. "Ppppttt" should be in the dictionary, not far from "phooey." Anyway, cavalry's on its way with the "last thing I need to make this bike run." (Wink, wink, cross my toes, knock on wood and whatever else I need to do...stay away, SI)

Once again, one more thing...

Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:41:29 GMT

The linear nature of this XL250 project is driving me batty. I find one problem--> I fix the problem--> a new problem surfaces. I ordered new floats for the carburetor because they were a bit heavy. I waited two weeks for them to arrive, installed them and got the bike running perfect. The next day, I went out to take a ride and the bike started on the first kick BUT THE KICKSTARTER BROKE OFF!!! Then the bike stalled. I'm going to bed.

The end of the tunnel

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 04:25:34 GMT

I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel with my XL250. The floats are on order and should be here around the end of the week. Now I can start focusing on the more minor issues like the kickstand mount. The headlight and turn-signals still need a bit of attention, but all of that is secondary to actually getting the bike to run right. I told one of my students that as soon as I got the bike running right, I would ride it to school but since the kickstand isn't right I would need to park it in the bike racks. He's convinced that the rest of the students who use the bike racks would LOVE to park their bikes next to MY cool bike - I'll be the coolest kid in school. I mean, they don't even have shocks...

So long, old friend. Hello, new friend!

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 23:29:50 GMT

A little less than 2 weeks after I fixed my ignition, an idea resurfaced in my head that I had been mulling over since this summer. Early in June, I was up at the local motorcycle supply shop talking to the owner about my 350 project, and I asked him about what he was working on right now. He walked me into his shop, where he had about a dozen bikes of various vintages and in varied states of disrepair. He uncovered this beautiful BMW R60 that looked fresh off the showroom floor - it's a 50 year old bike that he has been restoring from the frame-up for the last decade. He had just gotten the tank back from the painter, and it was beautiful. My eyes, however, were immediately drawn up to an old Honda XL250 dual-sport that was wedged in between a table and a few big bags of packing peanuts. Turns out the previous owner was a dead-beat who had dropped the bike off for some carb work and couldn't pay. Larry really needed to unload it to satisfy the mechanic's lein - said he'd sell it for the $300 worth of labor he put into it. Long story short - my friend Nathaniel (former member of my track team, now K-State student) decided at my urging to purchase the bike. I test rode it for him since he didn't have his license, and it rode like a champ. That was the last time it ran right for 4 months. Fast forward to October, when my idea to buy the bike myself pops back into my head. I took Nathaniel out and taught him how to ride on my CB125 the day before we were going to go check out the 250. I told him that if he didn't like the 250 I might consider selling him my 125 and buying the 250 myself. He really liked the feel and the look of the 250, but after 4 months of it not-running for no apparent reason, he was ready to deal. I called him up, and he made the offer before I said anything about it - he'd been thinking the same thing. So, the next day we traded keys, and I'm now the proud owner of a 1974 Honda XL250. It's not as beautiful as my 125, but then again it never was. This bike was designed to be rough and tough, at home on a city street or buried to the gills in the mud. The first generation of the XL250's were not given much respect - that is, until they started winning all the races they entered. This is the 2nd generation. The power difference between my 125 and the 250 is awesome. The only problem is that it still doesn't want to run right. I've tinkered and toyed with all the different fuel mixtures, taken the carb completely apart, replaced the spark plug, wire and cap, and it still doesn't work properly. At first it wouldn't even start. The new wire and caps got it going, along with a little creative soldering. It rode alright for 2 days, and then started running funny, then not at all. My father-in-law Charlie, a champion trouble-shooter and whiz with all things mechanical, came up and helped me with it and we think we have narrowed it down to bad carb floats. There was a short or a bad connection somewhere, but in the process of taking apart and putting back together the ignition coils, we seem to have inadvertently fixed it. Now the only problem is a very rich mixture that doesn't respond to the idle mixture screw. However, we were clued into the possibility of the floats being bad by the fact that it runs great when you turn the fuel off (and it quits over-filling the float bowl). A new set of floats isn't that expensive and Bikebandit has them in stock, so it shouldn't be long before I'm on the road again - with gusto!

Ignition Condition

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 05:02:48 GMT

Progress on my 350 has all but stopped now that school is back in session. My CB125 daily rider is normally a reliable piece of 30-year-old machinery, but last week it started acting quirky. The problem seemed to be electrical - the ignition would sometimes connect, sometimes not. I suspected a bad connection or a broken/corroded wire immediately, but didn't get around to taking it apart until Thursday. Sure enough, there was a broken solder in the ignition switch. Warm up the soldering iron, heat up the wires and PRESTO! quick fix. I'll put it back together tomorrow and hope that it's all better. In the meantime, I had taken the 350 engine to school to use as a tool with which to teach my students about simple 4-cycle engines. I took it apart and in the process dropped one of the cam-chain tensioner shims into the crank-case. I haven't been able to dig it out, and I'm worried that I will have to crack the crankcase apart again to get it out. That would REALLY upset me, because getting that thing back together again was no piece of cake. I haven't summoned the courage for that move yet, but I should really do it soon. If I'm going to get that thing done before christmas (my goal set this summer) I need to get cranking. I did, however, get some of the electrical stuff hooked up. The headlight works, both low beams and high beams. I still haven't gotten the horn to honk though - I was really looking forward to that.

Forrest may have had it right.

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 02:43:23 GMT

Stupid is as stupid does. I have now determined that the pistons were both indeed stuck and I know exactly why. I accidentally ordered an oversize set of piston rings for my bike - but it doesn't have oversize cylinders. If I'd done a rebore or something then yes they would fit, but all I did was clean it up and hone it. Thankfully, I did manage to get it back apart. That was some fun stuff...went a lot easier than I expected. First of all, it was 10 times easier to get the engine out of the frame than it was to get it in. It pretty much just slipped right out like it wanted to leave. Patient tapping with my yard sale mallet got the points and tach covers off, and then the real fun started. I foolishly started whacking directly on the pistons to drive them down - my initial feeling was that the one stuck piston was the one lower in the cylinder, and hammering on the one that had moved up into the cylinder would push the cylinders up and off the engine. Turns out that both cylinders were stuck, but my removal method was fundamentally correct. My aim with the hammer leaves something to be desired and since I've no interest in buying another set of gaskets (or pistons), I made a high-tech device to allow hammering the pistons at a safe distance - an 8" piece of 2X4 cut in half (to 2X2). I proceeded to hammer the dickens out of my 2X2, and it worked better than I could have imagined. What I'd imagined was that the engine was stuck for good. Once I'd hammered on my 2X2 long and hard enough that I had to make another one, the cylinders finally came loose to illuminate the true problem. I'd pretty much obliterated the first set of rings when I installed them. Removal was harder than installation, and installation was hard. It may seem strange, but I feel better about the engine now that it's back in pieces and I know what's wrong with it. I ordered a new set of standard sized rings from eBay and they ought to get here sometime next week - just in time for school to start. Sweet. At least I know that I didn't completely destroy my engine by being stupid - or doing as stupid does, at least.

Tight - as an adjective - is not always positive

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 15:23:00 GMT

I've almost completely reassembled the engine on my 350 and it is extremely tight. It's got me worried, because it's so tight I can't even cycle the engine. I don't think this is normal, but then again I've never rebuilt an engine like this. So, the current state of things has me bugging out because if this engine is stuck...well, seized engines are more-or-less impossible to fix 'cause you can't get the darn things apart. My hope is that when I get it mounted in the frame and put some weight into my kickstarter that I can budge it. I hope it's just tight because there are a lot of new parts and I also think it's in gear. I guess I'll see when I get it mounted in the frame, which should be any day now.

The gas tank is getting very close to being done. I did my last coat of Bondo and, though it's not showroom perfect, the dents are pretty much gone. I'm really impressed with how that stuff worked. After a good smooth sanding I primed and painted it up, and right now it's just waiting for the clear coat. I'll also be doing a little paintwork on the rear fender, which I've decided to chop. Larry up at MC Supply has a taillight for me that suits my desires for this bike a bit better than the huge stock one. I'm going to fabricate a bracket for it to mount in, and then find a way to mount turn signals somewhere on the frame. The rears should be easy, but the fronts had mounted on the stock headlight ears which are not a part of this bike anymore. The original headlight is going to stay on even though it looks terrible - I'll get the new one A.S.A.P. but it's $$ that needs to go elsewhere for now. Right now I just want to get this thing breathing so that I can start breathing again.

KTM Dirtbike anyone?

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:39:05 GMT

Added to my list of project bikes is a 1981 KTM MC495. Single cylinder, 2-stroke man eating dirtbike, the kind "Team Red" used to ride for the USSR in the days when they won everything. This is apparently THE bike to have - ride one and it'll spoil all the other dirtbikes you can ride. It's a project in every sense of the word - this one doesn't even look nice. These bikes were designed to be wallowing in the mud and the crud for their whole lives, so I'm not worried too much about how it looks. It shouldn't need too much to get it running though, and I'm excited to see what it can do. Keep you posted.

Puzzle pieces proceed

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 06:18:38 GMT

It's amazing to me, at this point in the project where I've come so far and spent so much time at it that I could be almost done. Indeed, looking at the pictures I just posted compared with the ones from when I started it almost looks worse. However, to the trained eye that's been looking at this piece of work almost every day for more than a year it looks great. Knowing how little is left to do gets me so excited for riding it. The tank is coming along, the new handlebars and grips have really changed the look, the frame gleams in the flourescent lighting. Don't get me wrong - there's still a lot to do. I just got the new carbs in and they're dirtier than the last ones. The tank is only just now getting the dents worked out. I have no idea how the electrical components will all pan out. I plan on replacing the headlight, all the turn signals, the seat, the rear fender, and almost all of the nuts and bolts and screws that I can find replacements for. The headlight, seat and fender will wait. The turn signals I'll need before the bike hits the road. Nuts and bolts I've ben replacing as I go along, and there are still a lot left. The bits and pieces are all adding up, but I think now I've got most of the big chunks taken care of. Patience is harder to maintain now that I can see the end. I want to finish it every day. I want to put the engine together and slap it in the frame. I want to hook up the electronics and see if the starter motor works. Ahhh, it's a sweet torment. I'm hoping to finish smoothing out the bondo-filled dents in the tank tomorrow, and maybe get a coat of spray-primer on sometime in the afternoon. That'll be the real test of my restoration skill. The stuff is really amazing - gel-like thick liquid in the can, hard enough to sand in 5 minutes (after you quit pushing it around). I had to fill the dents a layer at a time because the stuff is hard to work with when it's put on in thick layers. It's thin enough when you mix it that it won't hold the convex curve of the tank when thick. In the pictures you can see the third layer I've slapped on the sides. One or maybe two more applications to go! The primer will fill in little scratches and small dings, but the bumps and the waves in the filler I've got to smooth out myself. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a pic of a smooth, primed tank, ready to be de-rusted.

Lets get tanked!

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 07:16:30 GMT

My tank is now the focus of my attention. Last week I went for a hiking trip in Colorado, only after I had ordered a nice-looking pair of carburetors for my bike. I got them on Ebay from a guy in Eugene, OR going by the name of Cyclepsycho. I got back from my trip and they were waiting for me at the door. They looked exactly as they did in the pictures and I was tickled pink until I found out they didn't fit. Yit! A little research uncovered the reason - they belonged not to a 350, but to a 360. This may seem minor details, but for old Hondas it is huge. The 360 carbs are bracketed and straight, and they've got a 32mm maw. The 350 carbs are not bracketed, angle into the engine and have a 30mm opening. They wouldn't work, and none of my reverse engineering would make them fit. Dismayed, I popped off an email to Cyclepsycho and he quickly responded - he confirmed my research and sent pics of the carbs he should have sent me, lubricated with copious apologies. I was satisfied, and he sent them right out. The carbs had been mislabeled in the Ebay auction - simple mistake, and he fixed it. So here I sit, waiting on the replacements to arrive. I thought to myself, why waste time waiting - so I stripped and started filling in the dents in my tank. It's gonna take a whole can of Bondo, but at least the stuff is cheap. I think it's gonna turn out pretty well though, because the first dent I filled tonight is looking pretty much like it never existed.

Blog Neglect

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:39:45 GMT

It's a shame when a helpless, innocent blog gets neglected. It certainly doesn't deserve this cruel fate, and yet (as so often happens) it gets shelved when the rest of life gets too busy. This is unfortunately the case with my poor moto blog. I can say that, in my defense, I haven't been quite so remiss in my projects as I have been about blogging them. I read an article on a classic car forum a few months ago about restoration timelines - what is a reasonable timeline for a restoration project and how do you keep it timely? The suggestion by the wise author was that you need to do something on your restoration every day, even if it's a 5 minute sub-assembly. If it's something you need to re-do the next day because you messed it up the first time, it still keeps your mind on the project and eats up the little pieces that take time. Time always seems to be the thing that these projects hinge on. At least, that's how it works for me. Time is the limiting factor in all of my equations. Anyway, I've been taking this bike in bite-size chunks for the past several months and it's getting pretty close to finished. At least, it feels that way. I still need the carburetors and a whole bunch of screws but I think it could all be together by the end of the summer. Check out the new pictures in the '72 CB350K4 album. I got the crankcase put back together - that was a handful. I've got the piston rings on order, and picked up a cylinder hone at a garage sale to clean and hone those rusty cylinders. Dad found me a counter-shaft cover on Ebay that had a crack in it. I thought I'd need another one, but am now sold on the healing powers of JB Weld. I picked up some foam and a few yards of vinyl-leatherette to start redoing the seat with...since then, I've decided I'm going to buy a seat-cover because all that sewing is going to my head. The frame is ready, but the tank needs a TON of work (strip, bondo, prime, paint, polish, etc...), and the engine is as yet untested. I hope all my amateur mechanic work pays off. Anal retentive attention to detail may only get you so far - or at least, that's what I'm worried about because that's what I've been doing and it takes a LOT of time. I even went so far as to change all the engine oil seals just because I had the crankcase apart. It was fun, but added another month to my restoration waiting on the seals to get in. At least I have the peace of mind knowing that I won't have to do that once the engine is back together and in the bike. That would really kill my momentum and frustrate the life out of me - getting that thing all back together after more than a year-long restoration and having it leak all over my driveway is not the kind of gratification I've got in mind.

Speaking of leaks, my 125 continues to bleed oil (slowly) out of the cylinder head-gasket. As if that was not enough of a worry, one day when I was cruising down 24 highway the entire pilot screw assembly FELL OUT. Of course, I thought it was something else and spent two weeks trying to fix that something else before I found the real problem and fixed it. "Fixing the problem" and still having a broken bike sure kills a shade-tree mechanic's faith in his troubleshooting skills. Oh well - lesson learned, new day, the bike is fixed and I am happy now. More to come later, or maybe sooner. Summer's here, so time is easier to come by.

Size matters not...yeah, right

Sat, 21 Oct 2006 04:31:56 GMT

Size matters. It does. And an inch is a whole heckuva lot when you're talking about the motor-mounts on a 30 year old motorcycle. The 400 engine isn't going to work. Back to the 350 - not the end of the world, but not what I wanted. Oh well - it'll still be awesome when i get done with it. I also have the tank and it's gonna take some work to get it into show-shape. Yikes. It'll be great when it's done though. It sure beats the alternative - though he might be onto something with the hat...

With mine own eyes I've seen - and it's HUGE

Sun, 03 Sep 2006 18:16:55 GMT

I went to WI for a couple days this week and saw my Hawk engine. The thing is ~ twice as wide as the 350 and bigger in other dimensions too. I'm crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer that it fits. Meanwhile, I'm growing less and less comfortable with chopping the CB frame. What is it about thinking about something you've never done before you do it that makes your stomach churn? To risk sounding hackneyed, I'll quote Nike's old logo and say that "Just do it" is the best ever advice for a natural-born-coward. It's a hobby, and there's really nothing to lose...except time...paint...a wicked awesome motorcycle...yeah, here I go again. Couple more weeks, then waiting's over and I'm choppin. Maybe.

On a side note - non motorcycle-related but no less important - I must say that I am proud to have known Theodore Ripple and been counted among his family for as long as I was privileged to do so. I would have asked for more time, but I am consoled by the fact that he is no longer suffering. He was a class act with an amazing sense of humor and will be sorely missed. For now, I'll have to find the best fishing spots on my own. I look forward to seeing him again in paradise - by then he should have all the good spots scouted out and we'll have a ball.

Dad's Honda - done!

Mon, 07 Aug 2006 17:36:45 GMT

Updated pics in the "Dad's CB650C" album. Looks great - amazing what a couple extra coats of clear-coat and some aluminum polish will do. Time for a road trip - saddle bags, anyone?

TANK!

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 13:24:12 GMT

This just in: I have a gas tank, it is in Newton. YES! Also, have friend with access to angle grinder (for cutting) and welding gear (for welding) so that 400 is going in. Yes...now I just need the front bracket. It occurred to me as I pondered on how this was all coming together that I have gone from a 3-speed to a 4-speed to a 5-speed transmission...the 400 has 6 gears. I've also gone 50cc to 90cc to 125cc...to 400. Yeehaw!

Transplantation station

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 03:52:49 GMT

New pics of the would-be transplant engine reveal mismatched mounting holes...this means it will take a bit more work to get this Frankenstein rolling than I'd been counting on. Hope is not completely lost - it just limits my options a bit. I'll have to see how it looks when it gets here. In the meantime, I finally cracked the crankcase (mouthful there, 'eh?) on the original 350 engine. It really doesn't look that bad inside. I'm just going to keep on keepin' on with the 350 until I have the 400 in my hands. If all else fails, a top-end swap might just be the thing. I was really liking the idea of the 6-speed tranny, but getting the CDI and not needing to pop for piston rings would sure quiet my woes.

To Hog, or not to Hog

Mon, 17 Jul 2006 01:26:58 GMT

Dad's thinking about getting a Harley Sportster - he went and looked at a used one today. It's an Orange '03 Sportster 883R with under 800 miles on it - apparently it's a beautiful bike in great mechanical shape, and the price the guy's asking is completely reasonable. He even came down after my dad haggled with him a bit. Thing is, he just got his Honda up and running - this time last week it was in the shop getting the brakes redone, and a month ago the tank was still in my basement with its first coat of paint on it. It seems like everything is moving pretty fast. The dilemma is this: the Sportster is an awesome bike at an awesome price and I would love for him to have it. I know he'd love it, and if he's got it then I might get to ride it every so often. However, if he gets it, then the Honda is probably history. I put a lot of time and effort into that thing, and I didn't do that to give it "resale value." Of course, it's his bike and he can do what he wants with it. I did the best job I could on it, and would've done so regardless of his intentions with the bike. I just didn't expect to be custom painting a stepping stone. Jokingly, I said he should get the Harley and give the Honda to me - my birthday's 2 months away, and then there's always Christmas... However, he has well over $1000 sunk into it at this point - it's a bit rich for a birthday or Christmas present, and too much for me to make him an outright offer and "seal the deal." Fiddlesticks.

Wheels - on!

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 20:06:42 GMT

I restored the bike to a rolling chassis today. Rather than wait forever to buy new wheels, I just put the old ones back on - wheels are easy enough to take on and off, and this way it's easier to wrestle it around in the shop. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep the old wheels (and just replace the spokes) or buy new ones. For now, these will do. The Hawk 400 engine I bought on Ebay (for $50, including carbs, wiring harness, exhaust manifolds, header pipes and even the battery - good story) is now safely in the hands of family thanks to a couple hours of wheel time by my Dad. Mike G. in Ripon, WI originally intended the engine to be reborn in a go-kart. For whatever reason, plans changed and he offered it up on Ebay. Lucky me. It's gonna be September before the engine's going to be in my hands, so for now I am going to be concentrating on getting everything else ready. Dad's bringing back the carbs and the wiring harness, and anything else he can box and check with the airlines. With any luck, it'll be plug and play come September...just in time for my birthday.

p.s. pics are in the 350 album. spokes are really rusty - i spent no time cleaning or polishing them since there's no way they'll be staying around. everything else is hott.

p.p.s. except the tires - they're gandhi round about the same time the spokes hit the road. - rb

So there's this guy who put some rusted metal in his basement...

Sat, 08 Jul 2006 02:09:11 GMT

and he thinks that he's going to turn it into a motorcycle. He also thinks there might be some folks who want to see him work on it. "He" is me - this page is for anyone who is interested in my motorcycle projects, or anything else I've been thinking about lately. The current object of my consternation is a 1972/73 Honda CB350K4 (2 cylinder) that a friend gave me. It was originally a "parts bike" I was going to scrap in order to refit and modify my '79 CB125S. As I retained posession, I realized there wasn't anything to scrap. When any normal man would have backed down, I charged on. After wrestling the bike down my basement stairs (by myself - there's another story) I decided to undergo a complete restoration, top to bottom. That was Valentine's day, 2006. My 350 is now a 400, and it's gone from an OEM restoration to a complete custom project, but at a very slow pace. The time I have available to tinker is always "subject to the requirements of the service" (read: honey-do list, lesson plans, other custom motorcycle projects) so it tends to get put off. No rushing - haste makes waste, and as I work on my bike I've found that most of the fun in any journey is found while getting there. I'll get there, you'll see.