Topic: ever get very angry at a bike?

[jason41987]

this might be a spur of the moment rant, but this bike is just giving me a ton of headaches right now, i feel like quitting and starting with something else, something in better condition.. seen some CB450s, CB350s, and XS400s around hear, ive been strongly considering jumping over to a two cylinder.. though i did want something i can travel on for a few hours at a time and a four is definitely more comfortable, a two would just be so much easier to tune, maintain, and cheaper to repair

i would have to say the turning point that made me angry enough to feel like dumping it off a cliff had to be when i put a drill bit through my thumb today when a drill bit snapped at the tip.. sure its something that could happen with any bike, and i probably wasnt being too careful, but a thing like a drill bit through the thumb seems to be a pretty big fan to what was a small flame

am i overreacting?.. probably.. i dont know.. i just feel like punching it right now if that wouldnt only injure my hand more.. anyone ever get to the point where they feel the same?.. like maybe the bike is just bad luck or something or you just dont feel like dealing with its gremlins unique to that particular bike?

[flybox1]

ok, so how does all of this make you FEEEEEL? 

jk

when i get frustrated, yeah, i wanna damage something, but history has taught me to walk away before I damage myself
go pick up whatever you like to drink and chill.
come back to it tomorrow hungover rested, and start again.
it happens to the best of us 

[Duke McDukiedook]

Yeah, at a certain point if something is reallty frustrating me to the point that expletives are the only words flowing from my mouth I walk away.
But this is usually only if something snaps off or I bust my knuckles or something that is impossible to get to with my fat fingers.
I'll let it sit overnight and let a fresh mind work with the problem that got me that pissed.

[Lostboy Steve]

Every Now and again my YZ250F will flame out at the most inopportune moment for absolutely no reason and then refuse to start. One time I god so fed up and was so #$%*ing tired of kicking it, that I literally mustered up all my reserved strength and anger and threw it down the side of the hill that I was stuck on. Subsequently when I arrived at the bottom of the hill the slut started on one kick.

[madScientist]

I cant remember off the top of my head what the bike was but, not matter what I did, i could not get the damn thing to run right. I would get the carbs figured out, then a plug would stop firing, then the carbs would be messed up again...

One day I decided enough was enough...i pulled up the kickstand and let it fall. However I couldn't let it beat me...came back a few hours later and continued hammering away at it. Finally got it to run well enough to sell it.

[jason41987]

ive actually been thinking of selling this.. since i am moving soon, its not complete, and its a lot to haul across 5-6 states.. and then buy a two cylinder later.. maybe a 350, 450, or a yamaha XS... my reason behind this is these old bikes take a lot of attention, keeping things in tune, finding parts... adding an extra set of cylinders on top of that just compounds the frustration...

my reasoning for wanting a four cylinder was more comfort when traveling on the highway... and just cruising around for fun... but, there are things i could do to a two cylinder to make it more comfortable...so i might give up on the SOHC/4 for the time being... and i think the only thing that would bring me back into an SOHC/4 is if i i could find a CB400F

[Lostboy Steve]

What bike are we talking about and how much?

[curemode2002]

Well I can definately sympathize with you on this one. I had a KZ440 just before I got the 650 and I never really had any issues with it. Put pod filters on it new plugs added an oil cooler and it just always ran. I don't even think I replaced the battery in it for 3 years and let me tell you that is a feat and a half in Utah.

I have been fighting charging issues on the 650 now for about 2 1/2 years always something new going wrong. Finally looks like I have it all sorted out. And now it is time to adjust the valves, timing chain and timing.

What I really attribute the issues too is that I rescued the 650 were as the 440 had always been taken care of. As I plow through the work on the 650 and just take my time the issues go away and don't come back. It gets frustrating for sure (I got stuck on my leg of the relay ride last year) but once they are sorted out they are so easy to keep running.

[Vinhead1957]

By the way I put a drill through the side of my thumb today too. I yelped then continued on through the blood.  Anger is just frustration. Just walk away! Take time to think it over. Problems are just riddles that need to be solved. Believe me, I have gone through the throwing tools stage.

[iron_worker]

Smashing stuff may seem like the answer and that it will make you feel better ... but in the end you're only breaking your own stuff and giving yourself more stuff to fix. 

Go in relaxed, use a systematic approach to problem solving (not random), attack one problem at a time if possible.

IW

[mronegear]

Well, i love my four because of these little issues once a while. I need a mix of riding and wrenching and once a while
a little challenge... fixing something i haven't done before, that's the real thrill for me.

Those issues can cause a frustration, but after the fix, and most of the time because of the knowlege of this great forum, i feel really proud and take my old lady for a ride and smile.

come on bike, i need some issues right now 

[Bru-tom]

gees you guys are scary with tools! remind me NOT to hold something for you...EVER

[nccb]

ok, so how does all of this make you FEEEEEL? 

jk

when i get frustrated, yeah, i wanna damage something, but history has taught me to walk away before I damage myself
go pick up whatever you like to drink and chill.
come back to it tomorrow hungover rested, and start again.
it happens to the best of us 

I try this from time to time but eventually I'm like "Fu@% this, this time I have to fix it!"  Subsequently, each time I think I have the remedy and it doesn't work I just drink more and more until I am sloshed.  By that time the next day as I walk down to my shed I am like, "Oh #$%*, Oh #$%*, I hope I didn't damage it more" and apologize to the bike

[jason41987]

what compounds the frustration even more is the damn broken screw extractors dont work with a damn.. and to make it worse.. i actually got the screw to break.. i mean free, and THEN it stripped.. broken screw extractors are so useless.. i should probably just get a tap and bolt for a reverse thread pattern.. but if i put some JB weld into the hole i drilled and JB weld something into it i can get a grip on, i can probably get the screw out that really made me angry...

but.. this may make some people here angry for me to stay, but i wasnt completely in love with the SOHC/4 to begin with, i really wanted a two cylinder but this was a good offer.. so i guess a bit of buyers remorse, the drill through my hand, the headache of maintaining four cylinders, as well as a deadline before i move to another state is just all coming down at once

i guess in short.. its not about putting a drill through my hand.. or the frustration of not getting this one screw out.. but its basically just the straw that broke the camels back

[ekpent]

Always good to have more than one bike. Have a couple trusty's you can always hop on and take a ride and a couple to fiddle with.
  Try to enter the market with a known runner if you can.Those ran when it was put away or parked jobs can be a project sometimes.
   Other than that losing your cool and causing more pain ,money and work will be a defeat. Glad I have never experienced that         

[lone*X]

Yea, you can get frustrated as heck at them sometimes.  But just remember that it isn't the bikes fault.  Its the person you bought it from, or the person he bought it from.  Their mechanical.  They don't dislike you, hold grudges, or intentionally try to make your life miserable.  Their only need in life is a little loving maintenance and some repair of the PO's mistakes or neglect.  Treat it like you would a big brown eyed hound dog that needed you to rescue it from neglect and abuse by its previous owner.   Love it for what it is, treat whatever ails it, and eventually it will return the love.   

[jason41987]

well, im dropping out of the four cylinder market for a while... its enough to have to maintain the carbs, points, and various other parts, i dont want to deal with the extra cylinders, extra parts that go with it.. so im going to look for a two cylinder.. something that runs, and will be easier to work on and reduce my headaches

[nccb]

I always thought these bikes were supposed to be easy to work on, not that I ahve actually done much.  What exactly is wrong with the bike?

[jason41987]

well, the carbs are a PITA to clean, and one needs to replace, have to get into the side of the engine to fix the kickstarter, no wiring, and the tank i have needs to be cleaned and lined.. also need a new chain, need to redo the entire ignition system, rebuild the forks.. it just seems like i have a stack of things to do on a bike that wasnt my first choice anyway.. i really wanted a 2 cylinder

i managed to convince myself a four would have been better on highways, which might still be true, but im not sure the smoother ride is worth the extra effort in keeping it tuned and maintained.. twice the cylinders means twice the parts that can fail, twice the carbs that have to be synced and tuned, twice the ignition system... which all means more chances for SOMETHING to go bad on the side of the road... i think id rather have a two cylinder to reduce these chances, and just deal with the extra vibrations when i do decide to ride longer distances.... though primary purpose is a daily commuter

[lone*X]

Your choice, and you need to follow your own desires.  That is for certain.   Regardless of what you decide to buy perhaps you should get a good runner to start with, and work your way up the learning tree instead of trying to resurrect what sounds like a major project right off the bat.  It sounds like you are not yet comfortable with the mechanical aspect of restoration.  Just remember, even the early twins had dual points and mechanical valves, kick starters, and wiring harnesses virtually identical to the SOHC's just a few less spark leads,  and all the other things you are having an issue with.  And the carburetors are not much different either.   Simply dropping two cylinders isn't going to make it much more simple to wrench on.  Once you have done two of something "properly" on a twin, doing it 4 times on a 4cyl isn't any harder, just takes a bit more time.   It is a bit easier to remove the engine from the frame for sure, but that is about it.

And as for highway use?  The 4 isn't just a little smoother, it's day and night smoother.  I like twins, have owned a couple.  Would love to have my 74 Norton back.  But old twins are what they are and they vibrate.  If you want a twin that rides well on the open road, better get a much newer one.  This is IMHO and experience.  Your mileage may vary. 

[dave500]

with all due respect you have the wrong temperament for anything mechanical that goes wrong,you suffer from a frustration that easily escalates into aggression when instant satisfaction isnt achieved,you hate to repeat your work a second time,,you will find any problems you have with a four cylinder bike will not be halved by buying a two cylinder machine,you dont really enjoy mechanical things,respect.

[bcbillings]

I litterly hate my motorcycle right now... howevern it is not going to beat me... im going to fix it and ride the crap out of it to make it learn a lesson

[Rodger]

We all get pissed at your bike from time to time.  One thing I recommend is buy a set of JIS screw drivers and impact driver.  JIS is Japanese Industrial Standard, the screw on the bike look like Phillips but don't be fooled.  The pitch and shape are different and phillps drivers strip the hell out of JIS screws. 

I was and still am a fan of Honda twins, I owner many and do like the bikes a lot.  But now that I got into SOHC's my love of twins is fading a bit.  I a several CB400F's and wow they are better in every way when compared to my CB350's.  It's silky smooth engine, tight handling, good braking, looks amazing, and its really not any harder to work on trust me.  I rebuild the valves, top end, carbs, M/C, Dyna S coil, tensioner slipper, Avon Tires, new repop muffler and touched every thing it was taken down to the frame.  It was parked for 31 years so it needed some TLC.  I am a smaller guy @ 5'8"- 155# and this bike feels like an extension of my body, as if we are one.  I will NEVER be without one ever.  I will sell all 3 twin in the garage before I would even think about letting this bike go.

Long story short don't give up on the SOHC the extra cylinder aren't a big deal.  The carbs are a little tricky to sync but with a carb tune and a hour of time your good to go!

Cheers,
Kevin

[dave500]

you cant talk him around,,hes a brat,,only a loser would post how much hes been beaten by a man made mechanical thing and cry and stamp hes feet,where so many posters here have soldiered on with worse cases and now have a happy relationship with their beloved old honda,happy in the knowledge they got it together,,is that where brat bikes come to the fore?,,im still not entirely familiar with the terminology yet?

[70CB750]

with all due respect you have the wrong temperament for anything mechanical that goes wrong,you suffer from a frustration that easily escalates into aggression when instant satisfaction isnt achieved,you hate to repeat your work a second time,,you will find any problems you have with a four cylinder bike will not be halved by buying a two cylinder machine,you dont really enjoy mechanical things,respect.

What Dave says.  Patience is an important virtue dealing with mechanical things.

Between jobs I worked for a guy in car shop.  He did mainly auto body and paint, but also insurance and some Corvette special stuff.  Working with him was painful experience, within 5-10 minutes to the job he was all F this and F that and I hate this car, I hate this job - that dude was like 60 years old. LOL!  Behaved like a stupid teenager.

And he would fark up stuff because he would not take the bloody time.  How many taps he broke in the work piece b/c he never learned to lube the tap first.  Or we were replacing oil pan on 69 Corvette with a low profile.  Not a big deal, the customer was waiting and looking on.  For low profile pan you have to change the pickup to fit the oil pump in and secure it with a weld.  Done it before, easy job.  Anyway, this John could not get the pickup in the oil pump so he took a hammer to it and farked up the oil pump.  One of the gear wheels dragged on the wall when he finally got the pickup in.  All of this while the customer is there with us.  We had to get a new oil pump, simple as that, and the pickup can go in by hand, if you are patient enough.