Author Topic: I believe that my 'Wang is the most Impressive bike ever made (by Honda in 1986)  (Read 26084 times)

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Offline trueblue

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The Z1's never impressed me that much after I saw inside the gearbox of one that my mate has in his shed.  The gears in them are huge, wouldn't look out of place in a cars gearbox, but every tooth of every gear was worn to buggery.  He had 4 spare engines laying around so we split the cases of them to check the gears and every one was the same, tell you what by the time we cracked the fourth engine he was getting a little stroppy at my comments that he should have bought a Honda ;D.
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Offline RAFster122s

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Terry, did you know that the Saguaro Cactus, the cacti with arms, survives in a very narrow range of desert and does not natively grow above 4000 feet in altitude, nor below about 1500 feet of altitude. It is found in Mexico and Arizona and a very small part of California if I remember correctly. It is native to the Sonoran Desert which is in Northern Mexico and into AZ.
So, the western movies depicting the Saguaro cacti, they were largely filmed outside Tucson, Arizona. So, the next time you see an old John Wayne movie you know where it was filmed.

The Saguaro disappears from the desert landscape before you get into Phoenix driving towards Phoenix from Tucson. It also does not grow arms until it is 100 years old. So, tall multi-armed saguaros are ancient by human standards.

The Saguaro Cactus is more impressive than your Wang.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2013, 02:28:42 PM by RAFster122S »
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline RAFster122s

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If Sea Level atmospheric conditions is where most motor output is compared because of the lower oxygen levels at higher altitude, then do motors have a little more in Death Valley where the altitude is below sea level?
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Terry in Australia

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Just like you can't compare apples to oranges or Z1's to CB750's, you can't compare Cacti to 'Wang's Dave, I've no doubt that the Saguro Cactus is a mighty impressive plant, but we're talking about bikes here, hey? C'mon mate, I know you guys can't come up with a more impressive bike than my mighty 'Wang, but a plant? Seriously?  ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline Stev-o

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I have been to AZ many times, that Saguro is one mighty cacti!   

Hey Blue - I have done a lot of research about the Z1 since I bought one and have never read about subpar gears in the gearbox? Actually, just the opposite - they are bulletproof just like the CB750.  That basic motor has been used in drag bikes of up to 1200cc!

Now that is impressive!


http://www.cycledrag.com/larry-spiderman-mcbride-breaks-in-a-kz-1200
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Offline HondanutRider

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The most impressive bike ever made (and it was made by Honda too), has to be the SuperCub model.  More copies of this vehicle have been produced than any other vehicle in the world. 

Back in 1964, I got my first speeding ticket on a 55cc version of this model.  Since then I have never been caught had another ticket on a motorcycle. ;)

Here's a picture of the one I restored a few years ago.

Offline Stev-o

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Super cubs are a toy, you can't compare that to the the mighty Z1 or even Terry's big black wang.


Mopeds are like fat chicks: fun to ride but don't let your buddies see ya doing it!
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline kghost

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Except they build over 50 MILLION of them........

Wake me up when they hit 50,000,000+ gold wings.
Stranger in a strange land

Offline tbpmusic

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Here's a picture of the one I restored a few years ago.

That's a nice pushrod Cub, well done.
I have C70M - pretty much the same bike with a bigger OHC engine.
I use it to zip around my small town. Actually, with my current lardage, more poking than zipping.
Back in those days I only weighed about 90 pounds.
Today I weigh....well, more than that........ :o

Any modern Chineeze 50 cc scooter will run circles around mine.
Very high Coolness Factor though, and 200 mpg to boot!!
I fill it up (a whopping one gallon) about once a summer.
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Offline dave500

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Offline Killer Canary

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I've never seen one, but even I know that it's spelled "saguaro", yanks. ;D ;D ;D
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
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Offline Stev-o

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'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline RAFster122s

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Just like you can't compare apples to oranges or Z1's to CB750's, you can't compare Cacti to 'Wang's Dave, I've no doubt that the Saguro Cactus is a mighty impressive plant, but we're talking about bikes here, hey? C'mon mate, I know you guys can't come up with a more impressive bike than my mighty 'Wang, but a plant? Seriously?  ;D

Just pulling a fenders on you Terry, as you were using logical arguments...how do you expect this diversion to last when you keep knocking the p_ &  vinegar out of the comparisons.

Just look up the structure of that saguaro cactus, impressive widetrack stable base and substantial fluid delivery system that make your oiling and cooling system look like mickey mouse material.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2013, 02:23:22 PM by RAFster122S »
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline kghost

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Cheetahs have a 1.2 zero to sixty time.

Must be more impressive than a cacti.

Stranger in a strange land

Offline RAFster122s

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I've never seen one, but even I know that it's spelled "saguaro", yanks. ;D ;D ;D

I slept poorly and was killing time before getting up to go to Asheville, North Carolina this morning for a job interview...pardon my misspellings. Will see if I can correct the saguaro gaff...
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline RAFster122s

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Cheetahs have a 1.2 zero to sixty time.

Must be more impressive than a cacti.



The Cheetah is faster than a Cacti or a Super Cub or a Cub or a Passport (C70)
Cheetah  is also going to have the ability to have faster and more radical directional changes than any bike.
David- back in the desert SW!

Offline Stev-o

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Cheetahs have a 1.2 zero to sixty time.

Must be more impressive than a cacti.



I have to agree with ghost, cheetah is VERY impressive


Fast



Slow


'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline kghost

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Girls like cheetahs much more than cactus.

Who wants to ride on a cactus?

Plus there's cheet-o's puff balls......cheese and bacon.

Cactus have no bacon.
Stranger in a strange land

Offline Killer Canary

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I've never seen one, but even I know that it's spelled "saguaro", yanks. ;D ;D ;D

I slept poorly and was killing time before getting up to go to Asheville, North Carolina this morning for a job interview...pardon my misspellings. Will see if I can correct the saguaro gaff...
Just hacking on you! I have an inferiority complex. :-[
If it's worth doing at all it's worth over-doing.
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Offline dave500

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me and a mate were being chased by a cheetah once,so i stopped to put on my running shoes,he remaked even with those on youll never out run that big cat,i replied i only have to out run you mate!

Offline Terry in Australia

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Except they build over 50 MILLION of them........

Wake me up when they hit 50,000,000+ gold wings.

Hmmnn, well a Honda Cub only costs a few hundred bucks in Asia so that poverty stricken third worldians can afford them Tim, I'm guessing that's why there are so many of them?

Although to be honest, you could fit a lot more of those little Asian folks on a mighty 'Wang than you'd ever get on one of those "Pauper-Cycles"............. ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline cbornotcb

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I had the misfortune of owning one of the early wangers, I guess that makes me a wanger too ?
Wait 'till you have to remove the engine Terry, and have fun removing the header pipes (you have to push the bike over them) , then feel comfy as you fit the crankcases (no barrels) together, ring compressors fitted, but invisible while the joining goes on.
Then to discover a ring had jumped out of it's groove after you completely reassembled the bike and started it
I BETCHA CHANGE YA MIND REGARDING WANGERSTiny

Offline Terry in Australia

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Thanks Tiny, just so you know, this isn't my first 'Wang. I owned a 1975 model in the early 1980's and I've got a 1977 rolling chassis that I'll be installing my 1986 "Born in the USA" GL1200 engine into, once I've rebuilt it when the weather warms up, for some "Summer Wanging".

Now I must admit that I'm a 'Wang rebuild virgin, I've only had the engine outta my '75 model to replace the stator, but recently I hefted the clagged engine out of my mighty 1200 'Wang last Christmas and installed the replacement engine I imported from the US. (to bring you up to speed, I bought this bike from a wreckers for 400 bucks with a buggered engine, a result of the PO not changing the oil or filter for 10 years)

Honestly, it wasn't that hard to do the engine swap, and I did it on my own, with some help from my trusty trolley jack. The hardest part was "jiggling" the engine to allow the driveshaft back into the back of the gearbox. Not as simple as popping out the donk on a CB750, but not too difficult. Installing the exhaust was a snack with the mufflers off, they have a special composite seal between the muffler and header pipe and both of mine were missing, so the mufflers just fell off. The hardest thing was removing all of the old muffler putty, RTV sealant and exhaust bandage goop that the PO had used rather than spending 20 bucks on new seals. Go figure........

Now I've got the "Ride off" stand fitted, I can (and have) removed the complete exhaust system, as there's no centre stand to get in the way. I'm looking forward to rebuilding my spare 1200 engine when the weather warms up again, I reckon a 1200 engine in a GL1000 rolling chassis will kick a Z1's butt! (not that Z1 pilots like to race their bikes, they're all "trailer sailors" nowadays, and don't want to lower their resale value by getting them dirty......... ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)

Offline kghost

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they're all "trailer sailors" nowadays, and don't want to lower their resale value by getting them dirty......... ;D

Quite a few of those these days.....
Stranger in a strange land

Offline Terry in Australia

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Amen to that brother, I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of "collectors" are wankers.......... ;D
I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn't afford new bike boots, until I met a man with no legs.

So I said, "Hey mate, you haven't got any bike boots you don't need, do you?"

"Crazy is a very misunderstood term, it's a fine line that some of us can lean over and still keep our balance" (thanks RB550Four)