Topic: Sometimes...PO's are morons

[Heironymous Josh]

Okay, I'm a pretty positive guy but I figured this thread could be a good place to vent about the stupid crap prior owners have done to our rides.  Personally, I inherited a bike with some very un-ingenious simplified wiring.  All of the signals were converted to single wire where they don't retain the factory "running light feature" and turning a signal on means it doesn't blink.  so, to indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the signal in the direction I want to go.  I'm curious to see what other examples of shoe-string engineering others have inherited on their bikes.

Josch

[mrbreeze]

I'm gonna take the running light function out of my bike and it doesn't have anything to do with your flashers working. You must have something else wrong with your wiring or a bad flasher.

[736cc]

My all-time favorite "yankee ingenuity" bike was a 1969 sandcast that had the rear rim and tire laced to the front hub. He also shortened the shocks and welded them back together. And used boat trailer turn signals. Among other curious abortions. Then it got toasted in a shop fire. I rescued that poor orphan and gave it what it deserved.

[Drewery]

It's beautiful, but I miss the boat trailer turn signals.

[WJL75]

My (sort of running) 550K came with some bad wiring and an air filter from 1983 with all the dust and dirt of 20+ years.  The oil was probably about as old, but the rest of the bike was cosmetically in pretty good shape.  Of course the PO said it just had a tune up.  Some people only care what it looks like, and could care less if it rides well.

[mrbreeze]

My all-time favorite "yankee ingenuity" bike was a 1969 sandcast that had the rear rim and tire laced to the front hub. He also shortened the shocks and welded them back together. And used boat trailer turn signals. Among other curious abortions. Then it got toasted in a shop fire. I rescued that poor orphan and gave it what it deserved.

Now that there is a transformation!!!!! Very nice......bet it took awhile for all that to happen!!!

[6adan]

736cc if I had the money I would send you my bike and just tell you to call me when you get it back the way it was when I bought it new in 1970. Great looking bike. Dannie

[toycollector10]

That's a fantastic restoration Andy. What parts did you keep? Engine castings, frame the foam from the seat? Literally back from the dead I would say.

[nteek754]

I got one for ya! I did a trade for a 750 (1978) traded a couple old snowmobiles well loaded the sleds and rode to the guys house I had already worked on this bike a bit sold him one of those big ugly crash bars  and a couple spark plug boots  so I knew I was getting the better deal   well got ready to leave and head home (driving the bike) well the shifter would move like  four or five inches up or down just kinda shook my head and  found first gear and had to like double tripple shift all the way home only four to five miles first thing I did when I got in my driveway was reach down and feel the shifting lever and yup was slipping the P O says oh its not the lever its something inside  I just chuckled  most of us know what is inside and if its moveing that much somethings really wrong  well I went in my garage and grabed a differant shifter (a stock one) and boom worked like a charm  oh the crash bar he painted black and used a hammer to install also had to cut something off it well it went in the trash  and after I tweeked it with new chain and sprockets paint sidecovers and an older style set of carbs it was pretty sweet  but nothing compared to my baby a 1973 750 K with 836 kerker pods comstar mags K&N handlebars custom seat case gaurds and some would laugh at my horseshoe hiway cruising pegs but boy are they comfortable and thay came of my HORSE so I am a recycler no pun intended have fun seven fifty four ever Crag in Maine

[Jonesy]

The PO on my 750 thought the idle jets weren't big enough so he got out the drill bits. I can't figure out how big it was since my jet wires end at 130 and there was still slop in how the wire fit the hole in the jet!!! (Good thing he only tried it on one carb, but it took 2 months of head scratching to find out why the bike would only run on 3 pots...)

[kettlesd]

Okay, I'm a pretty positive guy but I figured this thread could be a good place to vent about the stupid crap prior owners have done to our rides.  Personally, I inherited a bike with some very un-ingenious simplified wiring.  All of the signals were converted to single wire where they don't retain the factory "running light feature" and turning a signal on means it doesn't blink.  so, to indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the signal in the direction I want to go.  I'm curious to see what other examples of shoe-string engineering others have inherited on their bikes.

Josch

Im not saying the PO didn't botch some stuff up on your wiring, but I believe the earlier model years did not have running lights (check your bulbs - if they have only one element they are not running light-type). But as mentioned in the first reply, one way or the other, the running light has nothing to do with your signal not flashing. I'd check for a good ground connection in your signal lights first (most common culprit), and then replace the flasher if the ground doesnt solve your prolem.

[Gordon]

Im not saying the PO didn't botch some stuff up on your wiring, but I believe the earlier model years did not have running lights (check your bulbs - if they have only one element they are not running light-type).

Also, none of these bikes are supposed to have running lights in the rear.

[grumburg]

My PO problems seem to deal with ignition switches and starter buttons. My 550 had a 3 way lamp switch wired under the seat for an ignition switch (did not work!) and my 500 T had the starter switch wires pulled out of the switch and hanging loose. Just touch them together to start .

[TomC]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

[nteek754]

I hear ya  TomC but on my 73 I aint never selling that one. Now for the other 2 and a half well money talks and they can say what they want lol Craig in Maine

[starion88esir]

My all-time favorite "yankee ingenuity" bike was a 1969 sandcast that had the rear rim and tire laced to the front hub.

Would this cause any adverse issues? I like the look of same size rims or at least smaller rims than stock. Not to mention the fact it would help with my size.

[burmashave]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

I agree with Tom.  Many of us are restoring bikes that were used only for really cheap transportation before we purchased them.  A restorer tries to repair everything to exacting standards, while the cheap transportation owner often takes the "whatever works good enough" approach.  Plus, if previous owners were all meticulous, we'd have a harder time finding bargains.

[Heironymous Josh]

Okay, I'm a pretty positive guy but I figured this thread could be a good place to vent about the stupid crap prior owners have done to our rides.  Personally, I inherited a bike with some very un-ingenious simplified wiring.  All of the signals were converted to single wire where they don't retain the factory "running light feature" and turning a signal on means it doesn't blink.  so, to indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the signal in the direction I want to go.  I'm curious to see what other examples of shoe-string engineering others have inherited on their bikes.

Josch

Im not saying the PO didn't botch some stuff up on your wiring, but I believe the earlier model years did not have running lights (check your bulbs - if they have only one element they are not running light-type). But as mentioned in the first reply, one way or the other, the running light has nothing to do with your signal not flashing. I'd check for a good ground connection in your signal lights first (most common culprit), and then replace the flasher if the ground doesnt solve your prolem.

I've looked over several wiring diagrams specific to the 1977 CB750F (F2) and there are three leads to each of the front signals, my bike has only one.  The running lights don't work and the turn signals don't blink.  If I turn on the switch in either direction, both the front and back signals for that respective direction come on solid.  This leads me to believe that the PO used the running light "circuit" solely for the signals and wired the turn signal switch to act as an on/off.  To indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the button lightly in the direction I want to go.  This is much more than just removing the running lights, its removing the functionality of the signals altogether.

[kettlesd]

Okay, I'm a pretty positive guy but I figured this thread could be a good place to vent about the stupid crap prior owners have done to our rides.  Personally, I inherited a bike with some very un-ingenious simplified wiring.  All of the signals were converted to single wire where they don't retain the factory "running light feature" and turning a signal on means it doesn't blink.  so, to indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the signal in the direction I want to go.  I'm curious to see what other examples of shoe-string engineering others have inherited on their bikes.

Josch

Im not saying the PO didn't botch some stuff up on your wiring, but I believe the earlier model years did not have running lights (check your bulbs - if they have only one element they are not running light-type). But as mentioned in the first reply, one way or the other, the running light has nothing to do with your signal not flashing. I'd check for a good ground connection in your signal lights first (most common culprit), and then replace the flasher if the ground doesnt solve your prolem.

I've looked over several wiring diagrams specific to the 1977 CB750F (F2) and there are three leads to each of the front signals, my bike has only one.  The running lights don't work and the turn signals don't blink.  If I turn on the switch in either direction, both the front and back signals for that respective direction come on solid.  This leads me to believe that the PO used the running light "circuit" solely for the signals and wired the turn signal switch to act as an on/off.  To indicate a turn, I have to repeatedly tap the button lightly in the direction I want to go.  This is much more than just removing the running lights, its removing the functionality of the signals altogether.

Ok, yes the 77's were supposed to have running lights. But I still say check for a poor ground connection. There is only one wire (the hot) put into the signal-circuit, as it is relying on a mechanical rather than electrical connection from the signal light housing to the forks/fork ears to establish a ground (some models did this). Remember, if there was only a single wire and no ground whatsoever, the lights would not come on at all - solid or not.

An easy way to check your ground connection is to put the signal light "on" so it lights up solid. Attach one end of an alligator clip jumper to the pinch-nut on the signal light housing, and run the other end of the wire to a good ground point (the fork uppers, engine, etc, etc.). If the signal starts flashing you know you had a bad ground - which as I said before, is by far the most common cause of the lights lighting up but not flashing.

[Heironymous Josh]

Im not saying the PO didn't botch some stuff up on your wiring, but I believe the earlier model years did not have running lights (check your bulbs - if they have only one element they are not running light-type).

Also, none of these bikes are supposed to have running lights in the rear.

Understood.  And I've also bench tested the flashers and checked ground at the lights.  I'm working on tracing the wire that was connected to the signals.

[Heironymous Josh]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

touche!

[Heironymous Josh]

"Remember, if there was only a single wire and no ground whatsoever, the lights would not come on at all - solid or not." 

They do come on and only solid when the signal switch is engaged.  It's not a ground issue, most likely a flasher issue.  If I can't locate the problem, I'm going to live with out the running lights and install inline flashers myself.

[Bob Wessner]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

touche!

We'll all be somebodies PO someday.. unless we plan to be buried with our bikes.  

[DammitDan]

You're just gonna take your carbs with you, right Bob?

[736cc]

That's a fantastic restoration Andy. What parts did you keep? Engine castings, frame the foam from the seat? Literally back from the dead I would say.

Engine, frame, wrinkle tank, wire harness (and a couple roles of electric tape), swingarm, forks, oil tank, and all the nuts and bolts. The rest of the parts I sourced and had a K0 and a K1  parts bikes. It actually was done in less than 2 months. Getting it painted, zinc-plating hardware and sending out the aluminum covers for ceramic coating slowed things down.

[RRRToolSolutions]

My 750 came with the optional chopper forks. You simply losened the triple clamps and raised the bike up 6" for that 70's chopper look, or you could lower the bike to normal height for stock positioning..


Worst thing I've ever gotten was a 1975 H2 that it's previous owner sold to a friend of mine as "fully restored". Well, the frame had been painted with it's wiring harness, engine, shocks, battery tray, fenders, forks, ect all intact. Yep, that bike had what it's PO must have thought was the factory-correct black overspray on everything attached to it. The sad thing is that it looked great in it's pictures and on the internet. It took a lot to get that thing back to where it started. This wasn't the case of someone trying to "make do" his intent was to deceive and screw the NO. I gave my friend what he had in it and spent almost 2 years getting it right.

I'm surprised this feature never made it to the options list. A little electric motor and a trim switch could have made this baby convertable on the fly...

[Bob Wessner]

You're just gonna take your carbs with you, right Bob?

They will more likely be the cause of my demise.

[Jonesy]

I'm surprised this feature never made it to the options list. A little electric motor and a trim switch could have made this baby convertable on the fly...

Amusing idea... Like how the Concorde would dip its nose before takeoff?

[DammitDan]

Hydraulics to pimp your ride 

Just gotta be careful of that switch at highway speeds...  Could become a bucking bronco real quick.

HEY!  A new rodeo sport in the making!

[grumburg]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

Hope he says "That SOB knew what he was doing!"

[jabbadeznuts]

The PO of my baby NEVER cleaned the chain or the front sprocket/oil pump area. I was literally scraping out this mix of goo and muck for twenty minutes. I must have scraped out two or three POUNDS of stuff!

[Heironymous Josh]

Hi group
       What is the next owner of your, or my, bike going to say about us?
               TomC

Hope he says "That SOB knew what he was doing!"

Or, "Man, I can tell by the quality of work on this bike, that the previous owner must have been a real handsome guy, salt of the earth too!"  That's what I think when I look at the work I do.

[Tim2005]

There's loads of possibles for this thread that I can remember.... here's just a few

I was intrigued to discover that a 550 I bought last year had a newly rebuilt engine & a badly blowing head gasket. Just why they'd used a big-bore head gasket on a stock bore engine will remain a mystery.

On an abandoned project 400f I bought, someone had broken a ring as they'd fitted the barrels. Part of the ring, about a inch long, sat on the base gasket face still... and they'd still torqued the head down, cracking the top crankcase as they did it.

Another 400f had 3 handlebar switch units... all of which operated together somehow to turn the lights on/off. Never did figure that one out.

[techy5025]

I am the prior owner on my '70 diecast...can't blame anyone there. 

Fortunately, as the parts died/fell off, the prior owner of the sandcast threw
them in a box...most of which were salvageable.  Rubber, vinyl, and plastics
are hard to salvage though. 

...and Andy, that's a beautiful restoration. 

Jim

[gregimotis]

My P.P.O. left this little mystery for me.  I think it's 14MM, but why it's back there is unknown... I've left it as a good luck charm:

[Bob Wessner]

OK, I say you won the contest.  ;D

[mrbreeze]

My PO problems seem to deal with ignition switches and starter buttons. My 550 had a 3 way lamp switch wired under the seat for an ignition switch (did not work!) and my 500 T had the starter switch wires pulled out of the switch and hanging loose. Just touch them together to start .

When we were kids,my bud had a Kawi 85(ithink thats what it was) with a household 120v ac on/off switch mounted to the side of his bike and it was functional!!! I still laugh about that to this day. Don't remember if it had a faceplate on it. The things people do!!!!!

[Heironymous Josh]

My P.P.O. left this little mystery for me.  I think it's 14MM, but why it's back there is unknown... I've left it as a good luck charm:

Good thing you didn't remove it, it may be structural at this point!

[Spikeybike]

On an abandoned project 400f I bought, someone had broken a ring as they'd fitted the barrels. Part of the ring, about a inch long, sat on the base gasket face still... and they'd still torqued the head down, cracking the top crankcase as they did it.

man, thats bad .... i mean thats really bad  i think we have a winner for all time stupidest PO