Author Topic: new guy here, couple questions for ya (Read 6185 times)

hawkeye · « **on:** July 05, 2005, 06:42:40 AM »

Hi guys, I just bought my first bike, a '77 750f and I'm pretty excited. It's sitting at the shop right now because the previous owner didn't want to do the work on it and decided that he just wanted to sell it. It needs the carbs rebuilt, new fork seals, and new plug caps. My first question is, how much should it cost to have the honda dealership rebuild just the carbs for me? I'm thinking I can probably do the fork seals on my own later. But, if I can get the bike home on my own my second question is how easily can a first-timer rebuild the carbs? I'm fairly mechanically-inclined but have never done anything like a carb rebuild before. Anyway, it's good to be here at a forum specifically for my model and I'm looking forward to being part of the community here.

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #1 on:** July 05, 2005, 06:51:09 AM »

There are loads of threads here on carb rebuilds.

Look at it this way. You WILL rebuild your carbs at some stage so why not save the money and do it yourself now? You are lucky to find a shop that will work on these old bikes, when you factor in the labour costs against the value of the bike.

I vote for get stuck in now, use this forum for support and feel much better about knowing how the thing works as you ride it.

Steve

hymodyne · « **Reply #2 on:** July 05, 2005, 09:04:11 AM »

jump on in man...

Here in Western Mass, no one will work on old bikes after April, so I've been forced to learn how to do things for myself I might otherwise have a mechanic do. The links and owners on this forum have helped me work a junked frame and engine into a working motorcycle.

This is a great global community of riders and mechanics.

welcome!

hym

jotor · « **Reply #3 on:** July 05, 2005, 09:09:58 AM »

Quote from: SteveD CB500F on July 05, 2005, 06:51:09 AM

Look at it this way. You WILL rebuild your carbs at some stage so why not save the money and do it yourself now? You are lucky to find a shop that will work on these old bikes, when you factor in the labour costs against the value of the bike.

I agree, mainly because I'm too cheap to pay dealer cost for anything other than mounting & balancing radial tires. ;-)

One side benefit is that you'll be able to check out a lot of other stuff while you're doing the carbs--like fuel lines, manifold connectors, air filter stuff, everything under the tank, etc., etc. Get it clean, take your time and follow a manual--you'll be OK.

Joe

alfabeast · « **Reply #4 on:** July 05, 2005, 11:04:03 AM »

Do it yourself, remember you're not working against the clock, you can take your time and do the job properly. You'll be investing in knowledge.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~alfabike/

hawkeye · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2005, 11:36:02 AM »

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm going to do it on my own. Let me tell you that their $450 estimate just for the carb work was just as much of a motivator as the thirst for mechanical knowledge.

migopod · « **Reply #6 on:** July 05, 2005, 12:04:31 PM »

I'd also like to offer some advice gleaned from painful experience:

1: If you're taking them out and apart, you might as well dip and thoroughly clean them
now so that you won't have to take them out any time soon.
2: if it's your first time, you might want to take a digital camera or something (maybe hire a technical
artist) and get very detailed pictures of where things came from when you took them apart. Even if
you have the manual, this will save you the hassle of having to do it again because you forgot something
tiny and otherwise inconsequential that you might have missed.

Of course there's also an advantage to not being highly fastidious about your first several carb dismantles:
I now know my carbs so well that I can (and have) actually strip them down and rebuild them fairly quickly
and in near darkness with a remarkable lack of swearing.

Carbs are zen.

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #7 on:** July 05, 2005, 12:24:35 PM »

I second the digital pic idea on any work you do on the bike yourself, particularly if there is likely to be any significant time between disassembly and reassembly of whatever it is you are working on. You are convinced you will remember, but the fact of the matter is, small details get forgotten and those are the pesky little buggers that will get you.

Jonesy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2005, 01:30:26 PM »

The only other advice I can give is to use OEM parts in the carbs. Myself and others have had difficulties that arose after using those blasted (pain-in-the) Keyster carb kits. I've found the gaskets in the kits OK, but I stay away from the jets. OEM stuff is still available and while it costs a bit more, in the long run it will save you the headaches of chasing down problems caused by inferior parts.

Good luck!

don_m · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2005, 01:48:26 PM »

Try to find a 2nd set for a good price, after you look over your for broken or missing parts. Good for that hidden unusable bit & as a reference for reassembly. Not a bad idea to have a backup either.
Cheers, Don.

eldar · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2005, 01:55:33 PM »

Not only is it good to learn your bike but then you can identify when things are going bad BEFORE something happens and you get the satisfaction of knowing you did the work and everything is good.
I had problems getting my carbs to work right and was about to throw them against the wall, but then I got them to work right and it is an indescribable feeling!

MRieck · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2005, 05:50:48 PM »

Quote from: hymodyne on July 05, 2005, 09:04:11 AM

jump on in man...

Here in Western Mass, no one will work on old bikes after April, so I've been forced to learn how to do things for myself I might otherwise have a mechanic do. The links and owners on this forum have helped me work a junked frame and engine into a working motorcycle.

This is a great global community of riders and mechanics.

welcome!

hym

Yeah..April of 1985!

chippyfive50 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2005, 06:46:11 PM »

Quote from: alfabeast on July 05, 2005, 11:04:03 AM

Do it yourself, remember you're not working against the clock, you can take your time and do the job properly. You'll be investing in knowledge.

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~alfabike/

HOLY....That ALFA BIKE is beyond cool, you need your own cable show!!....HOURS!!! I am inspired...
I have a 72/ 750 waiting to be CAFED', your 750 replica is the direction I am going..., where did you get your pipes and tank?? did you fabricate them??

regards,
chris

mrbreeze · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2005, 11:14:12 PM »

Hey,welcme to SOHC4.I just rebuilt my carbs and I'll tell you it isn't hard if you have a bit of mechanical knowledge and patience.Your bike is the older (and more sought after)version than mine and the linkage set-up is more complicated but you have come to the right place for help. I have read many posts from this sight as I went along and worked on my bike(75K model).I can tell you now that Bob Wessner is the king of doing the early carbs such as yours and has a good web page on the process plus many other attempts at dialing it in. There are also many other resources that you will find through this club as you go.Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you need answered because you will get plenty of input from the club.You will find yourself totally jazzed that you saved alot of money by doing this work yourself.I don't know about the 70 model but I bought K&L carb kits through Dennis Kirk for mine at just under $20 per carb and I was happy with the quality.You might have to spend extra on main jets though depending on your setup(Idid....twice!) but still got out cheaper than $450 to the dealer.Good luck and enjoy!!!

mrbreeze · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2005, 11:19:14 PM »

WHOOOOOPS!!!! Wrong post. I thought I was responding to someone with a 1970 model. Well.. Hell!!! Rebuild those carbs yourself anyway and enjoy...Later

Badboy · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2005, 06:02:23 AM »

My two cents,do it yourself,save money and also learn more about how things work. I have learned most of what I know about machanics by doing it myself.I have been doing autorepair [and a few other rigs ]for thirty years or so. I have never had much formal training on the subject. If there is something that I don't know,I will find a book that tells how and do it myself.Go for it.

cben750f0 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 07, 2005, 06:53:20 AM »

ditto to everything everyone else has said.... dont be affraid.... hook in man..peace

hawkeye · « **Reply #17 on:** July 07, 2005, 07:52:27 PM »

Well guys I got the bike back to my place yesterday thanks to AAA, I didn't really think to call them and have them tow it but it ended up being a pretty good deal getting it back to my place for $0. I'm going to start tearing stuff down tomorrow when the shop manual arrives so I'm not just stumbling around blind in the dark. Get ready for a lot of frustrated posts by me in the next week or so.

Quail "Owner of the comfortable k8" · « **Reply #18 on:** July 07, 2005, 08:22:09 PM »

Quote from: Bob Wessner on July 05, 2005, 12:24:35 PM

I second the digital pic idea on any work you do on the bike yourself, particularly if there is likely to be any significant time between disassembly and reassembly of whatever it is you are working on. You are convinced you will remember, but the fact of the matter is, small details get forgotten and those are the pesky little buggers that will get you.

I am not saying my memory is slipping but I work on no less than 10 projects/ side jobs at a time. I never know when something of my own is going back together because #1 I am cheap and will look for a part until Christ Returns to save a buck or #2 I am truly A D D and I can't stand to work on the same thing for days on end..... SOooo I use a video camera. It gives me a something to talk to and you will be suprised how much you will remember when you are watching it, plus you can talk back to yourself while watching it. You tear it down, shove it in a box, put tape in box, get parts...someday.... pull out the tape and it goes back like you did it yesterday.

kghost · « **Reply #19 on:** July 07, 2005, 09:02:56 PM »

RTFM

Bob Wessner · « **Reply #20 on:** July 08, 2005, 02:27:53 AM »

Quote

SOooo I use a video camera.

An even better idea, though I would have to set aside some editing time to cut out all the "retakes" associated with my sometimes having to do things more than once.

Uncle Ernie · « **Reply #21 on:** July 09, 2005, 10:25:39 AM »

You have a dealer that will work on your bike?

Quail "Owner of the comfortable k8" · « **Reply #22 on:** July 10, 2005, 07:54:06 PM »

Quote from: kghost on July 07, 2005, 09:02:56 PM

RTFM

I give what is this?

kghost · « **Reply #23 on:** July 10, 2005, 10:33:19 PM »

Read the F%cking Manual.

Course I realize half the fun is rippimg it apart and then coming to this board for advice......

Perhaps it should be CSBB.

SteveD CB500F · « **Reply #24 on:** July 11, 2005, 02:20:20 AM »

Or as my college lecturer says when asked the easiest way to pass an exam

"RTFQ"

"Read the Full Question" (with a smirk...)

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Author Topic: new guy here, couple questions for ya (Read 6185 times)

hawkeye

alfabeast

hawkeye

migopod

don_m

eldar

Badboy

hawkeye