Topic: What did you do to your bike today ?

[ozpacman]

Not today but over the course of the weekend I did a bit of work on the 'new' K7:

Strip, clean and reassemble front brake caliper. Replace brake fluid and bleed.

Remove front brake lever, clean lever & housing, grease & reassemble.

Remove rear wheel, strip & clean brake shoes, grease brake cam & pivots etc and reassemble.

Check front and rear wheel bearings

Repair & refit 'Honda' emblem on chrome panel below headlight.

Repair crack in side cover.

More precautionary maintenance  to come prior to registration.

Russ.

[Terry in Australia]

I keep a set of those snap in blade fuse holders. Like a self splice. Put wires in, close top and insert fuse....ride home. (Carry a cell phone)

Last time my bike broke down it was because the throttle cable snapped. Pushed to my father in laws house and he said " why didn't you just use the clutch and ride it here" as I huffed and I puffed. Oh yeah........

Couldn't you have just wound the idle up to say 3K RPM and used the clutch like your father-in-law suggested Joe? I've broken a couple of clutch cables and ridden home, but that is a real PITA........  

[WhyNot2]

Finally got the oil lines changed and all buttoned back up.

That hose in the back of the tank was a booger to get back on.

Can't believe I lost the bolt to my brake pedal, has to be somewhere's in the garage, I must have kick it under the bench.

No biggie, I have lots of hardware.

[mcswny]

I keep a set of those snap in blade fuse holders. Like a self splice. Put wires in, close top and insert fuse....ride home. (Carry a cell phone)

Last time my bike broke down it was because the throttle cable snapped. Pushed to my father in laws house and he said " why didn't you just use the clutch and ride it here" as I huffed and I puffed. Oh yeah........

Couldn't you have just wound the idle up to say 3K RPM and used the clutch like your father-in-law suggested Joe? I've broken a couple of clutch cables and ridden home, but that is a real PITA........

Could you have used the return throttle cable as well and just be careful to close the throttle manually (just trying to keep my options open if this ever happens to me)?

[bjbuchanan]

You can try fiddling with the cables but the easiest is to crank open the idle knob till about 3500 and live with it

[Tintop]

Nothing with the 550, but did get to be the monkey testing a new P2 sidecar with the builder.  Pictures later in my sidecar thread.

[vince.whirlwind]

Replaced the seal at the shift lever shaft.
Found out why the headlamp won't come on.
Realized my front fender isn't stock.
Oiled the chain.

[Terry in Australia]

Well done Vince, and welcome to the site. Cheers, Terry.

[AJK]

Continuing with my swingarm...  As a carry over from here
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=61168.msg1556816#msg1556816

I ended up installing some new swing arm bushes (part # 52174-362-000). I wanted the bronze ones but shipping costs were excessive, so i found a stock set for quite a bit cheaper. Everything is now feeling snug.

I should have it primered and painted in the next week or so.

fast forward to here http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=61168.msg1571816#msg1571816

[Schnell]

You can try fiddling with the cables but the easiest is to crank open the idle knob till about 3500 and live with it

The throttle cable on my old VW beetle broke once, and this is how I made it home.

[70CB750]

I keep a set of those snap in blade fuse holders. Like a self splice. Put wires in, close top and insert fuse....ride home. (Carry a cell phone)

Last time my bike broke down it was because the throttle cable snapped. Pushed to my father in laws house and he said " why didn't you just use the clutch and ride it here" as I huffed and I puffed. Oh yeah........

Ha, throttle cable.  I rode 150 km the marionette way, yanking on the throttle line when my cable broke.  It takes a while to adapt, but it will get you home if needed.  But it was a single carb CZ 250, not a 4 inline.

[Tintop]

You can try fiddling with the cables but the easiest is to crank open the idle knob till about 3500 and live with it

The throttle cable on my old VW beetle broke once, and this is how I made it home.

When mine broke at the carb on my Beetle I used a shoelace to join them.  Was late for school and sent to the office.  When I explained & showed them the shoe without lace I was let off.

[mcswny]

You can try fiddling with the cables but the easiest is to crank open the idle knob till about 3500 and live with it

The throttle cable on my old VW beetle broke once, and this is how I made it home.

When mine broke at the carb on my Beetle I used a shoelace to join them.  Was late for school and sent to the office.  When I explained & showed them the shoe without lace I was let off.

^Amazing

[ekpent]

I had an old Suzuki 125 when I was a kid and remember breaking a throttle cable . He lived out in the boonies on a large farm and I was only going to be there for a few days with the bike. I hooked/rigged up the cable up to the front brake lever and rode it that way till it and I got back home. Got a surprise though the first time I hit a corn stalk with that lever without a solid finger behind it   

[Tews19]

Took the K1 out for a ride before sunset. Took this quick pic with the new seat.

[Terry in Australia]

That looks great mate, that's the one from Britain, yeah? Cheers, Terry.

[Tews19]

Yes it is Terry. The seat is kind of stiff but should soften over time.

[AJK]

A continuation from ...
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=61168.msg1571398#msg1571398

I ended up doing another pass of phosphoric acid, then soapy rinse, followed with a soak in the sun for a couple of hours, then a pass of wax and grease remover before applying 3 coats of primer. I'll let the solvents ooze out over the next few days in the sun, then block it down a little before giving it some coats of gloss black.

Fast forward to here ...
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=61168.msg1573104#msg1573104

[Tempast]

Found a set of superbike height bars that were pitted and rusty. Wire wheeled them until they looked like stainless steel and they'll probably be a lot more comfortable than the stock bars I have. Too high for me.

Also got my DCC 12" shorty muffler. No more POS from a diesel light tower... Yeah lets not talk about that...

[PeWe]

My engine got additional zinc.
I read this thread where half recommended doze was used.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=138592.msg1565987#msg1565987

I bought different brand of additive in a local US car-part-restorer-builder.
Edelbrock Zinc Additive for 6 quarts/liter oil. Content 12oz (35,5cl) I'll use it for 3 treatments. (3x3,5L oil)
I used 12cl (2x6cl)
Removed 2dl oil, added 6cl Edelbrock Zinc Additive. Started engine, added additional 6cl after a few minutes idling, revving +2000rpm. Let it run a few minutes more. (Used oil: Castrol Act-Evo 4T 20W-50)

I hope my clutch will work smoother and no more stucked plates which is new for me, never back in the days. OK cam with rockers will be something to check at next time opening the head cover.

Find NOS Castrol GTX 20W-50 from early 80's might be a good idea. A barrel of ~200L somewhere...?

[Jerilee]

I got the VIN plate off in reasonable shape before the heat got to me. Maybe I should have let the sun kill the grass instead of mowing first? 

Anyway with that off I can strip the frame bare and clean it up for PC, etc.

[bwaller]

I went for a 100 mile toot Sunday and noticed quite a bit of oil on the right side of my 750 when I got home. after cleaning it up it appeared to be one of the oil hose crimped ends. Removed the 41 year old hose and replaced with another 42 year old and all is good. 

[evanphi]

Swapped out  the PO-installed 110 mains for KeiHin 120s, which is what my 7As should have had all along. On my way to get the jets, I did a plug chop, plugs at WOT were whiter than me, ahaha.

Also checked needles, they are in stock middle position.

Fired the bike up once to make sure everything was in order, and seemed to start easier at least. Hurricane coming tomorrow so no riding for a day or two.

[Eydugstr]

Still not 100% there, but making progress.

[Terry in Australia]

My engine got additional zinc.
I read this thread where half recommended doze was used.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=138592.msg1565987#msg1565987

I bought different brand of additive in a local US car-part-restorer-builder.
Edelbrock Zinc Additive for 6 quarts/liter oil. Content 12oz (35,5cl) I'll use it for 3 treatments. (3x3,5L oil)
I used 12cl (2x6cl)
Removed 2dl oil, added 6cl Edelbrock Zinc Additive. Started engine, added additional 6cl after a few minutes idling, revving +2000rpm. Let it run a few minutes more. (Used oil: Castrol Act-Evo 4T 20W-50)

I hope my clutch will work smoother and no more stucked plates which is new for me, never back in the days. OK cam with rockers will be something to check at next time opening the head cover.

Find NOS Castrol GTX 20W-50 from early 80's might be a good idea. A barrel of ~200L somewhere...?

I'd never use the old GTX in a CB750 mate, the "Friction Modifiers" would make your clutch slip horribly. I've never wasted money on motorcycle oil either, back in the day I used "Mobil Super Drop" car oil in my CB750's, my first GL1000 and my Kawasaki Z900, and it was excellent. Nowadays I use the cheapest car oil I can find, it's still way better than the best oil available back then. Cheers, Terry.