Thanks Steve, and as you can imagine, I was keen to get the big beast out on the road, so this morning while waiting for the wife to go out for the day, I screwed the new number plate on, and found a registration label holder as well. I was gonna flush the brake fluid while I was at it because the soup in the master is probably older than some of the members here, but as the weather was turning from "crap" to "fcuking miserable", I decided to do it later.
I found a tool bag full of tools, so made up a set specific to the Honda, (which came in handy later on) and fired the big bugger up, letting it warm up while I put on my Aldi cheapo wet weather pants, and new Dr-Rider jacket. By this stage the wife had gone, the driveway was clear, and it was time to launch.
While the day had started out cold but at least sunny and dry, by the time I hopped on the bike it was lightly raining. First stop was the local gas station where all I could get into the tank was 15 bucks worth of 98 RON, but I figured that would get me 100 miles or so up the road, and so I headed north up the Hume Freeway.
I got off the freeway at Beveridge, then headed east thru Eden Park, Whittlesea, Kinglake West, and finally, Yea. I deviated off the main roads where possible to do a little dirt riding, which was probably grippier than the tarmac on some of the roads I was traversing, which were covered in green moss or black ice!
Anyway, after an hour or so, I arrived at Yea, and pulled in for a pie and coffee at the Red Plate Cafe. The guy who runs the business is an old racer and mechanic, by the name of Andy Brebner. Andy and I yacked for an hour while I devoured a hot pie and large mug of coffee, and I took some pics of some of Andy's bikes. As you can see, Andy likes big singles too.
Andy told me that this is Australia's oldest motorcycle, circa 1898. Sadly it's not Andy's, because it's probably worth a fortune.
Anyhoo, being the XR's shakedown ride, there were a couple of minor issues. When we walked outside (Andy wanted to take a couple of pics of the XR) we noticed a small oil leak from the kickstart seal. No biggie, it's probably just dried out over the many years that it's been sitting.
I'll see if a CB750 seal will fit, if not I'll buy a new one. My speedo cable siezed up as well, making a screeching sound not unlike a WW2 air raid siren, so loud I could hear it over the booming bark of the engine, so I pulled over and disconnected the cable. When I got home I compared it to a CB750 cable and they were near identical, so I lubed and installed a spare one I had in a tub of other cables.
Apart from that it's probably running a little lean, my new K&N air filter hasn't arrived as yet, so I've been riding around with no air filter, but the factory airbox will have kept most of the crud out on today's trip. All in all, a great day, the bike went well, the new Pirelli Scorpion tyres gripped the frozen roads very well, my new Dri-Rider jacket and cheapo Aldi wet weather pants kept the rain out in temps as low as 38 deg F, and if my core eventually thaws out, I'll be a happy man! Cheers, Terry.
