Topic: Living dangerously , took a sohc to a Harley bike show!

[754]

  I test rode quite a few baggers the last few years,  just around town. but usually get them up to 70 mph.
Make me never think of a GoldWing again  (only rode the early GL )
 I am impressed by how easy they are to ride, basically feet up soon as clutch is out, even when doing a U turn in a bumpy parking lot. I like the look if the motor, and how much you see of it,  the amount of stuff you can do for hop up or customizing.
 too bad I can't afford one, lol.
 Harleys for the most part have been oiltight for a few decades  but if you want to cling to that belief  go for it.
 a lot of my 750,s leak.. like the one I have right now..

[carnivorous chicken]

  I test rode quite a few baggers the last few years,  just around town. but usually get them up to 70 mph.
Make me never think of a GoldWing again  (only rode the early GL )
 I am impressed by how easy they are to ride, basically feet up soon as clutch is out, even when doing a U turn in a bumpy parking lot. I like the look if the motor, and how much you see of it,  the amount of stuff you can do for hop up or customizing.
 too bad I can't afford one, lol.
 Harleys for the most part have been oiltight for a few decades  but if you want to cling to that belief  go for it.
 a lot of my 750,s leak.. like the one I have right now..

Good for Harley, I guess, although it took them awhile. That being said, I know a guy who bought one less than ten years ago that had an oil leak right off the bat. Complained to the dealer, who told him something to the effect of "some bikes just leak a little oil."

Making SOHCs oil tight doesn't seem to be too much of a problem for most people. I've certainly had bikes that have leaked a little oil, and like you probably it's just a calculation of how bad is the leak vs. how much of a pain in the ass it is too tighten it up.

[johans]

Here on Long Island NY i was behind a hd on a entrance ramp watching how he took his line  ( all back and forth over a seam , not a graceful rider ) . I was assuming that he was a mid life crisis guy ( bike was spotless, new black leather jacket , skull cap , chain to wallet ect.. ) . We get on the service road and i dust past him in my Saab turbo station wagon ( i own 8 bikes , several SOHC Hondas,  Ducati ect..)  w/ a Ducati sticker on the rear glass. Well i guess this got his hd panties ( which i'm sure he was wearing ) in a bunch and after we get on the highway i move to the center lane to let him show me how fast/loud he can ride in a straight line , he moves to the center lane in front of me AND BRAKE CHECKS ME !!!

Not impressed , i let him know how i felt about that dangerous ,immature move in no uncertain terms , i'll leave it at that ...  you get a lot of these types ( poser tough guys ) on the island and NO hd rider here ever waves. That's ok , your loss.

[754]

  I test rode quite a few baggers the last few years,  just around town. but usually get them up to 70 mph.
Make me never think of a GoldWing again  (only rode the early GL )
 I am impressed by how easy they are to ride, basically feet up soon as clutch is out, even when doing a U turn in a bumpy parking lot. I like the look if the motor, and how much you see of it,  the amount of stuff you can do for hop up or customizing.
 too bad I can't afford one, lol.
 Harleys for the most part have been oiltight for a few decades  but if you want to cling to that belief  go for it.
 a lot of my 750,s leak.. like the one I have right now..

Good for Harley, I guess, although it took them awhile. That being said, I know a guy who bought one less than ten years ago that had an oil leak right off the bat. Complained to the dealer, who told him something to the effect of "some bikes just leak a little oil."

Making SOHCs oil tight doesn't seem to be too much of a problem for most people. I've certainly had bikes that have leaked a little oil, and like you probably it's just a calculation of how bad is the leak vs. how much of a pain in the ass it is too tighten it up.

 It's true, usually pretty easy to have an oilf tight (relatively ) Honda 4. exceptions head, and base gasket, and lately tach drive seals. unfortunately these are all remove engine problems on the 750 , unless you cut the frame. That is  far easier to access on a Harley to fix.
 When the HD twin cam came out, they made changes to increase oil tigjtness. Namely the cams were supported by a bolted on plate. then the cover was , just that a cover, easier to seal. Previous to that, the cam end and pinion shaft (end of crank) were supported by the cam cover, which made it easier to develop a leak.  just one of the many changes.
  That  said, you know its pretty easy for a 40 year old bike to have a leak or two, more so if it's your everyday workhorse and transportation, and you have to work on it in the driveway.
 Be careful on them Honda tach drive seals, scratch the shaft, and you got a problem. I made a extractor. Bushing with a .093  or so drill  going thru the side. it lets you drill into the steel part of the seal, then I start a drywall screw into that hole, grab head ofscrew with vise grips and tap it out.

[maxheadflow]

You need to remove the engine to replace the tach drive seal?   Why?

[bryanj]

Technicaly Honda say to drive seal out from inside rocker cover after removing shaft but we all have work arrounds

[754]

No you don't need to remove engine for tach  seal .. until someone scratches up the shaft removing the seal. then the leak comes back. often.
 To fix that , the cam cover has to come off.

[maxheadflow]

OK got it. Scratched shaft.