Topic: What did you do to your bike today ?

[Ace Blackwell]

My dried out band broke so I duct taped the band, then a couple laps around the rim for good measure. 

[RAFster122s]

You do know about the design weakness of the early model 550 cam covers don’t you? Where you see eccentric wear in the cover from the rocker shafts spinning in the cover. Worse in the shaft ends on cylinders 1 & 4.   Causes valve adjustment issues, rocker arm and camshaft wear as well. The ‘77 & ‘78 covers fixed the issue by pinning the shaft. Ensure you do not have wear in the cover, you don’t want to damage the 650 cam...

[Ace Blackwell]

I put on an ignition switch cap on my ignition switch.  I thought it would be as easy as snapping on.  WRONG!  Ended up taking light bucket loose & removing switch.  Still couldn't get the cap to snap in.  There was like zero clearance / groove for the legs to travel.  I came an ace of beating on it with a hammer in a moment of extreme frustration.  Ended up jabbing with a flat head screw driver, both cap and my hand.  I eventually got it in place.  Still not 100% sure I didn't damage one of the legs, but it's in and secure so we shall see.  In short something I thought would take 10 mins tops took and hour or better. And at a lot higher level of frustration than I would have expected.

If there is a better way to apply, someone might want to speak up for the benefit of those playing along at home.

This may be a Capt Obvious moment for most, but just in case someone else trips over their own feet on this installation like I did.    1st I would highly recommend just getting complete switch and cap assembly.  If that's not possible, when installing the cap, the cap clips and slots on the plastic rotation mechanism must align.  For me that meant switch set to P.  I had my set to off.  With the clips and slots out of alignment there was no room for the clip barb to snap in place.  I ended up damaging my cap forcing it in place.  I already had mine in and the HL back in before I thought to get a picture.  So the picture here is from my old cap with the top clip broke.  Still you get the idea.  Good luck

[Alan F.]

Thanks Ace, good info.

[wolf550]

my 550 looked at me and said: You're gonna need a bigger bike

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Took my "made from parts" bike out today for a brief shake down ride. Gotta shake down and sort out the Mikuni RS34 carbs. Other than the carbs it feels REAL good 

[Terry in Australia]

Looks great Jerry, what capacity engine/head work/cam are you running mate? 34’s are big carbs, I’m only running 33mm smoothbores on my z1 with 1100cc Morwaki high comp pistons, ported head, big valves and GPZ1100 cams.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Thanks Terry 

The orange low budget parts bike has my APE 1000 kit, DP315 cam, Stage 3 Ebay head from a 3/4 midget racer (33.5 intakes and porting that is not as pretty as Mike's), stock crank with Crower rods and the RS34 Mikunis. Stainless Delkevic pipe. The kit and Crowers were from special batches that Big Jay had made up for us.

The blue bike has a 915 kit from CycleX, Megacycle 125/75 cam, JMR Stage 4 head (34 intakes 5mm stems), CycleX crank with Carrillos, undercut tranny, CR31's and a Kerker with comp baffle.

The blue one is more dialed in so far. There is a scarcity of dynos around here but that is my next plan to get them both dialed in the best possible.

Off to the Honda dealer tomorrow for RS34 jets. The carb kit is originally labeled for GS750, KZ750, GSX600, GSX-R 750. It has 125's in it. Those are the largest in the kit. It came with 110, 115, 120 also and another set of needles. I'm going to get some 130 and 135's and another set or 2 of pilot jets. I am totally amazed how easy the CR31's and the RS34's are to jet and sync on the bike. I'm still learning. Plus I need to find a paintless dent guy to try to pop that dent in the blue tank. Otherwise the tank is pristine.       

[Terry in Australia]

Well they both look magnificent Jerry, well done!

[Terry in Australia]

I bought another one. I know, I don't need one, but hell, it was cheap, and I've got some F2 parts that Cliff (Maduncle) gave me many years ago, so what the hell. It's coming down from Queensland so I won't see it for awhile, but that's OK, it's not as if I don't have enough projects to keep me going for awhile............

Terry's new F2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[The Sovereign Man]

I bought another one. I know, I don't need one, but hell, it was cheap, and I've got some F2 parts that Cliff (Maduncle) gave me many years ago, so what the hell. It's coming down from Queensland so I won't see it for awhile, but that's OK, it's not as if I don't have enough projects to keep me going for awhile............

Terry's new F2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Where did you snag this from Terry?

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, actually came from Coffs Harbor, Rob Awcott. Was advertised on FB for a week or so with no takers, so I made him an offer, and it’s a done deal.

[Jarrett_Honda]

Took off my headlight to inspect the wiring in the bucket to find out that the screws that hold my LED light in position sheared off.

Yay me.

I had to reinstall the old stock bulb until I find another LED light system. I didn't want to go with Trucklite, but I might do it if it means I'll have more light.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Mr. Mike]

Decided to try to clean up my front spokes. Tedious hot task in the old garidge today. They look better, but...just better.
But hey...while searching the spoke cleaning topic, I ran across Terry’s nice gold 750 with Henry Abe’s rims. NOW THOSE LOOK SHARP and no doubt I’ll check the internet for rims like that just to see...right? ‘just-to-see’.

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

EDIT- Uhhhh...just looked...those rim$$$ are out of my league!
But I did see Terry’s bike being shown off on the Henry Abe Wheel Thread site. That posting was 7 years old, but congrats Terry!

[seanbarney41]

Decided to try to clean up my front spokes. Tedious hot task in the old garidge today. They look better, but...just better.
But hey...while searching the spoke cleaning topic, I ran across Terry’s nice gold 750 with Henry Abe’s rims. NOW THOSE LOOK SHARP and no doubt I’ll check the internet for rims like that just to see...right? ‘just-to-see’.

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

EDIT- Uhhhh...just looked...those rim$$$ are out of my league!
But I did see Terry’s bike being shown off on the Henry Abe Wheel Thread site. That posting was 7 years old, but congrats Terry!

Mr. Mike
I like to douse 0000 steel wool with wd40 and use it to polish crusty old spokes...yes, this is very tedious and often, there is only so much you can do.  That is one of the main reasons why I am such a fan of the Henry Abes and many other 70's cast wheels that were available.  Some them are incredibly rare and fun to collect.  There are literally dozens, all with unique designs...Lesters, Morris, Shelby Dowd, Kimtabs, Hayashi, and then there is the European stuff!...  Don't lose hope stuff is still out there for reasonable prices, but you do have to get lucky.  Fortunately, modern cafe racers have given up on using this cool old stuff in favor of cheap hacked up crap that does nothing to improve performance or looks, so demand, and thus prices, are continueing to fall.  A good set of Lesters or Henry Abes is more like $500, where they were $800 just a few years ago.  Hell, swap some cast wheels from Suzuki GS...should be an easy swap and they look very similar to Henry Abes.

[Terry in Australia]

Decided to try to clean up my front spokes. Tedious hot task in the old garidge today. They look better, but...just better.
But hey...while searching the spoke cleaning topic, I ran across Terry’s nice gold 750 with Henry Abe’s rims. NOW THOSE LOOK SHARP and no doubt I’ll check the internet for rims like that just to see...right? ‘just-to-see’.

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

EDIT- Uhhhh...just looked...those rim$$$ are out of my league!
But I did see Terry’s bike being shown off on the Henry Abe Wheel Thread site. That posting was 7 years old, but congrats Terry!

Thanks Mike, I sold those rims to a guy in Japan, then recently found another set fairly cheaply, so put them on my red K2 bitsa.

TGIF HA Wheel day 3 Apr 2020 9g by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I've also got a set of Lesters for a CB750, but they're going on my Kawasaki Z1B 900.

Monday Lester Rubber 6 Apr 2020 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

You're right, they are getting expensive, but my laced wheels were so wobbly they were frightening, so I'm happy now.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

And I have a spare set of Lesters for the 750F that are fair game. 16" rear.

[The Sovereign Man]

Thanks mate, actually came from Coffs Harbor, Rob Awcott. Was advertised on FB for a week or so with no takers, so I made him an offer, and it’s a done deal.

I thought it was the same bike. I saw it but had nowhere to put it, I’m already spilling out of my garage with what I have ... and because I’m slow with the spanners. Still learning.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks mate, actually came from Coffs Harbor, Rob Awcott. Was advertised on FB for a week or so with no takers, so I made him an offer, and it’s a done deal.

I thought it was the same bike. I saw it but had nowhere to put it, I’m already spilling out of my garage with what I have ... and because I’m slow with the spanners. Still learning.

Yeah mate, when he dropped it from $2500 to $1999, I offered him $2000 including freight to Melbourne, and he took it. With 18 bikes already, plus 2 Puch's to pick up once the lockdown is over I don't have any room either, but what the hell, bike covers are cheap.....

[spotty]

And if I can ever get rid of the tenant from hell in our house in rezza there'll be space in my garage for another 4 or 5

[Terry in Australia]

And if I can ever get rid of the tenant from hell in our house in rezza there'll be space in my garage for another 4 or 5

Woohoo! Well if you need any help evicting the tenant Spotty, I'm up for some non damage causing sabotage..........

[spotty]

maybe we need to park ourselves in the front yard and look menacing, except we're not allowed out and she's way more bat#$%* crazy than either of us

[Stev-o]

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

I replace them with SS spokes

[Mr. Mike]

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

I replace them with SS spokes

If money and key knowledge with experience weren’t the obstacles, I’d do it! But then again I wouldn’t be carrying around that self repaired side cover either if just one of those obstacles were removed.
Any donors out there?

[Terry in Australia]

What do forum members do to clean up...meh...sort of rusted spokes?

I replace them with SS spokes

If money and key knowledge with experience weren’t the obstacles, I’d do it! But then again I wouldn’t be carrying around that self repaired side cover either if just one of those obstacles were removed.
Any donors out there?

The problem with zinc coated spokes is that when they start to rust, the zinc coating has broken down, and polishing them is only a temporary fix. You can make your own zinc plating kit for only a few bucks using a bucket, some vinegar, some zinc (Ebay) a power supply (old phone charger) and some copper wire. Heaps of youtube vids out there, and a fun way of restoring an original part.