Been waiting since 1977!

[Andrew-S]

Ok, got to ask, what is the 59 club?

Welcome from me too 'Vic', as said by SumpMagnet the 59 Club was formed by the Father/Rev Bill Shergold, see: https://www.the59club.co.uk/history-c1d3n

We used to all ride over to an old Church Hall in a side road in Hackney and then onto the burger van on the Battersea Bridge on Thursday nights back in the mid-70s and then race home to Brentford, happy days! 

Incidentally, my first bike in 1974 was a SL125, a great little thing is was too.

[mike the bike]

Welcome to the brotherhood of bikers, for that is what we are.  As I discovered on my first holiday away from my parents, on my C90.  It broke down on my way to Cornwall and before very long, a chap on a Z650 stopped and gave me much needed assistance and I have since repaid that favour ten fold.
Tell us how you get on with your test and everything.

[philward]

Funny thing about Vicars and bikes, we had a Father Tony Lloyd in Manchester who founded the 171 club in an old church hall, he bought one of the very first Z1s in the UK. He was a really nice bloke and helped me out on more than a few occasions. In the cellar was a workshop where you could work on your bike and he had special tools you could rent like a set of vacuum gauges for the Honda fours.

Sadly Tony has long gone but there was talk of Granada making a documentary about him which I think would be well warranted.

If your up there Tony and reading this can I say thanks for everything.

I used to ride up to the 171 club from Wigan once a week Ken - He was a great guy it was a great club - he had a GT750 Kettle when I first went to the club (late 71, early 72?). Always remember when he used to relay a tale of someone else who was swearing - he used to substitute the word 'Kinelle' for the swear word of a similar sound! Another character was a guy we used to call 'Heir Doctor' (he was an ex doctor) a huge man in his 70's who rode a Read Titan 750 Honda (cr750 Honda type cafe racer) - he rode like he was 20 I was told!

[The Vicar]

As the bike has a KMH speedo, how easy is it to find & to fit a MPH speedo?

[Bryanj]

Fitting very easy, finding maybe not. You need to find out if it was sold in any market where mph was used instead of kph

[haynes66]

once you pass your test, "the last shall be first"!

[Moorey]

As the bike has a KMH speedo, how easy is it to find & to fit a MPH speedo?

 Or use one of these, I take it it's a cable drive.
  https://www.mandp.co.uk/products/kph-mph-top-cable-mount-converter-501839

[adespin]

Yes, for my sins I am a Vicar!

Welcome Vic,  "for my sins" surely your slate should be clean in your trade 

[The Vicar]

Yes it is cable drive, & as its a Honda it looks like it fits on the rear of the speedo.

Thanks for the info!

[The Vicar]

I started it up yesterday & gave it a run [about 400 yards in a circle a couple of times, living next to a Church can be useful] I noticed a slight petrol leak from the fuel cock [this is what I would call it] when moving it from off to on, but then the leak stopped once in the on position [it seems to occur when moving the tap]. Anything to be concerned about, do I need to get a new fuel cock?  Looks like £7 to £30 for a new one on internet.

Upon further investigation I could still smell fuel in that area, & found that there is a very slight leak from the bottom of the carb [I say slight, it doesn't drip, but if you touch it you can see the wetness on your finger & it smells strongly].  Once again is this something to be concerned about?  It only occurred after running it for 10 minutes or so.

From what I can see there is what looks to me like a drain tube coming from the bottom of the carb [float chamber??], & directly above it a screw.  Is the screw the open/shut device for draining the carb?

Many thanks

[mike the bike]

The brass screws are for draining the float bowls.  The tubes are overflows in the event of a float valve sticking and over filling.  You may benefit from replacing the O rings behind the brass screws.  Use a large flat blade screwdriver with a good fit in the slot to avoid damaging the slot.  Brass is soft and easily damaged. I find that tightening them slightly before loosening will overcome any tendency to stick.
I would strip and clean the petrol tap.  It's best done with the tank off and with the tank mostly drained.  Remove the two screws on the front plate of the tap,  remove all the bits and give them a good clean and polish.  Reassemble and test.
Hope this helps.

[The Vicar]

Thanks

Where would I get new O rings from?

How do I get the tank off, its not obvious how the seat is removed, which I presume has to come off first?

[mike the bike]

Open the seat with the key, it doesn't have to be removed,  you'll see a rubber tank mount with a sticking out tongue.   Pull the tongue towards the rear to release the tank.  You'll have to take the tube off the tap first.  Once the rear mount is released, lift the tank a few inches and pull it rearwards.
Ask Julie the Seal for O rings, she's the go to gal for stuff like that.
 

[The Vicar]

How do i contact this Julie?

[robvangulik]

How do i contact this Julie?

She was the fourth to welcome you in this same topic, send her a PersonalMessage....