First mods

[Biggles]

Hi all

I've been doing some tinkering with the cb

Firstly I set the valves and balanced the carbs, its allot smoother now!

I also went to check the ignition timing.. now that was very interesting.. it was so out I had to modify the adapter plate. I've found one online reference to this happening but can't fathom a cause.. It may be the case it requires an electronic ignition in future but I'll worry about that when I can afford it, same goes for the cam chain (which is probbaly ok, I've never owned an overhead cam'ed engine, and never a 70's four, or a 70's anything for that matter..)


So anyways.. I decided I could do with a small amount of carrying capacity for next year

This ment fabricating some brackets.



The seat lock seems to have a bolt and hole that do nothing, so decided that'd make a good mounting point.



The other mount is the passenger peg, the bag sits right on the peg as well so its pretty damn solid.
Its been painted now to help stop it going rotten.


Just enough room for my uni stuff (got myself a tablet so shouldn't need to lug as much around this time)
Inside the bag is another steel bar to stop the whole thing flexing.

It could have been fitted further back but I very rarely take passengers and it looked better where it is.




Also fitted a din socket for the optimate and heated gloves, no need to get the seat and side panel off to charge the battery.

Toying with the idea of making brackets for the left hand side but not entirely sure I'll need them, I've got another bike with enormous luggage capacity for that sort of thing.

I've actually got a set of krauser panniers that were going to be fitted but they really spoiled the look of the bike :/

Just thought I'd share!

[meerkat]

Hi Biggles, 
Congratulations on your efforts. The DIN socket is an excellent accessory, I've fitted one to my old BMW but not to the 400/4 just yet. Handy for battery charging, GPS powering and tyre inflation using my small electric pump.
I'm also in the process of making a small quickly detachable rear rack, to carry the Moto-Detail bag containing the bits and pieces I like to have with me on a run.
I'll post pictures when it's finished.

[Biggles]

I've got one fitted to the mz as well, tend to plug in one after the other (I was thinking of setting up some clever timing device to charge one and then the other while both plugged in but decided against it!)

Moved towards a car gps thats been waterproofed (you don't wanna know how) from my old bricknav garmin streetpilot III, not often I need one though at the moment I really should sort out some way of powering it as well now you mention it!

Have used allot of luggage including topboxes of vast size, but this bike is too pretty to festoon with that sort of mcguffin.. I've got a horrible tendency to carry allot of tools and gear most of the time and am trying to keep the cb minimalist. Hopefully I'll be able to carry a small bag to uni and keep it in the small sidebag thing.

Will be interested to see what you come up with for the rear rack! I was close to sorting out the spare (a little crusty) metal rear mudguard to prop it up but prefer the look of the sidebags (which is all very well if your not taking passengers!) May revisit the idea if the opportunity comes up to do some miles/rallys.

This is my other bike, the motordonkey


(yes that is a bicycle basket on the side, yes it is an mz, and no its awesome)

Which tends to be used 80% of the time at the moment! (i.e. its peeing down 80% of the time I go out, not keep on getting the cb filthed up quite so soon)

Hopefully there will be a couple of months where I can use the cb without it getting covered in road filth.

[PatM]

Biggles- well done for using your 400- so many of us dont! The sort of mods you are doing is what would have gone on in the 70's, except I see a Mig has been used- they were'nt around for common- man in them there days! A coat of brush primer and some black hammerite and you are done- you dont want them rusting and falling off while your at Uni!
Im a grat beleiver in making yourselkf comfortable-the heated gloves makethe wonter more bareable- Ive got the only R1 Ive seen that got heated grips! I used to use it during the winter as well as summer. Just go careful with the loading of the 30 year old electrical system as the fuses heat realy easily- then they melt the plastic casing that holds them. My Gerbing jacket draws so much surrent it wont run on the cam-bus 12v socket on my R1200GS- so Ive gone directly to the battery with a Gerbing lead.

[Biggles]

I did have an arc first, I could make strong welds that looked awfull, it was like striking a match on the end of a stick while blindfolded hahahaha mig is such a breeze to use in comparison! (I have a bit of a luggage fetish I'm affraid, this is me doing my best to be restrained!) I actually quite like the rust look on the mz but shiny is the way on the cb
May make some other minor alterations but want to keep it looking true to the period rather just bunging on any old thing! (I saw a very cool cafe racer faring recently but am somewhat skint at the moment!)

Yeh I thought it might be wise to run direct off the battery just in case. I suspect gloves could be run off the pilot lamp feed but didn't want to chance it (with a relay it works as a great ignition only switch). the mz is setup slightly differently with a switch and indicator lamp to show when the gloves are on but still off the battery.

I've been riding about 7/8 years and the thing that I can't cope with is cold hands, although when it got down to -12c this winter the wind hitting my forehead @70 was very painful! (scott neoprene mask worked great elsewhere, but doesn't cover the forehead!)
Ha no you don't see many sports bikes on the road, period, in winter! good on you! (a couple of mates were even commuting in the snow, I was on my mz, one was on his bandit12, another a zxr9 and another on a tl1000!, so a few still do manage it!)

[Bryanj]

Forget the heated gloves mate, generator can only just cope with headlight and then only over 3,500rpm!!

[Biggles]

Thanks for the headsup, wasn't aware of the low headroom for electrical output.

Got it covered tho LED tail light fitted (instrument lights on their way) and the gloves draw a measly 22watts so should be quite safe, won't be fitting any spot lights to this one though

[K2-K6]

Biggles, I know this is slightly off track but ends up at the same place. Do you use base layer clothing when it's cold, both legs and body? as it makes a big difference to the amount of heat you have available to keep your hands comfortable.

Years ago a mates dad came home from night shift on a little old bike and they just heard a clatter in the drive because he was too cold and crispy to put his legs down when he stopped.

I like seeing the mods people do to their bikes.

Hand shields also make quite alot of difference in the winter as well, seen them made from 5ltr containers cut in half and jubilee clipped to the bars as an emergency measure for a long winter journey before.

[Biggles]

I've invested in a new full suit by ISX (which are by the way excellent, second only to the

[PatM]

I ride all year round- not on the 400, but on a R1200GS thats now got 82k on it. I wear a Gerbing jacket, Streetguard suit and Gerbing gloves- the electrics are all direct of the batter, via a thermostat velco'd to the tank. In minus weather, its up full- but sometimes its so hot that I feel the 'cold' when I get in! Im on my 2nd Gerbing jacket in 3 years, so they dont last forever. Id lost the receipt, so didnt go argueing the lifetime warantee bit..

When I rode a 400/4 , A100, GT750 and 70's stuff, such gear wasnt around and If it was, I couldnt afford it! I ballance train-fares/car petrol/congestion charge against investing in good gear and Im quids in.

MZ... Ive held back any comments...for wish not to offend..

I saw a Cossack Urine, complete with side-car in Lewisham the other day, I stopped for a chat at the lights- he looked at mine and said...'similar?'

[K2-K6]

I ride all year round but have no need to go far currently so just much more short local stuff on a 1984 CBX750, usually spray it with WD40 during winter to help keep it from deteriorating.

Like you say PatM, I never really had that much in the way of any real assistance other than riding behind a nice warm lorry on a longer run at night.

I've never owned any bike that has a fairing big enough to cover my hands but assume that makes alot of difference.