Honda-SOHC

As my speciality is the bleedin' obvious, may I just add that when trying to remove small bore rubber piping, if you just pull the pipe then it stretches slightly and reduces the inner diameter. meaning that it grips like crazy. If you are not going to re-use the pipe, then slice it lengthways. If you want to save the pipe, then try to twist it on the nozzle using a small pair of thin nose pliers.  I was taught this years ago when struggling to remove leak off pipes from diesel fuel injectors.

Y'know, one of my earlier posts contains a comment from me re. "Never going to buy another bike made after 1977". Hmmm! At the risk of eternal damnation I have to admit that after riding, and enjoying the little GB250, I was getting quite amenable to the feel and sound of a single. But I needed something with a bigger 'BANG'.  So, one week ago I took delivery of an XBR500 of 1986 vintage(?). It was the test ride that did it, I've never changed great at such low revs before, nice feel.  MOT'd and insured, just waiting for the start of April to tax it, and warmer and drier weather. So, the 400/4 still maintains its place as the grand old Duchess, smooth and comfortable, albeit a bit smelly!  The 250 for seeing if some of the 1970's mentality/stupidity is still there, and the XBR, well, 'cos I wanted one! Is that reasonable, or should I be reserving a place at the Twilight home for Terminally bewildered?  Stay safe everyone. Mike.
 PS Click on photo and it changes from Australian to British!

I'm not that brilliant with electrics, but the wiring diagram pic. you have used shows a twin filament bulb for the direction indicators. This was a requirement for the North American market which also meant that there was no light switch, the lights being operational all the time the engine was running.

Quote from: Pauarc on January 18, 2023, 02:17:06 PM

Ntw11j Honda cb250k0 where’s my bike

Pretty sure that would have been a CB250K2 not K0 if it was J reg. Also it is stated as Gold on DVLA register ... UK K2's were only available in gold but K0's were either Candy Red or Sardine Blue.

Here are some brochure pics. K1 was never sold in the UK.  I had an 'F' reg. second hand one, sardine blue was a very apt description of what the engine casings were made of, bag of rubbish.  Sold it back to the dealer who gave me a very good part exchange allowance on the brand new one pictured here (hopefully). Photo taken 20 mins after collecting from dealers.  Superb machine.

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That’s the phasing case of a Napier Deltic. I was responsible for the testing of 60 odd of these during my time at a test house in Leyland. It was the marine version as fitted to the Hunt class minesweepers, very noisy (>128dBA) and at times very ‘twitchy’ for a 44 litre engine but there was no flywheel!  Beast of an engine but certainly interesting to test 😊

. A noisy beast it may have been, but Oh boy, what a noise!!!  Don't know about the acoustics of the marine versions, but as a child train spotting on the end of the platform at Kings Cross, to hear one of these locos, with both power units being given the works as it got a 12 car train on the move was pure music to our ears!  My proudest memory is that of one of the drivers allowing me into the cab, and letting me start one of the engines, the stuff of dreams.

An update on the GB250. Have enjoyed using it round the East Anglian countryside,  to an old git like me the handling and cornering are superb, but, as feared the head gasket became even more incontinent than the driver. So, with the h help of the CMSNL parts diagrams, I managed to obtain all the gaskets, 'O' rings etc. that were needed.  Bike was installed on the ramp, tank and seat removed. Ah, the joys of working on a single cylinder engine. (Oh Yeah!!).  I got as far as removing the cambox cover, looked inside, and thought BLEEDIN' 'ELL!  Hyvo chain from crank to central idler shaft, twin camshafts gear driven from this.  4 valves inclined for the penthouse roofed combustion chamber meant that the camshaft operated rockers, which in turn operated other rockers located at right angles so they could depress the valves correctly.  I do not have full workshop facilities or hi tech mechanical knowledge, and as Clint Eastwood would say, "A man's gotta know his limitations".  So I hereby confess that for the first time in my life I contacted a very nice man who came and collected the bike in his van and went away to perform the deed.  I received a call on Friday telling me that the job was done, and he would return it when all the ice had disappeared. He then told me that to remove the head, the carburettor has to be moved rearwards, entailing the airbox also being moved, but to do this the rear mudguard has to be removed, which cannot be done with the rear wheel in place!!!!!  If I had attempted this task I don't think I would have been riding it this summer.  I happily crossed the mans' palm with silver and await delivery.  If I solemnly promise to never, ever, grumble again about grazing knuckles trying to removed a 400/4 airbox, am I Forgiven?  I hereby vow never to ever by another  Honda manufactured after 1977. Regards, Mike.

I had a problem with the main beam warning and indicator warning lights on the handlebar display. It turned out to be where all the earth wires joined inside the headlamp. 40-odd year old bullet connectors were quire heavily tarnished meaning that the earth current tracked through whatever route possible. Our bikes might be old, but at least we can access all the individual wires and connections, and with a little patience they clean up quite well.  The other similar problem I had, which caused a lot of head scratching, was the main fuse failing quite often. It turned out to be the multi connector behind the fuse carrier, upon unplugging it all the connections inside it were a nice green colour!! Apparently if a fuse "blows" in the middle of the glass then it's a short circuit, but in my case the end caps of the fuse were falling off through overheating, caused by current having difficulty being drawn through the poor connection. 30 minutes work with a set of jewellers' files cured it. Be lucky. Mike.