Honda-SOHC
General => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: The Vicar on December 23, 2020, 03:09:29 PM
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In 1977 I wanted a FS1E, but 3 people in our area were killed on bikes over a few months, so my dad persuaded me to wait, take my car test & he would then give me his car, a 1968 Beetle.
So I did, thinking in years to come after his death I will have a bike, he is 98 next month!
But having felt I have been faithful to his wishes, I have decided at 59 to get a bike, well I bought 2!
A 1973 Suzuki 125TS, 1 owner from new, 6500 miles on the clock & garaged all its life, absolutely immaculate. This was the bike I wanted if I had got to 17 [or alternatively a Honda SL 125] & dad had been happy for me to have a bike. Plus a Honda XL250R from 1982, imported from Japan earlier this year.
Looking forward to the spring
John
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Welcome John - enjoy the forum and I'm sure that the long wait to become a biker will be worth it
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Hi John welcome to this forum - that is an incredibly long wait - I am surprised to find you still want one after such a long time especially as you are not the typical age for a new biker at 59!
As a biker since the age of 16 with some lengthy periods of absence I have blamed my recidivist streak on the missing of the Adrenaline rush of my youth. Now at 72 I am a warm weather only rider though my present bike is unlikely to be ridden until late 2021 or if the restoration goes badly Spring 2022 !
Hope biking lives up to your long held dream John. lol
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Welcome. Great username, have to ask, are you a vicar?!
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Welcome to the forum and have fun. ;)
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Welcome.
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Now pass your test and get a 500 four to complement the tiddlers.
Welcome by the way
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Yes, for my sins I am a Vicar!
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Welcome to the forum. I agree, pass your test and get a CB400/4 to really get the adrenaline going!
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My desire for a bike was kept alive by a book I bought in the mid 70's, The International Motor Cycle File No 2.
I have looked at it every year longingly, & it still sits on my shelf. So when I finally made the decision to buy one I knew exactly what I wanted, & it had to be from the period displayed in the book, or from the late 70's early 80's. In all probability a big single cylinder Enduro style from the same era would be my preference when I pass my test.
Having owned numerous fast cars with big engines [a v12, v8's, straight 6's & v6's] the bike itch never went away, so here we are. I must confess I know very little so here goes'
Laid up until the spring do I drain the fuel, or add an additive to the fuel?
Where is the battery on the XL? The seat on the Suzuki lifts from the side to allow access for the 2 stroke oil, but I cannot find any sort of similar release for the XL, even youtube offers no help.
Any basic maintenance I need to do over the winter?
Thanks
John
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Got to ask....have you joined the 59 club :)
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Battery should be under a sidepanel, best thing with fuel is run it every 4-5 weeks. Choice of 400 or 500 depends on how tall you are
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What a great story, I really do not think that I could have resisted as well as you but from your last post you have had quite a lot of speed machines in the past to satisfy you.
There are lots of very clever and gifted mechanics on this site who can help you so don't be shy asking, but try to always add photos, they really help.
Cheers
Dennis
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Ok, got to ask, what is the 59 club?
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It's a bike club, formed in 1959 by REv Bill Shergold after he visited the Ace Cafe. The original rock n roll biking vicar.
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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 (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.
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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.
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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!
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As the bike has a KMH speedo, how easy is it to find & to fit a MPH speedo?
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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
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once you pass your test, "the last shall be first"!
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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
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Yes, for my sins I am a Vicar!
Welcome Vic, "for my sins" surely your slate should be clean in your trade ;D
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Yes it is cable drive, & as its a Honda it looks like it fits on the rear of the speedo.
Thanks for the info!
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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
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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.
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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?
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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.
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How do i contact this Julie?
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How do i contact this Julie?
She was the fourth to welcome you in this same topic, send her a PersonalMessage....
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There is no key lock for the seat, the only lock is for something that looks like you might attach a helmet strap to it via a buckle.
Anyway after some looking there are 4 small bolts [2 accessed when the side panels are off], so I intend to have some fun tomorrow.
thanks
John