Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => Other Bikes => Topic started by: MarkCR750 on July 08, 2016, 09:53:10 PM

Title: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 08, 2016, 09:53:10 PM: I pick this up tomorrow, bought sight unseen against my usual rule, it was shall we say very reasonably priced (it's due belts), wanted one since I was a spotty teenager, I'll let you know if it's any good after my 8 hour road trip!😄

(http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/POR1983/Mobile%20Uploads/image_10.jpg) (http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/POR1983/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_10.jpg.html)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 09:55:07 PM: 8 hours on an italian bike your brave ;)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 08, 2016, 10:04:36 PM: Quote from: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 09:55:07 PM
8 hours on an italian bike your brave ;)

Not that brave it'll be in the back of an American van 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: hairygit on July 08, 2016, 10:16:33 PM: Quote from: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 09:55:07 PM
8 hours on an italian bike your brave ;)
If it's as reliable as your moto gutless Mick, it won't make it to 8hours running without some disaster!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 10:37:41 PM: I let you know the Guzzi is reliable it just doesn't come apart without a fight when it comes to routine maintenance.
My Aprilia on the other hand is a compleat pain in the arse I'v had parts on order for almost 4 months

You have all this to come Mark you will hate it most of the time but the short time when there working there forgiven

Mick
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 08, 2016, 10:53:49 PM: "You have all this to come Mark you will hate it most of the time but the short time when there working there forgiven
Mick"

Ha, surely what you're talking about here is just "character" .......isn't it?👀
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 10:58:05 PM: Character is what I call it to justify keeping them ;D
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 08, 2016, 11:01:31 PM: Yes my T250 had lots of character, eventually it developed from mere character to having a distinct personality, so I sold it.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Rozabikes Tim on July 08, 2016, 11:20:49 PM: I had one of those and had mixed feelings.

Firstly pretty reliable actually.

Loved it at times when carving up a curvy road and fantastic torque. Wheely fest too. At others, just an agricultural tractor compared the the jap stuff I grew up with.

Pretty bike, especially as that one and mine with the white frame. Enjoy!!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Honda Al on July 09, 2016, 06:54:02 AM: Quote from: Green1 on July 08, 2016, 10:37:41 PM
I let you know the Guzzi is reliable it just doesn't come apart without a fight when it comes to routine maintenance.
My Aprilia on the other hand is a compleat pain in the arse I'v had parts on order for almost 4 months

You have all this to come Mark you will hate it most of the time but the short time when there working there forgiven

Mick

Ha ha. That takes me back to my teenager days of Aprilia RS125 and 250. Parts were like rocking horse poo!

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Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: jimv50 on July 09, 2016, 07:03:00 AM: You know in your heart how bad it may well be, but when it goes well, and it will at times, then all will be forgiven.
These are the first of the more reliable Ducatis and you may well have a good one.
It looks like it has been cared for on the outside at least, there's plenty of forum advice available which you may need at times.
Enjoy it whether riding or tinkering with it in the garage, I would. :)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: steff750 on July 09, 2016, 08:07:30 AM: Quote
I'll let you know if it's any good after my 8 hour road trip
lol ive never known anyone not to sell em after four hours on the road these things will cripple you
i rode one years ago didnt like it too race radical the engine needs to come out to do the belts and can be expensive but you already know that
its your life enjoy it while you can
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 09, 2016, 03:50:20 PM: [/quote]

Ha ha. That takes me back to my teenager days of Aprilia RS125 and 250. Parts were like rocking horse poo!

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[/quote]

I had an Aprilia RS50 when I was 16 coolest moped ever :) I never had any issues with it other than the rear tyres seemed to be puncture prone.Mine was a Rossi rep I once got pulled going down the A12 after an identical 250 flew by.The plod felt like a right plonker when he tried to tell me he clocked me at over 100mph and all I did was point at the speedo with a top speed of 60mph. ;D
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: K2-K6 on July 09, 2016, 04:53:43 PM: I really like that era Ducati, that engine is really nice in the monster as well and they feel like someone has taken all the friction away compared to other stuff.

There was a guy with an old Ducati 860GTS at the Ace Cafe a while back and we were talking about engine balance, so he stood a 50 pence on edge on the tank then reved the nuts out of it, the coin just stayed in place and we collective onlookers said wow! Quite impressive layout really.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 09, 2016, 07:48:45 PM: Well, I got a pleasant surprise, it's actually very good!, mechanically very quiet (apart from the dry clutch obviously), pulls like a train, feels ridiculously light compared to our CB's, I'm not riding it again til I've got the belts done though as although they've done few miles they've been in 4 years, receipts for £500 suspension rebuild 2 years ago that sort of thing, seriously nice chap/family selling, and I got to see stone henge , it's been a good day
Racing lines in Derby have quoted me £180 for the belts fitted, sounds reasonable.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 09, 2016, 07:57:07 PM: Got to love the noise from a dry clutch mine makes the camchain in the 750 sound wisper quiet.
That sounds like a resonable price for belts.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 09, 2016, 08:04:13 PM: PS perfect end to a good day, chin chin!

(http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/POR1983/Mobile%20Uploads/image_11.jpg) (http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/POR1983/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_11.jpg.html)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: SteveD CB500K0 on July 09, 2016, 08:27:09 PM: Not quite perfect. Should be red (wine)

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Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 09, 2016, 08:45:52 PM: Quote from: SteveD CB500F on July 09, 2016, 08:27:09 PM
Not quite perfect. Should be red (wine)

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ha, and it's not sunny, the thing is I don't drink, just had 2 glasses and the world has taken a definite sideways slant, so it's not just the ducati that's a lightweight! :o
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 12, 2016, 11:02:15 AM: Getting the belts done at corner speed ducati specialist tomorrow £150 inc vat, couldn't resist a quick blast last night, bloody hell it goes well!, you really have to watch your speed as well , a steady 80mph is just over 4k revs, oops slow down!.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Rozabikes Tim on July 13, 2016, 12:07:15 AM: If they are stock cans, mine were modded in line with Baines Racing recomendation. Gave a big boost in low down response/ torque. Bloody noisey however! Simply remove baffles (think they are press fit with retaining rivet from memory. Not sure if rejetting needed as mine was done when I bought it. The difference when they went back in for MOTwas massive.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 13, 2016, 05:46:43 PM: No they are laser cans, the baffles are held in with one bolt each, PO said it's very loud without them, I'll give it a try when it's back from having its belts done on Friday but I don't like mega loud, I've asked him to do the full service now which includes valve clearances, setting up carbs, cycle parts checks, clutch dismantle check everything, price has gone up accordingly but at least I'll have a benchmark, the main thing is I got it there before the belts snapped! 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: hairygit on July 13, 2016, 06:24:31 PM: I must say I have always found it odd that car and now some bike manufacturers rely on what is basically a large rubber band to drive critical parts like camshafts, with such disastrous and expensive damage when they fail, and it's a question of when, not if it will let go!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 14, 2016, 08:03:24 AM: Yes I much prefer chains, my daughter has a polo that is chain but every other car ive had has been belt, I don't know if there are any mechanical advantages with a belt over chain, quietness ?, accuracy?, inertia?, or if it's just cheaper for the manufacturer , I went through a phase of having Alfa GTV's, Alfa said 72k service interval but you were brave to go beyond 36k, I suppose getting them changed is the answer to reliability but its yet another cost to the motorist!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 15, 2016, 09:40:43 PM: Got the ducati back earlier, new belts, shims done , carbs balanced etc etc, runs very well, took it for a 50mile spin and I'm starting to get the hang of it, massive engine braking takes some getting used to!, very light and precise steering, buckets of torque and very powerful front brakes, it's like learning to ride all over again! , think I'm falling in love 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Johnwebley on July 15, 2016, 11:48:55 PM: enjoy,

but careful,you will think you a guy called Mike,against Phil on a Honda !!!!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 16, 2016, 06:48:39 AM: Yes the Honda and now this Ducati have made me quite delusional john 😄, luckily my occasional cock ups on corners are enough to remind me that Mike and Phil had more talent in the little finger nails than I do in my whole body!, ie last night I took the Ducati to show to aged P, I said "I'll open it up a bit as I go so you can hear the exhaust", so I did, shut off as I came to turn off fathers road, forgot how much engine braking it had and ended up teetering around the corner at 5mph, on the point of balance , I hope it didn't look as sh*t as it felt 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on July 16, 2016, 05:21:42 PM: I know that feeling when I first got the Guzzi if I let the throttle snap shut you would stop in an instant and tend to look like a right berk mid corner.On approaching roundabouts I would keep trying to use the gears to slow down and locking the rear whilst beeping the horn instead of indicating and then finish of rounding the bend slower than a pushbike ::) All good fun until you get back on the Honda and forget what 70's brakes are like.

Mick
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 16, 2016, 06:03:31 PM: Brilliant 😄, yes it's so hard to adapt, did it again this morning half way round a roundabout, doh!.
PS they do sound great when you shut off though, really boom, I guess that's why the press called it "the thunderous 900ss", small comfort when you're wobbling about like a clown on a unicycle though!.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 30, 2016, 07:44:05 PM: Almost 600 miles and I've got my first problem!, oil cooler leaking, well it's more of a weep, not really Ducati's fault other than they sited the oil cooler very low down in the path of stones being flung up from the front tyre and as far as I know didn't fit a stone guard as standard, later model monsters sited the oil cooler higher up so I've bought a second hand one of those (and will be fitting a stone guard of course 😄), other than that going like a train!.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: K2-K6 on July 30, 2016, 09:09:15 PM: If it's an alloy one they do get a bit "moth eaten" from salt so it may have been corrosion that got to it. Worth spraying with your favourite wd40 type stuff down into the matrix of a clean one periodically.

For engine braking, you may want to turn the tick over up to as much as you can stand as it softens that shut off throttle effect quite a bit. Not talking about much but maybe to 1100rpm or so so it's still below road speed and doesn't try to push when you're braking.
My mate runs a 916 and that has a little mechanical switch on the twistgrip that sets a higher tickover so you can turn on and off to suit.

I like your Guzzi description mick, nothing like hooting the horn to attract attention to yourself when you're making a dogs dinner of something.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on July 31, 2016, 08:59:08 AM: Thanks K2 good point about salt, I hadn't considered that, I'm getting used to the engine braking now, I'll try your suggestion though, currently tickover is 1k and very even, duff,duff,duff,duff!, lovely sound, but I'll try 1.1k cheers Mark.
PS the above sound is with the clutch in of course, with it out it's more , duff, clank, duff, clatter, duff clank 😄.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on August 01, 2016, 01:42:10 PM: WD40 and or ACF50 is your best friend when you go Italian ;)

Funny you mention tooting the hooting horn. This morning I was going up market hill in maldon in heavy traffic at around 2mph slipping the clutch and blipping the throttle drawing plenty of attention to myself. When I got to the top I tooted the car in front instead of indicating and promply got an earfull I CAN'T GO ANY FASTER YOU someting something by this point I had drowned then out with the dry clutch ;D
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on August 12, 2016, 06:27:36 PM: Almost 1k miles covered now, hasn't missed a beat, starts first touch of the button , Italian bikes unreliable?, Pah!, why you'd be lucky to get a SOHC as well behaved as this! (Leaps behind sofa, ARP helmet on, waits for incoming!) 😄.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on August 13, 2016, 05:41:03 PM: Mines not unreliable just a pain to fix ;D ;)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: hairygit on August 13, 2016, 06:19:28 PM: Quote from: Green1 on August 13, 2016, 05:41:03 PM
Mines not unreliable just a pain to fix ;D ;)
And expensive, often with a very long wait for parts!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on August 15, 2016, 12:26:27 PM: Quote from: hairygit on August 13, 2016, 06:19:28 PM
Quote from: Green1 on August 13, 2016, 05:41:03 PM
Mines not unreliable just a pain to fix ;D ;)
And expensive, often with a very long wait for parts!
Well you know what they say HG, you get what you pay for and the best things in life are worth waiting for! 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: hairygit on August 15, 2016, 12:41:58 PM: No! A fool and his money soon go separate ways!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on August 15, 2016, 07:20:31 PM: So that's why I'm so broke! 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on September 02, 2016, 08:07:11 PM: Done about 1300 miles now, clutch slave cylinder has sprung a leak, got a new seal to fit tomorrow, £3.41, front fairing subframe broke the other night, my local ducati specialist had a NOS one, sold it to me for £50, then he double checked the part number on his laptop and saw they are £458, he honoured the deal though , top bloke😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: hairygit on September 02, 2016, 08:32:46 PM: What can I say, as a ducati person he's probably used to losing money hand over fist! (Couldn't resist that! ;D ;D ;D)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on September 02, 2016, 09:15:59 PM: Ha, to add insult to injury I only had £45 on me so I owe him a fiver 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on September 18, 2016, 05:28:55 PM: Just got back from one of those life affirming rides, perfect weather, bike running beautifully , it even seems to have developed the SR tingle!
(You'll need to be quite old to understand the SR bit, old toothpaste advert)

(http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/POR1983/Mobile%20Uploads/image_17.jpg) (http://s1269.photobucket.com/user/POR1983/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_17.jpg.html)
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on September 30, 2016, 10:52:46 AM: .
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: JamesH on September 30, 2016, 04:47:06 PM: Ha ha the SR tingle. Nice one, I really should get out on mine ....!
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on September 30, 2016, 05:48:28 PM: Yep, that said there also good just to look at so don't be too hard on yourself james 😄
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on February 25, 2017, 08:55:58 AM: Took the 900ss out yesterday after a break of about 3 months due the the lithium battery dying and the weather, I almost bought a gel battery as a replacement but in the end I coughed up £136 for a JMT lithium battery and charger, I just couldn't bring myself to add 10lb in weight to such a light bike, it's under 180 kilos dry with the lithium battery and non standard Laser silencers, it's surprising how you forget how a bike feels after a long break, it felt like a 250 on steroids!, the handling is so light and precise and bags of torque, now I really must try a new Ducati sports bike, if they were this good over a quarter of a century ago then how good are they now!👀
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: Green1 on February 25, 2017, 12:21:29 PM: Sounds great I'm going to have to get a Ducati. I'm sure Hairy will approve ;D
I know what you mean about how different each bike feels I took the 750 out yesterday for the first time this year it took on a crazy wobble mid corner and I almost face planted myself in the adjacent field.
Title: Re: My new (old) bike
Post by: MarkCR750 on February 25, 2017, 02:39:41 PM: Quote from: Green1 on February 25, 2017, 12:21:29 PM
Sounds great I'm going to have to get a Ducati. I'm sure Hairy will approve ;D
I know what you mean about how different each bike feels I took the 750 out yesterday for the first time this year it took on a crazy wobble mid corner and I almost face planted myself in the adjacent field.

Ha, yes they have a way of reminding you when they were built!, I don't think handling re jap bikes became acceptable until the 80's, can't think of a Japanese bike from the 60's/70's known for its handling ?, anyway you avoided the field that's the main thing 😄