Honda-SOHC

Nice tip K2-K6. I have a Bosch drill with variable speed/reverse and 'gears' (1 & 2) so might work but access could be tight with engine in frame 

I think those plugs would be my number one priority  . I had one of these bikes many moons ago, it was only 2 or 3 years old at the time. Advertised as a non runner for £70, I expected to see a wreck when I turned up. When I got to the address there was a showroom condition bike on the driveway, I thought the one for sale would be dumped in the garage, but no......it was the one on the driveway. The guy just wanted rid, said he couldn't be bothered with it. I tried to start it but it just wouldn't go, didn't bother messing with it too much as I'd nipped out from work, I paid the guy and removed the battery, told him I'd be back later. Charged the battery at work, bought new set of plugs, got a lift to the guys house, replaced battery, put plugs in and it fired up , bargain! Went to start it the next day and it wouldn't start!

Great story Clunker. What was the outcome?

It actually reminds me of something loosely similar...

It's 1988. My rich friend wants to buy a motorcycle about 20 miles away and asks me to come along as I'm experienced (ie I have 2 bikes in bits in my parents' loft). He tells me the type of bike it is (actually I think it was a CB125. It was a Honda. It was blue and it was a 125 but that's all I really remember) so I check the Used Bike Guide (remember that?) for values. We drive to the seller's house in rich friend's Mum's car. Nice presentable bike is there and guy wants a fair price for it but I say 'am afraid the value for it is only blah blah blah' and he seems a bit shocked but believes me and gives it at a much lower price. Rich friend asks me to ride bike back home (I've never ridden a motorcycle before) and I do so feeling like a legend. I get home and re-visit the Used Bike Guide and realise I was looking at the wrong model of CB125 and the guy has been duped although I had no intention of doing it 

Hi Finchy40. There might be a few differences with the French model. I have a UK bike (SS50 ZK1-E) and the parts list shows models for Belgium, France & Holland and there are some minor differences.

The most obvious one would be the mudguards as the UK models had a front number plate and a longer rear.

Some differences in the electrics too.

 

A tiny update for a tiny part....

So I found the split o-ring that goes between the fuel-tap gland-nut and the threaded boss on the tank itself. I thought there would be plenty suitable ones for sale online. Just need to know the dimensions? Well I couldn't seem to find any that were fuel-resistant and/or the right size which is apparently 9mm x 1.3mm 

A few weeks back I found the part no. on CMSL site and they also had them in stock for a few £s but then there was some crazy P&P charge - like 18 Euros or something - so it went on the back-burner.

Last week however I found one on Ebay for £5.55 all-in  . Not cheap for what it is but what's a fiver to get the bike running again....

It looks like it was actually ordered urgently several years ago by a motorcycle repair shop/dealer but for whatever reason not used. Anyway am happy with the find and keen to get it on and see if the leak is cured.


looks like Kent M/Cycles needed this urgently back in 2010



£5.55 (inc P&P) for a small but vital part

I saw a scooter type step through in Turkey with 7 on it, 1 7-8 year old steering stood up, 1 stood up behind him, 4 on the seat included the mother and the clincher was the father sat on the rack backward and holding a wheelbarrow which was being towed behind. Wish I'd had my camera handy but it went past too fast.

Aw man. Wish you had the camera  but it does kinda show how cosseted we are in the West. And how robust these machine are.

Just to finish off for tonight I would say to anyone trying to remove the airbox or carb rubber you're liable to drive yourself nuts putting it back on. I'd done this before on Francis (can't remember why) and vaguely remember working the rubber back into the airbox with a thin screwdriver.

This time I thought I'd be clever and keep the hose attached to the box by pulling it off at the carb inlet. I just could not get it to go back on so then loosened the carb at the cylinder side to get a little fore & aft movement but still no way. You just can't get your fingers in the the carb inlet side.

The trick is to leave the carb connections tight and just push the airbox into the frame. The hose can easily be pulled in. No screwdriver needed. Should do a video lol.

Oh and just to burst my bubble. You may remember I mentioned an XJR1300...

Well the owner of that fell out with me badly when he heard the Honda starting up. He was livid as his bike got taken apart, by me, in March 15 and isn't running yet.  You can hear him at end of video shouting 'that's the wrong one' 

Guess what bike I worked on today.....

So after a successful Saturday on the electrics, plus forks & tank addressed, the next step was to fire it up. Now this is a pretty big deal to someone whose own bikes have been in bits for 30 years and never seen petrol. Well my AS3 did once I think and my RD250 has went in my presence but basically I've never brought a bike back from the dead.

So I got a fiver's worth of gas. Wheeled the bike out into the sun. Tentatively filled the tank via a jug and the wind kept blowing the fuel onto the tank (thank God I've not just re-sprayed it) but after this was wiped off I could see there were no leaks. Nice one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_FUwkxTxu8
walkround video (very short)


Turned the tap on a petrol poured out from places it shouldn't. Turns out it was from the hose (onto tap) that previous mechanic had added with fuel filter. Trimmed a bit of that off and added a small tie-wrap and tried again. No leaks. So I started to crank it over on the starter button but there was no signs of life altho the battery was surprisingly strong considering it hasn't been used for 3 years or so. I then tried some choke which reminds me of Hannah asking, way back, 'is the choke on when the lever is up or down?'. At the time I had no idea. Couldn't find the answer and the little arrow on the lever could be taken to mean either way.

However on Saturday when I was messing about with the electrics trying to find where the loom earthed I took the LHS airbox out which brings the hose leading to the carb out too and could therefore see the choke flap in action. With the lever up the flap is horizontal (ie open) and with lever pushed down the flap is vertical (ie closed/on) so the arrow on the lever actually indicates direction to take choke off not put it on. 

Anyway with the choke on I still wasn't getting anything so the plugs came out and as well as being crusty they are in pretty bad condition and there was no trace of any fuel on them. I gave them a clean and checked for spark by resting then on the downpipes while cranking the engine over. I could see a very faint spark so at least the ignition system was working.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdUI0lkG34k
cranking video (short)


not pretty despite being only about 2000 miles old


this one doesn't look so bad but still large gap for spark to jump


So I was getting a spark of sorts but possibly fuel problem. Was thinking mb carb problem. Jets blocked or flaot stuck. For some reason I thought mb try boosting the battery a bit just by adding the charger to it. It's a bit fiddly getting it to balance under seat but worked good enough previous days when I was checking the electrics. At first I wasn't getting anything different from before but then tried taking the choke off. The linkage between the two crabs for the choke flaps is pretty rubbish on these. Its a metal strip in a U shape and I noticed the previous day it wasn't really working great when I operated the lever so as well as pushing the lever up I stuck me fingers up between the carbs to push the strip backwards.

Anyway much to my surprise Francis sprang to life and continued to idle away after I removed the battery charger. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKhAX0WHziw
start-up video (longer)