Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => SOHC Singles & Twins => Topic started by: AshimotoK0 on November 26, 2023, 09:20:36 PM

Title: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 26, 2023, 09:20:36 PM
Picked up a 1980 CB250RS Single this week. Always fancied one since I saw the restored one in Classic Mechanics a few years back. Been off the road since 1991 and spent the last few months under a tarp outside. Taken off the road  because it had burned out a valve and done 50k miles. A bit of a change for me as my latest year model bike is a '75 CB400F .. But I had to save it!  ::)

Like most of my bikes I got the silencers before getting the bike and had these made directly by Brituro, rather than from David Silvers.  We literally chucked the bike in the back of my mates van on Thursday and I won't have chance to fully asses it until I go to my mates warehouse (where I do my painting) on Wednesday. Even though the bike comes with a spare head, in unknown condition, I bit the bullet and bought a NOS head with valves inlet rubber etc, plus a NOS cover with the rockers etc. fitted and NOS cylinder barrel. This should hopefully save me a load of grief. I picked up these bits today near Easingwold York and the seller included a surprise freebie pair of wheels and a spare seat. The bike comes with a spare set of wheels (and CDi) but I suspect that these freebie wheels are in better nick and the spokes with replate fine at home. I bought a lovely crank and gearbox/selector parts from DK but the b*ggers have lost one parcel with the gearbox bits in it >:( It is shown as being in transit via DHL but oddly no tracking given. They refuse to discuss this over the phone and will only communicate via eBay messaging. I wanted them to ship everything together but they refused, saying one part may possibly damage the other in transit.

The great thing about this model is that there is hardly any chrome on it and I now feel confident enough to paint it myself in pearl blue original colour. Piki on here is kindly supplying the decals although I am going to paint the stripes myself.

Laverda Dave has been a  fantastic source of help to me on this model and has some spares to trade. Thanks Dave !  If anyone else has decent parts then I will pay a decent price.

I bought a late version of the parts book for £20 in fantastic condition and I hope to scan it sometime and share with others in my Dropbox links. It  covers the early and later e-start models.

Feast yer eyes on these NOS top end parts ... they don't come along every day of the week ! Cost ££££ but it's only money. Pics of the bike to follow but be warned it's not at all pretty  :-[

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 26, 2023, 10:01:18 PM
Congratulations Ash on a very wise purchase. Those NOS parts are gold dust especially the head and rocker cover. Where did you get them, it couldn't have been eBay?
I'm looking forward to reading about the rebuild with plenty of photos👍
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: philward on November 26, 2023, 10:04:51 PM
Sounds a great project Ash - good luck
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 26, 2023, 10:11:44 PM
Congratulations Ash on a very wise purchase. Those NOS parts are gold dust especially the head and rocker cover. Where did you get them, it couldn't have been eBay?
I'm looking forward to reading about the rebuild with plenty of photos👍

Facebook Marketplace .. they were amongst a load of other used RS parts as a job lot but other parts sold quickly. Nobody apart from muggins here would offer a decent price for the NOS parts. I just gave him my top figure ..deal or no deal and he accepted. Cos I didn't muck him about,  I think he included the wheels and seat for free ... which was a real bonus.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: K2-K6 on November 27, 2023, 08:39:03 AM
Interesting project Ash, and bit of a find to get those nos bits.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on November 27, 2023, 10:01:21 AM
Nice bike Ash, at the Station  where I worked a young PW used to commute on her learner motor cycle.
She turned up after passing her test on this single cylinder Honda it was a 250 RS aside from splashing out on a new bike she would wax lyrical about how nippy & economical it was compared to my 750GS. It had a good turn of speed in traffic iirc methinks it had a disc brake being a strangely skinny bike for a 250 - multi valve possibly as well - it was a long time ago!

Just looked at your photo 4 valves in one cylinder. Have you taken a before photo or was it in too many parts?
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 29, 2023, 09:32:05 PM
I met the guy I got the RS from in the pub Monday night and he gave me three bags of spare parts. Evidently, he had a donor bike at one time. Some useful stuff including three cylinder heads and cam covers, CDi etc etc. They don't look bad in terms of the camshaft bearing surfaces and the rockers look OK too but two heads have one valve seat insert removed. Not sure how you would obtain and replace a valve seat but my mate Graham Curtis is bound to know. I have NOS head and covers complete anyway and that's what I will be using along with the NOS barrel. There is also a spare cylinder barrel plus the one on the bike. Among the spares were a couple of the cam chain tensioner main assemblies (evidently rare unobtainium NOS) and one looks to be in great condition and I reckon I will be using it plus a few cam-chains, one of which I suspect may be unused but I need to investigate this further to be sure. Also a set of clocks, which are much better than the ones on the bike.

We unloaded the bike at my mate Rogers warehouse today, photo'd it along side it's temporary mate .... a Beezer C15 and then completely stripped it, apart from removing the swinging arm from the frame. Removal of the swinging arm  is going to cause me problems I suspect because I think the bushes are seized...certainly the long bolt won't turn, although I haven't  put too much welly on it yet, as I didn't have a full hex impact-gun type socket where I was working today. Surprisingly none of the fasteners both on the bike and already taken off by the P.O. were chewed up and should replate fine ....  It has the hex type screws instead of crosshead JIS screws an the case covers (as favoured by Oddjob on here).

There was no air filter fitted but Mickey and his mates had attempted to make one  ;D.

One surprise was the state of the fork stanchions.. a quick rub and they look pretty good .. I was budgeting for a rechrome but I don't think it will be needed now.

Overall, the frame looks fairly solid as the rear end was caked in grease as was the swinging arm ... I believe these can rot quite badly.
Not sure what happened to the headlamp unit ... it's probably still with the fairing in the pub blokes garage that I still need to pick up (has broken screen ... not sure what type of fairing it is ), I won't be refitting the fairing anyway or the engine protection bars. I did get the headlamp frame though, in the bags of spares and the indicators too.

One bit of damage is a crack in one of the front  alloy footrest hangers, so I need to find one or get it welded.

I got a super condition crankshaft assembly and gearbox etc from DK but they lost the gearbox and decided to refund me after 10 days. However, it was bought on my wife Cathy's eBay account and she pleaded with them for me and it mysteriously turned up the day after they were going to issue a refund.

I only found one camshaft in the spares ... One lobe has a pit and the the flanks look a bit worn but the journals look to be OK. Maybe a job for Newman cams or find a decent replacement. IMD sell a new one for just under £100, made in Japan but its for the XL250 and pretty sure that the profile will be wrong for the RS.

The bike didn't have any exhausts (he may find some once he searches harder but bound to be grotty I reckon so not too bothered if he finds or not ) but my new replacement silencers, which Brituro made me have arrived at work and look to be excellent quality and faithful repro's of the originals. I think I will get him to make me a set of downpipes, as they already make those as well.

I got a spare front wheel c/w disc  (and a front wheel from a BSA Bantam ? ) with the parts but the pair of wheels I got with the NOS cyl.head etc., as freebies, look really nice and the spokes will replate great I reckon so I will be using those. They have nice tyres too that look like they have never been used. I was about to cut them off and bin them both until I looked at the date codes, which are late 2019.


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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on November 29, 2023, 10:02:29 PM
It will be interesting to see the project progress.👍👍👍
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 29, 2023, 10:19:52 PM
I think the seat has been recovered at some point Ash as it should be quilted with a heat welded pattern but overall it sounds and looks like you have a really decent basis of a bike there especially with the spares you have gathered. The alloy wheel rims were known to rot from inside out so maybe worth taking the tires off to check the rim. I had stainless spokes fitted to my original rims after getting them vapour blasted and the hubs blasted and powder coated gloss black. I tried to rebuild the master cylinder but it never worked properly and it proved impossible to separate the white plastic reservoir from the base so I bought a reproduction reservoir without the white plastic part. Piki makes the vinyl insert for the cast footrest hangers.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 29, 2023, 10:32:15 PM
I stripped the master cyl last night Dave and managed to get the clear reservoir part separated and the bore on the alloy body doesn't look bad on it. It has  an O-ring that retains it and pretty tough to separate. I also got a spare pattern one without the clear plastic section in it, which looks fairly new apart from on the outside brake fluid has leaked and stripped some of the paint.
Yes the seat cover is not original. I have another seat with about half of the original cover fitted so i know what the cover should be like.
Thanks once more for all of your help. !980's bikes are new territory for me   :)
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Sesman on November 30, 2023, 08:31:15 AM
Good luck with the build, Ash. I’ll be logging in occasionally by satellite to check on progress….something for me to look forward to.👍
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Bryanj on November 30, 2023, 01:16:09 PM
When they were new and i worked at Meads we had an insurance job where some scroat undid the 2 headlamp mounting bolts a cut EVERY wire going into the headlamp.
Damn near wrote the bike off with what we had to get new plus had to make the two earth wire nuts inside as Honda couldnt supply
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 03, 2023, 11:44:25 AM
The left hand alloy footrest hanger plate is broken on this project ... lots of RH on eBay but LH hard to find.
My mate bid on one in Japan and won for 200 Yen = £1.07  :)

Also the air filter holder thingy is absent. Laverda Dave put me onto one on Ebay UK at £39 but before buying that one, I needed to see the P.O. in the pub on Monday to check if he still has it, as he had the bike from new. Anyway,I  found one in Japan and got my Man-in-Japan to bid on it and won it for 1,000 Yen = £5.40   :). His mate is coming back from Japan in a months time and is fetching my stuff back in his luggage.

I stripped the original style Master cyl. and brake caliper and the alloy parts look serviceable so order repair kits for both and S.S caliper which have arrived already as well as two cans of PJ1 satin black paint. Mater cyl white plastic part was a bugger to remove ... retained with a rather expensive (£6) O-ring .... I also have a spare caliper with a bloomin big allen cap screw tapped into the front face ... presumably to extract the piston. Neat job but just doesn't look right. Pretty sure I saw another one on somebody's post on here recently on a caliper piston body. I also gota pattern M/cyl with the bike in good shape (needs re-painting) but not the standard CB250RS design

I wondered how DK have parts for this model but the Japanese writing on the label on the alloy hanger they have (wrong side for me)  gave away that they must also import bikes to break from Japan.

Pics of parts my Man-in_Japan got.

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on December 03, 2023, 02:07:42 PM
Japan is the place to get the bits Ash if you have the contacts. They had the CB250RZ over there, the tank and side panels were pin stripped and gave it a real classic image.
There was a CB250RSA on sale at Kempton Park yesterday, 18k showing but the top end was covered in oil, looked like it had a blown head gasket, leaking rocker cover gasket and the classic oil weep from the ends of the rocker spindles. He wanted £650 for it but it was rough, full of rust below the paintwork (the paint is very thin on the tank, built to a price). As you have a complete, brand new rocker cover the spindle ends shouldn't leak but if decide to refurbish the spare be careful putting the rocker spindles back in as it’s very easy to tear the very thin O-ring on the end. Triumph unit twins had the same issue and you can use a special tool for those to seat the O-Ring without damage, probably worth making one up for the 250 as its only a bit of hollow and tapered tube.
Did you get the main stand spindle out in the end? I used heat on mine and it eventually relented. From memory I don’t think Honda fitted a grease nipple on the tube (cost cutting again) so probably worth doing when you put it back together.
The front brake calipers come up often on ebay, I dont know if it was used on another model, I think it was made by Tockio and not the usual Honda Nissin. Are the four rubber boots intact and not split, if they are you can get them in an overhaul kit.

You are making a lot of progress very quickly, it could be on the road by Christmas Day :)
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 03, 2023, 05:47:22 PM
The kit for the Tokico caliper came with all of the seals/dust seals/bleed nipple Dave. I just intend to use all of the NOS top end parts .... somebody has gone to a lot of trouble and expense to fit everything  to the head and rocker cover even a NOS inlet rubber and valve decompressior mechanism. I noticed there were quite a few of the Hondastyle nose fairings for sale on Yahoo Japan .. even a NOS in bag one. Mine had a fairing (not sure what style) but the PO said the screen got broken  .. he still has it and said he will dig it out  for mebut TBH I probably wont fit the fairing. Thanks again for your  kind help with this bike!
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 05, 2023, 09:34:34 PM
Managed to get the swinging arm bolt out today (turns out collars had corroded to swinging arm long bolt). Lots of heat from two Mapp gas torches and plenty of release fluid and welly. Had to angle grind off one collar. Also main-stand pin is corroded in the pivot tube, so I chopped it out of the frame and I will drill it out (done loads like this).

Cleaned up and blasted the alloy brake parts and etch primed them with PJ1 satin paint. I will bake when I am in at work Thursday. Just need to zinc plate the bolts. I guess they would have been olive-drab passivated originally but I still need to find the chemicals to do this as lots of parts on this bike olive-drab passivated.

Stripped the engine completely apart from removing the generator rotor, which needs a puller tool. Bought a lorry wheel bolt M22 x 1.5 and hoping this does the job (arrived today and pictured in box). The crank and gearbox didn't look at all bad for a high mileage engine but I already have replacements from a low mileage import bike, so I will be replacing. Looked like the bottom end has never been apart before and absolutely caked in oil, mud and grime.

Didn't get a headlamp unit and rim with the bike as it had a fairing fitted, which I haven't got yet and unsure of the type.. So tonight I bought locally (near Beverley)  a headlamp complete plus air filter housing, front indicator frame, brackets  and indicators plus a spare main wiring loom off FB marketplace all for £25  :D  Seller was asking £35 but I made a cheeky offer and he accepted without any quibbling. Nice bloke .. has a 400/4 and CB360G5 and probably more and only looked 30 odd, which goes to show that younger guys are still into our bikes  ;)   Says he misses his CB250RS and wishes he hadn't sold it.

Good old TEC shocks are back so I grabbed a pair whilst they are still available !

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on December 05, 2023, 09:44:00 PM
Fantastic progress Ash👍. I know how the guy feels about wishing he never sold his RSA, been there, done that😐.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 21, 2023, 09:24:35 AM
Cleaned tons of muck and oil off crankcases side cases, cleaned in paraffin parts washer at work,scrubbed with Scotchbrite pads and degreased in Acetone. Then PJ1 satin black finished. Still need to bake everything. Original Honda coating/ paint very durable, so just treated small areas before paint.

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Rear guard metal centre section (other two are plastic) corrodes really badly on this model. Mine was OK apart from rotted through one side around double-skinned mounting area so had to cut out rot, braze in new metal sections after blasted clean. Then painted in etch primer, then epoxy 2k primer then coat of dark olive drab paint. Original Laverda Dave tells me was that this metal part of the mudguard was zinc plated olive drab passivated. Bit of a labour of love job but nice and solid now and chances of finding a decent one pretty slim.

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 21, 2023, 09:32:44 AM
Guard in dark olive drab colour paint. (doesn't look as greeny in this photo though)

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Bolts stripped of plating ready for further cleaning and zinc plating (many are olive drab green passivated). I just received my 2l of of Olive-drab passivate solution ... man did I have to jump through hoops to get hold of it, as it's banned for sale to Joe-public.


Fuel tank was rotted out as shown but rest of it inside was rust free. I was going to braze new metal, until I grabbed this lovely condition, powder coated, one off eBay for £45 (most people charging well over £100 for dodgy looking ones). Tank will be pearl blue (as it was when the bike was new) ... eventually... ;D Same seller sold me a LH bar switch £20 and almost NOS condition gear lever and link bar. £15

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Johnny4428 on December 21, 2023, 10:11:24 AM
Some nice work there Ash on you restoration. Good to see before and after. Think you’ve got a knack of picking up a bargain too!
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: andy120t on December 21, 2023, 05:52:59 PM
Some nice work going on there.

Locking petrol cap looks the same as my old cb900f - I wonder if it is the same part (and yes, I could look at a parts list, but it's a pain on a phone!).🙂
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 21, 2023, 11:13:53 PM
When I was learning how to spray paint during this year,  I joined a 'Pro' closed group on Facebook with main contributors being in the automotive refinishing trade.
Lots of useful tips, invaluable to a novice like me in all honesty  but they don't suffer fools gladly.  ;D Also a very male oriented group with crude comments that even make my eyes water and I wouldn't call myself a prude.

Anyway, asked them about wet painting a powder coated motorcycle fuel tank and this is what I got back.

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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on December 22, 2023, 11:41:35 AM
Thats very interesting information about painting over PC Ash - another info gem.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 22, 2023, 12:53:11 PM
Thats very interesting information about painting over PC Ash - another info gem.

Yes Ted varying opinions on the way to deal with the PC. The powder coating on the tank I bought is very were adhered and I am tempted to flat it like they say and wet paint on top of the PC. I wouldn't do this if I was getting somebody else to paint it but seeing as I am painting myself it's not £££ down the swanee if it goes t*ts up.


I got a CB250JDM headlamp bowl from Japan which had been  powder coated. With that I just put a torch to it and burned it off.

That group has trade info that you would normally never learn as a novice so worth looking at. I often hear them banging on about that lovely candy looking red you get on modern Mazda cars ( and similarly on some Renaults but doesn't pop so well IMHO). Evidently it's a 4 stage process and an absolute b*stard to do repairs on. One guy on there said he cocked a job up painting it on a Mazda and lost his job over it.  :(
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Oddjob on December 22, 2023, 03:31:39 PM
I've got a Mazda 3 in that colour red Ash, it's called Soul Red IIRC. It's a lovely colour, very similar to the red on my CB1300, which is called Arcadian Red.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 22, 2023, 05:25:13 PM
I've got a Mazda 3 in that colour red Ash, it's called Soul Red IIRC. It's a lovely colour, very similar to the red on my CB1300, which is called Arcadian Red.

Yes they refer to it as Mazda 46v Soul Red Ken.. First time I saw a car painted in  it on the motorway, in the sunshine I,  went WOW! ... what a brilliant colour.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on December 23, 2023, 10:05:42 AM
Some great repair work on the rear guard Ash, a known rot point on these. Have you sprayed the PJ1 directly over the original Honda engine finish on the cases and then baked, did you have to use etch primer first or wilk rhe PJ1 stick to anything?

We had a Mazda MX5 in that red colour, lovely car, fantastic to drive and the only car I enjoyed working on . We had to sell it when the O/H suffered with a prolapsed disc in her back and found it really painful to use the clutch.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on December 23, 2023, 01:49:15 PM
Some great repair work on the rear guard Ash, a known rot point on these. Have you sprayed the PJ1 directly over the original Honda engine finish on the cases and then baked, did you have to use etch primer first or wilk rhe PJ1 stick to anything?
It was s b@gger to get clean Dave ... loads of oily grime but degreased it pretty well using various methods and when I washed it finally in acetone, the original finish softened very slightly so I rubbed all over with Scotchbrite pads and then put the PJ1 on top. Seems to have adhered pretty well but need to bake over Christmas at work , as they have a lab type oven.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 04, 2024, 11:23:43 PM
Found that one of the RS fork stanchions is bent so going to have to check the frame out too, plus source new stanchions or rechrome some straight but pitted ones, which is a bit of a bummer. Need to quiz  the PO in pub to see if he has ever seriously dropped the bike (he owned it from new) or perhaps forks were off the donor bike he had. Not settled up with him yet anyway he doesn't seem that bothered ... just keen to see it restored. I bought some pitted but supposedly straight forks off eBay for £40, so will get those rechromed at this place (I can drop off and pick up as I usually go to Leeds a couple of times/month).
 
https://www.brooksuspension.co.uk/motorcycle-fork-rechroming-service-for-stanchions-both-legs


 There are a few bits I can sell on to fund it all ..like 3 wheels, seat, barrels/piston x2  and head covers x2 . All of the 3 heads I got with it look dodgy to me as two have at least one valve seat removed. They all have decent cam bearing surfaces though. I think one head may be off an XL or something as it doesn't have the valve decompressor assembly and is not bored for one either. Obviously, I have the NOS top end so going to fit all of those anyway. Just need to source a genuine NOS standard piston (already have the genuine rings set).

To be honest, the bottom end, despite the bike having done 50k looks pretty decent but I already have the  low mileage bottom end internals that I got from DK so I am using those for the engine rebuild..  The tank I got for £45 was an absolute steal ... really nice condition. I was told it had been powder coated but when I  rubbed it down you get white dust so I think it's not PC and the white dust is from clear coat.

I now have the two 1 litre bottles of 'unobtainium-to-Joe-public'  olive drab passivate chemical concoction, so had a go at plating a bolt and it turned out pretty good.
 
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I stripped the bar switches and painted the casings with etch primer then PJ1 and baked at 150 C on Friday and blasted and painted the handlebars with etch primer/PJ1 satin. Not sure if I should satin 2K the handlebars too. What do you reckon? Also need to find the correct paint for the green letter indents. May have to source a replacement kill switch knob too. I repainted the tacho drive too in PJ1 satin black  and cleaned  and painted the plastic sprocket cover ... took ages as absolutely caked in chain grease.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Seabeowner on January 06, 2024, 06:53:27 PM
No comments from me except how do you propose checking the frame out? Just close inspection or bar through the headstock.
Keep the info coming as all is very interesting as usual.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 06, 2024, 07:15:36 PM
No comments from me except how do you propose checking the frame out? Just close inspection or bar through the headstock.
Keep the info coming as all is very interesting.

Going to make a jig up initially and use a high accuracy digital inclinometer to check various points. If I detect anything untoward I will cart it off to someone to check out/realign with the correct gear. Or perhaps get another frame.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on January 06, 2024, 07:25:17 PM
The handlebars on my RS were gloss black Ash. I used to think how terrible they looked all scratched where the PO obviously kept other keys on the ignition key and they rattled about on the handlebars taking the paint off! When I restored the bike I had a leather key fob with the ignition key to prevent the same thing happening again.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RS Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on September 19, 2024, 11:22:17 AM
Not posted on this for a while but it's pretty much still active.

I will update properly soon with pictures  but the progress has been ... I checked frame alignment which is OK. I have painted the frame in 2k semi-gloss black. The swinging arm has been stripped for paint and fitted with new plastic bushes. I had to chop out the swinging arm pivot bolt but I got a nice replacement, as it's the same as the Superdream part. The swinging arm steel was in really good nick, as the PO worked for British aerospace in Brough, near me in the paint shop  and had primed it in that yellow chromate aircraft primer back in the day. Man was that hard to strip off !

I have prepped and repaired all of the paintwork and painted it in 2k primer plus the proper shade of 1k (solvent) Hawaiian Blue metallic and obtained all of the decals from Piki (thanks for your excellent service mate !) but I just need to ascertain the exact area that is painted dark blue in the centre of the tank. I found a good car paint match for the dark blue which is KIA 'Clyde Blue' . I managed to get a good top of a fuel tank photo, taken pretty square on , off an internet sellers listing and I am in the process of working out measurements this week, then I am going to check it out on the example in the DS museum if I can when I go there next week for his 400 event.

The wheels I got 'thrown in for free' when I bought the NOS top-end stuff are really nice (fitted with 2019 dated tyres) but I want to remove the dull plated spokes and have them replated and  repaint the hubs in the correct satin black.

One of the rocking-horse poo parts on this model is the complete plastic toolbox but I manged to get two of them via my mate in Japan for £18 each.

The other part is the camshaft and I am being picky on it as the whole of the top end on my engine will be NOS.

I sent a request to Newman cams to see if they can refurbish my RSA cam. Seems they are also planning to make some new ones .... pricey though ... thick end on £400 inc. delivery....so here's hoping mine is OK to regrind ! Good to know somebody is at least making them new though.

I have seen repro XL cams available (no pin for tacho drive though) but I can't find out the difference in cam profile is on that model.  IMD Piston people were selling XL repros for around £100 but not listed now and I found these rediculously cheap one ... but would I risk it with NOS Honda top end ...probably not  ::) . £36 for the cam and rocker set   ::) :)

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006005755524.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.5.5fdbESo1ESo19F&algo_pvid=5684d804-e3f3-4774-87d6-baa5fecd23be&algo_exp_id=5684d804-e3f3-4774-87d6-baa5fecd23be-2&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21GBP%2136.39%2136.39%21%21%21330.52%21330.52%21%40211b8f9c17267412458651502eeadc%2112000041702793467%21sea%21UK%214464760891%21ABX&curPageLogUid=rAz420KuGrAs&utparam-url=scene%3Asearch%7Cquery_from%3A


Hello Ash,

Thank you for your email.

Send the camshaft into us and we can check it for you. Cost for a regrind is £80 + VAT and delivery.

If it is beyond repair, we are manufacturing a batch of new camshafts. Cost for one of these is £300 + VAT and delivery.
Kind regards,
Ken

Ken Newman
Newman Cams
Farnborough Way
Farnborough
Kent
BR6 7DH
Tel.: 01689 857109
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ken@newman-cams.com
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Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on October 08, 2024, 01:28:09 PM
Well Laverda Dave and myself took pictures and dimensions of the CB250RSA fuel tank in David Silvers Museum, when we went to his CB400F event recently.

However, today I checked the tank wing decals and they are wrong (I have Piki's decals and they look spot on) plus the wings are positioned too low on the tank on the DS bike, compared with other library pics of original tanks. So this got me questioning the dark blue centre section that we took dimensions from on the DS example.

Ben Powell came round and we masked it up by eye as Menno suggested and I am going with that instead.

Just need to paint the centre section, apply Piki's decals and clear coat it all now.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on October 08, 2024, 10:45:46 PM
Well that's a bit odd Ash. I wonder if the bike at DSS has been restored previously? The centre section on the tank certainly looked original but I guess unless there was an original bike next to it to compare it with we wouldn't know.
In all honesty some things are better done by eye rather than measuring especially when it comes to decals and badges etc. I did this with the new mudguards I fitted to the Triton yesterday after constant measuring and still they didn't look right I just didn't by eye and they look fine.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 07, 2024, 06:19:24 PM
Finally got my paintwork finished. Straight from the gun ...undecided if it needs flat and polish. Thanks Diego (Piki) for the decals and yea they are all lacquered over.  ;D

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Nurse Julie on November 07, 2024, 06:30:12 PM
That's a lovely colour Ash.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Sesman on November 07, 2024, 06:50:46 PM
Nice job, Ash. Looks really good. Does Menno know where you live? 😁😁
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 07, 2024, 08:29:19 PM
Nice job, Ash. Looks really good. Does Menno know where you live? 😁😁

Cheers .... to be honest I don't know how anyone could justify a pro paint job on one of these as sadly they never go for a lot of money when finished. The pearl blue paint cost me £60 and there is still enough left to do another complete paint set and still have a little bit left.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 07, 2024, 09:59:29 PM
Fantastic job Ash. You can't beat the blue :).
It reminds me of my old bike 😭😭😭
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 08, 2024, 06:29:42 PM
Fantastic job Ash. You can't beat the blue :).
It reminds me of my old bike 😭😭😭

Got these re-chromed to go with it Dave  :) :)

[attachimg=1]
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on November 08, 2024, 06:50:01 PM
Your project is coming along nicely Ash, how far away is the finish line?
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 08, 2024, 07:31:50 PM
How is the Chrome on the forks Ash, mine were pitted when I bought the bike in 2000. I sent them to Philpotts in 2017 when I restored the bike. The guy I used to use for chrome plating before the environment laws kicked in chrome plated my kickstart and brake levers for added bling although the Kickstarter shaft and knuckle took some filing and smoothing before the chroming but it was worth it. The original drab finish on these items is pretty rough but then the bike was originally built to a price (as is everything!).
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Johnny4428 on November 08, 2024, 08:36:28 PM
Lovely looking paint job there Ash! And nice colour too.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 09, 2024, 08:57:08 AM
How is the Chrome on the forks Ash, mine were pitted when I bought the bike in 2000. I sent them to Philpotts in 2017 when I restored the bike. The guy I used to use for chrome plating before the environment laws kicked in chrome plated my kickstart and brake levers for added bling although the Kickstarter shaft and knuckle took some filing and smoothing before the chroming but it was worth it. The original drab finish on these items is pretty rough but then the bike was originally built to a price (as is everything!).

I have had all of the chroming done that was standard on the bike Dave including the fork top nuts (kickstart I am keeping standard olive drab). I found that the original stanchions, although the chrome wasn't too bad,  were slightly bent so I bought another set that needed re-chroming and guess what they were slightly bent too. Phillpots are too expensive now so I found a place in Mansfield that my trusted mate Graham Curtis uses but not dropped them off yet. I was kind of waiting to see if David Wise at Motoclassics in Hampshire was going to start doing repros but it hasn't happened.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 09, 2024, 10:35:09 AM
It sounds like you are making great progress Ash. A spring unveiling (or 'reveal' as our American cousins call it (and the blue paint set is 'bitchin')).
Looking forward to seeing the progress photos now the winter is closing in and shed hibernation has begun 🙂.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on November 09, 2024, 11:18:26 AM
I like that Dave "Shed Hibernation" - (Hedgehog Mode).

It's still very mild here in Derby so I've not felt the onset of Hypothermia yet. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 09, 2024, 11:50:38 AM
It sounds like you are making great progress Ash. A spring unveiling (or 'reveal' as our American cousins call it (and the blue paint set is 'bitchin')).
Looking forward to seeing the progress photos now the winter is closing in and shed hibernation has begun 🙂.

Problem is I just bought another CB92 (Rare 1960 model).  :-[ :-[ Just had to rescue it.

I still need to get the go-cart modded chain for the RSA and send the cam off. My mate Graham Curtis is suggesting Phil Joy Engineering.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: Laverda Dave on November 09, 2024, 10:50:46 PM
It sounds like you are making great progress Ash. A spring unveiling (or 'reveal' as our American cousins call it (and the blue paint set is 'bitchin')).
Looking forward to seeing the progress photos now the winter is closing in and shed hibernation has begun 🙂.

Problem is I just bought another CB92 (Rare 1960 model).  :-[ :-[ Just had to rescue it.

I still need to get the go-cart modded chain for the RSA and send the cam off. My mate Graham Curtis is suggesting Phil Joy Engineering.

I think you need to start something called 'Motorcycle Trust' Ash in a similar vein to the 'Dogs Trust'. A rescue centre for uncared for and unwanted rare breed Hondas 🙂.
Did you try Newman Cams in the end? I didn't know Phil Joy does cam repair, I thought he only made new cans but worth knowing if he can repair damaged cams (does he also repair rockers?).
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: AshimotoK0 on November 09, 2024, 11:10:28 PM
It sounds like you are making great progress Ash. A spring unveiling (or 'reveal' as our American cousins call it (and the blue paint set is 'bitchin')).
Looking forward to seeing the progress photos now the winter is closing in and shed hibernation has begun 🙂.

Problem is I just bought another CB92 (Rare 1960 model).  :-[ :-[ Just had to rescue it.

I still need to get the go-cart modded chain for the RSA and send the cam off. My mate Graham Curtis is suggesting Phil Joy Engineering.

I think you need to start something called 'Motorcycle Trust' Ash in a similar vein to the 'Dogs Trust'. A rescue centre for uncared for and unwanted rare breed Hondas 🙂.
Did you try Newman Cams in the end? I didn't know Phil Joy does cam repair, I thought he only made new cans but worth knowing if he can repair damaged cams (does he also repair rockers?).

According to Graham Curtis he had better experience with Joy over Newman but I will try both. Yes I think they repair cams not sure on rockers.

talking of dogs the CB92 is one expensive puppy. You are playing Monopoly money tactics. Like, today I had to pay £200 for a kickstart lever but I sold NOS spare kickstart shaft for £200 to fund it... ridiculous.
Title: Re: 1980 CB250RSA Hawaiian Blue Project.
Post by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on November 10, 2024, 08:49:05 AM
Wow the Honda CB92 Benly that has triggered some memories circa 1963 of Mount Street car park at Derby Tech Science Annex where I would dream of owning some of the bikes during the lunch break walk round the car park.

There amongst the sea of BSA Bantams, Mobylettes, Gileras, Puchs, NSU Quicklys,  and others there used to be this lone Honda with knee grip tank, chromed rear suspension coils, a racing type seat with a turned up back end. I remember thinking it looked  fast just on it's centre stand.
It's an over used word they were an Icon in my eyes of the 1960's Hondas, although they look starngely dated today there is the DNA of what was to come from Japanese bike manufacturers.