What did you do to your bike today

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 4:21 am

I received my replacement rear taillight lens (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KR-Rucklichtglas-Tail-light-lens-HONDA-CB-1100-F-Boldor-SC11-1983-1984-/172167386812?hash=item2815f9d6bc:g:-zEAAOSwYudXGeg9) in the mail this morning. As helpfully pointed out to me by other members, the lens is not a faithful copy of the Australian original as it doesn't have the built in side and rear reflectors. But, the price was right and the part looks really good.

The four bolts came yesterday (partzilla).

As I mentioned in my previous post, the tail light base black plastic bit seemed a bit stripped where the four bolts secure the lens. So, I filled the hole with a bit of Gorilla glue, let it dry for a few days, then this morning I made pilot holes in the glue with a wood screw. The bolts/screws that attach the lens are odd to me, in that they are self-tapping (part 18 here: http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/Honda/Motorcycle/1983/CB1100F%20A/TAILLIGHT/parts.html). Also the design seems unhelpful as there's a fair bit of distance from where the bolts go through the lens to where they screw into the black plastic base. So, when you put the lens on, you are kind of working in the dark to find the hole (never stopped me before) to screw it into to.

Anyway, just went for a burn and the tail light lens is still there, so, job done! But, as always when I'm wrenching, more involved than I thought. Rolling Eyes

Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2017 2:49 pm

Finished my new seat, need to button up some carb maintenance then I can fully mount it.

Leather is so much nicer than vinyl!

Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2017 5:52 pm

Looks great Smoojee.

I have taken the plunge, and sold my arc welder to buy a Hobart MIG. I let that damned frame sit at the custom motorcycle shop since July or whenever, only to have the guy tell me that I needed to make it a roller before fab... in February! What a waste of my time. So I grabbed the frame, built the roller on my fresh wheels, shocks, and bars all hooked up, now the guy isnt responding at all. Kind of a shit way to treat a paying customer IMHO. His loss. I cannot believe all the time wasted because of his poor communication. I swear I texted him or showed up asking about it once a week. So Ill be picking up a universal tail hoop, doing the chopping and welding myself, and then I need to figure out how to do the tail light. Im considering either a small tab that I can mount a chinese LED integrated signal tail light like my CL175, or cutting a notch in the hoop, welding or brazing in a channel to.fit an LED light strip. Well, heres to new progress!

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 12:56 am

I got a litre of 10W fork oil today and bought the correct speedo drive to fit my fork legs, second hand (£20, including taxes and shipping).
I've also now got a white powder coated front wheel in my possession.
I have to put the rubber bit back on the outside of my wheel and get some air into it.
I'll also have to rebuild my front suspension, so I've found and watched Tomk's video to remind me how it goes.
Then fit my front wheel, so I can drop my bike back onto it's wheels. Wheel it out of my garage, turn it around and wheel it straight back in again.
Then I'll be able to remove my back wheel, so I can get that powdercoated to match the front.

I've also got an oil leak from my gear change shaft.
Fixing that is usually "just" a case of removing the old O ring and sliding a new one on and home, without damaging it, isn't it?
An old business card will help with the "without damaging it" part, I hope. And might help with pushing it home as well.

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 2:56 pm

Thanks Papinbrew! Sorry to hear about your woe's. I found a reliable welder in Long Island that only charges $60 an hour. He's a really nice guy and does great work. Too bad you're not closer.

Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 10:51 pm

smoojee wrote:

Thanks Papinbrew! Sorry to hear about your woe's. I found a reliable welder in Long Island that only charges $60 an hour. He's a really nice guy and does great work. Too bad you're not closer.

Man thats a shame. I could not find any other welders here that could do the work in my timeframe. If i was closer, id do a monoshock conversion as well, 60 an hour is fantastic compared to the 95 I was quoted. I figured id use my welder for a lot of other projects like a sissy bar for my magna, and some offroad bumpers for my jeep so I think I made the best choice with what i was offered. Welding the tail hoop should be very easy since its not much going on and its not a load bearing joint.

Posted: Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:55 am

Me and Doc rode some pretty good snot out of our bikes today. Doc just resuscitated a 1985 VF1000R (those gear driven cams sound nice!), and I broke out my 1979 CB750(810)F, for our first ride of the season. Was a bit windy with 30 mph headwinds, but a REALLY good day!

Steve

Posted: Wed Apr 12, 2017 3:16 pm

Been polishing today

Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2017 9:35 pm

Aaroncb900f1981 wrote:

Been polishing today

Too much time on your hands man Wink

And would you shrink your pic by about half please?
I gotta scroll sideways a long way to read most posts on this page now Sad

Posted: Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:18 pm

finally tacked up the rear subframe, made a rod for my back by building it free hand versus 1st making a jig, lesson learned
posh answer for the smaller OD top rails = saves weight
honest answer is - i've run out of the larger diameter chrome moly Rolling Eyes

she's turning into a XR69 look alike, this is just to get it running and sorted - the frame is modified to fit a CB900 and it will be changed to a 82yr TT RS1000 body work in due course

Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2017 2:21 am

I installed new steering stem races.

Posted: Wed Apr 26, 2017 2:22 am

On the 1100F:
After work I put in my replacement (used) signal flasher, but alas that one didn't work either. If I rev the motor up to 4k or so, my current original flasher starts to work just fine. Maybe I need to clean it up somehow? Or just buy a new style flasher at some point.

Took the tank and seat and valve cover off and checked all the valve clearances like I've been meaning to do for some time now. They were all in spec (0.004 to 0.006) so I buttoned her back up.

While the tank was off I figured I'd sync the carbs too, since there was a bit of roughness at idle and it was hard to start. #4 was WAYYYY off from the others, and #3 was not too close either. Ended up adjusting all three with adjusters and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Easy starts and smoother operation!

Tomorrow or maybe this weekend, I'll do the idle drop to confirm proper mixture settings and make this beast run as good as I can.

Last weekend I popped off the engine cover on the starter clutch side to service the starter clutch. It was doing the usual slip and grind, with a clunk. All three bolts were loose...typical. So loctite and torqued down and buttoned up and no more grind or clunk!

Oh, and I put on the rear wheel with new Shinko tire to match the front.

Is summer here yet?

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:29 am

Sold the CB1300S, so splashed a bit of cash on the bikes left in the stable. Probably went a bit overboard with a Brembo radial master for the 1100F. Does look great and the feel is really nice. Of course it's still actuating the existing calipers and pads, so that's a weak link for the future I guess.

Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 6:42 pm

rode to Ann Arbor and back

Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 3:10 am

Got this one out and prepping for riding.

Posted: Fri May 05, 2017 4:51 pm

Over the last 3 weeks I have been preparing 40 CT110 postie bikes for the 2017 Gibb River Postie Bike Ride.
New batteries, carby rebuilds, safety checks etc.
I can now get a carby off a ct110 in about 4 minutes.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2017 9:28 pm

Its been raining almost non-stop here in South East Ontario. The flooding has begun and emergencies declared.
I took this earlier this week. Today I rode the V-Strom there and saw that it's gone up past the 40km sign. The Ottawa river channel is over a km from here. And they are calling for snow in the early morning Shocked

Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 2:12 pm

Went for a Ride.

Posted: Sun May 07, 2017 7:37 pm

Rebuilt the front end of my bike Smile

After repainting and powder coating my sliders.
The rest of my bike has been repainted the same blue.

Before.

After.

Done. (Sorry about the oily finger mark on my camera lens Rolling Eyes

)

Not quite as easily as that, but not too bad.
I took some hints from Tomks youtube video Motorcycle Fork Seal Removal And Replacement, but did it my way.
Front mudguard (or fender, if you insist) and wheel are also refitted, along with the correct speedo drive which has the correct period distressed look Laughing

(The speedo drive that was fitted to my bike when I got it only has one (1) tang, so does my fork leg. This speedo drive has two (2) tangs Very Happy

)
I've still got to fill with oil and then get my fork caps on somehow.
But I need to get my rear wheel out, cleaned, stripped down and powder coated, asap. Then rebuilt and refitted.

Posted: Sat May 13, 2017 10:32 pm

I finally got my other two bikes sorted out and rideable, so now Im back to working on my CB750F.

Got into the valve shims, replaced the ones needed and checked all clearances. Every valve was between .005" and .007". Then cut off all.the old grommets from my valvecover screws, put brand new grommets on, fiddled with tne new valvecover gasket, and popped it on. The center front right valvecover screw stripped completely without torque, so I bought a helicoil kit and fixed it. Nice and easy new skill. Had my GF help me pick the engine up and bring it upstairs out of the basement and then staged my frame and engine together. Getting real close to putting it in frame, I think Im gonna end up riding the bike as a dirty ratbike until all the quirks are figured, then disassemble for powdercoat again. But at least this way I can get the geometry and the electronics relocated. Theres so much thats not fitting quite right with parts ive ordered, so now its going to be time to custom fabricate parts like the headlight mount bracket. Im still brainstorming ideas for an electronics pan and battery mount, as well as needing to decide which battery to use. It also looks like my new shocks are just long enough to lift thenrear tire off the ground with the centerstand, so Im considering tossong that since its also going to impact the chain. Small steps here and there, hopefully ill get to test run the engine within the next month.

Posted: Sun May 14, 2017 10:18 pm

Engine is back in frame, taking the rest of the day off from wrenching. Going to drop the tank off at a shop for them to professionally de rust and line the inside. Its seriously too rusty for me to sit and shake it forever.

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 3:59 pm

Upgraded my 900f oil pump cover to a 900c cover so I could fix the ugly gap at the starter motor cover left when I ditched the sprocket cover. I had the shifter support cut off the 900c cover (thank you to CBX-tras), powdercoated the cover (thank you tomk1960), and found a 900c gasket (thank you headless), and finally got up the courage to drill and tap the hole for the one difference in the bolt pattern. Now waiting on the new bolts since they are all longer on the 900c cover and I didn't think to check them in advance but I have a bonus being able to use a CBX oil temperature gauge I had laying around.

Posted: Mon May 15, 2017 4:19 pm

Im really digging that oil temp gauge. Id love to get a setup like that on my CB750

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 5:21 am

Got my oil pan, pulse generators, starter motor, alternator, rotor and covers installed, all with the stainless polished dress bolts. Fun times with the ol antisieze and my torque wrench. Makes me really happy my girl somehow agreed to letting me wrench on the bike in our dining room! 😂😂😂😂living the dream

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 4:41 pm

Went for a nice, warm ride to see how much water is in the St. Lawrence River. In a few days, this water will be further downstream keeping Fitter (and Montreal) flooded! The background is Boldt Castle in Alexandria Bay, New York.

Link to Boldt Castle: http://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo/

Steve

Posted: Wed May 17, 2017 5:27 pm

I rode the 1100f into work on this beautiful 85 degree day! Realizing i'll need to get the front tire balanced, as there are no visible wheel weights and the tire hops pretty bad above 65mph.

Posted: Fri May 19, 2017 10:05 pm

Got delivery confirmation my magnetic oil drainplug was delivered, so that means Im on track to getting my project engine build to start up this weekend! Woooah cant believe its finally getting this close! Also got my 17mm brake master cylinder and hand controls, gunmetal gray to match the engine. Anyone have any recommendations for engine break in oil? I was thinking of using Shell Rotella straight 30w if I can find it, or simply using the 15w40.

Also, has anyone picked up and used one of those universal engine oil temp gauges from eBay? They come with a 12mm threaded sensor, so I was thinking of drilling and tapping into my oil pan where the oil cooler fittings go in on the CB900/1100 pans and mounting the gauge down on the right or left side of the engine under the airbox, somewhere that I can just lean over and see.

Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 8:44 pm

I took my 79 570f out for a 15 mile round the block ride for the first time in 5 years. Been tightening it all up in prep for this day.........
brakes, carbs, you know the drill... Started this Feb......I did all this and much when I bought her in 2010, and then let her sit. ......It stumbled at first under throttle, but got better as we went along...still a sweet little bike. Much diff than my Daily, 07 900f Hornet though......ya think Rolling Eyes

I can't make the same mistake twice now. Confused

And for some reason, I can't post a picture now.

Got it. Thanks anyway cliffiec.

Posted: Mon May 22, 2017 10:02 pm

Grumpy32 wrote:

I took my 79 570f out for a 15 mile round the block ride for the first time in 5 years. Been tightening it all up in prep for this day.........
brakes, carbs, you know the drill... Started this Feb......I did all this and much when I bought her in 2010, and then let her sit. ......It stumbled at first under throttle, but got better as we went along...still a sweet little bike. Much diff than my Daily, 07 900f Hornet though......ya think Rolling Eyes

I can't make the same mistake twice now. Confused

And for some reason, I can't post a picture now.

Send it to me, Terry. I'll post a pic for you, brother!

Posted: Tue May 23, 2017 4:34 am

I never heard of a 570f. Is that a three cylinder bike Laughing

Chico