The General Motorbikers Discussion Thread - Page 96

Spectre · June 28th, 2009, 8:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argatoga

I'm now the owner of a Honda CB400t! I'm on the ferry at the moment so it'll be a bit before I have a thread up.

If it's the one I pointed you at off Craigslist, I'll post up the ad.

Quote:

http://images.craigslist.org/3n23p93lbZZZZZZZZZ96l32ee2076c51c1bb9.jpg

1978 honda cb400t hawk - $1500 (west seattle)

10 k orig
all works
exc mech condt
new; brakes,tires,top end,batt,seat,shocks , fork seals,chain spocket, head light!!!
tabs and title good
5 spd
elec and kick start
chrome rack

full asking price to test drive
1,500 cash

A good buy, people like those middleweight Hondas and they're still in demand here. The ComStar I wheels are maintenance free, unlike the spoked wheels on so many other bikes in this class. And it's got CDI instead of points for an ignition, IIRC.

argatoga · June 28th, 2009, 9:00 PM

Yep that's the one. The guy hadn't riden it much and had limited gararge space. So I benefit from all the maintence he put into it. Started well on a cold start and had little cosmetic blemishes. I managed to drop it while loading it on my trailer, but it fell on padding so I'm going to guess it is ok. Righ now I am transporting it on it's side, ye yea I know, it isn't topped off with fuel and there was minimal leaking.

Spectre · June 28th, 2009, 9:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argatoga

Yep that's the one. The guy hadn't riden it much and had limited gararge space. So I benefit from all the maintence he put into it. Started well on a cold start and had little cosmetic blemishes. I managed to drop it while loading it on my trailer, but it fell on padding so I'm going to guess it is ok. Righ now I am transporting it on it's side, ye yea I know, it isn't topped off with fuel and there was minimal leaking.

That's... not good. Make sure you wash it thoroughly when you get it home and pray you have no dents. How hard did it fall over?

shad_68 · June 28th, 2009, 9:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argatoga

I managed to drop it while loading it on my trailer, but it fell on padding so I'm going to guess it is ok. Righ now I am transporting it on it's side, ye yea I know, it isn't topped off with fuel and there was minimal leaking.

Speaking of which, I managed to drop the Beemer last week while pushing it out of the garage, luckily onto our front garden so nothing was damaged.
Unluckily, it fell on the bit with a rose bush on it. And christ, that thing is heavy...
Anyway, after I managed to get it up again I noticed that something had leaked through the seam between the front fairing and tank. When I tried to start it, I had to let the starter run for a bit before it eventually fired up. My guess was that maybe some petrol got out of the carb...?
But then again I got the impression that it needs more choke to start up now...? images/smilies/wacko.gif

Apart from that it still runs ok, but I'm nevertheless a bit worried that maybe something got damaged and needs fixing.

PS: After watching Long Way Round and Long Way Down, I'm wondering, why are you (apparently) supposed to stand up when riding off-road?

Spectre · June 28th, 2009, 9:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shad_68

Speaking of which, I managed to drop the Beemer last week while pushing it out of the garage, luckily onto our front garden so nothing was damaged.
Unluckily, it fell on the bit with a rose bush on it. And christ, that thing is heavy...
Anyway, after I managed to get it up again I noticed that something had leaked through the seam between the front fairing and tank. When I tried to start it, I had to let the starter run for a bit before it eventually fired up. My guess was that maybe some petrol got out of the carb...?
But then again I got the impression that it needs more choke to start up now...? images/smilies/wacko.gif

Apart from that it still runs ok, but I'm nevertheless a bit worried that maybe something got damaged and needs fixing.

PS: After watching Long Way Round and Long Way Down, I'm wondering, why are you (apparently) supposed to stand up when riding off-road?

You may have stirred up some of the trash in the bottom of the tank or in the bottom of the carb float bowl. This may mess up your carburetion and require you to clean the carb.

As for standing up, it is called "posting" and it comes from horseback riding. You stand up on the pegs to allow the motorcycle to move about without your mass on the back - instead you turn yourself into a self-suspended component whose weight is more centered over the bike and is effectively concentrated at the footpegs. This moves the bike's center of gravity much lower and allows the bike to move about without tossing you around or even off the bike entirely. In addition, the bike becomes more maneuverable and can lean or pitch more at a lower speed without falling over.

argatoga · June 28th, 2009, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spectre

That's... not good. Make sure you wash it thoroughly when you get it home and pray you have no dents. How hard did it fall over?

It didn't fall too hard, and the anti-bike-harm-bar-thingy (technical term) saved anything from harm.

Spectre · June 28th, 2009, 10:13 PM

Ah, good. That's what the crash bars are for. I assume it didn't roll over onto the handlebars?

Those crash bars/hoops are some of the best things you can have fitted to a learner's motorcycle. images/smilies/biggrin.gif

The rule is that new riders will drop their bikes at least once in their first six months while riding it. (That's six months worth of riding, not six months chronologically.) Everyone does it. Anyone who says otherwise either hasn't got six months' riding in yet or is lying - there are no exceptions.

argatoga · June 28th, 2009, 10:17 PM

The handlebars didn't hit anything so I will just clean up any fuel that leaked out.

argatoga · June 29th, 2009, 1:52 AM

OK after cleaning up and letting it sit for a bit I fired it up. I now have an oil light. I guess most of it leaked out and to pollute the land during transport. I might as well change it. What should I use? And where is the oil filter located?

Spectre · June 29th, 2009, 3:36 AM

The oil filter should be front and center behind the header pipes on the front of the engine. It is a replaceable element type, much like an air filter, except it filters oil. It will be carried in a finned "can" protruding from the front of the engine. It is held on by a single bolt; you need to replace the o-ring around the bolt and around the can every time you change the filter. Fortunately, the filters come with these.

http://i19.ebayimg.com/03/i/001/04/09/32d1_1.GIF

As for the oil, you used to be able to use car oil. Unfortunately, in the name of "protecting the earth" car oils now carry substances that poison your wet clutch and no longer carry the materials needed to prevent wear in air cooled engines.

You can use special motorcycle oils - or you can use diesel-only oils, as they do not carry the clutch poisons. One favorite among those that do is Shell Rotella and Rotella T, both of which have been tested and found to work. You may also be able to find Honda's GN4 or HP4 oils at a reasonable price at your dealer or many bike shops. Weight should be 10W30 or 10W40 and is usually indicated either on the dipstick/filler cap or somewhere nearby.

argatoga · June 29th, 2009, 4:01 AM

Cool cool. I just found a copy of the shop manual on-line.

BlaRo · June 29th, 2009, 4:19 AM

And just to warn you (but hopefully not to scare you off): if the bolt is anything like the one on my CB550, then it's going to be a humongous pain in the ass to remove. If it's stuck you can either grind the bolt off, which is simple and straightforward but may necessitate a new oil filter cover (find one on eBay), or you can hammer in a socket that's slightly smaller than the bolt, hit it with lots of PB Blaster, sacrifice a chicken to the Gods of Motorcycling, let the chemicals sink in for a while, then try to loosen it from there. You'll destroy a socket in the process, however.

Spectre · June 29th, 2009, 4:22 AM

Actually, that whole Twinstar series has the later larger style bolt heads that are harder. images/smilies/biggrin.gif

He probably won't round it off like what was so common on the SOHC/4s. The Twinstars' bolts usually come off with no muss, no fuss, and they don't have the headers in the way.

FYI, there's a retrofit bolt for the old SOHC/4s.

BlaRo · June 29th, 2009, 4:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spectre

Actually, that whole Twinstar series has the later larger style bolt heads that are harder. images/smilies/biggrin.gif

He probably won't round it off like what was so common on the SOHC/4s. The Twinstars' bolts usually come off with no muss, no fuss, and they don't have the headers in the way.

FYI, there's a retrofit bolt for the old SOHC/4s.

Well, he's luckier than us, then. And I already bought the 17mm EMGO replacement bolt (as well as a new oil filter housing that I was lucky enough to score on eBay for $10 instead of the usual $60 for a NOS one.

argatoga · June 29th, 2009, 4:55 AM

Woot for I. I will go hit up some of the local motorcycle shops for the filter/oil. It doesn't look like NAPA or O'Rilly have bike parts.

Do I just ask for engine oil or do I need the specific Honda GN4 or HP4 stuff?

Spectre · June 29th, 2009, 5:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlaRo

Well, he's luckier than us, then. And I already bought the 17mm EMGO replacement bolt (as well as a new oil filter housing that I was lucky enough to score on eBay for $10 instead of the usual $60 for a NOS one.

Luckier than you, anyway. While I had the EMGO bolt on my 750K5, I don't have to worry about that now, since the 700S uses an automotive-style spin-on filter. images/smilies/biggrin.gif

Still just as much as a PITA to get it off, though - headers are still in the way. images/smilies/tongue.gif

Quote:

Originally Posted by argatoga

Woot for I. I will go hit up some of the local motorcycle shops for the filter/oil. It doesn't look like NAPA or O'Rilly have bike parts.

Do I just ask for engine oil or do I need the specific Honda GN4 or HP4 stuff?

NAPA and Pep Boys carry the motorcycle's filter, as does AutoZone.

You need motorcycle specific oil, and many auto parts shops stock it. Any motorcycle engine oil (except Harley's) will do.

argatoga · June 29th, 2009, 7:57 PM

I am assuming that O-ring goes around the bolt end. Do I just cut off the old one then stretch the new one and push it down to where the old one was?

Spectre · June 29th, 2009, 8:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by argatoga

I am assuming that O-ring goes around the bolt end. Do I just cut off the old one then stretch the new one and push it down to where the old one was?

Little o-ring goes on the bolt, big o-ring goes around the "can" or "cup" in the groove provided; don't forget to lube both with clean oil prior to installation and wipe off the mounting surfaces first. So, yes.

argatoga · June 29th, 2009, 10:52 PM

Yea I figured that and went ahead with it.

Happy good times for me. Smoke seems to be escaping out of the header where it meets the mufflers. I took a look and it is rusted. I awesomely enough hadn't noticed this when I bought it.

http://pic.phyrefile.com/a/ar/argatoga/2009/06/29/fuck.jpg

Spectre · June 30th, 2009, 12:59 AM

Got a better detail pic?

Also, FYI: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/78-HO...81410004r20573

June 28th, 2009, 9:00 PM	#1902
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	Yep that's the one. The guy hadn't riden it much and had limited gararge space. So I benefit from all the maintence he put into it. Started well on a cold start and had little cosmetic blemishes. I managed to drop it while loading it on my trailer, but it fell on padding so I'm going to guess it is ok. Righ now I am transporting it on it's side, ye yea I know, it isn't topped off with fuel and there was minimal leaking. __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 28th, 2009, 10:13 PM	#1907
Spectre Joined: Feb 1st, 2007 Last Online: 3:12 AM Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 8,351 Car: 87 XJ6, 95 XJR, 90 WD21, 86 CB700SC, 98 PC800 Rep Power: 191	Ah, good. That's what the crash bars are for. I assume it didn't roll over onto the handlebars? Those crash bars/hoops are some of the best things you can have fitted to a learner's motorcycle. The rule is that new riders will drop their bikes at least once in their first six months while riding it. (That's six months worth of riding, not six months chronologically.) Everyone does it. Anyone who says otherwise either hasn't got six months' riding in yet or is lying - there are no exceptions. __________________ Enough is enough. We are not here to subsidize your clueless business plans or reward your failures. 1986 Honda Nighthawk 700S (project, light restoration in progress) 1987 Jaguar XJ6 Series III Vanden Plas (modified) 1990 Nissan (WD21) Pathfinder SE 4x4 (little red offroad commuter box) 1995 Jaguar (X300) XJR 1998 Honda Pacific Coast PC800 (two-wheeled pickup truck/utility bike) Last edited by Spectre; June 28th, 2009 at 10:16 PM.

June 28th, 2009, 10:17 PM	#1908
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	The handlebars didn't hit anything so I will just clean up any fuel that leaked out. __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 29th, 2009, 1:52 AM	#1909
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	OK after cleaning up and letting it sit for a bit I fired it up. I now have an oil light. I guess most of it leaked out and to pollute the land during transport. I might as well change it. What should I use? And where is the oil filter located? __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 29th, 2009, 3:36 AM	#1910
Spectre Joined: Feb 1st, 2007 Last Online: 3:12 AM Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 8,351 Car: 87 XJ6, 95 XJR, 90 WD21, 86 CB700SC, 98 PC800 Rep Power: 191	The oil filter should be front and center behind the header pipes on the front of the engine. It is a replaceable element type, much like an air filter, except it filters oil. It will be carried in a finned "can" protruding from the front of the engine. It is held on by a single bolt; you need to replace the o-ring around the bolt and around the can every time you change the filter. Fortunately, the filters come with these. As for the oil, you used to be able to use car oil. Unfortunately, in the name of "protecting the earth" car oils now carry substances that poison your wet clutch and no longer carry the materials needed to prevent wear in air cooled engines. You can use special motorcycle oils - or you can use diesel-only oils, as they do not carry the clutch poisons. One favorite among those that do is Shell Rotella and Rotella T, both of which have been tested and found to work. You may also be able to find Honda's GN4 or HP4 oils at a reasonable price at your dealer or many bike shops. Weight should be 10W30 or 10W40 and is usually indicated either on the dipstick/filler cap or somewhere nearby. __________________ Enough is enough. We are not here to subsidize your clueless business plans or reward your failures. 1986 Honda Nighthawk 700S (project, light restoration in progress) 1987 Jaguar XJ6 Series III Vanden Plas (modified) 1990 Nissan (WD21) Pathfinder SE 4x4 (little red offroad commuter box) 1995 Jaguar (X300) XJR 1998 Honda Pacific Coast PC800 (two-wheeled pickup truck/utility bike) Last edited by Spectre; June 29th, 2009 at 3:41 AM.

June 29th, 2009, 4:01 AM	#1911
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	Cool cool. I just found a copy of the shop manual on-line. __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 29th, 2009, 4:19 AM	#1912
BlaRo Lady GaGa's #1 Fan Joined: Aug 18th, 2005 Last Online: 12:35 AM Location: Assachusetts Age: 21 Posts: 11,259 Car: 1997 Yamaha Seca II, 1976 Honda CB550F Rep Power: 372	And just to warn you (but hopefully not to scare you off): if the bolt is anything like the one on my CB550, then it's going to be a humongous pain in the ass to remove. If it's stuck you can either grind the bolt off, which is simple and straightforward but may necessitate a new oil filter cover (find one on eBay), or you can hammer in a socket that's slightly smaller than the bolt, hit it with lots of PB Blaster, sacrifice a chicken to the Gods of Motorcycling, let the chemicals sink in for a while, then try to loosen it from there. You'll destroy a socket in the process, however. __________________ "It is impossible to describe this kind of performance to the uninitiated. Telling a traffic officer or a safety crusader like Ralph Nader that 100 mph can be safe is like reading the Constitution to a Maoist; it is a strange and hostile concept." -Brock Yates. The body was accidentally unearthed from a shallow grave by construction workers. Because of Parkinson's.

June 29th, 2009, 4:22 AM	#1913
Spectre Joined: Feb 1st, 2007 Last Online: 3:12 AM Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 8,351 Car: 87 XJ6, 95 XJR, 90 WD21, 86 CB700SC, 98 PC800 Rep Power: 191	Actually, that whole Twinstar series has the later larger style bolt heads that are harder. He probably won't round it off like what was so common on the SOHC/4s. The Twinstars' bolts usually come off with no muss, no fuss, and they don't have the headers in the way. FYI, there's a retrofit bolt for the old SOHC/4s. __________________ Enough is enough. We are not here to subsidize your clueless business plans or reward your failures. 1986 Honda Nighthawk 700S (project, light restoration in progress) 1987 Jaguar XJ6 Series III Vanden Plas (modified) 1990 Nissan (WD21) Pathfinder SE 4x4 (little red offroad commuter box) 1995 Jaguar (X300) XJR 1998 Honda Pacific Coast PC800 (two-wheeled pickup truck/utility bike)

June 29th, 2009, 4:55 AM	#1915
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	Woot for I. I will go hit up some of the local motorcycle shops for the filter/oil. It doesn't look like NAPA or O'Rilly have bike parts. Do I just ask for engine oil or do I need the specific Honda GN4 or HP4 stuff? __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 29th, 2009, 7:57 PM	#1917
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	I am assuming that O-ring goes around the bolt end. Do I just cut off the old one then stretch the new one and push it down to where the old one was? __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 29th, 2009, 10:52 PM	#1919
argatoga Can't Start His Wank Joined: Oct 4th, 2005 Last Online: 2:49 AM Location: Washington State, USA Age: 26 Posts: 4,793 Car: '78 MG Midget, '78 Honda CB400t Rep Power: 164	Yea I figured that and went ahead with it. Happy good times for me. Smoke seems to be escaping out of the header where it meets the mufflers. I took a look and it is rusted. I awesomely enough hadn't noticed this when I bought it. __________________ "If you think about it breast implants aren't much different than braces. Their main purpose is to improve one's appearance, at least that's how it was in my case." - KaJun "Anyway, I'm off to eat my dick" - Austere

June 30th, 2009, 12:59 AM	#1920
Spectre Joined: Feb 1st, 2007 Last Online: 3:12 AM Location: Dallas, Texas Age: 32 Posts: 8,351 Car: 87 XJ6, 95 XJR, 90 WD21, 86 CB700SC, 98 PC800 Rep Power: 191	Got a better detail pic? Also, FYI: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/78-HO...81410004r20573 __________________ Enough is enough. We are not here to subsidize your clueless business plans or reward your failures. 1986 Honda Nighthawk 700S (project, light restoration in progress) 1987 Jaguar XJ6 Series III Vanden Plas (modified) 1990 Nissan (WD21) Pathfinder SE 4x4 (little red offroad commuter box) 1995 Jaguar (X300) XJR 1998 Honda Pacific Coast PC800 (two-wheeled pickup truck/utility bike)

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