Honda C50 `restoration'

[xwhatsit]

I put `restoration' in quotes because it's not really, it's just rebuilding an old shitty Super Cub so my sister can ride it to uni and back.

I wanted to keep the red but sis specified dark blue... so now I'll have to buy lots of `Honda' badges to stick everywhere so people won't think it's a Yamaha V50. Had some spraycans mixed up from Colorworks in Mt Wellington/Penrose, cheap as chips, have one spare in case of the inevitable drop while learning.

Plastics were dirt-cheap from Thailand, seem good quality with the exception of the RHS sidecover which I'll have to file down to fit.

Tail was the biggest pain in the arse, rust all through the thin metal mudguard (which is welded to the frame so can't flog a new one). Lots and lots of bog New swingarm, old one was bent, sure to improve the handling!

Painting is done now, got better as I went along. Now just need to get new speedo (bought one but it's from a later model that is too wide despite looking almost identical in pictures, original one is broked), tyres, brake shoes, grips, mirrors, sort out the electrics (head/tail lights and horn go but no indicators), figure out the throttle (it's got a funny spiral system in the handlebar, at any rate it's flogged out and rooted) and numerous other things. Bought the ex a sewing machine for Christmas, now I get to ask her to make a new seat cover. The bottom half of the chaincase was missing and the top half is fucked, so I will have to locate one of those but it's not essential, really.

If anybody has any parts or literature I'd love to hear from you!

[GerryAttrick]

Keep those stories rolling - my wife wants a step thru just like that one.

Don't forget some pix when its finished

[James Deuce]

Totally awesome man. Is your sister still getting her hands dirty?

[Big Dave]

>>so people won't think it's a Yamaha V50.<<

.........somebody thought of the children.

[carver]

i might be able to find a old cub if anyone is after one

[tri boy]

Nice wk Xer
The m/cycling gods will reward you in the future, for putting the effort into an old classic like that.

[xwhatsit]

Hah, Jim, while she's quite good at taking things apart I'm going to exercise some caution with the reassembly I'm dangerous enough! No she'll definitely be involved as possible, need to teach her a few things anyway like oil changes and chain maintenance.

Looks like Econohonda might have the bits I need to finish it off. Hopefully the little slider inside the throttle will fix the problem it has (keep turning the throttle back and it'll go past the stop and jam... such a silly design for a throttle, not at all like the rest of the bike, needlessly complicated and prone to wear). Can't wait to ride the thing again, it's such a happy wee bike.


Pics: Left -- what I need; Right -- what I bought

[Squiggles]

i might be able to find a old cub if anyone is after one

Hell yeah

[carver]

Hell yeah

tis a bit rusty....
been out in the rain for a bit

[xwhatsit]

Yay, I got the horn going, felt I deserved a beer after that.

Anybody know if the lights should work without the engine running? I haven't installed it yet.

On another note the front fork is definitely bent; could only really see it after putting the front wheel in place with the mudguard and turning the whole shebang upside down. Will have to acquire a new front fork, no rush, it's very agricultural and leading link so it won't explode or anything. Considering the (rather worse off) swingarm I think it might've had a bit of a munting down the left hand side at one point.

[Ixion]

Anybody know if the lights should work without the engine running? I haven't installed it yet.

Not on the early models. Battery was horn and indicators only, lights ran diretc of the flywheel mag. Dunno about later models. Is it OHV or OHC ?

[xwhatsit]

OHC. According to a Pomgolian Cub forum I frequent I won't have any lights (got a reply this morning). I didn't have indicators before and I still don't have indicators now. Might be that little magic box that does the flashing tickity-boo, everything else traces fine.

[Motu]

I don't think they ever changed - mine was 1981...battery does horn,indicators and brake light.It might pay to be in neutral at the lights with the revs high at night....bikes have been rear ended at night with only a glowing tail light at idle.

I had a lot of trouble keeping my indicators going,but a 12v electronic flasher unit solved it.I think the one I used was banned - they would keep the indicators flashing no matter the state of the bulbs,which is not a good safety feature.

[xwhatsit]

Well after fiddling around trying to trace the problem I now have nothing at all. Battery is putting out a nice 6V or so (yeah it should be higher but I haven't given it a proper charge yet, I'm just using it to trace the electrics). I had a nice horn before but now I'm only getting 0.2V through the ignition switch and the horn rang for about half a second then stopped forever more.

I think the indicators were down to poor earthing. What is the funny resistor (old-school resistor, wire-wound with green material shielding) which comes out of a pink wire and goes directly to ground all about?!

But this new problem is something different altogether. Oh how I hate this stuff.

EDIT: Sorted it, wiggled some wires around and one of the ones which go into the ignition switch connector fell out in my hand. So I delved into the trusty spare CB250RS wiring loom and found a switch that had the same size connectors... winner. Still don't know wtf this magic resistor is all about though, and I still have no indicators but it's time to go to class.

The resistor is up the top of the attached diagram, see how it just goes straight to ground? Is this where I get my ground from? Because apart from the ignition switch (which doesn't really have a ground, it's attached to nothing at the moment and will have a plastic bracket), how does the negative on the battery reach ground? Do I need to run a ground to the ignition switch perhaps. If not, wtf is the resistor for

[tri boy]

looks like a voltage resistor for the charge/light circuit.
(allowing for current variation when lights are on, or switched off?).
Been a while since I butchered/worked on Honda AC lighting systems.
Measure resistance across it to see if it is burnt/damaged.
Got no specs to throw your way.
Soz.