Hanging up the leathers

[Hawkeye]

Well the CBX has finally decided to call it a day. Well not quite but it isn't very happy. I have been nursing it for 10.5 months but I think it is about to commit hari-kari (sp).
I now have a decision to make. Do I keep on riding it until it finally dies leaving me with no bike to sit the full. Or do I hang up the leathers, throw it in the garage and not ride until I have the full in sight.
The intention was always to rebuild the engine once I have my full and the other bike available. I was just hoping to get past the full first. But the various noises coming from the engine tells me it won't last the next 1.5 months without major open heart surgery.
In the next couple of weeks, there will days where I will not use the bike due to various alcoholic functions, so that's not too bad. It's getting through January without a fix that's going to be the problem. A whole month going cold turkey. How the hell am I going to survive.

Is it February yet?.....

[enigma51]

You can hire a bike for the full and about the riding..... fix it now will save you alot of trouble in the long run

[Hawkeye]

You can hire a bike for the full and about the riding..... fix it now will save you alot of trouble in the long run

Hiring a bike for the full. Yes that's an option I had already thought about. But I'd rather be on a machine that I know intimately than something I've probably only ridden for 30 mins prior to the test.

Fixing the bike now. The problem is time and money. Putting it into a shop is not an option as I don't have the cash. Doing it myself right now, I don't have the time.
The bike is an 85 single pot with 63,000k on the clock and very hard to get parts. I've already got the replacement sitting in the garage (see profile picture), which is another reason for not wanting to spend the time or money.

I paid $100 for this bike. Another couple of hundred getting it road legal and it has served me well for 10.5 months. I bought it purely to get me through the learners and restricted. Now I am within stricking distance, it is not worth spending a small fortune on it.
The intention is to get it back up to decent running order for my son by spending the time, with him, to rebuild the engine by ourselves.
So putting it off the road for a month and a half is the better (although hard) option. That makes it available for the test without doing much more damage to it. Then we can take our time to strip the engine down rather than doing it a hurry.

[shafty]

Have you tried ear-plugs? lol BTW that Honda 500 looks pretty rare - is it a 4 or a twin? Nice bike Mate

[davereid]

Fill it up with Slick50 !

My mums car was terminal, smoking, rattling, drove like a two-stroke. Filled it up with Slick50, and it did 5000 peaceful km before tossing a rod. Might get u thru Dec-Jan.

[scumdog]

Well the CBX has finally decided to call it a day. Well not quite but it isn't very happy. I have been nursing it for 10.5 months but I think it is about to commit hari-kari (sp).
I now have a decision to make. Do I keep on riding it until it finally dies leaving me with no bike to sit the full. Or do I hang up the leathers, throw it in the garage and not ride until I have the full in sight.
The intention was always to rebuild the engine once I have my full and the other bike available. I was just hoping to get past the full first. But the various noises coming from the engine tells me it won't last the next 1.5 months without major open heart surgery.
In the next couple of weeks, there will days where I will not use the bike due to various alcoholic functions, so that's not too bad. It's getting through January without a fix that's going to be the problem. A whole month going cold turkey. How the hell am I going to survive.

Is it February yet?.....

Listen shag, just get into it and get a new motor/rebuild the existing engine, dont fanny about waiting for the old one to expire (and babying it all the time) as it will take waaay to long.
Do it NOW - as an old fart I've been down your track - and it's not a happy one.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Listen shag, just get into it and get a new motor/rebuild the existing engine, dont fanny about waiting for the old one to expire (and babying it all the time) as it will take waaay to long.
Do it NOW - as an old fart I've been down your track - and it's not a happy one.

totally agree with Scumdog... and like him been down that road and yup it ain't happy... just get it fixed...

[Hawkeye]

Have you tried ear-plugs? lol BTW that Honda 500 looks pretty rare - is it a 4 or a twin? Nice bike Mate

Even tried using the MP3 and turning it up but can still hear the rattles

Yeah! Love the new bike.

It's an import from the UK. '98' parallel twin. Even the Honda dealer in Wellington hadn't seen that model before. Bought it off a friend who imported it a year ago. She hurt her back and can't ride anymore and just happened to mention she was selling it. She got it off her brother-in-law who had it from new. It's got full service history and has been regularly serviced by the Honda Dealers from new.

32,000k on the clock, heated grips. a scottoiler, and a professionally fitted alarm/immobiliser. All of the panels, mirrors, lights etc have a security code etched onto them. And she gave me the back box (which is now sitting in the garage) as part of the deal.

It's a dream to ride. So well balanced and has lots of grunt. It could do with the pipe changed. There's nothing wrong with it but it's so bloody quiet. I keep thinking I've stalled it because I can't hear it.

[RnB Fan]

I spent 3-4 weeks on the bus between bikes and it does your head in - you witnessed it!!! Go with whatever you're comfortable with - and whatever the Mrs will allow!

[xwhatsit]

Do you know what's wrong with it? Your engine is roughly the same as mine... so typical rattly noises come from cam chains, tensioners (all typical Honda stuff). The rattles could be as simple as needing the tappets adjusted! They're supposedly a pretty solid engine, and they're damn simple -- if something's rattling, it can only be one of a few things. Would be interesting to investigate that first.

Yes, catching the bus is f*cking horrible. I'm doing that right now... I just about weep every time some bastard goes past lane splitting lol!

[sAsLEX]

Not leather but you get the idea

[Hawkeye]

Listen shag, just get into it and get a new motor/rebuild the existing engine, dont fanny about waiting for the old one to expire (and babying it all the time) as it will take waaay to long.
Do it NOW - as an old fart I've been down your track - and it's not a happy one.

I've only got just over a month to wait for my full and then I can legally jump on the 500. I can take as long as I like after that to rebuild the cbx engine.
If I started now, due to xmas and lack of time, it would probably take me most of that month to sort it out anyway. I haven't even managed to source a manual yet. Searched the manual thread but can't find the right one.

[Hawkeye]

Do you know what's wrong with it? Your engine is roughly the same as mine... so typical rattly noises come from cam chains, tensioners (all typical Honda stuff). The rattles could be as simple as needing the tappets adjusted! They're supposedly a pretty solid engine, and they're damn simple -- if something's rattling, it can only be one of a few things. Would be interesting to investigate that first.

Yes, catching the bus is f*cking horrible. I'm doing that right now... I just about weep every time some bastard goes past lane splitting lol!

It's the CBX250RS engine which will probably be identical to yours. I just need to find the time to get on the case. Top end (tappets) seem ok but the bottom end is very clunky. The clutch is also slipping at high revs.
I did find the chain to be far too slack so have tightened that up. The front sprocket also appears to be a little loose but I can't do anything with that.
I'll probably throw a new one on and see if that helps.

I've stripped and rebuilt cage engines in the past. Cortina's, Capri's, Escorts, , Viva's , Combi vans. Used to do all of my own work on cages but I have never pulled a bike engine apart. Until I get my hands on a manual, I don't want to start just yet. Once I have the 500 on the road, I don't care if it takes 6 months. It then becomes a project with my 14 year old where he can help.

[xwhatsit]

I don't think it's quite the same engine. When I ordered my head from Econohonda, the guy was very careful to suss out whether it was CB250RS or CBX250RS, something about radial fins.... ? Who knows. Apparently somebody had made that mistake before and ordered the wrong head.

Yeah... 1 month... it's almost worth just waiting for that. Would suck though if you broke down in the test though lol. If you have a car, then just stuff it, wait a month. You could easily ride the 500 for a month and not get picked up as well.