I now own a pansy girl's bike

[xwhatsit]

Once upon a time, I was secure in my masculinity. I may have owned a Honda, but it was a proper man's bike, no electric start to be seen, occasionally kicking back through the starter, requiring at least three gigantic kicks before it would think about coughing from cold; and when hot, a proper balls-out sprinting bump start. Tick-over? Forget it! Take your hand of the throttle for a moment in traffic and it would stop running -- requiring another draining bump start.

But today I did something odd. I poked and prodded around with multimeter and screwdriver, eventually replacing both coil and CDI. I'd tried replacing these individually before, but replacing both weirdly seemed to do the trick (makes me think that yet something else was the problem -- dodgy ground wire got nudged?).

Now?! Bloody bike starts first kick, hot or cold. I can even do it bare-foot. It idles happily away in traffic, despite roasting my legs, for as long as I can be bothered to sit there with arms folded.

I can feel my manliness slipping away quickly. My bike no longer causes people to call me `dedicated' and `a real biker'; no! now it's merely a gentle-natured Honda -- the sort of machine you meet the Nicest People on. It's now a happy little girl's bike, with no quirks at all apart from the oil leaks, vibration and ineffectual brakes.

I'm feeling rather depressed.

[Ixion]

You need to replace the carb. Check out Amal GP

[Disco Dan]

Looks like you need to get yourself a badge......

[xwhatsit]

You need to replace the carb. Check out Amal GP

Keihin CRS looks rather more tasty. No pilot jet or choke would put me in a similar situation to the GP, however...

That bling was meant to be `I don't think he got it', not `I dont' -- I do actually rather like RDs, even though they're Pansy Girl Bikes when it comes to starting too.

At least they smoke, unlike my bike.

Frigging Hondas.

[Motu]

My XT has gone from electric start only to kick start only - 'coz I'm a man and booting a 621cc single into life is no worries....

I am now looking for a strong silent man with big thighs and a slow brain - someone to warm my bike up in the mornings and hold it for me so I can get off it at night.The ability to start and refuel a lawnmower,mend spouting etc would be an advantage.Not that I can't do these things for myself....

[xwhatsit]

Sounds like it's a hard life being a real man an' all, Motu.

Figure I might avoid becoming one by continuing to buy old Hondas and mowing the lawns with my ancient electric lawnmower wot plugs into a wall socket.


Anybody got any ideas why I had to replace both coil and CDI? It seems strange that both were naff. It's silly that I managed to fix the thing in the end by throwing parts at it, which is exactly what I didn't want to do.

[erik]

No more push starts eh.

[Ixion]

Many machines have various models of both coil and CPU (and stator/pulse coil). They come as sets an using a CPU of type A with a coil of type B doesn't always work very well.

[xwhatsit]

Interesting point, that. I've just found out courtesy of Econohonda that my engine and frame numbers don't match; the frame is a 1983 CB250RSD -- the Pansy Girl electric start model -- whereas the engine is a 1980 RSA lump. Explains why the engine was so knackered when I got it despite low kilometres (although they aren't long-life motors).

CDI and coil might well have been different. The coil numbers matched up with the replacement, but I didn't look at the CDI. Which isn't really a CDI (and it's got a flaming mechanical centrifugal advance inside the engine, so how complicated can the un-CDI be?) but that's a different story.

[jtzzr]

No more push starts eh.

Doesn`t sound like it, Was so entertaining to watch.

[barty5]

[QUOTE=xerxesdaphat;1372567]
I can even do it bare-foot.

oooh dont do this i learnt the hard way 5 years ago couldnt be bother to go get boot or shoe to move bike to lazy the push ended up with large chunk of foot hanging off bottom of foot and 9 stiches ( it kicked back) and bike lying there covered in blood not a good look 10 days out from xmas

[jonbuoy]

Don't go spending too much on the 250 Cafe start saving your pennies for the 750 with kick start might be coming up at the end of summer..............

[Insanity_rules]

now it's merely a gentle-natured Honda -- the sort of machine you meet the Nicest People on. It's now a happy little girl's bike, with no quirks at all apart from the oil leaks, vibration and ineffectual brakes.

I'm feeling rather depressed.

Replace the exhaust with something that sounds like the gates of hell opening. Then no one can accuse you of a femme bike.

Problem solved!

[vifferman]

I have a solution for you, Mr PansyGurrrlMan: seeing as you are talking about replacing the tank*, why don't you fit an XR500 donk in the frame? My XBR500RS was a CB250Rs with XR500 donk in it, and no compression release lever, so starting it was a ritual: fold up right-hand footpeg, find TDC, then Whumpah!

*The standard tank would need a "cut'n'shut" in any case, to accommodate the XR's rocker cover), so replacement would be a good idea..

[tri boy]

I have a solution for you, Mr PansyGurrrlMan: seeing as you are talking about replacing the tank*, why don't you fit an XR500 donk in the frame? My XBR500RS was a CB250Rs with XR500 donk in it, and no compression release lever, so starting it was a ritual: fold up right-hand footpeg, find TDC, then Whumpah!

*The standard tank would need a "cut'n'shut" in any case, to accommodate the XR's rocker cover), so replacement would be a good idea..

Hell yes. the one that had the reed block fitted to help tame it in the starting area.(throw that thing away), fit a Dell orto Pumper carb, twist throttle 3 times, kick start bike with throttle wide open, and get ya mates to call a knee surgeon.