SOAP gets The Little Blue Honda out of the closet

The SOAP · 13th January 2009, 10:19

A call was put out for anyone able to transport a bike from Auckland to Napier. After a few phone calls I offered to do so, in return for a few days break…the story begins….
Shot over to Frosty’s to collect his trailer (many thanks, Frosty), then off to pick up Skidmark. Once the change of ownership papers were located in some dark, forgotten corner of his room we were off to pick up the bike.
Up goes the gargre door and there is no bike to be seen. SM points to a bookshelf and proudly exclaims the bike is behind the shelf. Yeah right!
First we have to move a bucket of bolts that have been dumped in front of it. In the alcove, bike parts after bike parts appear, bags followed, fairings, bits and more bits. Suddenly there it is.
A lufferly blue Honda, ready to come out of the closet (it is after all, a Honda).
The bike actually starts and is put on the trailer. I reminds SM to tie it down properly. Imagine the thread that would appear on KB if it falls off….Jeebus, 40 mins later SM is happy “the bike is going nowhere”. Time to cut a track for Napier…
Uneventful drive. The bike bounced around over some pretty nasty roadworks. Coming over the Nap-Taupo Rd the rain sets in and visibility is about 2 metres. It looks like the bike has moved so out in the rain to check the tiedowns. I think “Yep, that bike is going nowhere” and the journey continues.
Met by Mstrs and Yungatart, and the rain is now torrential, but “the Lufferly Blue Honda has made it”
Unloading was fun…3 people, 1 brolly and was it pissing down, or what! And she sure was securely tied down!!!
A quick look at it in the dark, test the horn (pathetic!) and we decide, “Just a bit of maintenance, light adjustment, she’ll be sweet….
The Lufferly Blue Honda has other ideas….
I' ll leave it now,for Mstrs or Yungatart to take over
Thanks for your hospitality guys..was lovely to meet you!

**yungatart** · 13th January 2009, 10:48

Sunday morning dawns wet and cool. After a breakfast of bacon ad eggs, Mstrs (henceforth known as Head Mechanic, HM for short), the SOAP and I head out to the gargre to sort the LBH, it shouldn’t take long…..

Battery on charge...contacts covered in that white powdery stuff that they are well known for creating….
Rear brake pedal is at some strange angle...to remove this you have to undo the foot peg assembly and partially remove the right hand exhaust pipe…
Tyres…rear is marginal, front is one of those tyres designed to kill bikers... Bike stropped to rafters and wheels removed. Rear wheel removal necessitates partial removal of the exhaust because the mufflers are perfectly aligned with the axle, droppping the tensioners out of the way and removing the tensioner retaining block, wheel then slides out with axle intact.
Front wheel removed and caliper nudged out of the way.
HM reminds us (on several occasions) “Don’t touch the front brake, OK” He even goes to great lengths to explain how grabbing the front brake will push the pads together, and create lots of unnecessary work for him and his “persuader”.
We understand and solemnly promise to not touch the front brake. Remember this!

Off to team Cudby for a bludge through his bucket bits…
Traded the tyres with him for 2 new ones…unfortunately in the process of fitting the tyres to the rims the tubes were ruined….
Looked at the brake pedal…decided not cut it but to bend it into shape. “try not to break it” Within 20 seconds, it has become ”Cut it, and weld the fucker”
Sourced another battery, a matching pair of mirrors and 5 million capsicum plants.
Thanks Team Cudby!

Back home to do an oil change. The manual says 2 litres, it dropped 1 l and took 1.6 l to fill according to the dipstick.
We learned not to screw the dipstick down….
Rear brake replaced…..the angle is almost perfect! Woohoo!
HM notices r/h carb airbox boot is not attached, half an hour cursing and swearing and judicious use of the persuader convinces the boot that it better comply.
Lights and indicators checked. Headlight doesn’t go on low beam but everything else works fine, including brake light on both brakes! Oops…remember the lack of front wheel.
The SOAP, comfortably reclining in a deck chair with cigarette and Woodstock in hand, bursts into uncontrollable laughter! At least someone remembered….too late. Lucky the persuader is still working!
The headlight bulb is really weird, none of us have seen anything like it before. I hope it is not going to be a problem.
As it is a Sunday, there is not much more can be done until the shops open tomorrow.
Must be time for a drink or two and maybe some dinner..it is nearly 8 pm, so I trudge inside to cook for hungry bike builders/destroyers.

**Nasty** · 13th January 2009, 12:23

hmm .. sounds good so far ... any pics???

**yungatart** · 13th January 2009, 13:05

Day 2
Tyres dropped off at local tyre shop for repair and fitting to the rims.The two young guys state that they can’t do motorcycle tyres as this is a car tyre shop. The owner however is a very clever chap. He can do them, and assures us they will be ready by 10.30.
Righto, off to source this funny headlight bulb. Three bike shops later, the young guy behind the counter goes across the road to his supplier and returns with the correct bulb. Cheap as, at $10!
Pick up the tyres, as arranged. Total cost $24…this is working out really well, so far.
Wheels fitted, remembering to use exact reverse order….not. Luckily The SOAP sits there observantly, speaking little, but wisely…just a little late tho, ah, well, we are still learning.
The fuel tap has 3 positions, all unmarked. Removing the hose to the carbs it is obvious which setting is off, leaving an educated guess as to which is on and reserve. Remember this…
Mirrors attached, headlight bulb installed, quick check that all systems are go, side covers replaced, seat on, horn adjusted so it can be heard at more than 2 paces, fuel tap on…plenty of battery life and some fuel, lets start her up.
Key on, starter thumbed, lovely, she turns over, but will she fire? Hell no!!
The lufferly little Honda has other ideas….
We looked at each other…surely not the coils??
I figure that it is better to start with something simple like the plugs…out come the plugs and turn the bike over, hmmm, not a very strong spark, if at all…Mstrs heads off down the road again, cash in hand, looking for a pair of plugs….the local m/c wrecker has a box of AC GM plugs of varying sizes all brand new, in their packets, $2 a pop and as luck would have it, he had a pair of the appropriate grade.
Meanwhile I have the polishing cloth out…chrome (there’s a bit on there) all shiny and sparkling, a bit of elbow grease here and there, a “Reach” toothbrush into all those hard to get places….She is looking mighty fine!
Plugs fitted, hold our tongues right, pray to the biker Gods, and she lives!!
The last little bit, off to get a WOF, change ownership, and renew the rego, which has been on hold.
It appears that there is more air in the petrol tank than was previously though, as with a cough and a lurch, reserve position for the fuel tap is confirmed! At least, we guessed something right, although I did text a Honda owner or two, so they were educated guesses.
Mstrs finally returns, with the bike all legal, to be faced with questions like “How come you missed those gear changes?”
It appears that the clutch is slipperier than a greased eel…hmmm, might need to track down new clutch plates…
That can be tomorrow’s job...this bike mechanicking is hard work...they are demanding dinner and beverages....and so I am I!

**MadDuck** · 13th January 2009, 18:13

Originally Posted by yungatart

The SOAP, comfortably reclining in a deck chair with cigarette and Woodstock in hand, bursts into uncontrollable laughter! At least someone remembered….too late.

What a very rude SOAP!

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th January 2009, 18:28

Originally Posted by MadDuck

What a very rude SOAP!

Probably the 'S'tress...

**Clivoris** · 13th January 2009, 18:33

Haha. What a sweet read that was. Do you do house calls? My Little Yello Honda could always do with some attention. I have my own persuader so you can travel light.

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th January 2009, 18:37

Originally Posted by Clivoris

Do you do house calls?

Until this little be-arch has been beaten or cajoled into at least a reasonable semblance of domesticity, the chain is short, my friend!!

**yungatart** · 13th January 2009, 18:47

Just to clarify things here...I'm the gofer...you know, go for this, go for that..make the coffee, hand over the spanner/crescent/screwdrivewr/whatever, make lunch, fetch the beer and cook the dinner at the end of the day.
Not one nut has been tightened by me, nor one screw loosened.
I did clean her and make her all sparkling and shiny with polish, but a fixer-upper I am not!
And Madduck, The Soap was actually quite a nice person...just had Auckland manners, eh? They are different to the rest of us....

**MadDuck** · 13th January 2009, 18:51

Originally Posted by yungatart

hand over the spanner/crescent/screwdrivewr/whatever

....and as I have had the privilege of spannering on the odd occassion I just bet the tools are all on the "other" side of the bike right???

**Nasty** · 13th January 2009, 18:52

PICTURES!!!! or it didn't happen?!?!?!?!

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th January 2009, 19:53

Originally Posted by Nasty

PICTURES!!!! or it didn't happen?!?!?!?!

Demanding little baggage!!!

Oh, all right. Here's one of the little darling without her clothes (or carbs)

**Storm** · 13th January 2009, 20:27

Nice work thus far and a great write up, conveying worlds of feeling on the bike strip and re assemble joys

**Nasty** · 13th January 2009, 20:38

man .. he is sexy that one ... looks great for a honda!!

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th January 2009, 20:40

The mis-behaving clutch gets a seeing to….
Off comes the side cover. Easy-as this time! But – one look at the nut that holds the pressure plate on…bastard, need a destroyed socket special tool. Ah fuck it…let’s try a hammer and coal chisel. Yippee! Must be only 50lb torque. She comes off without even putting in gear. Plates out and down to the wreckers first to get an idea of how worn they might be. Funny – the wrecker has umpteen dozen identical plates off models such as SL125 and GL145. Mr Honda must have decided he couldn’t improve on his early 70s design? Every one of them is thinner than what I was trying to better. Back to the online manual and wouldn’t you know it…these plates are all to original spec. Glazed, maybe? Dunno but treat them all to a gentle rub on some P800 anyway, and do the same to the metal ones using P400. Put it all back together, using the coal chisel special tool. Nice blue Hylomar gel takes care of the torn gasket. Refill with 15/50 motorcycle oil this time. Test ride. All good. No longer slipping. But now the engine is showing distinct signs of Bill Gates syndrome (rich). Bugger…bet the diaphragms in the CV carbs are toast. Or something. Back to removing stuff, so one can remove the wanted part. Carbs stripped, cleaned, airbrushed (and toothbrushed). No signs of water damage tho. Jets cleaned and sizes taken note of…hmmmm, 98 mainjet on one and 92 on the other. Manual says mainjet primary 68 and secondary 95…isn’t there only one main jet in there? Some mechanic will get his brain picked tomorrow.