The Bikeshite Thread

[strangeangel]

Didnt somebody on the Beige forum

have a 90 that they had fitted alloys to?

 

I have. There aren't many suitable donors though - most of the cast-wheeled copies have disc brakes. Mine came from a Jialing JH-50, and even that's not a straight swap, as the Honda brake plate needs a bit of machining before it'll fit. The Jialing one is no good, as the brake is on the other side.

 

 

You could also look for a Lifan LF110, as some of the early ones of these (ie the ones which have already gone back to China to be re-born as IKEA cutlery) have a drum brake up front.

[UltraWomble]

Looks nice UW - can I ask what you paid?

£595 - delivered to my door by the seller.

 

I have. There aren't many suitable donors though 

Thought there was someone - its the rear wheel I want to try and beef up somewhat as I used to go through spokes like they were going out of fashion being a lard arse.

[strangeangel]

 its the rear wheel I want to try and beef up somewhat as I used to go through spokes like they were going out of fashion being a lard arse.

 

Ah, I see... well, that should be much easier. Loads of those to choose from - pretty much any Innova/Wave clone will do.

[UltraWomble]

Now thats rather useful to know. Straight swap or any fannying about with the drum / cush drive do you know?

Ive done a cursory search of the C90 forum but not found anything definitive.

[strangeangel]

Now thats rather useful to know. Straight swap or any fannying about with the drum / cush drive do you know?

 

Well, as ever with Chinese shite it's caveat emptor, but the Jialing one went straight on, as did a Wuyang Innova clone one I briefly used. Cush drive rubbers were the same, with the exception that the Chinese ones were made of the worst rubber you've ever seen that dried out and crumbled like Weetabix. I came across one wheel of unknown origin that would have needed a spacer (fat washer) for the rear drum to sit correctly, but that aside I'd be fairly confident that any of 'em will fit.

 

The only bloke on that forum who would have known for sure (he advised me what to get!) left a couple of years ago.

[DodgeRover]

The C90 - I think it's one of those vehicles, like an Alfa, everyone should own an example of at least once in their lives if they class themselves as enthusiasts.

They're bloody awful IMO, have a ride of one before buying.

Only redeeming feature is simplicity with bulletproof reliability.

[Asimo]

Traded the CBX and the CZ in for an XBR500....

It didn't stay a 500 for long, Mr Cosworth forced me to make it a 626 Lumpy cam and BFO amal carb followed soon after

I'm waffling.... Pastis again...

 

XBR500? Do tell more and photos please!

 

My only proper venture into motorcycling was this XBR for a couple of years.

A colleague pestered to buy it and since I wanted a taller bike, ie a Dominator, I was happy to sell. But then I got divorced and spent all the money on a car........

[strangeangel]

They're bloody awful IMO, have a ride of one before buying.

 

Depends what your expectations are, I guess. The aim was never pin sharp handling and neck-snapping acceleration - the Super Cub was designed to move the masses (and their noodles). It, and its descendents, are still doing this. Top tip: a pair of CG125 shocks won't break the bank, fit straight on and transform the entire plot.

 

The bike that it grew into - the Wave/Innova - is an excellent little machine: tele forks, disc brake, an extra gear and a few more cubes to boot. Early carbed ones are well and truly in the shiter price bracket nowadays; the later injection bikes can trundle along at 55-60 and return mpg scores in three figures.

[DodgeRover]

Am in need of some Franco Motori T5 engine spares, these seem to have been fitted into a lot of stuff over the years but i'm struggling to obtain anything other than gasket sets etc.

Does anybody know anybody with one?

[PiperCub]

They're bloody awful IMO, have a ride of one before buying.

Only redeeming feature is simplicity with bulletproof reliability.

 

I have on quite a few occasions sir! Am aware of their downsides.

[michael1703]

Someone should buy these and wear them to an Autoshite meet

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Orrible-Fieldsheer-Acid-Worm-1-piece-leather-motorcycle-suit-with-lid-/222393524336?hash=item33c7afe070:g:CsoAAOSwNnRYjy2c

 

I remember these back in the day, fogarty had a set when he had an 888

[DodgeRover]

The XL600R was a bargain and the engine parts were incredibly cheap! How good is the cylinder head if it was run without oil? Does the cam run in bearings or straight in the alloy like the smaller ones.

I've had 2 XL600s they're great bikes, I had one Italian import the same as yours then one of the Paris Dakar style ones complete with Arrow exhaust and 680cc big bore kit

[RickRirai]

The XL600R was 200 euros and the parts 100 so it should be a bargain if it runs. The trouble is with fixing catastrophic problem like that is you never know what else was wrong before the engine blew. But there you go, I enjoy fixing them so its ok by me. The cylinder head was fine, flat and valves etc within spec. The cam runs in bearings on either end and in a plain journal in the middle. The bare alloy journal was a bit worn with a slight build up of swarf on the leading edge but other than that ok. The cylinder was completely knackered though. I wanted to see if I could salvage at least the conrod as you have to press the conrod into the crankshaft and it needs a big press so to check I had to cut the piston off

still couldn't shift the gudgeon pin but wanted to confirm the inevitable and ended up having to saw the the hardened steel with a hacksaw

 

sadly but expectly the conrod was beyond hope but i did find the conrod and crankshaft complete for 37 euros so no worries. Plus I did discover how fantastic cling film is for protecting against dust and metal particles from falling in the engine casing!

 

I don't know whether to go the whole hog now and restore the whole bike now as the engine is tip top and resprayed. I am looking forward to having a blast though. My first bike was a DR600 so I assume it will be similar, probably better. I remember the DR had a fearsome kickback...

[DodgeRover]

Oddly I never had a problem starting my XLs (apart from getting tired quickly) I had a friend who used to be able to start his own XR600 with his hand!

[RickRirai]

I think a lot of it is about technique (ooer missus) I don't have any problems with my SR500 which is also a relatively big single and its never kicked back but I do understand how engines work now, something that was sadly lacking in my DR600 days. I think getting it just past TDC on compression is the key. I did have some right kickbacks back then though. I remember once having to retrieve a trainer from a neighbours kitchen extension roof that was blown off by the kickback.

[Guest Hooli]

A good battery never hurts either. I'm not sure on OEM systems but some aftermarket ignitions (Boyer Breakdown I'm looking at you) default to max advance on low voltage. I found this out after ending up stood on the saddle of my Bonnie when it kicked back.

[RickRirai]

By the way Dodge you obviously know a lot about XL600s and you mentioned mine was the same same as an Italian import you had. I had assumed all bikes were either US or rest of world. I know often the US versions have sealed up pilot screws in the carbs and some other things but I didn't realise UK bikes were different from Italian or in this case German bikes. How did you know it wasn't a UK bike and what are the differences?

[DodgeRover]

I bought mine from an Italian guy who was bringing bikes into the UK by the removal van load.

There's minimal differences with the larger bikes, normally within Europe it's just to met local regulations driving on the left/ right and to comply with any bhp/ weight limits.

Anything American spec can be a bit odd, Californian stuff has different emmisions set up etc.

Obviously UK market has mph clocks and a headlight that dips to the left.

The easiest way to find out where yours was bound for is to go into a local dealers who still has a micro fische system and look at the information at the start of the fische, it lists frame number ranges and prefixes along with the market they were originally bound for.

The same information might be available from the Honda EPC system that dealers have access to but I can't be sure.

[michael1703]

2.jpg

 

 

 Ricky gervais looks impressed

[RickRirai]

2.jpg

 

 

 Ricky gervais looks impressed

 

  well spotted. I was watching the film whilst putting the engine back together. I actually took the same picture about 5 time as I didn't want RG gurning away in the background but with the delay on the camera every single time the photo actually took it had planned back to him. I gave up in the end and got on with the engine.

[Guest Hooli]

I washed my bike today ready for doing some work on it, this washing bikes lark isn't a good idea....

 

 

 

...the end fell off!

 

 

I purchased one of these this morning too.

 

 

Why did suzuki fit M7x1 bolts to hold the cam cover on? no-one uses that size & now six out of the eight have stripped the holes. I've got to rethread them as they bolt into the cam journals. One of many jobs getting done to get it back on the road for the summer. The rest are rechomed & rebuilt forks with new bushes etc, new lower yoke, new steering bearings, new fuel filter (in tank bugger at £175!) sort some frame rust, new heated grips, rebuild all three callipers, new chain n sprockets, oil n filter change, grease the swingarm bearings and a new sprocket carrier bearing. I think that's all of it anyway.

[strangeangel]

My old Vespa has finally made some serious progress, although none of this recent work is down to me...

 

 

Sadly the horrible knock that accompanied the first running of the engine would indicate that the crank is shagged. New ones are available, though, so it's not the end of the world!

 

[Eddie Honda]

Why did suzuki fit M7x1 bolts to hold the cam cover on? no-one uses that size

Because they hired a Frenchman?

[Guest Hooli]

Because they hired a Frenchman?

 

Laugh.

 

Because they are cunts, same reason parts you can't buy elsewhere are an utter rip off.

[Dave_Q]

Only other M7 bolt I've ever encountered on a vehicle was the sump bolts on the Berlingo, so French infiltration might not be far off.

[Guest Hooli]

Bloke at the tool place says the only place he has ever seen them was brake callipers, but he didn't say what on.

[twosmoke300]

Vag use m7 on their engines too .

First time I ever came across it was the wheel centre caps on a mk2 Jetta

[DodgeRover]

Ossa and Montesa used M7 threaded bolts for holding crankcase halves together

[strangeangel]

...same reason parts you can't buy elsewhere are an utter rip off.

 

This is the reason I won't own another Suzuki. Their parts prices (even compared to other Jap manufacturers) are pure thievery.

[twosmoke300]

Yup cheap to buy but parts are expensive and go obsolete really quickly