Cavcraft 2021: More Italian slow shite.

[tooSavvy]

The day I collected SuziQ, from York, I wizzed down to Lincoln for the alloys... From a guy I had never actually spoken with... Great bear of a guy, Polski my guess, he was great... Insisted on a test fit if the wheels to ensure the were "Owwa Kayyee" [ruff approximation].

Deffo a shrewd move to get the 5 @£70 + get them home THEN & THERE

 

[Cavcraft]

This reared it's fantastic little head on a Facebook page yesterday. Turned out it was for sale, turned out it was very fairly priced, turned out to be 15 miles away,  turns out my mate (legit van and man) isn't working today.

 

  

 

Spares as thus:

 

Plate non-transferable (a good thing no doubt, as the bike would probably have been skipped ages ago) and the engine is from a 'modern' C90, ditto possibly the forks. Not over keen on the modern handlebars and adornments (throttles and switches)  but they're trivial things. Tbh, not normally a fan of this type of thing in general, but it's such a laugh and the modifications actually (mostly) suit it. 

Might pinch the front plate for my Lambretta as there's no real front 'guard on the Honda. The rear plate is a horrible shiny new one, can you buy old plates with a bit of 'patina' and put the stickers on yourself now? Failing that, I reckon I could make one quite easily.

 

 

[Fabergé Greggs]

55 minutes ago, Cavcraft said:

This reared it's fantastic little head on a Facebook page yesterday. Turned out it was for sale, turned out it was very fairly priced, turned out to be 15 miles away,  turns out my mate (legit van and man) isn't working today.

 

  

 

Spares as thus:

 

Plate non-transferable (a good thing no doubt, as the bike would probably have been skipped ages ago) and the engine is from a 'modern' C90, ditto possibly the forks. Not over keen on the modern handlebars and adornments (throttles and switches)  but they're trivial things. Tbh, not normally a fan of this type of thing in general, but it's such a laugh and the modifications actually (mostly) suit it. 

Might pinch the front plate for my Lambretta as there's no real front 'guard on the Honda. The rear plate is a horrible shiny new one, can you buy old plates with a bit of 'patina' and put the stickers on yourself now? Failing that, I reckon I could make one quite easily.

 

 

That’s ace! Holler me when it comes to pass it on.. 

[Matty]

Now that is smart. Where dya find all this tackle? Must spend your life online 👍

[Cavcraft]

2 minutes ago, Matty said:

Now that is smart. Where dya find all this tackle? Must spend your life online 👍

I do hammer the internet to be fair, this was on a social media page.

[Matty]

Is it a working riding thing? If so thats a real result. Im not a fan of the whole dont paint thing, but that looks a survivor and Bob on as is

[Cavcraft]

37 minutes ago, Matty said:

Is it a working riding thing? If so thats a real result. Im not a fan of the whole dont paint thing, but that looks a survivor and Bob on as is

Yes, all up and running. Just looking at the pictures, maybe the back mud guard needs to be black? Obvs not shiny gloss black, but a mat type finish.

[Ghosty]

Someone on here made their own riveted plate recently didn't they? All you'd need is the right used numbers (eBay?) and some metal to stick them to. 

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Ghosty said:

Someone on here made their own riveted plate recently didn't they? All you'd need is the right used numbers (eBay?) and some metal to stick them to. 

and @strangeangel makes some lovely stencilled plates  

as for comercial options most people go to https://www.tippersvintageplates.co.uk/ for vintage style plates these days I think

 

[strangeangel]

Oh wow! First the Chang Jiang, and now this. This place etc.

 

Modifications shmodifications... I would roll that as is, it's wonderful. All the things that have happened to it over the years are part of its story IMHO.  As for the plate? Just make one... a Tippers etc. thing is what those horrible otherworldly better-than-new restos in gleaming two pack paint wear. Just make one like I did:

 

 

Wheelie bin letters, satin black paint and a bit of ali plate off eBay is all you need 👍

 

EDIT: I think the forks are original, although the front guard definitely isn't. I should have a workshop manual on CD somewhere for that, will dig it out. I had a good mate who was an expert on these matters but he passed away a few years ago, sadly... there is a Honda ninety forum where some knowledgeable people still hang out, but bear in mind that the owner is a racist, conspiracy-theorist nut-job who idea of a good time is marching with the EDL. Caveat emptor etc.

[Cavcraft]

Back home from work and it wasn't raining (should have gone in on the C200 but it's locked away) so decided to have a look at the A100. Initially the clutch didn't seem to do anything, the brakes were laughable and when cold it was leaking exhaust fumes from the joint between the down  pipe and the exhaust.

Clutch seems fine now, guessing it had partially stuck due to not being used.  Tightened the exhaust clamp, no more problems there and then had a go at the brakes. The back adjusted up, but was still crap, so had another got and over did it a bit, so backed it off a touch, Still feeble, but marginally better now. The front was a bit of a bastard, turning the adjusting nut 'thing' on the (wheel) end of the cable just resulted in the whole cable itself turning, so the nut just sprang back round to where it had started! Freed off the adjuster arm, then sprayed some penetrating oil on the cable and got a socket on the nut. That did the job, again a bit of adjustment and much better.

 

    

[Minimad5]

On 12/19/2020 at 1:37 PM, Cavcraft said:

 

Do like !

[Cavcraft]

It was a nice car until the interior fire

[strangeangel]

2 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

Back home from work and it wasn't raining (should have gone in on the C200 but it's locked away) so decided to have a look at the A100. Initially the clutch didn't seem to do anything, the brakes were laughable and when cold it was leaking exhaust fumes from the joint between the down  pipe and the exhaust.

Clutch seems fine now, guessing it had partially stuck due to not being used.  Tightened the exhaust clamp, no more problems there and then had a go at the brakes. The back adjusted up, but was still crap, so had another got and over did it a bit, so backed it off a touch, Still feeble, but marginally better now. The front was a bit of a bastard, turning the adjusting nut 'thing' on the (wheel) end of the cable just resulted in the whole cable itself turning, so the nut just sprang back round to where it had started! Freed off the adjuster arm, then sprayed some penetrating oil on the cable and got a socket on the nut. That did the job, again a bit of adjustment and much better.

 

    

 

Blimey! My first bike was an A100, back in about 1987. 

 

[bezzabsa]

3 hours ago, Cavcraft said:

It was a nice car until the interior fire

??????????

and Loving the Honda.............and PLEASE matt black the rust... will look 100% better

[Cavcraft]

Oddly enough, was weighing up plate bumming the A100 to shove on the Mercedes.

[wuvvum]

I've never ridden an A100 - I imagine them being similar to a YB100, albeit with a more normal gearbox?

[Cavcraft]

Can't remember the last time I tried a YB, to be honest, possibly about 1982. These (along with the Yam and the likes of the KC100) were pretty much derided by the fashionable* youth of the day.  Flat out would guess it'd struggle to about 45mph.  

[wuvvum]

That's more or less what I thought - closer to a YB than to the "quick" 100s like the RS/RXS and Honda H100

[Cavcraft]

3 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

That's more or less what I thought - closer to a YB than to the "quick" 100s like the RS/RXS and Honda H100

Definitely more 'commuter on a budget' bikes than pretending to be fast. I suppose if you were stuck and didn't want to do 29mph on a 50 or be able to afford something quick* they were a good idea. 

Did have an extremely brief stint with a  B120 years ago, it just felt hopeless to be honest.

[strangeangel]

30 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I've never ridden an A100 - I imagine them being similar to a YB100, albeit with a more normal gearbox?

 

I had two of them, they were the first 'proper' bikes I had after my Puch moped. It's difficult to assess how good or bad they really were as a breed because, as you might imagine, they were pretty much life expired when I bought them for £50 and £75 respectively. The first one - a 1978 job - smoked like a bastard and struggled to achieve 45mph, so naturally I assumed it was knackered and bought another, figuring to use the first one for spares. The second was the dearer one, a 1982 X-reg. This went no faster and smoked no less than the first one. The only other thing that sticks out in my mind is how shit the brakes were on both of them.

 

I was pleased to sell the whole lot for £50 and put that towards the £300 I needed to buy a Z440 with a Squire chair attached.

 

EDIT: I once met a girl at a rally who had owned a B120, and, probably to no-one's great surprise, she described it in much the same words as I have used to describe the smaller bike here. 

 

[Cavcraft]

The horrible looking number plate has been sorted.

 

 

Should really have prepped/primered it first, but basically just turned the plate that was on it the other way round, sprayed it roughly with £1 Shop matt black, then fitted the letters/numbers I ordered off eBay. Very happy with the result, looks suitably crap imho...

 

[Cavcraft]

Right:

Out:

Vespa: Will regret not keeping it as it was a bit of a one off, but it has created more room at the inn.

Astra:  Hummed and hahhed over that, £20 tax, cheap to run. Wasn't being used though and panicked over having too many cars here.

Yaris: On loan to a mate.

Watburg:  As mentioned elsewhere.

 

Living life on the edge: 

Merc:  The tosspot who sold it to me hasn't been in touch again, it'll be mildly amusing if he thinks it's all forgotten about.

Transit: the mobile welder has been making excuse after excuse about coming out to look at it and give me a quote. He's obviously not arsed, so I'm not chasing him. 

Piaggio 50: Probably be leaving at some point.

Testing times:

The little A100 although MOT exempt has been put in for one. Ashamed to say that's in case I bum it for the plate (have already been offered a price from a dealer for it. Looked on line before and it's passed!

 

 

Luckily, someone (elsewhere) mentioned a multi-bike insurance company who were quite cheap. 13 bike policy has gone from £701 to £420 (all fully comp) but they won't insure Chinese bikes, so the Lifan would need to have a separate policy and they reckon I can't use my no claims for that.

 

 

[Cavcraft]

A100 passed the MOT and so did the little Piaggio!

[Cavcraft]

Another arrival today, an eBay special that seemed too good to ignore.  The fabulous @worldofcericollected it and dropped it off for a very fair price, it arrived this afternoon.

 

 

 

Time permitting, I'll whizz the engine out (seized) and have a little look at it. 

 

[wuvvum]

Seems a bit overkill using a Sorento and mahoosive trailer to deliver that little thing!

How long has it been off the road for?

[Cavcraft]

16 hours ago, wuvvum said:

Seems a bit overkill using a Sorento and mahoosive trailer to deliver that little thing!

How long has it been off the road for?

Truthfully no idea, I bet it's been a while though!

 

Meanwhile, the Yaris has gone and I ended up taking this against it...

 

 

 

It'd failed the MOT and 'wasn't worth doing' according to the lad I got it off. Checked just now and despite a fairly decent list of advisories, the only actual fail/s are the gearbox mounting support being worn and the gearbox and radiator support being corroded. Possibly worth doing, will speak to my mate at the garage for a quote. Failing that it'll be spin the wheel on the game of BBO, (Bridge, Boat, Oval).

[Cavcraft]

This arrived today...

 

It's still tested for a bit. Apparently it 'Drives ok for about 10, until it starts to heat up, then it starts to judder. After about 50 miles it will start to cut out'.

It was in a motorbike place for repair, they've fitted a new plug and HT cap and done the oil. I've no idea whether it's done the job or not, but it pulls very well!  

 

 

 

 

 

[LostnotFound]

Did it come with the standard aftermarket upgrade of a claw hammer under the seat?

 

It's a shame I'd be paranoid just riding that anywhere south of the watford gap because they have always come across as the ideal extra urban commuter. What are they like on the motorway in crap weather? I'm sure it's just my own inbuilt scooter phobia that makes me presume they'd feel a tad shifty.

 

 

[Cavcraft]

1 hour ago, LostnotFound said:

Did it come with the standard aftermarket upgrade of a claw hammer under the seat?

 

It's a shame I'd be paranoid just riding that anywhere south of the watford gap because they have always come across as the ideal extra urban commuter. What are they like on the motorway in crap weather? I'm sure it's just my own inbuilt scooter phobia that makes me presume they'd feel a tad shifty.

 

 

 

Haven't tried one on the open road, but I think they're supposed to be quite good. Seems very torquey and has a nice growl from that pipe.

Good job the couriers are still working, isn't it? Another one entered the fold today...

 

 

A small amount of spares came with it, he thinks there's more and will message me if/when he finds them. It's had some serious money thrown at it, but clearly there's more to do. My skills* will probably amount to checking what I need is there and seeing what condition it's all in, before deciding if they're good enough to go on. I think the garage I use will end up taking the rest of the work on.