Hiya Fellas, names Jack. I'm 27, I smoke pipe tobacco, have the Triumph logo (original) tattooed to my chest, listen to records, and ride a Ural 4 seasons in New England. I don't own a car, and the Ural, a 1997 650 Tourist is my, well, everything. But being a Ural, every so often she decides she hates me, my family, and my future offspring.
So I need a spare bike. A friend gave me a 1989 Suzuki GS500, which I don't fit on. I had helped a friend pick up a project 1979 CB650 as his "first" machine. He likes the GS500 more, I like the CB650 more. So we might have just traded. Either way though I'm doing all the work! I don't mind, I'm at my best either on a bike or under one.
So this is the so far:
Picking it up in my mate's former minivan
At home in my garage, getting center stage (my knee is blocking a shot to hell XS400, and a '76 KZ1000 A-1 with the head off)
Now, I like roadsters, I like Nortons, Triumphs, old Ducati's. I like Cafe bikes, I like simplicity, I like kick only and no battery when ever possible. I like Drag bars. I like high pipes. My dream motorcycles are a Norton Atlas and a Norton Nomad. I HAD an Atlas for a while... *sigh* Right back to the topic at hand!
First thing, I mean the VERY first thing was the handlebars had to be flat!
Next thing that happened was stripping the tank down to bare metal.
She needed a headlight, the KZ1000 style light didn't look right, the CB one was an Oval, and I'd given away my last Lucas 7" shell. So a while back I replaced the Ural light with a KZ1000 stock style, for more adjustablility in the aiming thing. So I mounted the Ural light to the CB650, came out rather nice I think.
She has since got newer carbs (still fiddling, the stock carbs were missing pieces when purchased), new shocks, a front master cyclinder, some rubbery bits. She won't start yet, engine turns and cranks good. Gotta go through and see if the coils are still alive, and such.
The end goal, will be of course a cafe style bike, but set up so that I can ride it across the country. So something like this:
But I want to pick up a Dunstall style 4ish gallon tank. That's all rather far off. All I can say is that this bike will go from the Atlantic to the Pacific next summer and I'll probably be making the trip alone. Last time I did it I made it as far as Phoenix on a KZ1000P that was dumping a quart a day on my left leg. I have higher hopes for the CB haaha.
Alright, that's me. Thats the bike. I look forward to being a regular here.
Regards,
Jack
Into/I think this is mine now haha
Re: Into/I think this is mine now haha
Welcome here, Jack!
Nice pictures and stories. During the coast to coast trip (I doubt that I would like to have straight handlebars for that), the CB might give you a bit of oil on your boots, too. It is the head oil line O-rings that typically leak. If you find that you have to fix it, you may like to try out this idea.
Nice pictures and stories. During the coast to coast trip (I doubt that I would like to have straight handlebars for that), the CB might give you a bit of oil on your boots, too. It is the head oil line O-rings that typically leak. If you find that you have to fix it, you may like to try out this idea.
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com
forum links to common technical issues
If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum
forum links to common technical issues
If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum
Re: Into/I think this is mine now haha
Thanks Volker! Saved the link you posted, I'm pretty sure it will come in handy haha.
With the KZ the rubber block like gasket that the alternator lines run out of - you know English bikes take a lot of crap for leaking oil, but they at least run the alternator wires out above the oil level in the case. That rubber block quit working, so daily it got progressively worse, I was doing about 10 hour days and it would just drench everything on the left side of the bike, also made keeping my left foot on the peg kinda fun.
Broke down 5 times, I gave it away when I got where I was going haha and it's never failed the guy I gave it too!
This is why as soon as I finish the '76 KZ1000 (top end work) I am selling it. No more KZ's!
With the KZ the rubber block like gasket that the alternator lines run out of - you know English bikes take a lot of crap for leaking oil, but they at least run the alternator wires out above the oil level in the case. That rubber block quit working, so daily it got progressively worse, I was doing about 10 hour days and it would just drench everything on the left side of the bike, also made keeping my left foot on the peg kinda fun.
Broke down 5 times, I gave it away when I got where I was going haha and it's never failed the guy I gave it too!
This is why as soon as I finish the '76 KZ1000 (top end work) I am selling it. No more KZ's!
Re: Into/I think this is mine now haha
Looks like your last travel checklist was incomplete: no bubblegum!Wizid wrote: That rubber block quit working, so daily it got progressively worse, ....
Cosky's great (free) online manual: http://cosky0.tripod.com
forum links to common technical issues
If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum
forum links to common technical issues
If you really like this site and you would not like to see it vanish soon, have a look there: Urgent: Future of HondaCB650.com Forum
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