Getting a small bit of riding in on the Nighthawk...

[niteman]

thomas - sucks to hear about your pseudo basket case situation. I hope my recently acquired 83 cb650sc doesn't turn out to be the same. Currently it's just frozen master cylinder and front calipers and some fork dive...lets hope it stays like that.

[Blok]

My clutch is fixed, it only needed a thorough bleeding. Now I just need to get home before dark one day thisweek so I canride it a bit around the neighborhood.

[thomas.clark]

niteman - thanks.  It's still technically rideable, just a headache.  and possible a legal hazard - I just discovered that the headlight is not working, on top of the other little gremlins i'm hunting.  hopefully just a loose wire from when I replaced some sub-par wiring behind the headlight.  This time I'm going in with my soldering iron 

Just rebuilt both front calipers - the OEM seals from bikebandit are working well, so I'd recommend that if someone asked my opinion - not that you did - certainly seems you know what you're up to.  Your 650 looks pretty sweet - hope to get a look at it in person!

oh - and the Florida riding season is officially here!

Blok - woohoo!  good luck!

[Blok]

Same to you, but hopefully a little time and elbow grease will fix yours like it seems to be working on mine.

[niteman]

Thomas - rideable is good. I hate electrical gremlins too, they're about the only things I don't feel really comfortable tackling. I'm going to order the caliper seals/gaskets, master cylinder rebuild kit, new pads, and a bunch of crush washers off bikebandit tomorrow. I want to get the prices tonight and then call the local dealer and see if they can supply and match. Oh, and thanks for the comment on the bike. I hope to see yours looking and working well in person sometime too.

[Rusty B]

NO marital advice, just a thanks to all the Little Ladies!!
Henry Fonda and that movie came to mind, just wondering how many people remembered it?
Ready to ride when yall get ready.

Rusty   
 

[Rusty B]

Hey Guys any more input on a ride for the 21st?
Meet for coffee, lunch or whatever?
Somewhere in the Orlando Kissemmie area? Or somewhere?
Lots of backroads for me to grt there without taking the Interstate or Turnpike.
I'll be on the Nighthawk, and like slower rides, Gold Wing is nice for Highways.

Rusty     

[niteman]

I'd be up for it, but I don't know that the hawk will be.  I got all the brake parts in this monday finally and am working on it when I get time. I still need some carb parts, clutch master cylinder parts, and remedy the fork dive issue.
We have a fund-raising event to go to this saturday all day and into the evening and another one on the following weekend as well. I'll update on the status as it gets a little closer and, fingers crossed, I'll make it. 

[Blok]

Not looking good here, but I did plan a local meet for 70's-80's bike owners that looks like it will be cool. Several CB's will be there.

Here's my original post on CL:

"I have an old motorcycle. It won't do 160 mph or 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, but that's ok with me. It's not covered with $10,000 worth of chrome, but that's cool, too. It's not pretty, but it's mine and I love riding.

I wanted to see if there are any other like minded people that would like to meet up once in a while, stand around, look at bikes, talk old bikes and then maybe go for a ride somewhere.

No brand bias (if you have to wear the logo of your bike on your shirt or jacket, that's ok, we won't hold it against you....but it isn't a requirement)

No engine size bias ( smaller bikes are cooler, anyway)

No age bias ( just be ready to tell cool stories of the time you and your buddy __________ if you're older than me, ok?)

Heck, I guess we shouldn't really have an age bias on your bike either so even if you have a brand new bike, that's ok.

Can't wait to see what all bikes show up :)

[thomas.clark]

I was really hoping to be there, but as we get closer I'm gonna hafta say it's not likely - I'm in a holding pattern on a few repairs as I'm trying to do it the responsible way and have the money to fix it before I fix it. My wife said sell some stuff to get some money for the repairs, so I did - sold my scooter (87 Elite 150) that I loved but which also needed a few repairs that I couldn't swing.  So there I am with $500 shiny smackers ready to Bike Bandit my butt off and my lovely wife reminds me that we really already need that money for some other things    Dang.  Babies are expensive.

I'm actually having actual nightmares about this bike now.  the other night I dreamed that I was out in the garage working on the bike (sweet dream, I know) and all of a sudden the fork oil started bubbling up out of the fork and growing and got huge and started coming after me a la The Blob.  Then I woke up and had to change a diaper.   

[niteman]

I'm actually having actual nightmares about this bike now.  the other night I dreamed that I was out in the garage working on the bike (sweet dream, I know) and all of a sudden the fork oil started bubbling up out of the fork and growing and got huge and started coming after me a la The Blob.

Okay, I don't mean to laugh, but I am because that's kinda how I'm feeling about my 650 right now. I'm not even sure if this thing is going to end up having electrical or engine problems because it's been taken apart with frozen front brakes and really horribly f'd up carbs since I got it home a few weeks ago. I'm working on the brakes today and then I'll just have to get the carbs finished and back on. Then it's fix the fork dive and cross my fingers that nothing else will go wrong. Having more blow money would definitely help this process. Good luck.

[Blok]

Argh, now I need a starter....

[thomas.clark]

Argh, now I need a starter....

I have a spare, actually.  I can't vouch for its integrity, but you're welcome to it.  How do you know you need one?  Does it *click*click like a car would? 

I'm curious, as my bike is hard to start now, though it does turn over and will eventually fire up and run great.  I've thought about changing out the starter, but that's pretty far down the list at this point.

[Blok]

Nolpe, it goes chunk...then that's it. We opened up the starter I have and a ton of graphite came out and the wires weren't attached, so we cleaned the brushes as well as we could, reattached the wires and it worked for a bit but then 'Chunk'...

[Blok]

And if you're serious, I'll take it!

[thomas.clark]

And if you're serious, I'll take it!

sentcha a PM

[Rusty B]

Well guys
Sounds like this weekend is off.
We can try another time later on.
I probably wouldn't have made it either due to Medical Procedure today.
After yall get the bikes going we will try one more time.
Keep riding Safe when you can ride!!

Rusty     

[Blok]

Well, the Nighthawk found a home with someone a bit more mechanical than me....plus he had a really really nice 1988 Suzuki Bandit 600 for trade, even. I couldn't say no.

The Bandit is an awesome bike.

[thomas.clark]

shucks.  hope you have better fortunes and safe, fun rides on the Bandit!

I've got most of the issues with my NH fixed, but continue to find that little things develop - I believe it will be a perennial work in progress.  A NH enthusiast came and looked at mine the other day with an eye to buy it - but gave me a clear "not interested."  Said it was "pretty rough" and that he just didn't "want to own it, regardless of price."  Kinda tough not to feel the sting from that - but, I'm just gonna chalk it up to an expensive lesson learned (lesson: listen to my wife), fix it as I'm able, and see what happens on down the road.  It's still a lotta fun for me to ride, so I'll make the best and ride on.
 

Anybody down maybe for a meet afterall - now that it's getting a little warmer?

[ERAU-944]

hey guys keep me in the loop!  i'm down for a florida meeting sometime soon!

Mike

[Blok]

Well, heck, I still like the idea of meeting up at Manatee Springs, I'll just be on a newer faster bike 



Mine's exactly like that one, but with a little rash on the left fairing.

[JB1290]

Whaen I win the lottery, I will own a Bandit too. I've always liked those. 

[Blok]

It's fun, fun and more fun. Cool thing is, you don't have to win the lottery to buy one. You can find them for a pretty good price.

[Rusty B]

ERAU-944
We need to get together for coffee or something sometime soon.
We are almost neighbors.
I was in Stuart last wed night to visit with the kids.
I get down that way quite a bit.
Let me know.

Rusty      

[ERAU-944]

we'll definitely have to get together... if this weather and my schedule will accomodate that is.  from what i understand there is a bike night in ft. pierce every thursday, but i haven't made it up that way yet.  at this point i'm still working on the little ladies NH so when i get her all squared away, we'll definitely have to go for a ride and meet up!

Mike