The Joys of Riding an Older Bike

[ceemes]

Look about halfway up the left side of the radiator and you will see the temperature control switch (round shaped with two wires) which runs around $60.00. Or you can replace it with one out of a Honda car (like a 93 Prelude or Accord) for around $30.00. Or you can splice the wires to a switch you mount somewhere convenient. The trick is to get the fan to switch on at a cooler temperature.

That is what I figure I will have to do, splice in a manual switch. Does your Connie run hot in traffic or when idling at lights?

[Johnj]

My '87 did, the '99 doesn't. I put a lighted switch on the '87 and it worked great, as long as I remembered to turn it on. Remember to turn it off at the end of your ride also.

[ceemes]

My '87 did, the '99 doesn't. I put a lighted switch on the '87 and it worked great, as long as I remembered to turn it on. Remember to turn it off at the end of your ride also.

Seems to be a common compliant of the 87 model. Wonder if it would be a good idea to fit a larger fan and stronger motor as well.

[Johnj]

I haven't heard of anyone doing that and I visit all the good Connie forums.

[a_hippie]

I enjoyed reading your post. I appreciate the loyalty to a ride. Have many of the same feelings, but I don't call the bike him or her--just bike

I rode this old bike from here to the southern US states for many visits with ham friends and biker friends. In all, it was just under a 10,000 mile ride over 7 weeks. It was 2010 and the bike was built in 1985. Then I headed up the east coast, then west. All good miles. I rode US highway 101 from where it begins in the bay to the CA/USA boarder, then west to the edge of land. Rode the route all the way home. It was an amazing ride. Thank god I did it. How many times in a life can you tell the boss "see ya in a few months."?

Now it's nearing the middle of 1013 and I'm still riding the bike. It is older and looks it. I ride and rarely buff-n-polish. I figure those rust marks are an ode to good times and fine destinations! I didn't buy it to pose, I bought it to ride.

So, tender the cash and treasure the ride!

Regards,

[ceemes]

Damn, it was cooking today, barely a week into May and already the temperatures are more like mid-summer than early spring. Riding home today was murder, traffic was pretty thick and the idiots were out in full force. Then I got to the Alex Fraser Bridge and ran into a snarl just after I past the last exit ramp prior to hitting the bridge deck. No way was I gonna be able to get over it without cooking my engine. So I pulled off to the side under an overpass, turned off the engine, popped off the helmet and lit up a smoke waiting for the traffic to die down a bit and to let the engine cool down as much as possible.

Twenty minutes later, traffic has eased up a bit and seems to be flowing better across the bridge deck, so off I went. No problem, engine temp stayed well in the safe zone, but man it was so hot that even at speed, I couldn't get it down to where it normally sits.

Something tells me we are in for a long hot summer.

[NorthernPete]

Old bikes. I started on a 72 rd350, the owned an 81 xs400 secs. Then bought my current ride brand new.

I haaaaaaaaated the hassle that came with my old bike. Broken more then not. Maybe if they were maintained better before becomin shed bound previous to me getting them. But Left a bad taste in my mouth.

That said, I still find myself looking at old bikes that are for sale. God help me. Lol

[totalmotorcycle]

I learned to cut my "mechanic teeth" on many an old motorcycle. Although I'd still be wanting to ride more than I wrenched and in the summer there was more turning a wrench than turning a throttle! It's one of the reasons I always say for new riders to get a used (but not old) bike, something that they can ride worry free but not spend all their time in the garage with. Old Honda's, Kawasaki's and Yamaha's (in that order) I usually recommend... not sure how the other (other than H-D, Triumph and Suzuki) maked faired out in the early 80's to be honest.

I do love old bikes though... well I guess it's just the looks of old bikes mostly... guess that explains the Moto Guzzi V7.

Mike

[ceemes]

Oh the joys of owning an older bike continue....hmmmm, maybe I should turn this into a blog?????

Anyways, been a long week at work and I decided to treat myself to some Kisha Poppo Japanese Style Curried Rice with Miso soup. But the only place to get it is in Richmond requiring me to take the Looong way home. Only ridden maybe 15 minutes and done some 20 kilometres when I notice my temperature gauge was fast climbing into the red zone...wooo, way too soon for that and I am traveling at a decent enough speed to keep the coolant well within the safe zone....must be low on coolant. Park the bike on the side of the road across the street from a gas station and let it cool down, while its doing that, wander over to said station and buy a litre of anti-freeze coolant and a paper funnel. Once it's cooled down, pop off the radiator cap (which JohnJ will attest can a right dogs on the old Connies) and pour a good 1/3 litre of coolant. Place the cap back on, run the engine, and recheck the radiator level. Looks good and away I go keeping a very close eye on the temperature gauge. Seem's to be fine but five minutes into the ride, the arm of the gauge swings alarmingly close to the red zone. I am about to pull over again when it drops back down into the normal operating temperature range and stays there. Looking good, but I am concerned still.

Stop off at the next Chevron station to gas up, notice small amount of fresh coolant on the ground but figure its just spillage. Ride to the tunnel and my temperature is starting to climb again, even at highway speeds in the HOV lane, this is not good. Get to the tunnel and the traffic is back up and crawling. By now all thoughts of Japanese Style Curried Rice and Miso Soup are forgotten. Decide to play it safe and pull over into the abandoned weight scale station, shut the bike down, remove my helmet, light up a ciggie and let her cool right down, takes about 20 minutes. Luckily my MP3 player is fully charged, its a nice day out and I am relaxing grooving to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album. When the engine has cooled right down and traffic thinned out, I take a chance and get through the tunnel, but oh my, the temperature gauge is climbing steadily into the red zone, something is really not right with the poor old girl. Get through the tunnel and pull over onto a service road and let her cool down again, then ride the short distance to the Highway 17 off ramp. By now I have decided to go straight to my local repair shop.

As I hit the off ramp, I see that it is backup and Highway 17/River Road is almost grid locked. Time to pull over and shut her down again. After about 30 minutes I decide it is time to make the last sprint to the shop, so undo the radiator cap, pour in the rest the coolant and bugger, it doesn't fill the radiator and to make matters worse, I have a huge pool of green coolant sitting under the bike and more coming out. That's it, ride is over time to hitchhike off the ramp and to a phone to call for recovery. I write a note and leave it under my windshield along with my glove stating that bike has broken down, recovery has been called, please do not tow. Now all I have to do if find away off the ramp and get to a bus stop. Then fortune finally smiled on me.

A couple of East Indian guys in a pick up, a gent around my age and his young colleague stopped and gave me a ride. Not only a ride off the ramp, but they took me to the shop where I arranged to have Connie recovered and repair, but they waited and gave me a ride all the way back to Newton. It was enough to almost restore my faith in humanity, especially when you consider they weren't even fellow bikers.

Weird thing is tho, I been tossing around what I should get done next on Connie, engine or suspension work, one day I figure, suspension, the next, engine, been going back and forth for a couple of weeks now. And now I am getting some overtime at work plus the new commission/incentive package is in gear, I should be in for a few extra pennies. I decided a couple of days ago to get the engine sorted out and was planning on dropping her off at the local Kawasaki shop next Friday after work and picking her up the following Saturday after I've done my weekly overtime.
But I guess she had other ideas, so she will be spending a week at the other shop getting some much needed attention.

I've requested the following work be done:
1) Find the coolant leak and fix it.
2) Valve adjustment if required.
3) Fix the two oil leaks, I know one is down where my shift enters into the engine, the other one I am not sure of, but I want them fixed.
4) Trouble shoot the radiator fan and find out why it will not come on, if need be splice in a manual switch so I can turn it on myself.
5) General tune up and oil change.
6) Weld the broken front fairing bracket back together.
7) Check the cam chain adjuster, replace if required.

Figure all this will make a decent sized dent into my overtime and commission income, but I should have most of the engine and power train issues resolved. Next on the to do list will be rebuilding the front fork, new and strong springs, seal and oil and replace the rear shock with a heavy duty one.

Ah the joys of owning an old bike.

[BRUMBEAR]

I am starting to hear ya, my Buell while not old the support network isn't really there so I now have to keep a spare belt on long rides I take an xtra battery case the stator craps out, anything big breaks I either gotta make it or wait till I find it?