Adventures on the Old Girl, and with the Old Girl

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 12:21 pm

I need to wean myself off of my restoration thread. My CB77, the Old Girl, is now restored, and has graduated to "polishing", "fiddling with" and "fine tuning" status. Now, I had intended to ride her when I started the restoration on her two years ago. But, she came out so nicely that I am very reluctant, even afraid, to take a chance of something happening to her. I do ride her, though, but not far and not on busy roads. Yet. I do hope to get her out on the kind of long rides I did with her 40 years ago (in New York), and I plan, absolutely, to show her off. I'll post the adventures she and I have together on this thread.

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 10:18 am

Well, the Old Girl now has younger sibling.

It's Red Hawk, who is a 1989 NT650 Hawk GT. She has 89508 miles on her, she's been one a owner bike (now two!), and she shows a fair amount cosmetic wear. She was well used, but not abused. The red paint paint is faded, there oxidation and corrosion here and there, the seat has a tear in it, she fell over on her left side and has some bruises from that, she's dirty, but mechanically she's been well looked after. She really runs well, except that she does idle a little high and just a bit erratically. She also will pop a bit from the exhaust when you close the throttle. The really good part for me is that she is a small bike, physically, I fit on her just great (and I'm small), and her engine is sweet, torquey and very, very smooth. Wow.

Now I have a rider, another cult bike, and another with huge potential.

Graham, next will be a CB400F!

Or a Scrambler (so I can write another rebuild blog!).

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 10:26 am

I've solved the petcock issue with the Old Girl. I replaced the rubber bushing thing behind the lever, the reproduction part had torn itself up and pieces of it were blocking orifices and it wasn't sealing. I put the proper standpipe in it as well, and I replaced the O ring on the sediment bowl. It turns off now, and it doesn't leak.

I sent the Podtronics regulator/rectifier back to Bob and he's going to check it out. He's pretty skeptical about my finding that it doesn't work, he said he's never sold a "bad" one in over over 12000. I defer to him (as I do to LM!), and I'm anxious to hear what he finds.

Right now the Old Girl is charging her battery with a Radio Shack rectifier, and it's working fine.

There is a big motorcycle race at Laguna Seca next weekend (not the Moto GP, that's elsewhere this year). I don't have to work, so I'll be on the Old Girl riding around and checking out all the other bikes. I'll be on the hunt for other classic Hondas!

G-Man · Post by **G-Man** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 10:27 am

Sara

They look very happy together! :-)

Yes, a 400F, and a Scrambler, and........

G

sarals · Post by **sarals** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 12:37 pm

....and a CBX, and GB500, and a....

:)

Waveblaster · Post by **Waveblaster** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 9:11 pm

Hi Sara,

A nice addition to the stable. A compact looking ride for a 650

You may need a bigger shed if a scrambler follows you home!

regards

Greg

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:24 am

Nice!!

Almost bought one a few months ago but didn't have the space.