Wish me luck...

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by Terry Smith, Aug 13, 2021.

  1. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    It is not too hard to import vehicles here, there are plenty of ex-Japan machines floating around on the roads here. If you have valid paperwork then the process is as simple as getting an inspection done by an approved inspector (which checks basic roadworthiness) then paying to register the machine on the government database, then paying a minimum 6 months registration fee, so all up about 2-3 hours and US$400.

    If you want to visit, well that is a whole other story. All entrants have to pass through the Managed Isolation/Quarantine system which are military-controlled re-purposed hotels, for a minimum of 14 days and negative tests. Sounds easy (as long as you like solitary confinement/bad meals) but there is a huge backlog of ex-pats wanting to return home who simply can't get a booking. Oh and I think you need to set aside $5k for the privilege.

    So by all means send your bike over, I can ride it around and send you some photos of it's holiday!
     
    straycat likes this.
  2. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    I'm vaccinated and feeling a bit cooped up right now, some of that is our stay-home lockdown (3 weeks and counting) but I was regularly heading to Asia for work, and my kids are of an age to be safely abandoned, so I really want to get out of NZ when I can. My wife and I had a 10-day vacation in Japan in 2018 and that was fantastic, I'd love to go back there, or get to Italy. The Honda Collection Museum at Motegi was unforgettable. IMG_3541.JPG P1010760.JPG
     
  3. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2017
    Messages:
    910
    Likes Received:
    198
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Houston TEXAS
    Map
    Agreed!

    And very interesting this thread. Like to see how it comes out.
     
  4. RogueRC24

    RogueRC24 Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 25, 2021
    Messages:
    1,384
    Likes Received:
    557
    Trophy Points:
    113
    ^^ Hopefully next year I can get to Japan to visit family. I will hold on NZ until governments become sane again. I wanna see that Honda museum.
     
  5. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2007
    Messages:
    6,120
    Likes Received:
    853
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Desert Southwest
    Oh well, guess I'm crazy. Headed to Mexico tomorrow.
     
  6. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    yes but for you that's only a short drive into a country that actually wants you to spend money there...
     
  7. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    I suggested the day trip to Motegi to my non-motorcycling wife, expecting her to choose a day of shopping in Ginza but to my surprise she agreed. Getting there from Tokyo proved more challenging that I'd hoped, a short metro train to one of the main bullet train stations at Ueno, 30-odd minutes on a Shinkansen to Oyama, then a change of train to a local suburban line to Chikusei, then another change to a truly tiny railcar, and a slow hour on the Moka line to Motegi. Motegi turned out to be a fairly small village that just happens to be near a race circuit, there were no buses running and we thought we might just walk; Google Maps makes navigation pretty easy and it was around 5km, but we managed to cadge a lift with a non-English speaking local (another long story) and finally hit the museum around midday.

    The museum comprises a ground floor with a cafe and one wing dedicated to the Beginning, then two more floors each separated into two wings, and basically divided into production bikes, race bikes, production cars and race cars. There was pretty much eveything you can imagine seeing, all beautfully displayed, and we wandered happily for about 4 hours before grabbing a taxi back to the station (as there was a thunderstorm of biblical proportions happening by now).
    P1010796.JPG
    P1010821.JPG

    If you go to the Honda Collection Hall on You Tube you will see them riding bikes around a cobblestone strack in a park, this is right behind the Hall.
    IMG_3544.JPG

    We then re-traced our steps and arrived footsore and weary at our hotel about 9pm, but it was a terrific day out.
     
    Jim McCulloch and Diving Pete like this.
  8. straycat

    straycat Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2017
    Messages:
    1,443
    Likes Received:
    539
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canada
    Map
    Lovely.

    Been trying to build my own personal museum here in Northern Ontario but lack of space and sometimes lack of $ has thwarted my growth.
     
    Jim McCulloch likes this.
  9. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Based on some of your photos, you are off to a solid start mate.
     
  10. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    So just one month later than planned, my new old bike finally emerged from the back of the van. As expected it was pretty filthy and a little beaten up but who doesn't like a challenge. It was very obvious that the front brakes were very poor so before I could ride it I stripped those and found heavily oiled pads from blown fork seals, plus lightl seized pistons and slide pins, all of which responded to cleaning, degreasing and selective lubing. The brakes are still on the average side of good but at least mostly worked on my test ride. The tyres are from 2009, the shock still feels like it has damping and the adjuster works, forks are newly re-built, and the whole thing actually felt pretty good on the test ride apart from a worn front tyre profile.

    The bodywork is not awful but has seen some lay-down action on the right and been welded back together, and the tail has been cracked and badly fixed up, one missing grommet post on a side cover, but most of the fasteners are correct. The tank has lost all its rubber mounts front and rear and has a decent dent, and the right inner panel has been broken, probably in the same fall that grazed the brake master and lever. The paint is good from 10 feet, or closer if you forget your glasses. The chain cleaned up beautifully, and the gearbox is great, cush drive rubber is pretty sloppy.

    I spent all day yesterday with cleaning products and removed a few decades of filth, but the old girl was really cranky after the bath so I assume something electrical got a bit wet; would idle but not rev up, then would clear and roar happily up to higher revs. It came right with time and some Deoxit in all the connectors. Today I can move into maintenance items (coolant and oil/filter, clutch and brake fluid, valve check) and maybe pull the swingarm and shock out for some more love.

    Found a few horror bits, the air cleaner was falling to bits and had unfiltered holes, the battery is under-sized and missing the hold-down lid, the right peg is droopy and charging is a bit sketchy (hopefully just a near-flat battery). More to come I'm sure. IMG_2424.jpg IMG_2426.jpg IMG_2429.jpg
     
  11. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2009
    Messages:
    5,818
    Likes Received:
    2,352
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Awesome!

    Do you normally work on bikes in motorcycle boots? ; - )
     
    rhoderage likes this.
  12. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2017
    Messages:
    910
    Likes Received:
    198
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Houston TEXAS
    Map
    One of my favorite bikes of all time! I had not seen a white one on a while. It's a keeper!
     
    Terry Smith likes this.
  13. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    You should see what I wear when I do the housework!

    I just spent a few hours checking over the valves and concluded that I don't really have good tools for that. Fortunately all the front bank were in spec with just a couple of exhausts on the rear that were a touch tight.

    What tools do you use for the valve adjustment? I have a cheap tappet tool with a through-screwdriver but can't see any way to swing the tool to retighten the locknut. I ended up using a standard socket driver and tweaking the adjusting screw in little increments, tightening the locknut, testing, and repeating as needed.
     
  14. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    I had forgotten how skinny the bikes from the 80's are, but I agree that Honda got the style and proportions just about spot-on with these. For me I still think the 1990 VFR750FL in pearl white was the high point.
     
    Jim McCulloch likes this.
  15. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Some progress forwards and back today; seem to have a carb problem after all the messing around, the bike starts and runs on the stand, then starts to rattle and then stalls, which I think is a sign of fuel starvation dropping onto fewer cylinders. It won't restart at that point. Left to rest for 10 minutes and back to normal for a bit again. Wound up hard (4-5K) when running it will hold fairly high revs for a good long time, with occasional dips and misses. The fuel pump is great, fuel flow is great from the tank through the filter, and the pump stalls out when the lines are full, which I believe is all normal behaviour.

    My guess is some crap in the carbs that moves to the pilot jets or a sticky float valve that jams closed and slows flow. I've got bowl gaskets already but want to wait for the new carb rubbers to arrive (on their way from Partzilla) before I attack the carbs. The inside of the fuel tank is a bit rusty so won't be at all surprised if the carbs are partly clogged.

    Any alternative diagnosis?
     
  16. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    nope - carbs all the way, with a fuel tank clean first.
     
  17. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

    Country:
    Kuwait
    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2013
    Messages:
    2,727
    Likes Received:
    625
    Trophy Points:
    128
    Location:
    Auckland, New Zealand
    Map
    Thanks DP; what would you be doing to the tank?
     
  18. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    Having just tried Electrolysis I would go with that.
     
  19. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
  20. Diving Pete

    Diving Pete Member

    Country:
    United Kingdom
    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    1,969
    Likes Received:
    548
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    London
    Map
    I am fine with using the hydrochloric acid to clean a tank, but wanted to learn other techniques. Acid is the ultimate weapon but has its own set of issues. Electrolyisis is a softer approach, with the acid as your goal keeper if required.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page