It's Alive!! ALIVE!!!

[slapnpop]

Somewhere, lurking in the dark corners in the back of my garage, had sat an old '86 radian. We bought it a while back for the girlfriend to learn to ride on, and because of it's less than reliable nature ended up sitting for about 2 1/2 years.

Recently one of my friends at work has shown an interest in motorcycling, and I had this extra bike just sitting around. I talked with the girlfriend, and we decieded he could borrow the bike to practice and learn one, with one condition. He has to take/pass the MSF course before we let him use the bike.

I spent nearly the whole weekend in the garage going over the thing. The main reason it went sitting originally is because the carbs were sticky/running rich/fouling plugs. The carbs were removed, and cleaned, but before I got around to putting them back one one of the throttle bodies had frozen up and wouldn't rotate. I couldn't for the life of me get the thing to turn again at the time, so the bike was left alone. I finally dis-assebled everything, cleaned, and got it all moving freely again. Put the bike back together, got the carbs tuned up, and started down the list of minor things, like lights.

I put about 60 miles on it this afternoon, making sure everything was riding and working properly. After riding the FJR only for a few years, this little sub-400 lbs 600cc maching feels like a toy. I have to be carful about underestimating the bike, because I feel like a shriner in a parade. It's short wheelbase makes it turn on a dime, and I bet with current tech sport rubber, and better suspension, this thing could be a corner weapon!

As I was riding those last few miles back to the house, I just couldn't stop thinking about how good it felt to bring one back to life. The bike could easily have sat for so long in my garage that it would be useless for anything but scrap. Since my friend was interested in riding, it gets a new lease on life. The bike was definatly happy to be out and riding, and it's definatly a fun bike to ride.

So what's sitting in YOUR garage? Is there anyone you know who could be getting good use out of something that's currently wasting away?

 

[Geezer]

I have a Honda CB125 that hasn't been fired up in at least 15 years. I remember that it topped out at about 65 mph, redlined in 6th gear, while drafting someone. I'm not too excited about resurrecting it.

My '83 Midnight Maxim still sees regular use. Very reliable bike.

 

[radman]

I just sold a CB650C Honda that my brother gave me in boxes. For want of a head gasket, it sat, forlorn and apart for 5-6 years in a corner of his garage. I brought it back to near perfect condition, the engine was spotless inside, would never had guessed it considering the condition it appeared to be in when I got it. I recieved for it about what I had in it for parts, free labor of course, which was considerable. Rode it 3 years, ran perfectly, but after getting Frank, it was pretty much a garage queen. I do know this, motorcycle chassis and carburation has sure come a loooooong way since 1981. I know I'll be latching onto another project soon, Frank offers little in the way of wrenching entertainment.

 

[Fencer]

Since you asked...

I'm TRYING to help a friend of mine with a 96 600 Bandit. Its got 23,000+ on it

and running on 3 of the 4 cylinders. Its been sitting for about 5 years.

We cannot figure out the dead cylinder. The plug is in good shape and getting spark, the carb is clean and SEEMS to be working.

Ideas? :blink:

 

[odot]

My "trusy" harley is down to frame and forks in the garage...engine's in the kitchen awaiting tear down. However, it's not going to be given away to any needy rider who wants to put some miles on a scoot.

Hey, rad...I got a buddy in msp that buys old cb550/750's for cheap, rebuilds them and sells them....you may have run into him before if you ever hang out in the twin cities...his name is chris hueber...

 

[Geezer]

Since you asked...
I'm TRYING to help a friend of mine with a 96 600 Bandit. Its got 23,000+ on it

and running on 3 of the 4 cylinders. Its been sitting for about 5 years.

We cannot figure out the dead cylinder. The plug is in good shape and getting spark, the carb is clean and SEEMS to be working.

Ideas? :blink:

Well, if you have fuel and spark, that leaves compression. You can make a cursory test by pulling out the plug and plugging the spark plug hole with youe finger to see if each cylinder is pumping air.

 

[radman]

+1 on the Geez. They had ring problems on those IIRC, but I would suspect a sticky or burned valve first, rings would have to be missing to kill a cylinder.

 

[madmike2]

We cannot figure out the dead cylinder. The plug is in good shape and getting spark, the carb is clean and SEEMS to be working.
Ideas? :blink:

Have you tried pulling the plug and "smelling" the air that is expelled from the sparkplug hole. If you can't smell the gas in the mixture then the carb may not be working.

 

[Mike-H]

If you have compression across all cylinders....did you try pulling off the plug wires 1 @ a time while @ idle....then again while gradually revving the engine?....the really hard part is to try this while under load....

 

[sparky3008]

 

[jestal]

I had one of those things happen years ago. My girlfriend (now wife) mentioned that her dad loved to ride his motorcycle but that it had "quit running" and he wondered I would take a look at it. Well.....hm...OK. She takes me down to the barn and showed it to me. I had to unpile the hay and rake away the cobwebs to even find it among the dietrus. A Honda Hawk twin about 1978 vintage....been rode hard and put away wet.

I dug it out, put it on my trailer and took it home. Over the winter I stipped it down, basically cleaned up everything. New battery and "new" cast off tires from other projects. Cleaned up and rebuild most everything. Found the loose rocker arm and adjuster lying the rocker cover. Got it running and he loved it. It actually ran pretty good all things considering.

Fast forward 5 years. The Hawk is back in the same state of disrepair. "It's alive" take two occurs.

I eventually inherit the bike when her father passes away and sits neglected again.

A firend has a son wanting a bike...so....."It's alive" take three occurs.

That bike is still running, now in New York state, belonging to a cousin of the friend's son. It just won't die.

BTW.....before you ask....it ran on Delvac 15W40 from the time I discovered it onward.... LOL.

 

[slapnpop]

Photos huh?

 

[sparky3008]

Photos huh?

Man that is a lot like my first bike, Yamaha Maxim 550. That bike is the one I always think back on with great memories. It was so comfortable that you never even thought about it no matter how long you rode.

It wasn't the quickest thing but it never let me down.

I sold it to a local dealer to afford car insurance and then the shop caught on fire and she was burned in the fire. Really was not happy hearing that.

Great bike slap

 

[FJRMGM]

Geezer, how do you know for sure fuel is getting to the cylinder?

Just because it makes it to the carbs doesn't mean it goes past it.

Take that carb off and clean it out very carefully and thoroughly.

 

[Groo]

Looks remarkably like my '82 Virago....

 

[turbodave_98]

Somewhere, lurking in the dark corners in the back of my garage, had sat an old '86 radian. We bought it a while back for the girlfriend to learn to ride on, and because of it's less than reliable nature ended up sitting for about 2 1/2 years.
Recently one of my friends at work has shown an interest in motorcycling, and I had this extra bike just sitting around. I talked with the girlfriend, and we decieded he could borrow the bike to practice and learn one, with one condition. He has to take/pass the MSF course before we let him use the bike.

I spent nearly the whole weekend in the garage going over the thing. The main reason it went sitting originally is because the carbs were sticky/running rich/fouling plugs. The carbs were removed, and cleaned, but before I got around to putting them back one one of the throttle bodies had frozen up and wouldn't rotate. I couldn't for the life of me get the thing to turn again at the time, so the bike was left alone. I finally dis-assebled everything, cleaned, and got it all moving freely again. Put the bike back together, got the carbs tuned up, and started down the list of minor things, like lights.

I put about 60 miles on it this afternoon, making sure everything was riding and working properly. After riding the FJR only for a few years, this little sub-400 lbs 600cc maching feels like a toy. I have to be carful about underestimating the bike, because I feel like a shriner in a parade. It's short wheelbase makes it turn on a dime, and I bet with current tech sport rubber, and better suspension, this thing could be a corner weapon!

As I was riding those last few miles back to the house, I just couldn't stop thinking about how good it felt to bring one back to life. The bike could easily have sat for so long in my garage that it would be useless for anything but scrap. Since my friend was interested in riding, it gets a new lease on life. The bike was definatly happy to be out and riding, and it's definatly a fun bike to ride.

So what's sitting in YOUR garage? Is there anyone you know who could be getting good use out of something that's currently wasting away?

Interesting, I have a 1991 YX 600 Radian in my stable and it is a blast to ride, which I do very often. will try to dig up a pic. Ride it with pride. In its day it was a real popular drag bike.

 

[Fencer]

Since you asked...

I'm TRYING to help a friend of mine with a 96 600 Bandit. Its got 23,000+ on it

and running on 3 of the 4 cylinders. Its been sitting for about 5 years.

We cannot figure out the dead cylinder. The plug is in good shape and getting spark, the carb is clean and SEEMS to be working.

Ideas? :blink:

Well, if you have fuel and spark, that leaves compression. You can make a cursory test by pulling out the plug and plugging the spark plug hole with youe finger to see if each cylinder is pumping air.

Thanks, I'll try that this weekend.

 

[Thug]

Man do something about your weeds will ya!

Letting he side down Slapnpop!

Cheers

 

[tyronewildman]

I've brought back a few. My latest was a '04 VT500FT Honda Ascot that had been setting under a tree for 4 years. A friend found it, got it & gave it to me. Luckily, it was all there along with a gosh ugly fairing.

A quick carb (carbs) cleaning & new battery had it running again. Tank had so many holes it was trash & I was able to find a good used red one. The bike was original dark blue so the red tank looked just right. There were plenty of little things to fix but only required a little time & mostly cleaning. Here's a pix of us on the Cherohala Skyway, on the way to the first annual Ascot reunion at Deal's gap. About 8 of us showed up. I'd estimate about 200 miles up there from Hotlanta thru the mountains and that little seat had me burning.

It was a plenty fast little bike (100+ mph) but around 90 it started getting squirly & it was just too little (and too slow for hotlanta X ways) for me so I gave it to one of my friends. He loved it, but like me he had too many bikes & after giving it a like new paint job, he sold it for $2,000. Yes it's nice to bring one back...Later,,, De