71' CB500 monoshock with no name...O2 sensor success!

while the gauge looks cool, it's really worth getting a data logger set up if you want to do it professionally. throttle position can be hard to read in an accurate sense for many carb set ups, but you can use a map sensor as a simple indicator. trying to read a gauge and remember it all while not running into shit is rather hard, esp if you're riding something fast. data logger means you can just ride.

although at some point you realise a dyno or the track are much more conducive to your safety and ability to keep a licence.

a co meter is much better for idle too (the wide band systems seem to respond a bit too quickly for a decent reading possibly, just not very accurate). you should be able to find a car workshop with a 4 gas analyser to do the co.

welding a plug into each exhaust is the only way to do it. just make it part of the job. otherwise you'll need a long tube down the tailpipe to get a decent realistic reading and to reduce time delay, etc.
 
Roc City Cafe said:
I run mine a hair behind the collectors (to average all cylinders) and have tuned just fine, with an open pipe it may be different, but with a proper muffler, it seems to be accurate. As far as power, on these old bikes I've found 12.5 or so to be dead nuts fastest, any richer and they seem to stumble. As far as tuning in the garage, well... it's not going to do squat for you, if the bike isn't under load, then all you're tuning is your 0-1/16 throttle. You need to ride it to tune, even with an o2 sensor. the o2 sensor is just going to keep your tuning efforts headed closer to the right direction than purely "feel".

Great info thanks. Roc City! I know that just "sitting" there and blipping the throttle won't be the correct way. My goal is to get the data logger for this, set up my gopro and have a ride. That way when I throw up the graph on the computer, I can fire up the go pro and see EXACTLY what is going on and when. Was I passing a car? Was I running down hill? Uphill? Etc. I'm not setting the bikes I ride up for racing, so being so dead on isn't what I'm going for. I'm going for drive-ability and fun factor of course. Oh and Brad, I've got a Co gas analyzer as well. I got it for free from a buddy who knew someone closing up shop. I'll have to read how to use the darn thing as it probably isn't just plug and play right? Again, this isn't for a race bike, it's for a bike that runs better than most who just throw jets at it and deal with the huge pitfalls of not using the stock airbox etc.

It will be nice to finish this thing up and really get into it in the spring. We had our first kid 7 weeks ago, and I spend all my free time with him now! :)

Thanks again for all of the thoughts/comments/constructive criticism. Great things come out of all of those...one being the rear shock is definitely angled improperly and must be fixed before final welding.

A couple of pics of the new wrench in the house! His name is Theodor , we just call him Thor for now.
 

Attachments

  • 20131031_192829-1.jpg
    20131031_192829-1.jpg
    369.9 KB · Views: 327
  • 20131031_192829-2.jpg
    20131031_192829-2.jpg
    211.5 KB · Views: 329
MotorbikeBruno said:
A couple of pics of the new wrench in the house! His name is Theodor , we just call him Thor for now.

Amazing what you can build in one night!
Congrats!
 
acm177 said:
Amazing what you can build in one night!
Congrats!

Haha...I suppose it was one night in the beginning for me... ;)

Thanks gents! It will be great to get working on the projects again, knowing I've got some killer "little" bikes to make eventually! I've got an electric one in mind...and I've got a few years to design it! :)
 
Re: 71' CB500 monoshock with no name...New shock...

After first kid and 5 months later...I get a minute to work on the mono again. I've decided the shock was too heavy after 400 or so miles. My wife confirmed :) as she is back on two wheels as well!

Trying a slightly "smaller" shock from an EX 250 Ninja. I figured it is similar in weight to my CB500 and should be a little more forgiving on my back. The only problem is that it's several inches longer.

I mocked it up in there by making one side to the bottom plate and drilling another hole in the top. It makes the bike stand quite a bit higher, which is a little bit of a bummer. So I'm going to see if there's any room to move the top mount forward and down slightly to make up for that extra Inch or so that I would like to move the tail end down a bit. That's all for now.

Critique welcome of course. ::) :p ;)
 

Attachments

  • 232.jpg
    232.jpg
    272.4 KB · Views: 362
  • 233.jpg
    233.jpg
    484.4 KB · Views: 375
Re: 71' CB500 monoshock with no name.

Forgot to update, so here we are! Finished a few things up and she rolled over 1000 miles since I finished the main phase of her transformation. My wife was nice enough to sew a seat for me (well it is HER bike afterall...) I need some more foam and to shape it a little more to my liking, but here she goes. We just went on a ride recently and she did 3+ hours of riding on it :) Thanks for everyone's input, it's been a fun ride and I'm calling it "done" for now. Might add something to the tank, but this is pretty much it! ;D 8)
 

Attachments

  • 234.jpg
    234.jpg
    549.9 KB · Views: 335
  • 235.jpg
    235.jpg
    651.6 KB · Views: 350
  • 236.jpg
    236.jpg
    591.2 KB · Views: 340
  • 237.jpg
    237.jpg
    580.5 KB · Views: 332
Back
Top Bottom