Yay for mo power.
My first bike, the 1974 XL100
- Thread starter iatethepeach
- Start date
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Oh yeah, the problem I had getting a spark turned out to be my own doing. In my haste I wired the CDI and my temporary ignition/stop switch such that the coil was always grounded. Whoops. Then I realized the resistance chart in the FSM is seemingly transposed, so that if instead of holding the positive probe on the meter to the wires on the row labeled "+" and the negative to the wires under column "-", you do the reverse (positive to "-", negative to "+"), all the readings come out right on the money. Maybe the SANWA sorts it out for you and that's why the manual says you gotta test with one.
Anyway, for $15 I got a backup repop that tests the same as the original Honda and a reminder to slow down on my next wiring job.
Anyway, for $15 I got a backup repop that tests the same as the original Honda and a reminder to slow down on my next wiring job.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Last night, my gf and I went for a walk and came across this. YES! Take it to the next level.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Also, got the XLR200 or whatever it is now rigged so the battery charges.
The 185's AC headlight is a big improvement. Now my signals flash bright and steady, even at idle with the brakes and headlight lit, and the headlight seems a lot brighter. Even considering I'm only using the high beam (for test purposes, I installed the scrambler's old sealed headlamp, on which the low beam's shot). Eventually, I'll hook the headlamp back up to the switchgear, but for that I think I need a relay and a 35W/35W BA20D.
The 185's AC headlight is a big improvement. Now my signals flash bright and steady, even at idle with the brakes and headlight lit, and the headlight seems a lot brighter. Even considering I'm only using the high beam (for test purposes, I installed the scrambler's old sealed headlamp, on which the low beam's shot). Eventually, I'll hook the headlamp back up to the switchgear, but for that I think I need a relay and a 35W/35W BA20D.
iatethepeach said:Last night, my gf and I went for a walk and came across this. YES! Take it to the next level.
That is epic. I love it.
Bike just needs an engine
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
I had time to take a nice long ride yesterday. The bike is so much fun. It gave me no problems. A wasp stung me on the back of my head when I stopped for a break, however, and I was unsuccessful at avoiding scattered thunderstorms on multiple occasions. I guess the extra 100cc won't fix everything.
I was never more than 100 miles from home, but somehow one of the roads I took went past this awesome Hindu temple somewhere in India. Weird.
On the way back I picked up plenty of cheap dino juice as a sacrifice to the god of salvage yard engines. I'll do a bunch of oil changes over the next 1000 miles or so.
The new motor seems really happy with the 100's stock carb, pipe, and ATC cam, and returned close to 80 mpg on the first tank of gas. After another oil change early this morning, I ran down to the Honda shop for parts, and since it was broiling outside when I left I opted to hop on the freeway for a couple exits rather than take surface streets home. I may wait on the 24mm carb.
I was never more than 100 miles from home, but somehow one of the roads I took went past this awesome Hindu temple somewhere in India. Weird.
On the way back I picked up plenty of cheap dino juice as a sacrifice to the god of salvage yard engines. I'll do a bunch of oil changes over the next 1000 miles or so.
The new motor seems really happy with the 100's stock carb, pipe, and ATC cam, and returned close to 80 mpg on the first tank of gas. After another oil change early this morning, I ran down to the Honda shop for parts, and since it was broiling outside when I left I opted to hop on the freeway for a couple exits rather than take surface streets home. I may wait on the 24mm carb.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
I got a BA20D 35W/35W bulb and socket and switched back to my modular headlamp. The high-beam indicator LED works wired as above. If it blows I'll try to keep things simple and replace it with the old incandescent before getting fancy. LED as instrument lights are nice, I gotta say.
Unfortunately, the new socket doesn't fit the reflector very well. I had to add a collar to snug it up.
The socket I bought is a super-cheap China job and the contacts feel like they're made of foil, so I may need a Plan B before long. Also, the bulb is too big to fit through the hole, so I'll have to pop the retainer springs to separate the lens when it's time to replace it. Not a big deal, but a little weird. What does the XL185 crowd run, I wonder.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Ignition switch madness fixed! A four-wire CG125 switch fit perfectly.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
The remaining electrical mod to complete the swap is a bit of a question-mark. The point bikes' kill switch closes the circuit in the "RUN" position and opens it on "OFF," whereas the CDI bikes are reversed. I'm trying to keep the bike looking and functioning as close to stock as possible, so my plan is to merge a point bike upper light-switch housing with a CDI kill switch. It's unclear there will be enough room, but I got this XL175/Spree 50 pair on eBay for less than $40 so it should be worth a try.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Apart from addressing minor loose ends from the swap, I've been out riding.
Lots of nice barns around here. Got to wonder what old, neglected motorbikes are hidden inside.
No more freeway antics, though.
A bunch of guys have come up to talk to me when I've stopped to fill up or whatever. They have had XRs and SLs, and two have said they had a '74 XL100. One even still has his, in the back of his shed somewhere. Another was wearing a Honda AHRMA shirt. Nobody noticed the swap, though! And I haven't mentioned it. I don't know why, but I find it really amusing.
This was the guy who still has his '74. He, his wife, and their dogs were out in their Jeep and we were both headed over the mountain. He rides a new Husky now. Maybe he will drag his XL out of the shed, too.
Lots of nice barns around here. Got to wonder what old, neglected motorbikes are hidden inside.
No more freeway antics, though.
A bunch of guys have come up to talk to me when I've stopped to fill up or whatever. They have had XRs and SLs, and two have said they had a '74 XL100. One even still has his, in the back of his shed somewhere. Another was wearing a Honda AHRMA shirt. Nobody noticed the swap, though! And I haven't mentioned it. I don't know why, but I find it really amusing.
This was the guy who still has his '74. He, his wife, and their dogs were out in their Jeep and we were both headed over the mountain. He rides a new Husky now. Maybe he will drag his XL out of the shed, too.
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iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Approaching 1000 miles. The oil comes out looking good so I'm going back to normal-interval changes. The plug seems OK, too.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
These older-style switches aren't the greatest. On mine, the pad on the switch sometimes doesn't make a solid connection between the pads on the plate when going from "OFF" to "RUN." This stumped me as a kid and I spent a lot of time fruitlessly kicking the 100 because of it. (Hey! Maybe that's why my right knee is worn out. I'll ask my brother how his is doing- his XR80 didn't have this problem.)
The newer switch looks like a better design. Hopefully it fits in the housing without interfering with the lighting switch. None of the CDI bikes use this style housing, unfortunately.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
This would be a great job for a proper fixture and one of those cute CNC mini mills.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Besides lacking a mini mill, I also don't have a transfer screw in the right size. But since the RTX was still warm I..
Score, a direct hit!
Score, a direct hit!
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
The head of the retaining screw should clear the lighting switch circuit board by at least a few thousandths. No worries!
To minimize the risk of losing the maddeningly tiny springs, steel balls, and circlip that live inside the stock kill and lighting switches (practically a near-certainty, really), I'm going to paint the housing before doing a test assembly. Knock on wood.
To minimize the risk of losing the maddeningly tiny springs, steel balls, and circlip that live inside the stock kill and lighting switches (practically a near-certainty, really), I'm going to paint the housing before doing a test assembly. Knock on wood.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Mocked up a skid plate. The original doesn't have a cutout under the oil screen, and the 200 lacks a drain bolt on the bottom of the case. Instead of riding around with an oily stock plate that has a big hole leading to nothing, I aim to make a new one with a drain slot in the proper location.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
Another guy who had an SL100 as a kid failed to notice the motor swap. What's going on? I thought the decomp cable was a dead giveaway.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
I've wanted chrome mirrors since seeing them on two beautiful vintage Yamaha trail bikes at White Rose last year. Then, recently, I spotted the original XL mirrors in one of the old photos with my dad. This justifies another minor expenditure.
Coincidentally, that may be the last anyone saw of the stock mirrors; there are other photos that look like they were taken later that same day.
I wonder if he faceplanted and broke one chasing the kid with the mondo foot pegs. The signals are intact but he has dirt on his pants and the brake lever appears to be tweaked.
I asked but he doesn't remember.
Coincidentally, that may be the last anyone saw of the stock mirrors; there are other photos that look like they were taken later that same day.
I wonder if he faceplanted and broke one chasing the kid with the mondo foot pegs. The signals are intact but he has dirt on his pants and the brake lever appears to be tweaked.
I asked but he doesn't remember.
iatethepeach
Coast to Coast
I didn't like the idea of stuffing the CDI kill switch's bullet connectors down into the handlebar, and there's not much room in the housing. In solder we trust.
The lighting switch still fits. Everything is cleaned and greased.
The lighting switch still fits. Everything is cleaned and greased.
