CBX550-Brat/urban scrambler on a budget

NoRiders said:
Pads or no pads.....I still like the large HONDA decal idea....hmmm??




Hey mate, Just found your build, This is great inspiration for me as I just picked up a CB650 and looking to do a brat/tracker/scrambler type build...
I personally would say no to the pads and YES to the Honda decals...
that seat is money!
keep up the good work man!
 
Thanx youngmoney....I'm still a bit :-\ tbh. Pads or decal, pads or decal...bloody hell!!

In other news, a decision has been made...hurrah!

I am looking at mounting the single speedo dead centre off the top yoke (using the old ignition switch mount holes) and have rigged a tin template, for 3mm ally sheet which will be shaped like a keyhole and rubber mounted to support the speedo head. I had also cleaned up the fuse cover to accept the 4x LED idiot lights and wiring, however...having finished the cover I'm loathe to cut & clutter it up with the LEDs as it looks soo clean and tidy as it is.

So, my other option was to extend the speedo mount height by 1cm and tuck the LEDs between the speedo and yoke/fuse cover like in the image:



I won't have the washers in place of course and the ally plate will be shaped around the entire speedo head and pinched in where the blue lines are.

I prefer this set up as I don't have to relocate the fuse box, the cover stays untouched and the LEDs will be tucked away rather than in yer face.....which I likey. And the speedo being 1cm further away from the yoke I can live with....I think Gentlemen....that's what we call a conclusion? :D I thang yoo.
 
CarbsAndCylinders said:
I don't think the colour of the pads works with that tank colour.

The tank colour isn't finished yet, still a stripe along the top, front to back, detailed pin striping and a different decal perhaps. I still like the large HONDA decal though...decisions decisions :/
 
Well...now you mention it C&C...the stripe colour was going to be solid mid grey, kinda battleship (or steel wheel like some of the components I've painted) with orange coachlines alongside....but then I thought wait, I might match the tan leather on the seat in some way (the seat turned out the other way around, meant to have tan diamond and black surround but material shortages forced a rethink which I'm more than happy with, but the knock on effect still rings)....and, hereby lies my dilemma....grey to match the HONDA decals (no pads) or tan to match the seat and have pads....arrghh!!

It's doing my head in a bit...so I'm cleaning out the vinegar from the tank derust process and parking this issue for the moment...ha!
 
Another small job jobbed.

Number plate...done...BOOM. Cheap previously used raised plastic letters on a rubberised back plate will do the trick and tie in with the retro look.

I know it's not legal in the UK, if I encounter an MOT problem it'll get a reflective one cable tied in place haha!



6/10 for shed precision spacing/straightness :p
 
Righto, the weather was kind to me today ie: it pissed with rain so gardening was off and garage was ON!!

Going back a long while now, I ordered a generic rear brake master cylinder which is nearly correct for the Honda mounts, but the orientation of the pedal lever put the main shaft out of alignment, I knew this and had always planned a cheeky offset mount. Got to make it today out of the 3mm alloy I had bought a few weeks back.

Here's the problem...



So, out came the hacksaw, drill and bench belt sander to produce this masterpiece.....



The little notches are to clear the MC body, came out OK I think.

Here it is in place, nudged against the MC body....





This shot shows the shaft alignment is now straight, pleased with that.



Routed the braided line and fitted up the footrest mount after another session on the wirewheel, came out OK. Swapped a few bolts for s/s capheads and stitched it all up...finally I hope?



Thought to remove the front master as a brake bleed is nearing fruition....BLOODY HELL! where the effin 'ell did all that gunk come from?



An hour later, having used brake cleaner - no good, WD40 - a bit better, boiling water - melted it away. I then used WD40 again to clean out the piston cylinder until it pumped out clean, spent time on it and I'm pleased it's come up clean enough.



Refurbed the lever pivot, cleaned up the mount and changed to allen bolts. While trying to clean up the MC cover, I gave it a quickie on the wirewheel.......looks mucho better I reckon.



So, a productive day was productive :D
 
Small update - thought I'd try and bleed the front brakes today, but filled the reservoir, opened one caliper bleed nipple and pumped the lever...nothing. Not much fluid movement save for a small/slight blow back from the transfer hole to the main piston chamber?

I've stripped the M/c to check all is well with the seals and they appear to be in good order, small amount of remaining crud but nothing too bad.

I get the feeling I have to prime the system before bleeding....never done it on a bike before.

System comprises, handlebar mounted M/C and reservoir, single braided flexi to T splitter then two single braids to each caliper. I had only opened one caliper nipple. Using a pipe and jar with 2cm of fluid in it to bleed....like I would do a car.

Can anyone shed some light on how to do it from dry please? I think priming will help, if I can figure a way to do it that is.

I have a syringe and 1ltr of brand new DOT4 synthetic fluid.

Thank you.
 
Thanks to some timely and excellent advice from three members, delivered in double quick time, I now have an MO for tomorrow's efforts to bleed the front brakes.

Hillsy
Doc-rot
Adventurco

I'll be sure and report my results. Thanks guys.
 
Hey, I posted some stuff that might help in the brake bleed thread, then I came over here to see if I could tell what kind of bleed nipples you had on her but I can't tell. In future also one of the best thing to clean old brake fluid out of your system is brake fluid. other cleaners can contaminate your system and cause the new fluid to break down quicker.
 
Isopropyl alcohol is what I use for cleaning master cylinders and brake internals. Your master was nasty. Looks much better now. Did you pull the plunger apart and clean in there?
 
canyoncarver said:
Isopropyl alcohol is what I use for cleaning master cylinders and brake internals. Your master was nasty. Looks much better now. Did you pull the plunger apart and clean in there?

Alcohol would be safe, evaporates and leaves no residues to bugger with brake fluid.
 
Maritime said:
Alcohol would be safe, evaporates and leaves no residues to bugger with brake fluid.


Exactly, and it dissolves the crud nicely. (Also recommended in the service manuals...)
 
canyoncarver said:
Isopropyl alcohol is what I use for cleaning master cylinders and brake internals. Your master was nasty. Looks much better now. Did you pull the plunger apart and clean in there?

Alcohol OK, didn't have any so used carb cleaner which is safe on diaphragms, so thought it OK to use. I think it might have damaged the seal as bleeding isn't happening any time soon :-/

I did pull it apart and cleaned the insides, not to much gunk and it all went back together well enough.

The rear bled nicely, with a new m/c, pumped fluid nicely through, whereas the front feels weak and just about moves fluid, I don't like it but I think a repair kit is on the shopping list.

Thank you all for your advice and input, appreciate you taking the time to get me there, cheers. Colin
 
Carb cleaner is nasty stuff and terrible to rubber.. brake cleaner is what you want.. it's mostly alcohol and evaporates with no residue or damage to rubber...
Love the build btw. ..

Psy

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
 
Psycrow said:
Carb cleaner is nasty stuff and terrible to rubber.. brake cleaner is what you want.. it's mostly alcohol and evaporates with no residue or damage to rubber...
Love the build btw. ..

Psy

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

Ah, OK...I used Wurth brake cleaner but it didn't touch the gel gunk, whereas the carb cleaner did...I thought as it could be used on carbs with rubber diaphragms it's be OK, sadly that decision may have bitten me in the arse :(

I'm resigned to rebuilding the m/c me thinks.

And, thanx it's shaping up much how I imagined....:)
 
beachcomber said:
That's the problem with plug leads - they can "look" OK !!!!!

They're so cheap [ or knit your own ], it's not worth taking a chance on.

Having been involved directly with the development of plug leads [ 8mm silicone Hi-Po jobbies ] - and done considerable testing with OEM units [ new and used ] - they would be my first item to change / replace.

A quick trawl of E-Bay will get you the Hi-Po silicone 8mm wire for something like £3.00 / metre !!

Here's some I developed for RAM [ BMW Kay series ]




Those are looking sharp. Didn't know they were inexpensive. Sweet.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Carb cleaner is for the Jets emulsion tubes and carb bodies after rubber and felt O rings and gaskets are removed. Those master cylinder seals are pretty robust a small amount of carb cleaner will not immediately destroy them. If your master is leaking from around the piston just drain and disassemble and polish the bore. There must be crud keeping the rubber seal from making a good seal while moving up and down the bore.. however make sure that's where it's leaking from. It's more common to leak from the master's cover or from around the banjo bolt. .. you do have 2 copper crush washers on either side of the master's banjo bolt?.

Psy

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
 
fantastic work on the bike there
on the brake bleeding first things first, you bench bleed the master
fancy words it just means bleed the master as a seperate deal before you move to bleed the system as a unit
 
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