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Messages - mell357

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Honda 650 Nighthawk US - Uk Speedo Change
« on: April 03, 2014, 08:15:40 PM »
For me you can't beat the sound of a two stroke, I had a KH400 when I was 18 (many years ago now) and still love them today. I still play with two stroke motors in my jetski collection, I have a 1992 Kawasaki JS550SX Reed Valve that I have tuned to the max and a 1991 Kawasaki 650 X2 which is also seriously worked. The sound that these make on the water is awesome and they are awesome fun too.
I will have another Kwak 2stroke triple now that I am back into bikes.

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Japanese Bikes / Honda 650 Nighthawk US - Uk Speedo Change
« on: April 01, 2014, 08:05:36 PM »
Just finished my Nighthawk rebuild, the bike is a US import and as part of the renovation I swopped the US speedo for a UK one off of the donor bike, on the test ride the bike feels faster than the speedo is reading. Of course I need to check it running along side another bike or the wife in her car but does anyone know if I needed to change the speedo drive as well?.
I would have thought not but I am open to anyone with experience.
Thanks to all those who helped with advise along the way, onto the 1980 Kawasaki Z1000 now so it all starts again. The Honda is as sweet as though and well worth the toil and time put in, once the Z1000 is done I fancy a H2 Triple next if I can find an affordable one.

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Any one had problems with POR 15 Tank Sealer?.
« on: February 09, 2014, 01:32:19 PM »
Went to Wicks and got a large pack of 35mm general purpose screws, been at it one and a half hours on and off and they are having the desired effects. The stuff is coming out in large lumps but my arms are dropping off!
Also lots and lots of rust dust, very concerning. The issue now is what to do with this.

Do I white vinegar it as some people suggest or reuse the metal prep left over from the POR pack (it is supposed to be reusable). If I metal prep it I will have to coat it with something I think?.

As always advise is welcome, I will keep going with the screws to get as much out as possible.

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Any one had problems with POR 15 Tank Sealer?.
« on: February 09, 2014, 09:46:59 AM »
Thanks guys, you are right I am not alone in having trouble with this stuff. If only I had Googled "trouble with POR 15" before I wasted my money on the stuff.

There you go, I should have left the inside of the tank alone, it was not leaking , I just wanted to do the best job possible having gone so far with the bike.

Hey, ho, happy days. Not!

White vinegar and gravel plus lots of shaking (I don't have a cement mixer) looks to be the order of the day. One substitute for gravel suggested has been a hand full of dry walling screws, easier to get out of the tank as you can use a magnet. any one see an issue with this?.

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Japanese Bikes / Any one had problems with POR 15 Tank Sealer?.
« on: February 08, 2014, 04:45:33 PM »
I found a tank for my Honda 650 Nighthawk project, basically sound but it did have some surface rust on the inside. I looked around and decided to treat it with this POR15 product, it's supposed to be meant for just this application.

Got the stuff and having read up I followed the instructions implicitly, it took all of a day degreasing, flushing, treating with metal prep and even worse drying it out as per the instructions. The finished effect was initially superb however one week on and the coating is peeling off in big flakes!. God knows what went wrong and what I can do about it now.

Anyone have any advise please. 

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« on: January 18, 2014, 10:52:39 AM »
Hi, thanks for the offer. I have been scouring the country and found a tank off of a 1982 750 nighthawk, looks the same apart from the 750 had a fuel gauge so there is a tank sender underneath that will be redundant.
I have bough that so hope it fits ok, will get back to you if need to go down the repair route.

Thanks for getting back to me.

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« on: January 16, 2014, 09:02:25 PM »
Hi,  Thank for getting back to me and the advise so far, Yes I am in the UK. Worksop North Notts.

Been looking further at this tank and I think that it's goosed. Looks to me as though someone has already applied some sort of silver compound to the inside but clearly not killed the rust first. The tank has heavy rust on the inside and looks as if has been stood with water in it at some time.
I do have another tank, that tank is not so bad on the inside with only light rust but has had a piece welded in at some time, the problem with this one is that it is cosmetically quite rough (dented and scraped) and will take some work to get a good paint finish on it. then I think that I would used the tank sealer gunk as a secondary measure and make sure the rust is killed inside.

Thinking this is the best route, already searched good old ebay and there is only one showing in the US to fit my 1982 bike and it looks goosed too, several for later bikes which will fit but will not accept the 1982 tank badges specific to my bike. The later tanks may be an option with some jiggery pokey to make it look right.

Unless of course anyone has any other solutions, I am open to and welcome suggestions.
 

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Japanese Bikes / Just when all was going well!!!, Help please. Rottern Petrol Tank
« on: January 15, 2014, 09:15:12 PM »
Restoration project 1982 Honda 650Sc Nighthawk.

Restoration flying along and looking great, had it fired up last weekend on a separate fuel feed, sound as smooth as can be. Just the bodywork to do, well side panels, seat trim and tank. Started on the tank and what looked like five small blebs in the paint are actually rust holes, small pin holes.

Can anything be done with this or is it a case of finding another tank?.

Any help/advise very welcome and needed. 

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Japanese Bikes / Re: Best handling bike that you have ever owned and why
« on: August 13, 2013, 09:16:28 PM »
Best bike and biggest surprise was a Yamaha Fazer 600, bought it cheap when I had to cash in an R1 as we were extending our house at the time. Absolutely fantastic value for money and a big grin factor.

Worst bike, 1979 Kawasaki KH400. Had it when I was 19, mental fast in a straight line but frightening in corners. A KH trait I believe. Still, wish I still had it now. Still love two stroke triples.

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Japanese Bikes / Re: New to restoring, 1982 Honda 650 Nighthawk, more advise please
« on: August 13, 2013, 09:05:38 PM »
Well the Nighthawk came to pieces a treat, easy and a credit to Mr Honda. So much easier than 25 year old Kawasaki jet ski where aluminium and salt water get to mix on a regular basis and have then been left to fester in a garden for years because the trusty two stroke motor developed some minor niggle. Not a bolt seized, nothing sheared, a miracle!.

I decided to remove the head stock bearings but am leaving the swing arm bushes in and trying the washer trick, the swing arm bushes look more rooted than the head stock outer races. My question if anyone can help is re the head stock bearings, I understood that these should be loose ball bearings when in fact it has taper roller bearings fitted. These do not look original and were a swine to get out as they provided no edge to get a purchase on or a drift onto.

Also the guy that I bought the bike off said that the cam chain can be noisy when cold, to be honest I could not fault it. If there's a problem I would sooner sort it now while the motor is out, does anyone know if the cam chain tensioner causes problems on these old single cam motors?.

I am at Worksop, north Notts. Can anyone recommend a place kind of local that will do re chrome work. The stock 4 into 4 exhaust needs doing as well as a pile of peripheral bits like headlamp bucket, chain guard etc.

As last time any and all advise very welcome.

Regards, Simon

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Japanese Bikes / Re: New to restoring, advise please
« on: August 01, 2013, 05:47:44 PM »
Lots of real good advise here, I am surprised by the fast response. Lots to think over, I really wanted the Kwak mint but I will take advise on it and think again. The Honda needs a fettle, it's scruffy.
I will practice on the Honda taking this advise on board and rethink the Z1000 once the Hondas' done. Thank you to all who posted, really appreciated. If there are any other beads of wisdom I am all ears. Experience cannot be substituted. Thank you again.

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Japanese Bikes / New to restoring, advise please
« on: July 31, 2013, 07:23:40 PM »
Been restoring classic 1980s' jet skis for a while and know them inside out, have decided to go back to my first love and restore a bike.
I have actually bought two, a 1980 US spec Kwak Z1000 ( Always wanted one when I was young in the 80s'), 9000 miler that needs little doing but it's going to get a full strip and restore also a 1981 Honda 650 Night hawk more to practice on.
I have started on the Nighthawk and I am carefully and slowly stripping it. I need advise on blasting the frame for coating, should I remove the steering head outer bearing races from the frame or leave them in?.
Also, the motor is sweet and not leaking, I am of a mind to leave well alone as it's not broke (you know what I mean). The black paint on the motor is scruffy though. Is there a way to clean the old paint off the motor without having to strip it and have the parts blasted?.
Any help or advise would be much appreciated.
Simon.

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