Let me start by saying that the motorcycle is running well now.
It took a lot to get there in both patience and money. Mostly patience though, which I feel is a better thing to work on from a personal growth perspective. But enough babbling about feelings.
As I left it on my last post the bike was mostly ready to go but needed some testing. Well I tested it and unfortunately the tank fix didn't work. As I began to fill the tank it slowly began to leak the water down the side of the petcock. I was frustrated and decided to call for help. I took it to a friend of mine who used to be a mechanic. My friend was going through some economic struggles due to being lain off so I though this could help both of us. He'd make some cash and I'd get my bike gone through.
Unfortunately his replacement job took him all over the country and consequently the bike sat most of the summer. I can only feel that maybe I pushed the job on him and as such the last thing he was interested in doing was working on it on his days off. Eventually I asked him if he would be done with it by the middle of September and he agreed. I got the call that it was done late September and went over to check it out. The replacement petcock he'd used had fallen off and nothing else had been touched. I was unhappy. I had already given him $40 and so I decided he was done working on the bike. I took the tank to another mechanic (Jim) to work on it.
Two or three days and $44 later it was done. Good new is Jim was able to reuse the original petcock. He used 3 thin applications of Permatex Indian head gasket shellac. I went over after he did the testing to pick it up and pay him. While I was talking with him and checking out the tank I almost spilled some residual gas right on myself from the petcock. I had switched the petcock to run and about a 1/2 ounce of gas shot right out when I held the tank level.
I took the tank back to my friend's house and began to get the bike ready to roll. I remounted the tank and kick-started the bike. It was really amazing. The bike kicked over almost immediately. I spent the next 20 minutes putting some "Slime"in the tires. As it had sat so long at my friends house the tires had deflated and just sat. I put the slime in to help them hold air and as the slime was a little old the valve became gummed up and prevented me from filing it. A little poking around with a few different instruments and the repeated use of the air compressor got it working properly and soon It was full of air and ready for a test drive.
I rode it to a local gas station and filled up. I was a bit proud of myself and felt slighted that a baby boomer had spent his time filling up his pickup truck instead of oohing an aweing over this motorcycle that was closer to his age than I was.
I called the wife and rode it home about 10 miles. The bike still didn't have headlights or tailights so I rode it home then over the the Jim's the next day.
At Jim's I had him go through a lot of the bike and get the headlight and tailight working. He also adjusted the valves, and timing. I'll post on the work he did later.
My impressions on the bike are pretty positive. For a 154cc engine it has a lot of power, and it is well carbureted. The power coming on from idle in an even and well fashion. The exhaust is surprisingly loud (I thought it would be a quite sewing machine Honda.) yet it's not obnoxious. The suspension is smooth but bounces like a pogo stick on uneven pavement. Happily the brakes work adequately
In closing I just want to say it kicks over and starts running without any issue. The power is more than sufficient to move me at approx 65 mph. Lot's of things to do to make it perfect but right now it seems like a good solid bike. That could take me far and get me home.
Joe
P.S. I thought up a name for it. Lunchbox. Mostly due to the side panels that cover the battery and tool kit. They remind me of an old metal lunchbox. I always liked lunch.
