Electrical Meltdown!
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
This ever happen to you?  Randakk customer Randy Troy of Oceanside, CA recently faced this challenge during the resurrection of a ’79 CBX – the alternator harness plug was 100% “toast!” Now What? (photo by Randy Troy) Don’t worry, there’s an easy solution …and an easy prevention! If you own a vintage Honda, you enjoy one of the best machines ever engineered. You also get to enjoy a 40 year old wiring harness! The wires in the harness last indefinitely. Not so, for the connectors and plugs. When the magic smoke disappears, your day is ruined! Often a deteriorated connector plug is the culp ..read more
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Recommended Honda GL1000 Timing Belt Change Interval
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
My recommendation for Honda GL1000 timing belts is simple: It you can’t verify their age – change them! Thereafter, my recommendation is to change them every 5 years or 25,000 miles…whichever comes sooner. Obviously, they should be inspected from time to time for any evidence of damage, oil contamination or deterioration which would warrant immediate replacement. If you saw GWRRA’s Wing World magazine’s June 2006 issue you might have seen a letter to the Workbench column about GL1000 timing belts. The writer kindly referenced me as a “well-known wizard on the GL1000” and mentioned my timing be ..read more
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Motorcycle Petcocks 101
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
What is a petcock? Why is important to vintage motorcycle owners? Can Proper Petcock Use Prevent This? A petcock is simply a 2-way or 3-way valve that controls fuel flow out of the fuel tank.  GL1000 Petcock The valve positions for a manual petcock are “on,” “off” and usually “reserve.”  Vacuum petcocks are less important for this discussion since they are usually left in the “run” position and are opened and closed automatically by the engine vacuum of a running (or not running) engine.  Vacuum petcocks may have a “prime” setting to bypass vacuum operation and aid starting afte ..read more
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How To Plan A Bike Project
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Sam White
5M ago
Restoring a vintage bike is a rite of passage for any classic motorcycle enthusiast, but it is one that home mechanics often avoid. There really is no reason to be nervous about taking on a bike project, though. With a little planning and forethought, everything usually goes pretty smoothly. Ask yourself a few questions: What is the overall condition of my motorcycle? What is my intended use? (Daily rider, performance, show bike, etc.) And some words of wisdom from experienced builders: Begin with the end in mind. Be honest with yourself. Correctly identify your budget, time frame, and resour ..read more
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Flooding Issues on Vintage Hondas
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
Flooding is a common problem in vintage Hondas – especially on bikes that don’t get run much.  Flooding can be just a minor aggravation …like hard starting or poor fuel mileage. But, it can also lead to catastrophic problems such as severe engine damage or even a fire!  Flooding issues should not be ignored! Elsewhere, I wrote: “Fuel regulation is accomplished by the rise and fall of each float. As the float rises to the appropriate level, the float pushes against a rubber-tipped float “needle” which operates against a precision machined “seat” to stop the flow of fuel. Likewise, w ..read more
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Internally Collapsed Header on Honda GL1000?
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
Internally Collapsed Header on Honda GL1000? Collapsed GL1000 Header Example courtesy of Steve Seamans of NGWClub Forum This is a fairly rare defect on GL1000s, but I have seen a few cases. The GL1000 header above is 90% blocked in the area marked by red paint!  There is no distortion on the outside of the header. I’ve only seen this on GL1000s, but it could probably happen on other models as well. Symptom: Low power output on a GL1000 with verified correct compression, ignition and carburetion. Usually, the bike will start and idle fine and respond as expected to carb synch. Explanation ..read more
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Honda GL1000 Timing Advance Unit Details
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
OEM Honda Timing Advance Unit Details: This simple device is critical to proper ignition function on Honda GL1000s! The ignition advancer is a simple, but critical component of the GL1000 ignition.  It’s located behind the points cover on the end of the left camshaft …near the gear shift lever. It should be checked during routine tune-ups and whenever you experience ignition or carburetor problems. Why?  Problems with the advancer often mimic carburetor problems! Symptoms that implicate the advancer: Erratic idle “Hanging” high idle Low power output “Surging” Poor throttle res ..read more
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Reasonable Part Substitutions for Honda GL1000s
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
You can never go wrong with OEM Honda parts. Fit, function, and reliability are never an issue. If you have a show bike, authenticity requirements dictate that you stick with Honda parts wherever possible. Of course, if show judges are looking at things like your timing belts, then you have bigger problems! The following chart lists reasonable substitutes that have performed well for me and many others. This information is available elsewhere, but I decided to post it here for convenience since I’m often asked. Prices are considerably less than the equivalent Honda parts. GL1000 Part Equiva ..read more
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Vintage Honda Restoration Experts
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
If you’re visiting my web site, you’re likely as crazy about vintage Hondas as I am.  I no longer do restoration work. I recommend that you contact one of these skilled experts below for high quality restoration work. Randy Creel, Jr.  Randy’s Cycle Service and Restoration   Rhoadesville, VA  Phone: 540-854-0689  email: info@rcycle.com  Visit Randy’s website here    J.R. Luksik CBX-tras   Clinton Township, MI   email: cbxtras@gmail.com Visit J.R.’s website here   Whether you w ..read more
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“Performance” Ignition / Carb Combination for ’78-’79 Honda GL1000 engines
Randakk's Blog » Honda Motorcycle Restoration
by Randakk
5M ago
I get lots of questions on this topic…. This is the highest performance combination of OEM components for use with a ’78-’79 GL1000 engine: Early GL1000 cams (’75-77)  ’75-’77 GL1000 carbs (’75 version with 355 carb code preferred) Early ’75-’77 ignition advancer (#371)  This change is very important to get the correct ignition timing / advance correct for this combination With this combination you will want to set static timing to 5 degrees BTDC.  But, there is no such mark on ’78-’79 flywheels since “late ” engines use static timing spec of 10 degrees BTDC. Soluti ..read more
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