Sold It

Jezebel has been sold to the highest bidder. After four years and 16,000 miles, it's time to say goodbye.

I listed her on eBay, and had my share of flakes making bids, demanding special treatment, and ultimately cancelling bids.

But in the end, she appears to have sold.

Sale Prep - Honda Magna

I'm finally getting the Honda Magna ready for sale on eBay.

Based on the advice of fellow-riders, I removed most of the expensive farkles (accessories) which I had added to the bike. I'll sell those separately.

Then, I decided I needed to clean the carbs? Why? Why did I do this to myself when the bike was running well enough? I don't know. I was unhappy with a little off-idle hesitation when I throttled up when the bike was cold. It seemed to me to need a carb cleaning.

But, what a lengthy and painful process for a Honda V4. I was cursing Soichiro himself as I was removing the carbs.

Getting them cleaned wasn't too bad. Assuming I didn't mess something up or make something worse in the process.

Getting the carbs back on the bike wasn't too tough either. The carbs on the 3rd generation Magna, with its modified carb boots, are much easier to seat than the 1st generation Magna.

I'll get the air filter back on, and then the gas tank, and then eagerly await the moment of truth. If I've fixed the off-idle hesitation, I'll call it good, and start polishing her up for photographs.

Stay tuned.

Riding the Magna, Anew

How strange it was to ride my Magna again, after having become accustomed to the ST1300. Since the Magna hasn't sold yet, and is licensed and registered, I figured I would ride it to work. I want to keep it happy until I'm able to sell it. Here are my thoughts on riding my old bike anew.

One. What a rush. What a quick bike off the line. With no windshield, the blast of air was exhilarating.

Two. How did I ever endure that seating position? Feet so far forward compared to the ST. All my weight on my spine. I worried the ST would uncomfortable. Now I see it's more comfortable than the Magna.

Three. Turn baby turn. What the heck is wrong with the steering geometry on this bike. The ST turns effortlessly. The worse turning bike I've ever ridden was the V Rod Muscle. By comparison to the two . . . ST and V Rod . . . The Magna is squarely in the middle. Better than the Harley at turning a corner, but cumbersome compared to the ST.

Four. A chain isn't so bad.  I welcome the maintenance free aspect of the ST's shaft drive, but I have noticed some drive-train lash.  A feeling of sloppiness in transitions from deceleration to acceleration.  That, I guess, comes with the territory for shaft drives.  The Magna, by comparison, with its chain drive, is smooth in transition from deceleration to acceleration.  Like a dream.

Wiring Your Bike For Heat -- Heated Gear Installation

Heated gear extends my riding season.  I'm able to ride comfortably down to the freezing point with heated gear.  Without it, I'm shivering below fifty degrees.

The heated gear involves a special jacket, worn under my regular riding gear, which is laced with high-resistance wires which generate heat when an electrical current passes through them... just like an electric blanket.

The gear is powered from the bike's battery.  This requires installation of a special wiring harness which attaches to the battery and provides a plug in for the heated gear.

In my case, I have a Gerbing heated jacket, and so have also purchased the Gerbing wiring harness and temperature controller.  These are each sold separately.

To install the wiring harness, you'll need access to the battery.

The exact steps for accessing the battery will vary from bike to bike.  Check your owner's manual.  But usually, accessing the battery requires removing the seat and possibly one of the side-covers.

1.  Remove the seat.  

For the Honda ST1300, this involves opening the saddlebag-bracket lock on the left side of the bike, and pulling the seat release lever. 

Pull the seat slightly up and to the rear of the bike to release.  

For the Honda Magna, this involves removing the three seat bolts (stock seat) or one seat bolt (after-market seat). 

2.  Remove the side cover.

For the Honda ST1300, there are three bolts holding the side cover in place. 

For the Honda Magna, this step is not required. 

3.  Disconnect the battery


Remove the bolts from the battery terminals, one at a time.  The black wire of the wiring harness goes over the negative terminal of the battery; red over the positive terminal. 

4.  Position the plug

Thread the wiring harness carefully so that the plug is accessible under the edge of the seat.  On the Honda Magna, the most logical place for the plug seemed to be the front edge of the seat, since there was a ready-made notch between the gas tank and the seat.

For the Honda ST1300, given the shape of the seat, it was easier to position the plug at the left side of the seat.

Just make sure the wiring doesn't block the seat's locking or clamping mechanism.  And keep the end of the plug from the engine or exhaust.




Replace the side cover, then the seat, and you're ready to go.

Memphis Fats for the Magna

I previously had a Memphis Slims 17" windshield installed on the Magna.

Memphis Slims



See my earlier post on the Memphis Slims.

With the 17" Slims installed, I had quite a bit of buffeting and I felt the windshield was too low for my height. I looked into a taller Memphis Slim but 17" is the tallest they make. To get a taller shield, I have to move to the Memphis Fats. The Fats comes in a wider variety of heights. I ordered a 21" Memphis Fats windshield off eBay, and installed it today.

The bike-specific mounting brackets are the same between the Slims and the Fats, so I reused them. Remove four bolts from the shield and remove the brackets from the Slims.

Instructions



The Memphis Shades website has downloadable installation instructions, which came in handy.

I noticed the Fats are thicker, more substantial.

The big difference between the Slims and the Fats is the width. The Slims are about 18" across at their widest point, the Fats are about 22". They really have the same overall shape and style -- that iconic "Cruiser Windshield" look that some folks call "The Tombstone".

The shield height is measured in height above the headlight. The instructions say that the top of the shield should be just below the line of sight. That seems like an arbitrary and difficult-to-measure specification -- it's hard for me to visualize when sitting in the garage, what my line of sight will be running down the road.

I know I'm just overthinking it, but I did hem and haw quite a bit about getting the right height. The real issue is that you can't really tell how it's going to feel until you get the bike at highway speed. At that point, you've already made your purchase and you're probably stuck with the result. At the very least I've got a time-consuming "Return Materials Authorization" process to deal with, extra shipping, extra waiting for a replacement shield.

A four-inch jump in height is significant, I might've tried a two-inch increase first, but had a feeling I really needed a taller shield.

Memphis Fats

I need to give it a test drive and see how it feels at highway speeds. Stay tuned.

Honda V65 Magna Television Commercial

One of the original Honda television commercials featuring the V65 Magna.



Will history repeat itself? Will Honda put the 2010 VFR1200's power plant in a cruiser frame again? Please?!?!

Kuryaken Dually Pegs

I just received my Kuryakyn Dually Pegs, which I installed as passenger pegs on my Honda Magna VF750C. I'm happy to report that Kuryakyn's Dually Pegs do fit nicely as passenger pegs on the Magna, and in fact they retract up and out of the way, clearing the side covers nicely. I had been concerned about clearance, since the Dually Pegs is a large peg with a broad surface. There isn't a lot of spare room, and it won't work if the peg surface is sloped aggressively up or down. But it is a very natural fit and looks great on the bike.

The chrome finish was superb, it lives up to the hype. There were no instructions included in the package, but installation was fairly intuitive.

The pegs I bought required separate, bike-specific adaptors.

Here are the step by step instructions:

A. Remove the stock passenger pegs.

1. Remove the side cover.

2. Using a pair of needle nose pliers, pull the cotter pin from the pivot bolt. When I did this I broke the cotter pin. This always happens to me when removing cotter pins, so I already had an assortment of them to choose from, in a "Miscellaneous Fastener Pack" that I purchased at the local auto parts store.

3. Slide the pivot bolt out of the bracket. Be careful to catch and retain both the pivot bolt and the small washer; you'll need both to install the new pegs.

B. Install the Kuryakyn pegs.

1. First, test fit the pegs to the adapters. There is a hex-head bolt which runs through the peg, which fastens into the tapered stem of the adapter. Tighten this bolt until the tapered stem of the adapter mates with the receptacle in the peg. Leave it loose enough to turn the adapter freely within the peg. You'll make the final adjustments while the pegs are on the bike.

2. Slip the bushing into the adapter. This metal collar narrows the diameter of the hole drilled in the adapter, and allows for a tight fit against the pivot bolt. One slipped in easily with just pressure from my fingers. The other required a few careful taps from a hammer.

3. There is a smaller hex head bolt, about 1/4 inch long, which screws into the end of the adapter, opposite the peg. This adjuster allows to fine tune the angle of the footpeg when it is folded down for use. Insert this bolt into the adaptor, and tighten until all but 1/8" shows. You'll make final adjustments to this bolt once the pegs are on the bike.

4. Check the orientation of the adaptor. The rounded corner of the adaptor should be facing up, the squared corner should be facing down. This allows the adaptor and peg to pivot up when not in use.

5. The adaptor includes about eight different spring washers which help hold the pegs tight to minimize wiggling, and to provide enough tension to keep the pegs from falling from upright to "in use" position. The washers are shaped like the letter "D", about 1" across, and though they are all the same thickness, are bowed to varying degrees. This "bowing" forms a spring action which clamps against the adapter for a tight fit. I choose a spring washer which was tight enough to feel snug, so that it required a little effort to pull the peg down from upright to "in use" position. Place the flat side of the "letter D" toward the flat back of the bracket. This will keep the corners of the "letter D" tucked away toward the frame of the bike, and will hold the spring washer in place.

6. Slide the pivot bolt through the hole. Carefully test the pivot action of the peg. Make sure that the peg clears the frame when folding up.

7. Return the washer to the pivot bolt, and install a fresh cotter pin and bend each prong of the pin around the bolt.

8. Test the orientation of the peg ensuring that the angle front-to-back is okay. Tighten the hex-head bolt which runs through the length of the footpeg.

9. Test the orientation of the peg left-to-right ensuring that the angle is okay. If it sags too much, you'll have to back the hidden hex head bolt (the small one on the curved face of the adapter) a few turns. If it angles upward, you'll have to tighten the hidden hex-head bolt. You might have to adjust it a few times to be perfectly satisfied.

10. When you're done fine tuning the fit of the pegs, replace the side covers. You're done!

Holy Smokes

What a difference those 105 jets and needle shims make. I rode TRHB (tm) to work today and .... holy wow.

I didn't notice the flat spot at 4000 rpm ... until it was gone. Smooth power delivery all the way up to the top of the tach. I could swear I have more low end torque too ... more grunt at 2000.

I'm definitely running rich. I can smell it.

Bob has an exhaust analyzer that he offered to let me use. It will let me fine tune the mixture screws. Thankfully this can be done without taking the carbs off the bike and apart for each adjustment.

I backed mine out to 2 3/4 turns per the jet kit instructions.

It's great to be back ... and running better than ever.

Dave Dodge - Dodge Racing Products

I found this "catalog" and price-list from Dodge Racing Products. I just installed the "Carb Shim and Jet Kit" on my bike and WOW what a difference. I typically don't post commercial items here, but in the interest of support for these wonderful Honda V4 bikes ... I'm making an exception ...
--Rat

BOLT-ON PERFORMANCE

Carb Needle Shim Kit $ 7.95
- for stock bikes with midrange flat-spot, corrects the fuel mixture.

Carb Shim/Jet Kit $ 39.00
- for bikes with aftermarket mufflers, boosts power from 74 horsepower stock to near 82 at the rear wheel with Cobra, Jardine or Vance and Hines mufflers.

K&N Performance Air Filter $ 55.00
- Finally, it is available and in stock.

Dyna 3000 Adjustable Ignition $295.00
- Allows tuning for all motor combinations.

Braided S.S. Front Brake Hose $ 59.00 (clear-coated hose)
- custom lengths and colors available by special order for $65.00.

Braided S.S. Clutch Cable $ 59.00
- clear-coated in standard length, custom lengths available for $69.00

Braided S.S. Throttle Cable A $ 49.00
Braided S.S. Throttle Cable B ; $ 49.00
- clear-coated in standard length, custom lengths available for $59.00 each.

15T Countershaft Sprocket $ 35.00
- lowers gear ratio for better acceleration, and around town riding
OR
17T Countershaft Sprocket $ 35.00
- raises gear ratio suited for open highway and touring, plus better MPG

DRP Kevlar Performance Clutch Kit $169.00
- complete plate and spring kit for performance street riding and/or drag racing.


ENGINE PERFORMANCE

DRP Stage 1 Camshaft Set $595.00 exchange
- Drop-in cam for use with stock pistons.
- Adds 8 horsepower

DRP 770cc Forged 12:1 C.R. Piston Kit $650.00
- 71mm Bore (stock is 70mm), requires top case bore and hone.
- Includes pistons, rings, pins, clips
- Uses stock head gaskets

DRP Racing Valve Spring Set $199.00
- Required for Stage 2 and higher lift cams
- Includes 16 dual (inner/outer) springs, bottom spring seats
- Uses stock retainers

DRP Titanium Valve Spring Retainer Set $219.00
- For racing use with big cams
- Fits our racing valve springs

DRP Bronze Valve Guide Set & nbsp; $148.00
- Required for Stage 2 and higher lift cams
- Made of nickle bronze
- Shorter than stock to install shorter on the spring side.

Internal engine components have been developed including bigger cams, pistons, port work, etc. The specs for a Stage 2 engine require a more comprehensive rebuild, and are priced as a package. We also offer complete machine shop services including bore and honing, head porting, transmission undercutting, and complete engine building.

Company info:

Dodge Racing Products
attn: Dave Dodge
16503 Glenfurness Drive
Huntersville, NC 28078
Tel: (704) 892-7961
Fax: (704) 655-8819

We accept credit card orders by phone, or you can send a money order by mail.


Dave Dodge - DRP
www.drp123.com

K&N Filter?

Okay, so I admit -- should have thought of this before I rejetted the carbs, but should I install the high-flow K&N air filter to go with my Dave Dodge shims and jets? Jets are up to 105 from stock 100. Exhaust is still stock and I plan to keep it that way, unless free Vance & Hines pipes are parachuted into my back yard.

It's running rich now.

And, holy cow, the K&N Filter costs more than the Jet kit.

denniskirk $60.13
motorcycle-superstore $53.99

Anyone have experience with the K&N filters and can you recommend for/against them.

Jezebel is back!

After yesterday's strange behavior (tach suddenly would not drop below 8k) I tore into the bike looking for clues this morning. When I took the carb rack off, and turned it over, I noticed that the throttle plates were indeed being held open.

Then I heard something fall out of the carb rack and onto the garage floor. It was a metal "nut" mounted to a rectangular piece of sheet metal. I recognized it as one of the mounts that hold the airbox to the frame. I examined the throttle plates again, and they were fully closed.

This little nut had lodged externally in the levers and runners that connect all four throttle mechanisms together. It had held the throttle plates open.

My theory is that this bracket was dislodged when I had the little wipeout in March (slipping in an oil slick at a stop light). It must've rattled around in the "V", under my carbs for a few months, and jiggled its way into place wheere it interfered with my throttle.

That was easy!

Well, while I had the carbs off, I installed that Dave Dodge needles shim and jets that I bought off Charley Sutton at SME '07. I've been waiting, figured I'd install them next time I tore into my carbs, or next time I got bored and wasn't able to ride. Well, today was the day ... I was holding the carb rack in my hands, I may as well go for it.

The 105 jets and shims installed easy as pie. The only troubles were self inflicted, alzheimer-type troubles like taking apart the float bowls I'd already worked on. I can't remember what I just did, especially when both halves of the carb rack look so similar. I had to mark the ones I'd worked on with a sharpie!

I found a half-inch diameter blob of goo under one of the diaphrams. At first it looked like some ingested air cleaner foam. But I've got a stock cloth air cleaner, totally intact. The blob smeared easily and uniformly ... no indication of foam bits. Not sure what it was, perhaps a bit of goo that was missed from when I cleaned the carbs in '07. I didn't see anything else like it anywhere else in the carbs.

Everything back together, and it took a little cranking to get it to start. But it roared to life. I swear the sound is different, just from the jetting, but I could be nuts. It could be just that sweet V4 sound rushing back into my ears.

I know the real proof is in the driving, but I haven't had the chance yet. Maybe after the kids are in bed.

Stranded Roadside

On my way home from work today bike started accelerating spontaneously. First time it happened I thought I had imagined it. I shifted gears and braked and it snapped back into line. It happened again. And then it happened over and over with increasing frequency and ferocity. Finally, it reached 8k on the tachometer, even with no hand on the throttle. The tach would not drop below 8k even with no throttle applied at all.

Idle adjustment is not the issue ... The idle stop is well out of the way. I pulled over to inspect. Throttle action (push and pull cables) is fine. Nothing obviously broken or out of place on throttle/carb mechanisms. I'm sitting by the side of the road waiting for My Harley Babe (tm) to come pick me up with the rescue trailer.

Humiliating!!! But not worth damage to bike or self to ride the remaining three miles home. All it needs to do is add another 2k to its idle speed and I'll be hitting the rev limiter. I don't feel like burning up the clutch today with 8k startups.

Any thoughts on WTF?

Any ideas on roadside adjustments that might allow That Redhaired Bitch (tm) a.k.a. Jezebel to return home on her own power.

Thanks in advance.

Helpful Links

Sites I have found helpful in my foray into the world of motorcycling:

Getting Started

Motorcycle Safety Foundation

Motorcycles.About.com

Gear

New Enough.com

Fast Company - Home of Draggin' Jeans

Magna-Specific

SabMag

Magna Owners Of Texas

Hard-to-find parts

Old Bike Barn

BikeBandit.com

CycleGadgets.com

Loud Fast Ugly

Clutch Repair

The Clutch FAQ

Clutch Rebuilding

KellerMann

Throttle Repair

BluepoofBikes Motorcycle Adventures Wrenching

Throttle Play

Lubricate Cables

The Cable FAQ

Mr & Mrs Rat

When it came time to sell the first bike we ever owned, it was a moment worth remembering. Bittersweet, even though the sale was because my wife now owned the bike of her dreams.

Mustang Back Support

I couldn't abide the stock Honda seat on my 3rd Gen Magna, so I upgraded to a Mustang two-up Saddle.

It is comfortable on the underside, I can ride all day without getting a sore butt, but it does seem to promote an unhealthy slouch.

My wife made the same observation about her Mustang seat ... more comfortable than stock but does something adversely affecting posture. Stock for her was a solo seat, which wouldn't do, and is why we went with Mustang.

Both of us have cruiser-style bikes (I realize I may have eliminated 3/4 of the list with that demographic...) one sabmag and one HD.

Both of us have similar requirements ... two up seating (we each ride our own, and occasionally take one of our children with us). And healthy back posture for the driver.

Anybody fought this battle and have some helpful tips? I've looked at Mustang's with driver backrest, and from the looks of them (but haven't sat in one) it seems the driver backrest would be too far back to provide the needed support.

I guess I need to find someone who has one to test sit, or pony up the dosh for a purchase from www.DennisKirk.com -- who has apparently a free-return policy which I haven't tested out but seems promising. But I would have to pony up full retail price for such an experiment.

Any thoughts/suggestions would be appreciated.

Gone To A Good Home

(Photo: Carolyn and John pose for a picture with Katie in 2004, just after I bought her for my wife as a birthday present.)


Sold Katie - the original V30 in the family -- on eBay to a starving student at one of the nearby universities. His first bike.

He came to look at her on Saturday, 70 miles one way, before the listing ended. He sniffed around, then made some comment about maybe riding her home if he won the auction.

"Have you ridden before?" I asked, dubiously.

"I rode a dirtbike, once." he replied.

"Oh, dude, seriously, do NOT ride her home if you haven't taken a safety course."

"Well, maybe I could rent a trailer."

Long story short he ended up winning the auction and I ended up delivering the bike to him tonight, gratis. Had he been a forty-something work-a-day slug like me, I wouldn't have chipped in the delivery for him. But I felt like "paying it forward" on this one.

Call me crazy, I don't care. It was my choice.

Dropping off the bike tonight (which I trailered!) brought back a lot of memories. Five years ago I bought a bike for my wife not knowing what a V4 was. I didn't know a caliper from a lever. I didn't know a clutch from a shifter peg. Boy did I get lucky, stumbling across the Honda V30. I'll never be the same!

This evening as I was going over the basics with him, I scrawled on the back of the owner's manual: www.sabmag.org and told him about this group. I also brought up the MSF course again, at the risk of sounding pushy. I tried to encourage him to keep the bike off the road until he took the course. He was telling me he found a used helmet on campus for cheap.

I wish him lots of luck.



(Photo: Carolyn and John pose with Katie for one last photo, just before I delivered Katie to her new owner.)

Spit And Polish

That Harley Rider that I'm married to put a lot of spit and polish into cleaning up her old bike.

It's currently listed on eBay. Already the high bid is higher than the purchase price from five year's ago.

No more leak

The V30's leaking valve cover problem (that I described a few weeks ago) has been solved. My theory is that the valve cover gaskets had shrunk a tad in their 25 years. I augmented the valve cover bolts with supplemental rubber washers, and carefully tightened.


I know better than to over-tightening my valve cover bolts. I broke one off on a different bike; I won't make that mistake again.

I started her up and she smoked long enough to burn the spilt oil off the rear exhaust manifold, then she cleared right up. I took her for a spin. No more smoke.

V30 Resurrection

Katie (the V30) is back up and running.

The oil pressure switch magically works now after I disconnected and reconnected the wire.

Replaced one blown fuse and two blown bulbs, to fix the rear lighting situation.

New turn signals all around, so they all match even though on the right side signals were unscathed. (Cosmetics are important even on 25-year-old Magnas.)

So I got off super easy.

She's dripping oil from the rear valve cover onto the exhaust, causing her to smoke after she warms up. I'll take off the rear valve cover and see if I find the missing quart of oil. After the wreck, she was a quart low.

It's definitely coming from the valve cover gasket, not lower.

V65 Chopper

This seems like a crime ... yet, less of a crime than Honda discontinuing these bikes. Better that they find new life in strange customizations than disappear from the face of the earth.