Motor fun

I finally managed to sneak out and do a little work on the CX500.

When I bought it, it was with the understanding that the water pump seal needed to be replaced, so armed with some sockets and a new seal, I dug right in.

Surprise, surprise, things are never as easy as they could be. First, I found out that the steel coolant pipes are rusted and pitted around the O-rings. The plan is to either look for new ones, or to solder fill the pitting and powdercoat the exterior. Not sure yet. Then, the shock of the day came when I took the water pump cover off.

 Whoever designed this with a steel (or cast) impeller, was a real ass.

Then, after I pulled the rear cover off, I found a destroyed oil seal, and a broken cam chain tensioner.

Other than that, things look pretty good in there.

For the past few days I've been absent on this blog, and the trend is likely to continue for a few more. The winter preparations are in full swing, so leaf raking, wood splitting, and house winterizing has taken over most of my free time. I will continue on the CX500 project when time allows.

Thanks for standing by.

On a side note, one of my flash fiction pieces is scheduled to appear at Apocrypha and Abstractions this month, so if you enjoyed my previous stories on that side, check out the link for more. All of the stories by various authors are well written and thought provoking. You won't be disappointed.

Playing with wrenches

What is a man to do on a rainy Sunday?

I don't know, but I started taking things apart. All, except two bolts, went smoothly, and the bike is no longer in one piece.

Actually, I've been quite busy:)

1979 CX500D Project

Since I completed my CB750F Project during the summer, I started looking for a new project to occupy me during the upcoming winter. When a 1979 CX500D showed up on Craigslist near me, I could not resist.
What draws me to this bike is the engine itself. The twin cylinders sticking to the sides create a unique focal point, and remind me of old Guzzis. It will be a fun project.

Thanks to Josh for selling it to me at a great price!

This particular bike has been sitting in a basement for a while. The last inspection sticker on the bike is from 1998, but whether that is the last time the bike has been on the road, is unknown to me.

The bike came as a rolling chassis with motor in the frame, and two buckets full of parts, but upon opening the valve covers, I found that things look better than I expected.

Unable to help myself, I decided to dive right in, and start messing with different ideas.

At first, I thought I could get away with using a pre-fab Airtech cafe cowl and seat pan, but I did not like the look of it. Thanks to a friendly shop owner who operates a local bike shop (Eddie's Vintage), and let me borrow the Airtech to see how it fits, I did not have to buy the cowl only to find out I will not be using it.

This, however, leaves me hanging for the time being, as I will have to come up with my own design, create a mold, and start playing with fiberglass and resin. I'm hoping that I have learned something from my failed attempts at the CB 750F tailsection, and will not waste as much time and materials on this one.

And now it's time for me to sharpen the pencil, grab a sheet of paper, and start drawing.