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Reunited and it feels so good!

3K views 20 replies 9 participants last post by  Texon Bebo 
#1 · (Edited)
Over tens years ago I had a 1987 Honda Rebel CMX450. After getting married and expecting a child it was recomended by my now ex wife that motor cycle riding was to risky. It was also pointed out that as an expecting father a vechile which I could mount a car seat in was needed.

Seeing the logic about the car seat, I had a friend with a Isuzu Trooper II sitting in his garage that needed a good bit of work to get on the road. He was also interested in getting a motorcycle and learning to ride. I asked if he would be interested in trading his vechile for my bike, and he said sure. A year or more later, he was expecting his first child and so the bike was put into the garage and just sat there.

She sat there unused, but never forgotten. Recently my car died, and can afford to replace the engine that warped from over heating on a freak hot day where every thing went wrong. Since I live 45 minutes away I was unable to get to work and lost my job. There is limited mass transit, in my area. Remebering my sweetheart I contacted my friend and asked about the bike.

He told me that she had been untouched for years, and had a few spills here and there getting moved around the garage. The mirrors and front and rear signal lights had been broken. The tank had rusted out, along with the tires becoming dry rotted. And that the battery is dead. I asked if I could buy her back on credit, or just borrow her. I know about turning a wrench, I could get her running again and return her by the fall.

It was unexceptable he said, and that I should just take he back. Give her the love she needed and that he thought it would cost a heap of cash to get her going. All he asked for in return was the right to take her for a spin by next summer. How awesome is that?

Today I picked her up and brought it to another garage, with tools and equipment that could help me return life to her. The tank had a small dent from when i had her and a little paint that had chipped here and there. Looking inside the tank I found only surface rust, no clumps of scale. A little soda pop, sand, a bunch of shaking, and even more rinising out with water and Bamm a claen tank that doesnt leak.Thank goodness because it seems a task to find a replacment.

The battery was bone dry. But in the garage I found some battery acid and distilled water, and it charges as I type. The tires are shot, no magic will bring them back. The front had huge cracks in it, the rear is clean of dry rot. But it has only 25% tred left and I rather not risk it. The breaks and fluid seem in working order, but will flush out the fluid to be safe.

Now is when I ask a few things, I have looked around for the following parts:
Mirrors
Front and rear turn signals
battery
tires

I am trying to replace these as low as I can price wise. I have found what looks to be good deals from JCwhitney. But are there any places that this community would recommend? Besides unversial parts, are there any parts that I can swap from other models? I mainly mean the mirrors, and turn signals. This way I could check with a few junk yards, the more I save on them the more I can spend on every thing else and any things that pop up.

I live in the Hudson Valley of NY(on the border of North NJ), and would enjoy going on a ride one day with others who share this love affair for Honda power. So feel free to say hi and maybe we can do the Hawks nest, or some other run one day.

Thank you for reading, for any parts hunting advice, and for the possiblity of riding together one day. So with out further adue, may I introduce my sweetheart Brunhilda. You can all look her over as hard as you like, undress her with you eyes, or even dream about riding her any way you like. Just remember she is coming home with me lol.

(Not the best pics, got a crack on my camera lense)







 
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#6 · (Edited)
Welcome. If you need a new battery, get a Yuasa. Excellent quality and not very expensive. The mirrors on the 250 and 450 are interchangeable.

Check online for the best tire prices if you are going to install them yourself. If you plan to ride at least 2,000 miles per year on the bike, I'd recommend Pirelli MT66 tires. Less than that, Kendas are fine.

Oh, and couldn't resist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glC9_8Ijt9k
 
#8 ·
Good to hear. I hate when I see once loved machines going to waste. Hope to hear she is running well again. Sounds like you have a good friend!
 
#9 ·

Not even 9k on her, shes barely broke in


The mirror was fixed today. I got the glass off with out breaking it, tightend it up and works now.


As you can see, the signals are taped up. They are OEM, wondering if I can just replace the stems. I have also seen some turn signail sets on amazon. Would like to get her back to stock, then maybe throw a little bobber/brat love her way


Hard to see but above the pinstripe there is paint damage, and above the EL in Rebel there is a scratchy dent. Plus some chipping of paint on the bottom of the tank by thye valve covers.

All in all shes clean, and cant wait till shes on the road again.
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yeah I started a photo bucket account to make it easier. I figure I will get her running then polish her well. Then I will upgrade the headlight to a H4, saw a few things about it. I live in the dark woods, so light will help. Then upgrade my signals and tail light to LEDs.

Once I get that all done, I will figure out what to do over the winter if every thing goes right. Gonna ride her as much as possible, like I used to.

Just glad I found this community, seen. a couple others around. But enjoying the scene here lol
 
#14 ·
Mojo, thanks for clearing that up. I have been reading up and think im getting posts for the 250 and 450 mixed up.

I live off the beaten path, in a forest like setting with very few street lights. And I would like to have the brightest head light possible. Would the H4 be the brightest I could get, or is there something a little stronger? I seem to remember the head light dimming at times, but I could be confusing it with the Suzuki Heritage Classic I had restored. Also my friend had the bike as in my story. He was telling me today that he had a charging issue with the battery going dead. I can test it till its running so Im trying to be proactive and have a game plan ready.

My other concern is I want those who share the road with me to see my turns signals and stop lamp. I have been going over the sticky for the LED turn signal, stop/running lamp replacement. So if may ask of you a few questions.

There are LED turn signal lights that are affordable to my budget. If I was to get these would they work with just a electric 2 prong LED flasher? Or could I just replace the Incandec bulbs with LED bulbs and the flasher?

The stop/running light can just be replaced with LED bulbs and work, if I understand it correctly.

Any insight to these questions woud be great. Thanks for all the time people put in around here to answer the round robin of questions of the same topic spread over all the posts.
 
#15 ·
The 450 and 250 have an anemic alternator so the lights will dim at idle when the alternator isn't putting out much power. The H4 bulb puts out adequate light but if you want brighter you could do an HID conversion. I don't know a whole lot about HID lights though. For your turn signals you can get LED replacement bulbs for the stock signals and change out the flasher for an electronic or electromechanical flasher for LEDs.
 
#20 ·
Turtlewrench I replaced my 450 H4 globe with a 90/120 and all my other lights with LED's and charging system copes well and have great bright headlamp
 
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