Hi from an Old Git in Oxford

[Petemate]

Well, here we go!


Nice to have a forum again, and many thanks for the tireless administrators who I know we all take for granted. It is nice to be in the facebook contact of course, but a forum is nice especially for those who will not use fb!

By way of intro, for new forum members, and as a reminder for the old forum members (lol), I have a 233cc (daringly called a 250 by Mr Honda) LA250 Custom Japanese Domestic Market machine. This was bought from eBay by my dear wife in Nov 2013, as an early Xmas pressie, to avoid me becoming a couch potato in retirement. I than proceeded to build my Man's Shed in which to lovingly and economically restore the bike. The shed was finished in June 2014 and the bike finished in April this year. My first rides (to - and from - the MOT) were terrifying; I had not ridden a motor bike for 22 years, having sold my Reveres in 1993 when I finished despatching at the ripe old age of 57.

Now that both myself and the bike are somewhat settled, and after a new set of clutch plates (my fault, wrong oil) then later a new cylinder base gasket (also my fault, poor assembly and sealant did NOT work after about a thousand miles) it is now running fairly satisfactorily.
However, I now crave some more oomph and am already looking at three bikes any of which would fit the bill nicely - CB500 (1994 through to 2008) CBF500 and CBF600. I have sat on a CB500 2000 and it fitted nicely, great riding position for my archaic limbs. The other two look also to be a nice riding position.
All that is stopping me at the moment is a pang of conscience as OH not only paid for the bike but all the restoration costs. Difficult call for now.

As much as I am able I am attending the local Cumnor club evenings, and of course on fine Monday evenings I blast (lol) 8 miles or so down to the 'H' Cafe at Berinsfield to dribble at all the nice bikes there.

When I got it

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Finished and with decent handlebars on to replace the awful custom ones (wobble in traffic now gone)

  Chummy.jpg (Size: 499.23 KB / Downloads: 7)

[alan sh]

Wow - a nice restoration.

I think you should aim for the CBF600 - I think you will be surprised how easy it is to ride, but gives you that little extra 'oomph' when you need it.

Welcome

Alan

[Petemate]

Many thanks for the kind comment Alan. The bike looks better in the pic then in the flesh but it aint bad.


Re the 600 - yes, that I would think would be the better bet, and being a four it would remind me of the brief love affair with a 750 Seca when one of my Reveres was off the road for a little while.

For those wondering what on earth my avatar is, here is the full size presentation. It was a bike I had earlier, much earlier, in 1964 on return from Cyprus when I was in the RAF, and didn't know the value of what I had - I only kept it for about 10 months. What an idiot.....

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[alan sh]

Ooh - silly boy for selling it - but we've all done that. I had an old A10 in bits - all it needed was rebuilding and I gave it away!

[stevew]

Hi OGIO !!,

I also had a 233cc twofifty but it was called the Nighthawk, same engine though.  Nice machine.  My up grade was to one of those old CB500s and i have never looked back.  Great bike, easy to ride and handles like a dream.  Not the "boring" commuter that most peeps think with close to 60bhp in a 170kg bike it goes well and once you hit 8K it really winds up. Still very handleable in town too

[SteveCB1000]

Nice looking bike.....

[Petemate]

stevew - yes, the little 233cc unit is in many Hondas. Exactly the one in my LA in the MC06E as fitted to the CX Rebel and the CM250C American bikes. However, others including the Nighthawk, CD250U etc., have virtually the same unit with very small differences. Pretty well all the 233 motors have, for instance, identical transmission parts. This was helpful as I bought mine knowing in advance that the 3rd gears were shot! Even most of the 125 models from 1983 have the same trannys, except 5 clutch plates instead of 6. In fact the only obvious differences between, for example, the 233 and 125 are the bore and stroke, which is why I had to use a Nighthawk system as the LA & CM250C are unavailable new. The 125 system looks the same but wont fit due to the shorter stroke meaning the lower run of the pipes would foul the underside of the engine unit. My fuel tank is a NOS one bought locally and advertised as a 125 - they are identical, and I simply had the side panels painted to match.
As you can tell, I did much research into part interchangability and it is great that parts are easily available.
Great to hear your opinion of the CB500 - I am still seriously considering one although after reading Alan's comment about the 600 I would love that great four cylinder sound.
Rgds
Pete

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SteveCB1000 - many thanks for the kind comment.

[Petemate]

Alan sh - while out shopping on the bike today I was parked up alongside a CBF600. I see what you mean - it looked a nice bike with an ideal riding position for me. So I will carry on dreaming...
I know that it has basically a detuned Hornet motor but it would still be just the job for me. I take it that they have a bit more performance than my old Reveres which I used to despatch on?
Pete

[alan sh]

Yes, they do. The only problem that everyone finds is that once you get used to them, you will want the CBF1000. So, you may want to think about that now. Same frame size, but a more gutsy engine (although very tame if you need it to be).

Alan

[Petemate]

Oh dear where do I stop! Very nice. I will look and see how much heavier they are than the 600, not much maybe. Weight could be an issue though; arthritis in left ankle makes it a bit tricky possibly to balance a heavy bike. I have sat on both CB500 and CBF600 and both appear within my capabilities though.
Pete