Not Quite Different Enough? A 700s Blog by DieMonkeys

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DieMonkeys
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Real Name: Mick
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My Motorcycle: 2015/Kawasaki/Versys 650 LT
Location: Decorah, IA

Not Quite Different Enough? A 700s Blog by DieMonkeys

#1 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

Hello,

I am the proud owner of a 1986 Honda CB700SC Nighthawk.

Now, there's something you should know about me. My name is Mick and I'm 21 (as of this posting, I'll be 22 in July). That puts my birth year at 1986. I have been riding for about 2 years with not much luck in my two bikes so far. My first bike was a freebie. It was a 1980 Suzuki GS550E. It didn't work, but the guy said I could have it if I removed it from his property. So I spent months working and working on this bike. I got it to run! But that only lasted about 20 minutes. After much tinkering and fiddling I ended up moving and leaving the bike behind. Rather than continue to fiddle with the bike I ended up selling the bike and putting that money into my "Motorcycle Savings Fund" for my next bike. Well, a few months later I came across a gem of a find. A great condition (or so I thought) 1986 Honda Nighthawk 700s (one of the many ways to name this bike, we will be calling it the 700s from now on).

Now, let me tell you something about this bike. When I was growing up my father always had a motorcycle. He was in the Coast Guard, so every time we moved he'd sell the bike and buy a slightly newer one in our new location. The 700s was the first bike I can remember. I remember sitting on it in the garage and pretending I was riding. I relished those rides on the back around town with my father. It was a sad day for me when we moved and he had to sell it. And alas, there on the bike listings, 15 or so years later, I find the same model, albeit a different color. I had to pick it up! After much negotiation I brought the guy down to what I could afford and we made a deal. After a while I found out the bike wasn't in as pristine a condition as I thought it was. Shortly after my first few rides I noticed oil leaking. The frame was cracked at one point and then patched up with some cheap epoxy, and since that part of the frame is a channel for the oil from the engine to the oil cooler of course it started leaking. And now, a year later, and many fixes I have the crack patched up well enough that it hasn't leaked in a few weeks.

Yay me!

Then I had a fateful afternoon where I accidentally bumped off the rear left turn signal, and as I'm looking at the broken off signal I think, fender eliminator, and then a whole slew of ideas run through my head. Even though I've only seen one other 700s around town (even though his is blue and mine is red) I still want to be different. I will try to post my ideas and what I've actually done here to change your standard 700s into something completely different, but still a tribute to the original engineers' design. Feel free to comment on my posts with opinions and ideas.
Last edited by DieMonkeys on Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

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DieMonkeys
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Real Name: Mick
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My Motorcycle: 2015/Kawasaki/Versys 650 LT
Location: Decorah, IA

#2 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

So, I've tried this newest fix my brother suggested. PC-Metal, a stick epoxy that he used to use when he was working in a garage. I dropped the exhaust and I clean off the old fix of "liquid metal filler" and Good Stuff spray foam. Once that's away and the metal is clean and dry I pop as much of the PC-Metal as I could in to the frame and then mold it around the frame to make as best a seal as I could. I let it dry overnight, fill the bike back up with oil and go for a test ride. After a short ride to the gas station I come back home and park the 700s over a piece of cardboard and say goodnight to her.

I come back in the morning, the cardboard is bone dry. I get very excited, but then think "I only drove for maybe 5 miles, let's test out a longer trip." So I take the bike to my girlfriend's house, hang out a bit, then come home. Same routine, same result, no leaks yet! With this ray of hope I head to the DMV on the way home from work one day, just planning to grab the state's guidebook. I had been previously riding on my South Carolina permit in Virginia. When I get to the DMV it is practically empty, I just wanted to ask a question but the lady gave me the paperwork and so I just rolled with it. Filled it out, went and took my test, only missed one question, about lane position. I now had a proper state permit.

I got home and I rode the bike all the way out to one end of the Colonial Parkway and took it back home. Many miles later, parked the bike, same routine, same result. I think I've finally fixed this (for now).



Now, I'm working in the garage a few days later. I brush up against the rear left turn signal and I guess the 22 year old rubber mounting did not hold up so well. The signal fell right off. As I'm holding this signal I'm looking at the rear end and notice it's very bulky. I start to think about fender eliminators I've seen online. I use a little epoxy to fix the signal as it is, but I know it won't hold up for long, so I go upstairs to do a little research. Coming back I look closely at the rear end and then start taking the entire section apart.

I realize I can do a lot without much work, just unbolting things. So, after taking off the rear turn signals (and after I found out that they aren't required in my state while researching) I unbolt and remove as much of the rear end as I can take off. I'm eventually left with this:

Image
(Full Size)

Image
(Full Size)

Smaller LED blinkers will arriving in the mail hopefully thursday. I know they aren't DOT approved, but nothing aftermarket for the bike really is. The hardest thing is finding OEM stuff that's in good condition for this bike.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

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DieMonkeys
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Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am
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Location: Decorah, IA

#3 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

Saw this on a Nighthawk yahoo user group.

I've always thought yellow was a great, sporty color.

Image

I like it.

I think I'm going to do it, but also black out the windshield. It will look great with my semi-fender eliminator.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

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DieMonkeys
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Posts: 702
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am
Real Name: Mick
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Years Riding: 10
My Motorcycle: 2015/Kawasaki/Versys 650 LT
Location: Decorah, IA

#4 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

Well, I was hoping my new signals would have arrived in the mail yesterday, like I thought the email said they would. But when I got home from work there was no big package, just a small one from someone with business cards to be used for a scavenger hunt later. Kind of worried I headed on to the PC to check what was up and noticed a new email saying that my stuff was just shipped today, not to be delivered. Fun times.

So instead of doing nothing with the bike I decided to go out for a ride, since it was a nice evening. So I decided to go out to Virginia Beach. Just an excuse to take a pass through the Bridge-Tunnel that connects Newport News and Norfolk/VA Beach.

During the checkup I noticed that I was a bit low on oil and that the front brake was not setting off the brake light. For now I was just going to take care of the oil, I'm already riding without rear turn signals so I'm dancing with the devil at this point, having to use the rear brake to set off the light will do for tonight.

I head to wal-mart, grab a jug of oil, stand in line feeling a bit awkward in complete gear whereas everyone else is wearing a "wifebeater" style undershirt and sweat pants. Everyone, men, women, fat, skinny, old, young. I think I saw a mullet. Pay for the oil and a little pocket pack of kleenex. I head out to the parking lot, take care of things then I'm off!

It was nice out, about 70-75 degrees fahrenheit. The highway was uneventful. Then I got to the tunnel. I didn't know what to expect, this was my first time through the tunnel on my bike. For those who have never done this, it's like... travelling through a tunnel. There's no wind, it's like it all stops and all you have is a warm little bubble and the smell of exhaust and a little warm air rising from your bike. And then, as soon as you leave the tunnel you get hit by the cool, refreshing air.

Now that I've gone this far I decided that Virginia Beach was too far and it was too late to try and go there. I turned around and headed back through the tunnel again. This time there was a bike behind me, a kid on a blacked out GSX-R with a stretched out rear end. He pulled up beside me, gave me the peace sign and then rocketed away at well over 100 mph.

I decided to go to Buckroe Beach, which is just before the tunnels when leaving my city. It's a small beach, just a stretch of sand on the river. I park near, but not next to, a couple of bikes and walk out to the beach. I notice immediately the owner of one of said bikes. It's my neighbor from across the street, what a coincidence. We talk for a bit about my bike, he's been with me through all the trials and tribulations of trying to get it safe for the street, we got home at about the same time each day, so we'd have a little conversation now and then. What a strange coincidence.

I make my phone call to my girlfriend who is out of town, and I see this dirty old man who's had too much sun out flying a kite. This is at 11:00 at night. He flies the kite right in to the power lines connecting the lights and one of them flickers for a second. Finish the call and hop back on the bike.

The rest of the night was pretty uneventful. Hopefully I'll have a more interesting post when I get the parts in. Good news I put 100 miles on the bike last night. I'm happy to finally be putting some good miles on it.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

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DieMonkeys
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Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am
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Location: Decorah, IA

The Magic of the Owner's Manual

#5 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

So, I finally got a copy of the Owner's Manual to my bike. I'm sitting there reading, coming across the answers I was expecting. You know, how to set the preload on the suspension, how to use the TRAC Anti-Dive system, little bits of info about the bike that I can't figure out just by looking at it. And then I come across a doozy on page 47. I know my bike didn't come with a manual and I assumed no tool kit. But I look at this page:

Image

HOLY CRAP!! I mean, seriously, HOLY CRAP! I knew there was a compartment in the tail behind the seat, but this is just astounding. For those of you who cannot see the picture or cannot read the words in the picture it is stated thusly:

"The tool kit is in the storage compartment behind the left side cover. To open the storage compartment cover (2), insert and turn the ignition key (1) counterclockwise. Some roadside repairs, minor adjustments and parts replacement can be performed with the tools contained in the kit."

THERE IS A FREAKING SECRET COMPARTMENT ON MY BIKE! With a glimmer of hope I run downstairs and check to see if maybe there is a took kit hidden back there. Pop open the left side cover, and yep, there's the secret compartment, open that up, but alas, no tool kit. But, dude, SECRET COMPARTMENT! I now have a place to hide my insurance info rather than keeping it in my pocket. I can also use the list on this page to make up a proper toolkit rather than hoping I have all the right stuff needed in my backpack.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

User avatar
DieMonkeys
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Posts: 702
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am
Real Name: Mick
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 10
My Motorcycle: 2015/Kawasaki/Versys 650 LT
Location: Decorah, IA

#6 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

Blog on Hiatus.

Reason: Work, School, Homework, repeat 24/7.
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

User avatar
DieMonkeys
Legendary 500
Legendary 500
Posts: 702
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:34 am
Real Name: Mick
Sex: Male
Years Riding: 10
My Motorcycle: 2015/Kawasaki/Versys 650 LT
Location: Decorah, IA

#7 Unread post by DieMonkeys »

I'm back-ish.

The blog will be updated mostly in my other thread while I do the Motorcycle Grand Tour of Virginia, which you can read about here: http://www.motorcycleva.com/virginia-grand-tour.cfm

My other thread is here: viewtopic.php?t=33278&start=0&postdays= ... highlight=
[img]http://content.ytmnd.com/content/8/c/f/8cfad8ebc281805945b49541a1f00d48.gif[/img]
1980 Suzuki GS550E "Miranda" (Retired)
1986 Honda Nighthawk CB700SC "Valarie"

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