February 2011 17
Rewiring a 1971 Honda CB750
Could you help me with a wiring issue. I am rebuilding a new wiring harness for my 1971 Honda CB750 and they look to be 16 and 14 gauge wires. Is there any benefit by using 12 and 14 gauge wires? Thanks Craig
You won’t end up with any benefit on the CB750 by upping all the wires. The maximum current capacity of the factory wires is plenty for all the circuits of the bike. There are a couple bike models I can think of where a few individual wires would benefit by being upped a size, but none of the small gauge wires run hot on the CB750. Just make sure the connectors are clean/new, and the fuses and fuse block are in good shape.
Cheers!
Race Inspired Yamaha XS1100 With a Past
I know I know, another Yamaha XS1100 post. Thankfully many of my readers are into them just as much as I am. To the others, please bear with me.
Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows I have a predilection for Yamaha XS1100’s. I’m not sure how it developed, but that’s not what’s important. What’s important are the bikes!
I recently stumbled upon this spectacular custom built example and thought I would share.
CB750, XS850, XS400 Parts For Sale
i got CB 750 engine parts, XS 850 engine and fram parts, the odd XS 400 parts for sale or trade but will not throw them out.
want a list?’
If anyone needs the contact info for these parts shoot me a message and I’ll put you in contact.
1976 Kawasaki KH100
I haven’t had a Kawasaki KH100 before and never paid much attention to them. But I just stumbled across this example being sold by a gent in California who used it as a display piece in his dealership. It only has 17 miles on it!
A lot of the road going 2 strokes of this vintage pull the fuel and oil directly into the crank. This creates a nice long lasting bottom end, but sacrifices performance. I suppose there isn’t much use comparing the 2 stroke technology of yesteryear to that of today because they are so sharply divorced, so I’ll spare you that for now. But what interests me about this particular model is the orientation of the carburetor. Where is it?! Do you see it?
Replacing the Thottle Cable BMW K100
I dig your blog! I need some advise on my BMW K100. I found out about a factory recall on the throttle cable, and soon after sure enough, it started sticking and is now totally stiff. Is there something I can do about this short of buying a new cable? And if not, do you know where I can find one? I’ve looked at the BMW parts site and wasn’t able to find it.
Thanks,
Kevin.
Hey Kevin – thanks for the kind words.
You should check the condition of your throttle cables periodically regardless of bike or age. Without too much effort you can disconnect your throttle cable at both ends. Then slide the cable itself back and forth through the sheath using your hands. It should slide almost effortlessly. If there is any binding or you have to use even a small bit of effort for the cable to move/slide then it should be replaced.
Keep in mind your cable is 24 years old already. Please buy a new one and avoid a failure.
You can lube a cable periodically using cable specific lube. I prefer to use graphite powder, it keeps things clean, dry, and operating smoothly – introducing oil to your cables can attract dirt and dust.
How to restore a 1982 Honda CB900
I have a 1982 Honda CB900 that has been stored in my garage for the last 6 years and I would like to have it restored. It has 900 miles and is in very good shape. Can you give me some idea of what I need to do to get the bike restored and approximately what the cost would be?
If it’s in great shape it probably doesn’t need to be restored. 
I’m sure sure you’re just referring to freshening it up and getting it back on the road.
Well, you could take it to a local shop, just be prepared to have a huge billfold with you. Or you could have some fun doing the work yourself. Those CB900’s are great riding bikes – very comfortable and powerful.
It needs a good cleaning and lube, oil change, gas flush, carb clean, and a fresh battery. Depending on how dry the tires are you may or may not need to replace them right away. Other than that it likely doesn’t need a whole lot. It’s a very low mile bike. Give it a good once over and you’ll be back in business.
Joe Petrali and his Twin Downtube Flat Tracker
I was just reading an article in Classic American Iron from a year ago posing a question about one of Joe Petrali’s flat track race bikes. I’ve been on a bit of a flat track kick lately and was just posting a few cool photos over in the forums, so I thought I’d answer it for them (since I know the answer).
They ask about the double down tubes on Joe’s bike (seen in the photo to the left) and ask why the bike same bike, which is on display at the Indiana Motor Speedway Museum, has only a single down tube (seen in the photos below).
The answer may be obvious to some, but it’s an interesting bit of history so allow me to explain.
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