Just picked up a Honda chopper project

[PWBII]

One word of caution on springers if you never drove one before. There is a condition called "pogoing", which happens in a curve @ speed. the front end will literally bounce up & down & scare the crap out of you. This indicates the bushings in the triple trees have worn out. In the center of the 4 springs should be 2 bushings that the rods the springs go on go through. You should take the top nuts off & remove the upper springs to inspect these. If any wear is evident, I'd replace them. I had steel long bushings made for the last one I rebuilt (it had aluminum ones in it). Keep them lubed & you should be fine. I use O-ring chain lube on mine, PJ-1.

 

[Liffa]

One word of caution on springers if you never drove one before. There is a condition called "pogoing", which happens in a curve @ speed. the front end will literally bounce up & down & scare the crap out of you. This indicates the bushings in the triple trees have worn out. In the center of the 4 springs should be 2 bushings that the rods the springs go on go through. You should take the top nuts off & remove the upper springs to inspect these. If any wear is evident, I'd replace them. I had steel long bushings made for the last one I rebuilt (it had aluminum ones in it). Keep them lubed & you should be fine. I use O-ring chain lube on mine, PJ-1.

Hey! Thanks. Ok, I never had a springer before I will inspect the bushing. I can see one rubber or polyurethane bushing under the lower left spring, nothing under right side spring, see photo.

I was just looking for springer disc brakes. They all seem to fit 11.5" discs and 3/4" axles. My disc is 295mm I believe which is about 11.5"...should fit? However, like you mentioned, the metric front axle I measured to 15mm only. Can I put some sleeve/collar on the axle to size up from 15mm to 3/4" you think?

 

[PWBII]

Yeah the blue thing is the bushing I'm talking about. I'd replace with Oillite (oil impregnated metal) / bronze, not thrilled with plastic, it is a working piece of the front end. Yes, you can bush out the caliper bracket to take up the space. It doesn't turn much, just rocks with front end. In your pic that one just goes straight up & down, no arc to the movement. Also, check the disc width, a lot of springer discs are very thin. Usually used to hold the bike from rolling backward on a hill, not real brakes. Not enough weight on the front tire with these types of set ups, it will lock up too easy. On a regular MC 60% of braking is in the front end, not so with choppers, this is an adjustment drivers must make! So rear brakes must be extra positive on them.

 

[PWBII]

The reason for 11.5" & 3/4" shaft is those are HD sizes. Very few companies did the metric sizes for Japanese bikes. Are you going to be required to put turn signals on this bike? Time to at least think about wiring.

 

[Liffa]

The reason for 11.5" & 3/4" shaft is those are HD sizes. Very few companies did the metric sizes for Japanese bikes. Are you going to be required to put turn signals on this bike? Time to at least think about wiring.

Yeah, I will probably try to find a second hand motogadget m unit with m button(s). I will be required to have all sorts of lights I guess, at least until it is approved for the roads

 

[Cruiserlover]

man oh man, what a cool bike

 

[Liffa]

Hi there! I just got the frame approved after inspection, so I am moving on with the wheels and brake setup. I am not sure how to find something that fits with the springer and cb750 front wheel. The rotors on these wheels are thick, my one measures 7.1mm and the springer brakes all seem to be designed for 5mm rotors. Any idea how to get around this problem? Maybe I have to make my own springer caliper bracket to fit a regular caliper that is designed for 7mm rotors?

 

[Nylundarn]

The wiring for these bikes isnt all too complicated, hit me up if you need help identifying the wiring harness or implementing it on a M-unit. Just did mine and have everything fresh in mind still. You will have to go for a lithium battery and new rectifier/regulator. I used a Ultrabatt 300cca with great results!

 

[Liffa]

Cool! Thanks, I am not quite there yet, but might contact you for some help later on. I have the ultrabatt on my other bike, vn800 bobber, and I am very happy with that one so far. Would it be possible to go down one battery size you think? Which rectifier regulator did you install?

I managed to start the engine by hooking up the original electrics, but the previous owner had cut a couple of cables, a fuse box was missing etc. So that gave me quite a headache before I had studied the electrical diagrams and figured everything out.

Current status:
I have just checked the valve clearance and all valves need adjusting unfortunately (0,06mm currently). New shims are on the way.
Carburetor disassambled and I am now waiting for new jets etc.
Front and rear wheels dissassembled, powder coated, laced and trued. What a nightmare haha.
Engine mounts fabricated.

 

[Nylundarn]

Cool! Thanks, I am not quite there yet, but might contact you for some help later on. I have the ultrabatt on my other bike, vn800 bobber, and I am very happy with that one so far. Would it be possible to go down one battery size you think? Which rectifier regulator did you install?

I managed to start the engine by hooking up the original electrics, but the previous owner had cut a couple of cables, a fuse box was missing etc. So that gave me quite a headache before I had studied the electrical diagrams and figured everything out.

Current status:
I have just checked the valve clearance and all valves need adjusting unfortunately (0,06mm currently). New shims are on the way.
Carburetor disassambled and I am now waiting for new jets etc.
Front and rear wheels dissassembled, powder coated, laced and trued. What a nightmare haha.
Engine mounts fabricated.

I think I read somewhere that these engines need 200cca but not sure about that. I installed a R/R from Ricks electrics, expensive but high quality