I bought a 2nd bike this past weekend (not the actual bike, but it's identical):


'82 Seca 650 w/ 65k. Paid $700 and it runs perfectly. Got it from the original owner who bought it in '83 and ran/garaged it for 26 years. He gave me a slip of aged paper that had 20+ years of hand-written maintainance records on it . Original chrome is in perfect shape. Paint has a lot of zipper scratches, and the yamaha badges are missing (not a bad thing imo) but other than that it's in top shape. Could use new tires, new brake pads and a carb cleaning to make it 100%. For a transverse four, it's surprisingly narrow. I'll be taking it to the blue-ridge parkway later this month when the leaves change.

Can anyone recommend a good jacket brand for someone who has a 30" waist and rides a standard? I'm getting annoyed with my tourmaster - the arms are just barely long enough, but the abdomen has enough slack for a pregnant lady. Every jacket I've tried on at the local Cycle Gear has follows the same stubby-arm, fat-gut formula. I might start looking at women's jackets.

[Edited on October 5, 2009 at 10:00 AM. Reason : ]

10/5/2009 9:57:20 AM

This is amazing. I wish I could find a single-owner deal like that. I have an 85 Suzuki inline four, and I think you'll really come to appreciate the quick response those little motors have. Good find!

10/5/2009 10:23:46 AM

Got a few motorcycle jackets/helmets for sale here if anyone's interested.

message_topic.aspx?topic=577004

10/5/2009 10:30:54 AM

I'm in love with this cb350f. What would one expect to pay for one in decent (Road worthy, not ugly as all sin) shape? I'd love to find a nice one that I could ride and spend a my spare time bringing it up to tip-top shape. Alas, it's but a poor motorcyclist's pipe dream.



[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 11:58 PM. Reason : .]

10/12/2009 11:57:09 PM

$2000 http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/1417163541.html

$200 Yamaha SECA parts bike for Lumex http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/1417148486.html

[Edited on October 13, 2009 at 12:01 AM. Reason : .]

10/13/2009 12:00:19 AM

^That ad is what spurred my interest. I love the classic honda UJM and I have a thing for small inline 4s, so it was a natural attraction for me. That one seems a bit pricey though, as they aren't that rare. My initial thought was that 1200-1500 would fetch a nice looking and running one. 2-3k seems more like show quality price range. That sound about right to you all?

10/13/2009 12:06:14 AM

Yeah, sounds about right.

10/13/2009 1:15:49 AM

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/mcy/1418947500.html

1987 Honda Magna 700cc

10/13/2009 4:46:12 AM

That Seca is a bonermobile.

Zach, the 350F is sort of rare, only produced for a few years I think. The twins are pretty common, though. I've got a 77 550F I'll let go for cheap

[Edited on October 13, 2009 at 2:43 PM. Reason : Drum brake on an 82 650? yikes]

10/13/2009 2:39:06 PM

Actually, turns out the Yamahur is not the pristine find I thought it was.

Tried starting it yesterday and it simply wouldn't fire up. Starter turned, plugs sparked, fuel was in the carbs...dunno what it could be. Then on the 5th try, it chugged to life but it was laboring and would def stall without throttle (full choke mind you). About 6 seconds later I hear a THURPPP-DRIP-DRIP-DRIP and the engine stalls. Now I'm seeing oil coming out the boot that covers the shaft-drive joint where it hooks up to the tranny. Not just any oil, but very THIN oil

So now I've got a lot to think about:

1 - the rear main seal could be shot, but that only explains the oil leak. Differential fluid is full.
2 - what is making the oil thin? There really isnt a way for gasoline to get into the engine, and there's not enough condensation in an air-cooled engine to turn 2.5 quarts of oil into brownish water.
3 - why wouldn't it start/why did it stall?
4 - motherfucker

Guess I'll change the oil and see what happens. I am not taking the whole bike apart to get to that rear main unless I'm sure its really bad.

10/13/2009 4:43:38 PM

I'm having a hard time picturing your issue, but it sounds like the oil was contaminated with gas somehow. After all, that's obviously the only other fluid on an air cooled bike, not counting blinker fluid, which is pretty viscous anyway.

It's probably a stuck float that caused the gas to get into the crank case. The resulting thin oil was able to easily escape from a leak that would be too small for oil of normal weight to escape through, or at least not at a noticeable rate. It could be other stuff too, but I'd check floats first as they'd be simple to diagnose and cheap to fix. Since it wouldn't idle well, it could be your head gasket as well, but I really wouldn't know much about diagnosing that.

Note that I'm not very experienced with this sort of stuff, I just saw the exact same problem on my brother's cb550 a few months back. His floats were the problem IIRC.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 12:04 AM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 12:00:39 AM

Quote :

"2 - what is making the oil thin? There really isnt a way for gasoline to get into the engine, and there's not enough condensation in an air-cooled engine to turn 2.5 quarts of oil into brownish water."

I've seen the jets get stuck in a partially open state on a carb with a little trash in it before. They would open up and work well when the engine was running, but when you came off the throttle they would continue to drip gas. The result was about a drip per second of gasoline into the intake as long as there was fuel pressure, regardless of whether the engine was running or not. The fix was to clean the carb and swap in a new fuel filter (although most of the junk in the carb was from an exploded metering block and had nothing to do with anything before the fuel filter.)

Maybe something like that is causing it? I am pretty sure that, given a little time, gasoline will go right past the oil rings and make its way into the crank case; especially if the rings are worn at all (although I'd like a second opinion if someone can validate/negate that statement.)

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 12:34 AM. Reason : l]

10/14/2009 12:33:47 AM

I wonder how my SV650 would perform on a LONG-distance, 2-up ride, if I installed a windshield, bar risers, and a tankbag, 2 side cases, and maybe a top case? I'm not really concerned about the power...I'm concerned about all-day comfort and the handling with the extra weight on the back. I remember my GSX-R picked up the front tire if you even thought about the throttle whenever I had a girl on the back.

ultimately, i want to just have 2 bikes (probably an R1200GS and some sort of race-replica), but I don't feel like spending that money until I get back from Afghanistan. In the meantime, I'd like to be able to take a bike trip. I could buy something else to take the trip on (and be my "everyday" bike), and it might be worth it, but I hate to do all that just for a bike that I'll own for 6 months in the off-season. It would be cheaper to just outfit my SV-650 for long trips, then strip all that junk off for weekend fun and track days.

10/14/2009 1:00:27 AM

I haven't even ridden an SV, so I can't say much, but it just seems like the ergos simply aren't there. Bar risers will help any sport oriented bike in the comfort department, but the seat and peg positions are going to remain pretty constant. For single rider trips, I could see it, but I don't know if it would work at all two-up. Have you considered a more fleshed out sport tourer? A VFR perhaps?

10/14/2009 1:20:03 AM

yeah, that's what I'm saying...I want a no-kidding long-haul motorcycle (not a full-dress tourer, but something that legitimately is built for XC rides). however, i don't feel like buying a 2nd motorcycle in november, only to deploy for 6 months in the spring and sell it (or, if I bought that 1200GS, have it sit and depreciate while I pay insurance costs to keep tags on it).

I won't say that I'm not going to do it, but it would be much more cost effective to just put a windscreen, bar risers, and luggage on the SV and make do with it...it would be great for anything other than a XC, 2-up ride. I know it wouldn't be the best tool for that job, but I wonder if it would be workable to the point that it would be enjoyable?



Also, I would never buy a VFR to do this. I have a friend who rode one from Raleigh to central Mexico and back, but I really don't think it would be any better than an SV, other than somewhat better wind protection. It's a sport-tourer, but it's way on the sporty side of that spectrum.

I'd get something like various BMWs, an ST1100, Concours, V-Strom, a traditional cruiser, etc.


[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 1:32 AM. Reason : ]

10/14/2009 1:30:17 AM

Yeah, I really like the concours, but I figured from the bikes you ride, that would be way too much of a compromise.

Bottom line, I just don't see an SV being capable of long trips. After all, no matter what you do to it, it's still going to be a twin, it's still going to be of comparatively small displacement(while you said you don't care about power, the extra weight will mean higher revs and more vibration), and it's still going to have poor protection from the elements. You can add luggage and increase comfort, but it's really going to come down to having an iron ass. As I said, I haven't ridden one, so take all of this with a grain of salt. If you think your ass can handle it, great. On the same token, if your ass can handle an sv cross country, imagine the comfort you'd be in on something a bit larger and more comfortable, like a concours or an old FJ. If you spent the money you're wanting to put into the SV on one of the sport tourers you mentioned, you'd be half way to a decent used one. I've seen plenty on nice mid 90s concours go for 3k or less. I know you're trying to avoid buying another bike, but the SV is just a huge stretch for the application and if you're willing to spend just a little more money, you could have something a lot more appropriate.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 1:43 AM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 1:40:40 AM

no, a Concours would be fine, at least for the next 6 months. It's the SV that's a compromise (although a really good all-around motorcycle). Like I said, I ultimately want an R1200GS for an everyday motorcycle. It wouldn't be cumbersome to ride around town or back and forth to work, but it is legitimately enough motorcycle to ride ANY distance, and has enough offroad capability to get a little off the beaten path and check some stuff out along the way. With the BMW to ride whenever I need a "real" bike, I could go ball-out on my "toy" bike...I kinda have a thing for a 600rr, but whatever. It would be strictly a fun bike...basically a track bike with at least minimal lights and a license plate.



by the way, here's a CB350 for whomever it was who was looking for one:

http://fayetteville.craigslist.org/mcy/1378200590.html

10/14/2009 1:50:43 AM

That was me. I'm really infatuated with the 4s, but that twin in particular is nice too. My first bike, a 91 nighthawk 250, had dual drum brakes. While I love, and in some ways, miss, that little thing, the brakes were frighteningly wimpy. I don't believe I'll ever be riding something without at least one disc for now on. That sort of rules out the fantasy of a 350 twin.

10/14/2009 2:00:26 AM

yeah, one of the first few bikes I ever rode was a CB350 twin. I don't really remember much, and really didn't have much of a frame of reference at the time, anyway.

10/14/2009 2:10:29 AM

by the way, looks like I'm renting a HD and riding from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon this weekend, camping overnight, then riding back.

HD was not my choice, but that's OK. I don't know jack about which one I'd prefer, though.

10/14/2009 2:23:52 AM

Quote :

"Bottom line, I just don't see an SV being capable of long trips. After all, no matter what you do to it, it's still going to be a twin, it's still going to be of comparatively small displacement"

wut? what kind of engie do you think is in the suzuki's dedicated sport tourer, v-strom? In fact, v-stom bottowes a lot of SV's parts

Quote :

"On the same token, if your ass can handle an sv cross country, imagine the comfort you'd be in on something a bit larger and more comfortable"

SV seat is pretty comfy seat actually, nothing like you would find on a race-replica (RR may as well have a paper napkin for a seat). anything much more larger and confortable will need to be bought at a lazy-boy store. If stock seat is still too rough for Duke's old bones, he can always get a Corbin..

I think with a tall set of bars, a windscreen, adjustable rearsets, luggage rack, and heated handgrips you can tour in decent comfort. WIth the right tires you should also be able to go down a dirt road or two





[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 2:53 AM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 2:27:06 AM

I'm not worried at all about the engine.

I think that most of the comfort stuff might be an issue, but it can be addressed to a decent extent via the aftermarket (just a matter of how comfortable I want to pay to be). I'm under no illusion that the SV will ever be as comfortable of a touring bike as, say, an ST1100 or BMW, but I think it might be doable.

I do have some real concerns about the bike's handling with 2 people and a full set of luggage.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 2:32 AM. Reason : who knows, i may end up buying another bike.]

10/14/2009 2:31:16 AM

on a realated topic, in November I may be joining some Brits for an eight to ten day tour through Morocco on a Honda Transalp if all the stars align right. All the beemers are apparently already taken, but I rode a Transalp in the Chilean Andes before and had no rideability issues at a cruising pace (i didnt really have an opportunity to push it then, as I was riding by myself with no companions or support). If this tour works out, we'll even have a support 4x4 vehicle wErd to no saddlebags!!!





[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 3:06 AM. Reason : couple pics from chile]

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 3:06 AM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 2:54:09 AM

Quote :

"handling with 2 people and a full set of luggage"

oh i totally missed the 2 people part. yeah then it maybe makes sense to spring up for something larger.



[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 2:57 AM. Reason : Need to work on my reading comprehension]



hay look what i found on dah internetz http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=255136

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 3:20 AM. Reason : .]

10/14/2009 2:57:28 AM

Quote :

"by the way, looks like I'm renting a HD and riding from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon this weekend, camping overnight, then riding back. HD was not my choice, but that's OK. I don't know jack about which one I'd prefer, though."

take the Ulyssus out for a spin? or it can't be a buell?

10/14/2009 5:34:22 AM

^^ Yeah, I've seen a couple of pictures like that. I think that it wouldn't be bad, riding single...I'm not sure about 2-up, though.

If they have Buells, then I'd definitely check out a Ulysses. Their website doesn't mention anything about them when they list bikes for rent, though.

i wanted to rent from another place that rents all kinds of stuff, including an R1200GS and F800GS, but the guy who primarily did the groundwork for the trip wanted to go with HD. He's actually an FZ6 rider, not overly enamored with HD or anything, but he wanted to go with a dealership instead of a rental outfit, so if we had any problems, there would be a higher (regional, national) level to take things to. I think they are giving us some discounts for being a group, too.

[Edited on October 14, 2009 at 8:42 AM. Reason : ]

10/14/2009 8:40:24 AM

my bike and boat haven't been moved in weeks

10/14/2009 2:39:28 PM

wow, you can get a metric cruiser all set up with a windshield and bags for dirt cheap. I'm not really a cruiser guy, but one of these would work well for what I'd use it for (at least for the riding I have in mind for the next 6 months)

[Edited on October 15, 2009 at 3:16 AM. Reason : but if I spent a little more and got an 1150r or 1150gs, I'd prob be happy with it for a while]

10/15/2009 3:15:12 AM

you should get a magna, bulletproof, powerful and shitloads of performance upgrades

10/15/2009 9:32:05 AM

Magna would be fine if I found a great deal on one, but they tend to be more expensive, and I don't care anything about the power or any performance upgrades. That's not what this bike will be for.

10/15/2009 9:52:46 AM

Magna would be fine if I found a great deal on one, but they tend to be more expensive, and I don't care anything about the power or any performance upgrades. That's not what this bike will be for.

10/15/2009 9:54:57 AM

^ NO NEED TO DOUBLE-POST, WE GET IT

10/15/2009 9:56:58 AM

^ NO NEED TO DOUBLE-POST, WE GET IT

10/15/2009 2:49:18 PM

It's getting a little chilly on the interstate.

Time for a new battery again(this one made it a whole 7 months). I'm also tired of knocking off at stoplights and having a line of angry cars watch me kickstart this thing. Time for a leaner pilot jet. I was hoping this rich one would work better in cold weather, but no dice.

10/17/2009 8:55:18 PM

Firstgear makes a killer cold-weather suit (also waterproof). I think it's about $100-150. I can't think of what it's called offhand, and I'm not at home, so I can't look at mine. I'm sure you can figure it out with Google, though.

10/17/2009 9:01:55 PM

My gear is decently warm, but I need one of those head socks to keep the wind out of the helmet.

10/18/2009 1:50:55 PM

my gloves are waterproof but not warm

my boots are warm but not waterproof

my jacket is warm but doesn't close in around my neck

and i think my helmet just plain sucks



am i gonna have to buy a bunch of new gear just to ride all winter?

10/19/2009 8:12:37 AM

nah you just need to quit being a pussy

10/19/2009 9:07:18 AM

well obviously.. that's the cheapest route

10/19/2009 9:09:25 AM

^^agreed

10/19/2009 9:41:18 AM

This is my second winter with a bike. I need to get some real gear this time around.

10/19/2009 10:06:44 AM

Layers + Local Weather Forecast

Summer Jacket W/ waterproof liner
Turtle neck & undershirt
Summer Gloves w/ thermal liners
Jeans & Thermals
Sketchers & thick socks
Cardboard inserted in the helmet vents because they suck

On another note, Buell is no more:

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/harley-davidson-to-discontinue-buell-sport-bikes/?hpw

10/19/2009 10:38:44 AM

How about those shoe cover things? I'm tired of all my left shoes looking like shit. Anyone use these before?

10/19/2009 1:52:51 PM

my dad sells those at his shop, the bros keep em flyin off the shelves, i don't know of any white people that ride with sneakers on

[Edited on October 20, 2009 at 8:17 PM. Reason : how serious are you looking for a sport tourer duke?, i may be interested in selling the fjr....]

10/20/2009 8:14:24 PM

How about those shoe cover things? I'm tired of all my left shoes looking like shit. Anyone use these before?

10/20/2009 10:14:47 PM

Does your 750 leak there too?

10/20/2009 10:53:34 PM

Quote :

"the bros keep em flyin off the shelves, i don't know of any white people that ride with sneakers on"

10/21/2009 2:27:34 AM

^^^^ i'm serious, but i suspect that it'll be priced above what I want to spend, unless I buy a BMW like I ultimately want (i.e., I want to spent the minimum for a good bike, or if I'm going to spend more, I want to get what I want).

10/21/2009 2:46:27 AM

have you looked at the concours 14? as much as i love my fjr, i gotta admit, riding dad's new concours gives me a chubby, it has an ungodly amount of power and can put every bit of it to the ground, and it handles like you would think is physically impossible for a bike that size, transitions are much smoother and easier than my bike or his old concours 1000, you'd think you were throwing around a 600


tghe only drawback is that they have only been out for 2 years, so a new one is expensive, and a used one is rare and $texas$, i ran into the same problem finding my fjr, the good thing is that it has actually gone up in value since i've had it, and its a 6 year old bike

10/21/2009 7:41:28 AM

yeah, they're sweet (haven't ridden one, but it looks like a helluva bike). i don't care anything about that kind of performance in anything but a race-replica, though, and I'm not looking to spend much at all unless it's on a BMW, for no reason other than that I just like them.

10/21/2009 10:07:10 AM