| Author | Message | ||
     Firemanjim |
I blame Al Lighton.If he had just said no,but he had to be an enabler. It goes like this--I am doing a rebuild/restore on a Honda SL 100 and was perusing eBay for parts.Saw this XL 100 and the bid was really low at that point. So I decided to watch it,price was still low the day the auction ended. But I might have been OK had the fire dept not had an emergency call back.I went in to man a station while everyone in town was at a big grass fire.So I checked the XL and with 23 minutes left it was still ridiculously cheap. Now this bike was complete with low miles and looked nice so I threw out a low ball bid as we left on a call.Came back to find I had bought the bike for 147.00. Al picked up the bike in the San Diego area and hauled it to Ferris' house for Octoberfast.I came down and retrieved it. This bike was so unmolested it still had the turn signals and "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" license plate frame.The dunce I got it from had broken the throttle cable, then lost the carb top.So when I got it home I pulled the carb,gas tank and seat had to come off to get to it,installed a new battery,all the lights and horn worked! I then noticed the rear sprocket seemed loose so I pulled the rear wheel--to find all the mounting bolts broken.Not to worry as I had a new set intended for the SL--and a chain.While I had the wheel off I thought I would just clean up the swingarm and such,maybe take off the rear fender as it was a little loose. Then I noticed the muffler was loose and traced that to a broken manifold stud---so I'll just pull the head and fix that.Well you can't pull the head with the engine in the frame so out it comes.With the head off I might as well pull the cylinder as it's already loose.Dang that cylinder is a bit scored, but I have a new cylinder/piston/rings for the SL so on it goes.And I had to take the high speed grinder with a sanding bit to polish up the ports and combustion chamber. Might as well clean up the area of the frame under where the engine sat.You know if I really want to clean that swingarm I should just take it off---(can you see where this is going?)I pulled what's left of the bike--basically the front end and frame out of the barn to degrease it and you know it was really unwieldy with that front end on it so why not pull it off,and all the wiring as it goes through the headlight and handle bars,so off they come as a unit. At this point I see that there are basically about 4 more bolts until I have a bare frame,so what the heck,I'll just do a quick spraycan job on it.Stopped by Yardbirds to get some Krylon gloss black and they were out---must be fate. I have a nice Binks gun, so off to the auto body supply house and pick up some 2 stage gloss black paint and clear coat--and a new water separator for the compressor. I had forgotten how much fun it was to paint something.It turned out sweet,3 coats of black,2 coats clear,not a run or booboo to be seen. Oh,I forgot to mention that when I pulled the front forks its a good thing I did as they were both bent.And while the paint was drying I took the polished stainless allen bolts for SL and replaced all the darn phillips screws on the newly rebuilt engine. This was going to be a quick clean up and get it running,simple right. I blame Al. The poor SL is gonna need some new parts,better get back to ebay--where this all started.Oh Boy!! | ||
| Bomber |
FMJ -- didja remember to hang new cabinets in the kitchen while you were at it? thanks for the early morning chuckle -- good to see I'm not the onliest one! | ||
| Ceejay |
My buell used to be orange, it all started with needing to replace the rocker box gaskets, and here I go....Snowballs... | ||
| Dave |
Where's the pictures Jim? My first motorcycle was a unsold '76 XL125 in 1978. My older brother got his '68 Triumph T100C the year before and my Dad picked up a project '77 HD Cafe Racer a year or two later. The XL and the Cafe Racer are long gone but the '68 passed hands to me. I drug it around for 15 years of the AF but returned it "home" to my brother about 9 years ago. Damn kids   DAve (Message edited by dave on November 17, 2005) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
Rollie Freeway! | ||
| Whodom |
Hey, at least that's "good" project drift. What's "bad" project drift? Telling your wife to go ahead and order new kitchen floor at Home Depot. Salesman says "you can save $800 if you pull up old floor yourself". Find out old floor is bonded at a molecular level with substrate. Spend 4 hours/night for a week pulling up old vinyl floor in ~6" wide strips. Find out substrate is particle board. Find out Home Depot says "We will not install new floor on top of particle board." Spend 4 hours/night for 2.5 weeks pulling up ~30 year old particle board in 2.5 inch irregular pieces. Wife says "you know, we should rearrange this cabinet while we have floor torn up" which of course requires massive modifications to cabinet and counter top. Put down new 5/8" plywood. Modify cabinet, reinstall, modify and reinstall countertop. Home Depot people finally come in and put down new floor. ~2 months after start, kitchen is finally getting back to normal. It would have been SO much more fun to have been working on a Honda XL 100.... | ||
| Rubberdown |
Hugh, been there...sorry man. | ||
| Henrik |
What's "bad" project drift? Ever buy a house that needed "a bit of work ...."? Now, 2 years later we may finally be able to use both 1st and 2nd floor. Then there's just the basement, the outside of the house, the entire garage .... etc. etc. Sounds like a cool - however expanding - project Fireman. Henrik | ||
| Blake |
Thanks Jim!   | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Nice to know I'm not the only one...... | ||
| Lake_bueller |
FMJ...Thanks for the "drift" subject! I was beginning to think I'm the only one that makes a small project into a full blown winter build. Mine story really starts in May but we don't need to go that far back. You see....my S1W (aka Marilyn) developed a base gasket lead after a track day at Road America. Oops...I'm going back there! Okay, the leak was VERY small so I put a little gasket seal on the spot on continue to run through the summer. The leak continues to get worse but not "life threatening". So I decided that I make one last hurrah before winter. Off to Deal's Gap before the weather gets too bad. Almost 3 gorgeous days of twisties around Deal's Gap and the surrounding area. Then the crash (ouch). Well, at least I was already planning on doing some work on the bike this winter. Off comes the bodywork, wheels, dash, gauges, etc, etc, etc. So now I still here looking at a "bare" frame. I find some larger chips, scratches, etc. on the 7+ year old frame. Call the local sandblasting guy for some pricine. Call the local powdercoat guy for some pricing. Heck, while it's there, I might as well have some other parts coated. The frame & misc. parts will be sent over next week. Oh yeah...almost forget that annoying little "slip" in first gear. Seems the dogs are worn on the gears. Gotta rebuild the transmission also! Of course, every little nut, bolt, hose, etc. will need to be cleaned or replace. I'm glad I have until May to get the bike ready for next year Oh yeah...it's all Mark's fault Gotta blame somebody (Message edited by lake_bueller on November 17, 2005) | ||
| Oldog |
FMJ: I have to ask one question, what color is the XL my First bike was an XL 100, I rode the snot out of it and cobbled it up too, please post a pic its a sentimental thing .. OlDog | ||
| Firemanjim |
Well,painting was so much fun I decided to paint everything that wasnot nailed down.But I actually have half a motorcyccle again.And parts hanging all over the barn drying.Not really sure if it is the stock color as headlight bucket and tank don't match.Fenders are the silver metallic they used on the SL 125 also.Here are some pics from today.  here is the painted frame  parts waiting for paint  going back together  motor rebuild area  check out the deep black paint  better living through chemistry  oops  could not resist. | ||
| Oldog |
My XL was the color of your LSR COOL thanks for sharing | ||
| Charlieboy6649 |
Who knew? I remember the lovely Denise strikin' a pose on that thing. Good to see it's getting a facelift...I wish I was mechanically inclined... | ||
| Rocketman |
Nice to here you mention the SL125 Jim. They were pretty rare over here, and my first 'real' road legal motorcycle when I reached 17. That bike taught me a lesson or two. I still bare the scar of a left broken wrist after the charging system failed one dark night many miles from home. I hit the central edge to the start of a dual carriageway because I never saw it. Flipped me over big style! You can't ever find pictures of SL125's in any books I ever come across. Rocket | ||
| Firemanjim |
Sean,here is one for sale near my house-- http://www.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/110784368.html | ||
| Firemanjim |
Charlie,that's the beauty in re-doing something like this XL.It is so simple it's incredible.Start with projects like this and work up. | ||
| Rocketman |
God that's the exact one Jim, give or take a year LOL. Thanks for finding. I'll keep those pic's now, to show the granbairn's, when I get some in about 15 years!!!!! Ta mate, Rocket |
