It's been a while

I suck at this...blogging, that is. (among other things) But every once in a while I get the urge to feed my ego and imagine that this will matter... so, here's where I am with SL90. It's super-slow going since I haven't had a ton of time lately. I'm currently in the process of replacing the valve seal and the piston rings because I'm getting a lot of blue smoke through the exhaust. The bike also hesitates and putters and I suspect that too much oil is hampering the spark. Hopefully that's it. Could be carb issues too though. Anyway, I hope to have it buttoned up in the next decade.

And now for a product endorsement (fan fare!)

Today's endorsement is Fabulous B'laster. It's liquid miracle in a can. That is if rusty nuts and bolts are frozen solid to the point where only a miracle will loosen them. ENTER PB Penetrating Catalyst. On the can it boasts "Penetrating Magnetic Lubricant". I don't know what that means but it sure made disassembling the SL90 a ton easier. I only wish I would have used it before sheering off the lower post of the left rear shock.

It was a balmy December afternoon...

...I was helping my friend Jared with his '79 Honda CB750 that practically blew up on the freeway. It was sitting in my garage and I wanted to help. But how?
There's a man who lives across the street from me named Terri (I will talk about him later). I had seen him working on his 4 wheeler and I figured I'd ask him if he knew anything about working on motorcycles since I knew nothing and since Jared's motorcycle was in serious need of someone who knew more about motorcycles than I did. Here's roughly how the conversation went with my neighbor: "Hi, Terri". "Hello", he replied in sort of a sing-songy way I've since grown accustomed to. "Do you know anything about motorcycles?", I asked. "A little", he replied. "Well," I proceeded, "My friend's bike is in my garage and I'm not sure what to do." He looked across the street at my garage, "You mean that 1979 Honda CB 750?" Terri's one of those guys who enjoys stringing people along for his own amusement. It's mostly harmless. Terri is also one of those guys who was a motorcycle mechanic for decades and taught at the motorcycle mechanic institute. Needless to say, he helped us fix the CB750.
He also sold me a piece of junk motorcycle he had sitting in his back yard for years. I told him I've always wanted to restore an old bike and he said he just might have what I was looking for. He was right.

A little bit about the SL90

The SL90 Motorsport was made by Honda in 1969. That was the only year it was made, which at first, being the inexperienced mechanic that I am I thought, "Sweet! Vintage and rare! Awesome!" Yeah, awesomely difficult to find parts for. But that's a different blog entry. Although I would love to know how many of these are still out there.

It's 90 cc's of raw power turned hippy heads everywhere as it growled down the street back in 1969. Actually, even for then, it's a pretty small bike, but I've found the same pride in the small engine as I imagine short stalky people find in the fact that they can shop the clearance racks and always find their size.

The SL90 is an enduro style bike. In other words, it's meant for on and off road. It's essentially a street legal dirt bike. It topped out at 55 mph off the showroom floor.

Honda released it in Candy Blue and Candy Red, each with a bright silver frame. The electrical system is 6 volt (again, another blog entry topic), it's a kick start, 4 gear, 4 stroke, tube frame, with a 19" front wheel and a 17" rear wheel. COOL, HUH?!

SL90

I’m sort of a hobby junky. It comes from the inability to sit still. I just like feeling productive. There is a difference between feeling productive and actually being productive. I enjoy either. Ever since I can remember I’ve had hobbies. Lego as a child turned into model boats and cars. I’ve taken up sketching, painting, blogging, woodworking, snacking, record collecting, Hasselhoff look-alike contests, etc. All very fulfilling in their own ways and yet I find myself casting an eye to the hobby horizon in search of what lies beyond. I’ve found it...at least for the 18 months and however long from now. I’m restoring 1969 Honda SL90 motorcycle. I bought it from my neighbor and my goal is to have it in prime running condition. Here’s where it gets good. Up until a year and a half ago I’ve never done any mechanical work...I take that back...I put oil and washer fluid in my car before. Actually my wife knew more about engines that I did (no seriously) and the best ratchet set I owned was a graduation gift out of an Amway catalog.

Although I would have rather done this in real time, I’d like to chronicle my 90cc adventures over the last year and a half. Maybe I’ll even stick with it this time, get up to date and see the motorcycle and the blog through to the end.

We’ll see.

(The adjacent picture is not my SL90. It's merely what mine once looked like.)

Climbing

I started rock climbing in 2005 because I like the feeling of conquering a slab of rock my 6 year old could get to the top of by taking the easy trail and as a way to cope with my life in the desert. I love it. It's one of those things I do to escape and enjoy. I love the feeling of being suspended 50 feet above the ground and contemplating the odds of my gear failing. It's invigorating. There is a rush of fear and exhilaration when you lean out over the edge to rappel down. The other thing I love about climbing is the gear. Let's face it, carabiners are one of man's coolest inventions.
At this point, you might still be wondering, "What's a prusik?" It's a climbing knot I've actually never used before. It's mostly used as a back up knot for rappelling or for ascending a rope. Mainly, it alliterates well with "pistons" and so I went with it. And that's what the "prusiks" part of this blog that no one will ever read is about.

motorcycles

I've always like motorcycles. Probably largely due to the fact that my Dad has always had one in some form or another. I like my Dad, so I like motorcycles. He taught me how to ride when I was 18 on his purple 1987? Yamaha Virago 750. I've never been much of a sport bike kind of guy. In my earliest years of riding I had aspirations of some day owning a massive cruiser.
My first motorcycle was a 1982 Yamah Maxim 650. It was no Harley, but it was cool enough. It was a four cylinder, shaft driven bike so it was smooth and fast. I took it on a few road trips with guys twice my age all riding Harleys and I tried my best to play the part. I even had black leather chaps. My least favorite day on that bike was the day I ran it head on into the front left fender of a co-workers car.
Eventually I upgraded to a 1987 Suzuki Intruder 700. That was a sweet bike. 2 cylinder, shaft driven, liquid cooled and an after market drag handle bar. My least favorite day on that bike is the day I had it in the shop to have the clutch repaired and the shop burned to the ground.
That marked the beginning of a seven year motorcycle dry spell for me. It also gave me time to hone my taste in 2 wheeled machines of joy. My third bike and the one I currently own is a 2004 Triumph Bonneville. It's a blast and it looks very cool. There's a balance each rider must find between performance and coolness factor. For me, it's the Bonny.
I've also developed a taste for vintage honda motorcycles. And that's what the "pistons" part of this blog no one will ever read is about.