Motorcycle mechanic's

[danf]

As everyone here knows, most shops won't touch a 1980 model motorbike, I made a mistake of having my garage door open, and this neighbor guy asked me if I would look and his friends 1980 Honda cb 650 custom, sweet little bike, guy's guy's guy's, this flippen bike has been sitting since 1989 :shock: :shock: yep that was the look on my face when they told me that. 2000 miles on the clock man, it's brand new man, but it just sat there in storage.. Now I understand why shops say no way..They don't wanna have to go thru what I had to..The carbs were so gummed up it was as if the roofers put tar down in every passage every port..Gad zooks... :shock: These carbs were a complete and utter mess, most guy's would have said screw it no way, but I'm an idiot and I took it on, and said to myself, it will not defeat me..And yes guy's the slow jets are pressed in too, but you can't removed these with a easy out bit, the hole it smaller, oh my, I just put a small set of vise grips on them and pulled them out, this carb was so bad I had to pry up the float needle jets with a flathead :shock: :shock: .....Lemon juice, Lemon juice I soaked the carbs in lemon juice, then boiled them and this is after I got the big stuff out with carb spray and brake cleaner.. I got them on the bike and it fired right up and ran like it was brand new again, but now I have and issue with the brakes, the master cylinder was locked up and it had dried up fluid in there and the hose to the brake caliper was clogged too..I soaked the master in lemon juice again, until I was able to get to the circlip, got it free and the cylinder is in perfect condition and the piston looked great to even the rubber looked great, oh man that tiny return port hole :shock: If you guy's ever want to clear that little sucker out, use a pressure washer, I put it on a vise and spray the heck out of it, guess what? I can see the hole now..Ran a tiny wire thru a few times...Good to go...Now the hose, brand new hose but it has a clog, it's a good thing I know how to unclog them..I took a piece of tie wire or a roll of iron worker wire and fed it thru and worked my way thru and use a lot of brake cleaner... Got it..Good now I'm going out to get the brake cylinder freed up, wish me luck, nice little bike,,I have to wonder how many real motorcycle mechanic's would have fooled with this bike..

 

[slabghost]

Only guys like you. :good: :smilie_happy:

 

[joedrum]

im not real but i would :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:

 

[danf]

You guys should hear this little machine purr, 2K on the clock, I'm gonna tell the guy I want it now please...Oh my goodiness, I detailed it, it was pitting on the chrome but mostly surface rust ... 90 percent came off with my car soap and lemon juice como with a wash rag [vinegar tomorrow on the rest], and it was just a shiney looking sweet little thing, and then I got my farovite stuff for the black plastic parts, Black Magic, I shined up the rims and tires beautiful with that stuff.. It looks like the piston in the front brakes are not frozen up so all I have to do now is hook up the line and bleed the brakes and it should be back to 100 percent[like new again], the idle is amazing the accelleration is awesome, starts up without the choke.. Wow, this guy's gonna be happen..Maybe tomorrow I will take a photo...I told the guy I wasn't gonna charge him anything if I couldn't get it running.. Well, I put some hours into this project, I worked hard and I kept the guy informed of my every move, I even had him and his dad come over and I removed the carbs right there in front of them in about 10 minutes, then I showed him what I did to them and I also show him photo's I took when I removed them for the first time...Then I told him nobody in there right mind would touch these carbs..Then , the slow jets, if they were mine it's one thing, but if I screw up his jets it was then on me, you can soak these until your blue in the face but they will never really get clean, gotta pull them..Then you gotta know how big that hole is,,all these things they have no clue about..that's why I explained to him what did what.. Oh man, this bike is show room nice guy's..I brought it back from the dead..What should I charge him, or what would you charge him..?.I used some gunk, some brake cleaner some lemon juice, lots of time,, patience. I saved him from getting a carb rebuild kit, a new master cylinder brake hose, Oh had to fix his turn signals, it had a bad bulb that kept blowing a fuse..Changed oil and plugs..and got him two new bolts for the rear seat..

 

[danf]

well his Dad's look was pretty priceless, and the kid your talking about ha ha is 48 years old and his Dad is in his 80's, still looks great, flirting with my wife and all.. they love coming over to see the progress..they were both pretty blown away.. Oh man my youngest is really starting to look at bikes..She loved that one.. I shall take a photo or two for you guy's..

 

[sledge]

Great story..and Great job Beave ........ I love to do that stuff myself . rock on my friend. :music:

 

[danf]

im not real but i would :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:

Yes you are Joe, your a Ace mechanic man, old school.. Hey I'm feeling a bit jealous now because this bikes front brakes are way better than mine are, I used my mitty vac to bleed the brakes, it worked like a charm, I just filled the res. and opened the bleeder cap and placed my mitty vac hose to it with the container attachment and started pumping until no more air bubble I got down just below half way or so on the res, then I put in some more fluid placed the cover to the res. and tried it out, man alive, nice brakes, I raise up the front end and spun the wheel, all man it's sticking a little, oh snap...I got my ratch with an extension and broke the two bolts free on the backside of the caliper then tried it again, YES... :Egyptian: it spins with ease so then I retighten it and it didn't change it still would spin really nice so I'm happy..I guess breaking the bolts loosen up what was sticking for sure..Easiest brake job I ever did on a bike.. Oh Sledge, I love your bike man...

 

[slabghost]

I've no idea what you should charge but it should be enough to cover your costs and what you feel your time on it was worth. Minus the value of their amazement. I have done that kind of thing a few times and I just ask them to return the favor when I need help. But I don't call often enough to know if any would. I love that look of amazement and gratitude though.

 

[dan filipi]

Nice goin beav!

As far as how much to charge for your work, that's a tough one.
If it were a job for you that's one thing. Anymore I charge for every little thing I do at work but when it comes to bikes and the enjoyment it brings......

I'm not there and I didn't see what you had to do to it and how it looks and runs now but I would think considering it's not a little scooter I would expect having to pay around $400?
Do they plan to sell it? Maybe take it in trade LOL.
But seriously, gotta figure how much more they have to spend to make it road worthy, 2 tires at least, then what is the bike worth, then make a judgement.
Expecting a favor to come around has backfired on me way too many times, there are only a select few I'd do that with anymore and most of them are here on the forum.

 

[joedrum]

dont ask me ..i do all kinds of stuff for nothing and thats exactly what i have nothing ...people rather play the praise game before letting go of there money ....good wat to figure someone out quickly...truth is when people in this situlation are holding junk thet could never turn around then acept the full value of a running bike and then pat you on the back and leave dont rate well with me at all ....junk to operation is a huge leap for a pat on the back .... :mrgreen: but beav i know you got things figure better than us not being there at all k: great job ...you brought that bike back rather quick :mrgreen:

 

[danf]

Well I really enjoy showing you guy's what I'm speaking of...So here are some photo's as promised..View attachment 4View attachment 3View attachment 2View attachment 1

 

[mcgovern61]

That is a nice bike!!!! :clapping:

 

[toytender01]

Way to go Bev

 

[scdmarx]

That IS nice! I had a cousin who bought one of those new. Glad you got to have fun. After all, you're a pretty good guy and the world kinda owes you a little fun. :clapping:

As for what to charge, this should have been discussed before you did the work, but it mostly depends on the reason you did it. Wrenching can be a fun hobbie, but that all changes when you need to turn a profit to pay the rent. I believe that most men who fix things for the love of doing it, are too good natured and giving to manage it as a profitable business.

If he can't pay you, maybe you could offer him $500 for the bike? :yahoo:

 

[danf]

well for all I did to it I asked him for $200 because there was so much extra effort into it..sounds like new now, I fixed the turn signals [bad bulb] replaced air filter, changed oil, spark plugs, cleaned up and repaired master cylinder on front brakes, replaced a few fuses, worked on those terrible carbs, filled the backs of the spark ignitors because they melted out with JB Weld, put in acid mix into new battery and charged it, cleaned out a clogged brake line a real pain, most would just buy new.., washed detailed it... So I don't know this guy, and what does he do, he gives me $250 so everyone's pretty good with this deal..He was grins ear to ear so was his Dad..That was the first bike I did for anyone else, my friend in Kansas City was laughing at me when I told him I fixed my first bike, He has hundreds under his belt..

 

[dan filipi]

After seeing the bike then I think your work is worth at least $400.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i am not a mechanic i am just a parts changer

 

[danf]

Don't you guy's go and start labeling me now, I ain't no mechanic, a wannabee YES, Armchair mechanic, YES, but a real mechanic no way, I kept telling them guy's that, I actualy told them I was pretty well a mickey mouse mechanic that really loves bringing things back from the dead.. I found it a real challenge and it's most gratifying and pleasurable..Oh and did I say satisfying....I think most of you guy's understand this feeling pretty well...The one thing I enjoy most is this, being able to share my experience's with you ....

 

[mwbill37841]

great job beav,haven't seen one looking that good put side a museum. nice work.

 

[backlander]

I was just thinking about loading up these parts I been gathering up, driving down there and breaking down in front of his house. Sounds like a plan to me. :help: :help: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: