AboutBill Silver Expertise Need help with vintage Hondas from the 1960s? I am an expert with 250-305cc bikes in particular and most all of the other pre-91 models, in general. I do NOT claim to have a great deal of experience on Gold Wings, Cruisers, ATC/ATVs and dirt bikes.
Experience I have owned/ridden/maintained Honda motorcycles for 35 years. I have written five books on Honda repairs and collecting. I was a service manager for two Honda shops back in the 1980s.
Organizations VJMC (Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club) of North America
Publications VJMC newsletter, as editor for two years and as contributing editor currently.
Question hey bill,
this is my first bike. i bought it used over the weekend, it runs great, i'm happy with it, but there's some issues i'm concerned about. First, when i tried to check the spark plug, the spark plug wire came off in my hands, the cable's corroded. Any idea if that's going to cost a lot to replace? My real concern is that it's just a sample of what's to come. Also, when I hit the brakes, the headlight dims, and at some points when i first start the bike it would stall when i pulled the brake. any idea what that might point to? the lights work fine otherwise, and the horn's ok, so i don't know if its a wiring thing or the battery. what's worse case scenario?
lastly, i need to clean the thing, is there anythign i should know before i take it to one of those self-wash places?
thanks, i appreciate the insight.
Answer Adam... If the plug wire can be cut back a little you can screw the plug cap back on the end. IF it is too short, then replace the whole coil assy, as the wire is molded onto the coil. Should be plenty in junk yards or on Ebay. They are the same for all 100-125s from 1970-76.
Sounds like your battery is not fully charged, causing the stalling and lights dimming. The 6v system is pretty weak and will only keep a fully charged battery charged up, not charge up a weak or dying one and keep the rest of the system going at the same time. There is a rectifier that may be bad, causing lack of charging. You can find various cleaning products at m/c shops to clean the whole chassis or use something like Simple Green, but do it in small sections and rinse completely or it will leave a stain.
If you use a pressure washer, like a carwash, then be sure to take all the wire connectors apart afterwards and dry them completely, so you don't have more electrical problems. Shop manuals can be found on Ebay, www.helminc.com and www.motorcyclememories.com
