Just checked the forum again today. Glad you got the manual Mychael! It's invaluable for maintenance work..
Closed the deal on the bike I was looking at. Collecting it later this week. Rides very well, near new rear tire, overhauled brakes, engine 500k's since top overhaul,new 5th gear,brakes overhauled. Total bike k's of 45,000. Seat still good,paintwork very good apart from a few small chips, tank decals still very good. Fitted with a 530 chain, owner had tried different sprocket sizes over the years and made notes of revs to road speed so handy reference guide. Got an original shop manual and some 'passable' soft panniers. Paid top dollar by American standards but we never had many of these bikes around even when new so a bit of a collectors item. It's been kept immaculately clean. The seller also has a new Triumph T100 bonny, an OSSA enduro which he is rebuilding and an Ariel of some sort which he is also restoriing. I'll put up some pics once bike is home.
Just picked up a red 82 with 8000 original miles. Took it or a ride and fell in love. Bike looks almost new. Needs a new choke cable and the rear caliper seems to be sticking a little. I will enjoy having this little gem in my garage over the winter.
Congratulations on your find! Sometimes the return port (sometimes called the compensating port) clogs in the master cylinder. When the brake fluid can't return from the caliper to the master cylinder, you get sticking brakes. Pictures?
Cool. Graduated out of the Scooters huh? You will love the little bike. I ride mine more than the others. Just more fun to ride. (yes even more than my V Max) Yeah I had the rear caliper stick on my 83' Swapped it out for a front off a Nighthawk CB650SC I had as a parts bike. Same caliper. Both front calipers on the CB650SC fit the Ascot. Left Nighthawk front fits front on Ascot and right Nighthawk front fits the rear on the Ascot. Same pads too. Rear caliper rebuild kits are not too expensive but you have to look to find them though. Takes about 15 minutes to do the job. Pretty easy. Takes longer to bleed out the brakes. Post up pics. Ray
Yea, graduated from scooters! Too funny! I really wasn't too jazzed about this bike when I looked at the pics online, but I asked my brother about it (major niche bike aficionado) and he about fell off his chair when I told him about it. So I thought, well, if hes this excited, its at least worth a road trip to check it out. When we initially looked at it I liked what I saw. The bike was really really clean and just had a really nice presence about it. Original decals on Original paint that had a nice shine to it. The inside of the tank was perfectly shiny clean it looked like brand-new. This bike was obviously well loved. All that was left was to roll it outside started it up and take a ride. Took about three or four seconds to start up, she sputtered a little, then smoothed out. (Well as much a thumper can smooth out!) PO said he hadn't started it in a couple of weeks. Anyway, all I needed to hear was that big piston slapping around in that big cylinder and I handed over the cash that was in my pocket ($1200). She rides like dream. Lightweight, well balanced with just the right amount of vibration to remind you you're on a thumper. I love it. Will try to forward pics in the next few days. Really looking forward to some adventures on this bike.
A cheap .ie...free mod for the exhaust. Remove the baffle by drilling out the rivets that hold it in. Then pull out the baffle. The end of the perforated tube has a plug. Find a hole saw the same size as the plug and drill out the end of the tube. Reinstall the baffle and rivet back in. Just a mild increase in tone and flow. Gets rid of that whisper chirp sound the stock one has. Not loud at all just a change in tone. Ray
Well thats one thing I didn't mention. The po installed a chrome megaphone stye muffler on this thing. Its the only thing thats not original on the bike. Really sounds great. Accentuates the "thump", but its not obnoxious. He has the original muffler that will go with the bike when I pick it up. He said the tip was missing on it or something. I don't think there is a tip, but whatever. I may re-install (if its decent) and use your tip.
http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/3336158405.html Got it home. Rained like hell today because of hurricane Sandy, so I had to rent an enclosed uhaul trailer. Took it for a quick spin around rhe block and fell in love again. That pipe is loud! Need to get that rear wheel/brake running more freely. Title work isnt done yet anyway, so Im technically not legal to ride it. Going with antique plates, so it never needs to be registered or inspected ever again. Pretty cool. BTW, those little 5x8 uhaul trailers are a steal for this kind of thing. $18.95 per day. Even has eye hooks in each corner of the trailer that made tie-down/transport a snap.
I am planning to pick up an 82 FT500 this weekend (assuming it has been accurately described over the phone by the current owner). It was parked with a broken clutch cable a few years ago, so it will be my winter project to get it back on the road. I plan to set it up as an adventure bike - looks like it will be fun to ride.
I picked it up Today and got it safely in the garage. It is mostly complete and has some cosmetic blemishes, but I'm going to try to get her back on the road. The PO said it was running when he parked it in his shed a few years ago. The clutch cable is busted, but the PO had bought the new one and a lever but just never got around to putting it on. There's some dings in the tank and minor rust on the outside (inside looks good) - old gas with Stabil in it, but I will drain it and put fresh gas in before I crank it over. It needs a new battery. The left fork seal is leaking. The brakes seem to work fine but really won't know for sure until it's running and taken for a ride. I definitely have have some work to do. Tomorrow I plan to change the oil, drain the old gas and put in fresh gas, replace broken clutch cable and lever, put in a battery, and see if she'll start and go from there.
Here's mine. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/az-johnny/5442800795/" title="Arivaca Rd 4 by AZjohnny, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5020/5442800795_9181c8e051_b.jpg" width="1024" height="774" alt="Arivaca Rd 4"></a>
After church today, I spent the rest of the day working on the bike. I replaced the broken clutch cable and lever, changed oil, cleaned the tank and put in fresh gas, checked spark plug and put a little oil in the top of the cylinder, cleaned the mouse debris out of the air intake, set up, changed, and installed the battery, and she fired right up! I ran it through the gears, set the idle, and she purrs like a kitten. All of the lights and the horn works, so it is fit to pass the state safety inspection as it currently sits. It will be awhile before I get to that though. I still have a lot of work to get it in tip-top shape and looking good. All in all I'm very pleased.
CHURCH :huh Suppose it don't hurt to get all the extra help possible ...but I thought God rode a Harley !?
It must have worked. It was in the low 20s overnight (That's in Fahrenheit, the 'Merikan way to measure temperature...) in my unheated garage, and the old beast fired right up with a touch of the starter button despite the cold this morning before I headed to work (Yeah, I sometimes go to church AND I have a job...). God rides a Harley? I didn't know God was a pirate...
After looking at the parts blow-ups in the shop manual and a how-to guide on the Yahoo FT500 owners group, I was a tad nervous seeing all those tiny odd shaped parts before digging into the starter solenoid for preventative maintenance last night. I took my own sweet time, and and it was actually pretty easy. The next time I need to do this will be a breeze. The starter definitely works much more smoothly now, but I noted the bendix was looking very worn and am planning to replace it as soon as I can find one. This bike is growing on me. It is proving to be easy to work on, and from what little I've ridden it, I like it.