Welcome to the realm of all things nighthawk... I'll throw my two cents in on this conversation because...well...I have 4 cents and i like to share...(da'gone I'm full of good ones tonight...or something)
1) Do the tire thing on a nice warm day. If you are using the two crow-bar method, let the tire sit out in direct sunlight for a few hours (or a six pack) before you attempt to put it on the rim. This will soften the tire and also let it expand just enough that you don't pull a groin muscle trying to get enough leverage with crow-bars that are too small. Doing it on a cold day will probably end up with you throwing the tires into the truck and taking them to a shop to mount. 2) Spark plugs, you just gotta remove the tank to get the middle two. Make sure to gap to factory specs, and torque them properly. Oil change is pretty standard except it is an internal filter (same type as an older buick skylark, or the ugly orange car my buddy has) There is a check valve and a few springs, so just be careful with the hardware. Air filter is standard, just behind a panel under the seat. 3) Brakes...um...yea...I have never heard anything like that for new brake pads. On brakes that have sat for a while I have run some emery cloth or fine grit sandpaper over them to remove some glaze, but other than being conservative riding to make sure that you can react if the bolts aren't torqued down tight enough, or the calipers aren't sliding I wouldn't "wear them in". If someone has anything different, please let me know...I'd be interested to hear the philosophy behind it. (by the way, when you're getting that prop-wash, stop by the cop shack for some KayNine-P to fill the headlights, and some new fallopian tube from the hospital to replace the fuel lines) 4) One other thing I do seriously suggest is to change the brake fluid every season. when I got my bike it was dark black and not the clear golden color it should be. When the DOT 3 breaks down, it just doesn't seem to work as well...same goes for the clutch...basically just bleed the brakes/clutch and keep adding new fluid till it runs clear...it might take a little while, so be patient... As for the safety gear...I just wear long sleeves and a reflective vest I picked up at the local store...when it gets cold, I wear my field jacket, and I will probably take a set of old DCUs and get some reflective material sewn in the sleeves and back. They are heavy weight enough, but also breathe well. A helmet is obviously a must... Congrats on the newborns! ride safe!!! "E" On Apr 9, 7:20 pm, Javier Garcia <[email protected]> wrote: > Hey Dan, welcome to the group. > About the winter protection, all what I can recommend is what I have used. I > have two different jackets, one for the summer and one for the winter. I > attached a picture of myself wearing the winter one, made by Olympia, which > I got for about $220 in a BMW dealership. It has CE armor, very bright > yellow colors (nice to be seen in traffic), and a inner liner that gives > great protection against cold weather. I live in the DC area and I rode my > NH all year long, including this pass winter. I didn't felt cold even riding > at low 20's. I also got the Olympia pants and gloves, all very nice for the > winter. Note this is not a leather jacket, but made of ballistic nylon or > something like that. > I have found that wearing a balaclava during the winter is also crucial to > keep you comfortable, especially in the neck area. > > Ride safe, > Javier. > > On Fri, Apr 9, 2010 at 10:15 AM, Sharpey1 <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hello everyone, my name is Daniel, located in Port Washington, > > WI....and Easter Sunday I became the proud owner of a 1982 CB750 SC > > Nighthawk, she'll need new tires, front brake pads, tune up...oh, and > > a legal and licensed driver but I'm working on that. > > > I'll get some pictures as I get the new stuff on, but for $500 I > > couldn't pass her up......came with a sissy bar, what appears to be > > old school white canvas saddle bags with nice embroidered Honda wing > > patches on the sides. Some tank scratches, and repaired side panels > > but she's in overall great shape at 33,000 miles and only two owners, > > both of which kept meticulous service records. > > > Looked through the previous discussions, saw a ton of information but > > since I'm so new to this I wanted to see if there's some tips, tricks, > > etc for some of the repair/maintenance areas I'll be touching on over > > the next couple weeks. > > > #1 - Tire mount/dismount - I have the original shop manual that came > > with the purchase as well, seems like getting either tire off is > > pretty straight forward, but I've heard that the tires should be put > > on and "realigned" using a string or something to prevent side tire > > wear? The tires on there now actually are the victims of putting new > > tires on at the old alignment marks. The front is completely bald on > > the left hand side, rear is uniformly bald. I was going to use my > > laser level to project a line, but do you line up the sides of the > > tire? The center line? Is this even accurate of what caused the > > wear? > > > #2 - Spark plugs, oil change, air filter....anything so vastly > > different from something with 4-wheels that might need forewarning? > > > #3 - New front brake pads....same there, I've been told "you gotta run > > them in", like holding the front brake on while giving throttle (!?) > > or using only the fronts for XX number of miles (XX varies with who > > I'm talking to).....any thoughts? Never do that with a car and the > > bikes are the same principle right, brake pad on rotor makes no go > > forward anymore, so is there need for any of this sacred bike > > ritual....maybe I'm being hazed by the veterans, like being made to > > get a bucket of prop-wash? "No, you need to remove the brake fade > > that's on all new bike brake pads....hold the front brakes on and > > giver her gas and that'll take care of it." > > > Got a helmet, but would appreciate insight for a jacket/torso > > protection....maybe being still such a greenhorn (or just so excited) > > I had her out yesterday in 32° Wisconsin spring weather (was only > > lightly snowing so I figured I was safe).....head was fine with the > > new helmet but a fleece jacket really didn't cut it at 30mph! Chest > > hairs are still dethawing.....I'd like to get something that offers > > cool weather protection (spring/fall) but also road protection when it > > gets up to the 80's - 90's in the summer without dying of heat > > exhaustion.....too much to ask for in one jacket? Need the leather > > for cool and then textile vented for summer? > > > I'm the dad of 4 sons (two newborn twins, hence the reason my wife is > > also so supportive of any device that might carry us away for an > > afternoon ride one day!) and I'd like to be able to throw a football > > with them one day as well so protection is a key for me, but want to > > find that balance and any help would be great. Thanks much > > everyone....look forward to some good info exchanges and I'll get pics > > up as soon as I tire enough from riding and want to take pictures > > instead! > > > -Dan- > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%[email protected]> > > . > > For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > > > Photo014.jpg > 220KViewDownload -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
