Riders of oppo plz help

"AM3R shamefully returns " (am3rshamefullyreturns)
12/13/2015 at 22:48 • Filed to: None

What if I got a bike that needed a small amount of work (cheap) and fixed it up? I’m really just looking for more experience wrenching, but it’s now winter and I don’t have a garage. I can fit a bike in my backyard under my deck, and when it gets too cold to work on it outside I could probably bring it into my basement. Ideally I’d learn to ride too but I’m mainly interested in gaining more confidence wrenching, and it seems like a bike would be easier than a car.

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DISCUSSION (8)

Master Cylinder > AM3R shamefully returns
12/13/2015 at 23:00

Bikes are generally much easier to work on than cars. You have to be careful, though, since they also tend to be much more likely to be neglected and owned by unscrupulous bro-types who may try to hide issues, so it pays to look carefully and be picky.

bob and john > AM3R shamefully returns
12/13/2015 at 23:05

this is not a bike to learn to ride on. learn to wrench on, sure. but not learning to riding.

I say this for 2 main reasons.
1: its a older 600 super sport. these were (are) VERY fast bikes with ZILCH in the way of electronics to save you if shit goes sideways
2: You dont know what a ‘safe’ motorcycle feels like to ride. if you get on there and the chain is too lose, the wheels arent bolted on right, etc etc etc, you will crash and you will hurt yourself.

AM3R shamefully returns > bob and john
12/13/2015 at 23:14

Yeah, leaning towards just getting something to wrench on now. I was hoping you’d chime in. Any advice/tips for me on wrenching on bikes? Is it a bad idea?

AM3R shamefully returns > Master Cylinder
12/13/2015 at 23:15

I know pretty much nothing about bikes, so it would probably benefit me to get anything I'm gonna buy checked out.

bob and john > AM3R shamefully returns
12/13/2015 at 23:23

nope. wrenching on bike is actually easier, you dont need huge amounts of specialty tools or anything, and even taking the motor is relativly simple. at worst, you have to lay the bike on its side and pull it up from there. plus part are way cheaper, as is the initial bike cost. you will want to invest in a set of stands, or at least a rear wheel stand

however, because of their simplicity, you have to be VERY careful when re-assembling. forgeting to tighting a oil hose or something in a car might be minor (to your health at least. losing a motor isnt really ‘minor’) but that same action on a bike could cause you to crash.

also, remember that the motors + transmission pairings of bikes are way different to. they are basicly one unit, so you cant drop the trans from, lets say, a harley into a honda or the other way around. you’d need the whole motor/trans unit.

because of this ‘siongle unit’ construction, the transmissio and engine use the same oil. as does the clutch (99% of bikes have wet multiplate clutches. so the cltuch is bathed in oil during operation) so you MUST use a oil with NO friction modifiers, as this will ruin your clutch plates. they are relativly easy to replace (its like a 30 minute job on my SV, 45 is i have to take the lower fairing off) but still.

greenagain > AM3R shamefully returns
12/14/2015 at 00:14

That’s a decent starter bike. Not too big or powerful. Its a relatively tame model. Its been crashed already so you don’t have to feel had when you hurt it.

jariten1781 > AM3R shamefully returns
12/14/2015 at 07:20

Bikes are great for learning to wrench on. I’d get something more pedestrian though, because I know and you know that when the project starts to coalesce you’re going to want to go ride it. Personally I like late 70s/early 80s metric bikes, but a lot of folks will recommend getting something with more modern brakes/suspension. I think something like an 82+ gpz 550 (discs front and back, single rear shock) would be perfect for this kind of thing.

ceanderson920 > AM3R shamefully returns
12/14/2015 at 10:22

See if you can pick up a vintage Honda, they much easier to work on and parts are relevantly cheap. And when you done you can learn how to ride on it while looking cool! If you are feeling really ambitious find a Triumph Bonneville!