CA125 Woes

[Guest]

Hello all, right off the bat, I'm new here, new to bikes and the road in general so forgive my ignorance on just about everything, but I was hoping you might help me on a little matter. Story time!

So I passed my CBT and went and got myself a lovely Honda Rebel 125 (CA125) and got on the road with gusto. Only, a few things aren;t as I assume they should be, and my dear bike is becoming a pain in my ample ass.

Firstly, the odd bit, the speedo is in k/ph. Ooooookay, really odd but I'll overlook it, after all I have white tape and a sharpie, it's an easy fix.

Secondly, the bike wont start without ample (read: full) choke. I hear some bikes are like this, but mine wont even run without the coke on at a specific amount, like a sweet spot. THIS is the issue that's bugging me.

See, for gears 1-3 there's one spot the bike will run at, but for 4&5 it wants a totally other point on the choke. Adjusting choke every time I shift gears: not fun.

Taking the choke off after plenty of time on the road and I loose all power.

Now I've got the poor thing booked into a garage next Thursday to get the issue sorted, I've read online it's probably a dirty carb (in fact all fingers point to the carb) but lately a friend pointed something out: the damn speedo.

The US uses k/ph, not m/ph, so he theorised that it was an export to the USA which had somehow found it's way back home (he says honda made that bike in the UK, I'm not entirely sure) and thus has a k/ph speedo and (raise eyebrows now) different jets in the carb. I know nothing about engines so I have two questions to put to you:

1) does anyone have any general thoughts, tips or fixes for my bikes situation.

2) does US petrol require different jets, and would mine have been swapped out for this purpose, thus leading to...my bikes situation.

Thanks in advance

[Tango]

Welcome to TMBF mate.....pop over to the Newbies section and introduce yourself to the guys when you get chance.....

The US use MPH too.....so it's not likely to be an American import.....more likely European or Japanese.....

Sounds like it could do with a good service and then see where ya go. I assume it's got an air filter fitted and standard exhaust.....

[Guest]

See, told you I know feck-all XD America confuses me something awful so...yeah

She's booked in for servicing anyway, just wondered what the Internet had to say about the matter Here's hoping I can show up and sound at least passably educated on the issue XD

Head on over to the newbies section and read my insanity and drivel at your leisure

[wr6133]

Needing to keep the choke on indicates (usually) blocked jets in the carbs. I wouldn't pay a garage to sort that it's a very easy DIY job to remove and clean carb even for a total beginner, way too easy to pay extortionate labour charges.

KPH clocks indicate euro or jap import. Yanks generally use the 250 version as a learner bike (and their clocks are MPH only), too them a 125 is a kids toy. You can get a converter for about £20 to make it read Mph, better than writing on the clock ( http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motrax-Mechan ... 2c8d9645d3 ). You just screw it in to the back of the clock where the speedo cable goes and then screw the cable in to it, 2 minute job.

Your friend needs to put down the crack pipe KPH or MPH have no bearing on the size of jet in a carb neither does the petrol grade in a different country, if it did we would have to strip our bikes and rejet every time we go abroad or even swap to premium unleaded.

[Guest]

many thanks for the info! Just got myself that k/ph converter

I'd be much happier letting a mechanic service my bike, she comes highly recommended and frankly the thought of stripping the carb scares the crap right out of me...even if I had the facilities to do it in the first place XD I'm sure I'll get round to cracking out the spanner one day but alas, it will not be this day.

Thanks again folks!