Honda SS125

[Bianco2564]

Few more bits bolted on this morning,rear brake pedal,rear indicators,tank and seat,then wheeled outside in the sunshine for a pic with the freshly washed R1.

The two bikes are a great contrast; R1 will do 70mph in 1st gear the other might do 70 downhill with a following wind while slipstreaming a bus.

[geofferz]

Just caught up with this thread - much fun.

What's the car under the tarp - z3?

[fastbob]

Looking good.

[Bianco2564]

Just caught up with this thread - much fun.

What's the car under the tarp - z3?

 

It's a 95 Mk3 Cavalier 3 litre V6 which I did loads of mods to over 10 years.

Had it on the rolling road, made 210hp & 290Nm

Used to take it to RWYBs at Santa Pod a lot, best time was 14.4 @ 98mph

Been off the road since 2014 but can't bear to get rid of it.

[Hoggs]

The two bikes are a great contrast; R1 will do 70mph in 1st gear the other might do 70 downhill with a following wind while slipstreaming a bus.

 

This is amazing

loving this thread!

[oldgrump]

The two bikes are a great contrast; R1 will do 70mph in 1st gear the other might do 70 downhill with a following wind while slipstreaming a bus.

 

Hi, [mention]Bianco2564[/mention] loving this re-build, and managed to find time to up load some photo's of my old CL125A the American version of the SS, sadly sold this bike years ago, along with a lot of my collection.

But rode this Bike quite a lot on Charity rides and to VJMC events, even rode from Poole to Kettering for the AGM and back one day 375 miles, it will hold 70mph quite well with a decent engine

 

.

Me and my Daughter, who's now 21!!

[Bianco2564]

[mention]oldgrump[/mention] , the CL looked in really nice condition must have been quite a rare bike?

I last rode the SS in 1999 and wasnt overly impressed with it.

Now nearly 20 years on my expectations are different so am looking forward to riding it again.

[oldgrump]

[mention]Bianco2564[/mention] yes it was quite rare at the time, takes awhile to get use to the fact it's only makes 13bhp, and that's made at 10000rpm, so you really have to wring it's neck.

Just think it's a stroker

Hate's town work, love's open A and B roads (with no traffic)!!! once you get it wound up, But only problem, none existence brakes, takes a long way from 70mph to stop.

Had a few close shaves with car drivers cutting in front at end of dual carriageways

But enjoy it, you got some good roads near you, love the A361 from daventry to banbury.

[fastbob]

The A361 is a favourite of mine too . There was a lot of resurfacing this year though with loose gravel everywhere. It's probably dispersed by now .

[Bianco2564]

@Bianco2564 yes it was quite rare at the time, takes awhile to get use to the fact it's only makes 13bhp, and that's made at 10000rpm, so you really have to wring it's neck.

Just think it's a stroker

Hate's town work, love's open A and B roads (with no traffic)!!! once you get it wound up, But only problem, none existence brakes, takes a long way from 70mph to stop.

Had a few close shaves with car drivers cutting in front at end of dual carriageways

But enjoy it, you got some good roads near you, love the A361 from daventry to banbury.

 

Yes that's about what I remember of it, gutless and crappy brakes

I have been riding my 380 around this year and that is much the same but its a pleasure to just trundle along at 50mph and enjoy the scenery Well used to riding a peaky stroker,RGV does nothing up to 9000rpm, then it's all over by 11000 The 361 is a great road but too busy with traffic these days to get a good run, many trucks use it as a short cut from M40 to M1 and there is also a car storage place at Chipping Warden so the road often has car transporters plodding along with a train of cars behind

The short section between Dav and Kilsby is equally twisty but often clearer of traffic

Bit of trivia,the A361 is the longest 3 digit A road in the UK, goes from Kilsby to Ilfracombe

[Bianco2564]

The A361 is a favourite of mine too . There was a lot of resurfacing this year though with loose gravel everywhere. It's probably dispersed by now .

 

The surface isnt too bad now, they redid a particularly bad patch near Wardington, its now race track smooth

There is a section between Byfield and Chipping Warden that's as rough as feck so just watch for that.

[Bianco2564]

After 3 weeks of nothing happening to the Honda due being ill for a week,new grandson Harry,xmas shopping and babysitting finally got a bit more done.

I ordered the parts to try out the zinc plating thanks [mention]linuxrob[/mention] ,wired up the regulator and hooked up to a test piece which started to fizz nicely.

Just got to figure out how to adjust voltage and current (No instructions with it) .

Ordered some new chain adjusters from David Silver

[fastbob]

Just a thought really on zinc plating in general. I've been following Linuxrob's progress with interest and I think the results are very impressive. But my question is , if zinc plating is so good why did the parts still rust in the first place ? Would it not be better to have the parts chrome plated ? They wouldn't necessarily have to be polished up to a perfect shine but the process would give a more durable finish. I understand that chrome is applied on top of undercoats of copper and nickle ( I think ) I suppose it depends on whether you are trying to achieve an authentic look or not . Anyway, good luck with it .

[Bianco2564]

Just a thought really on zinc plating in general. I've been following Linuxrob's progress with interest and I think the results are very impressive. But my question is , if zinc plating is so good why did the parts still rust in the first place ? Would it not be better to have the parts chrome plated ? They wouldn't necessarily have to be polished up to a perfect shine but the process would give a more durable finish. I understand that chrome is applied on top of undercoats of copper and nickle ( I think ) I suppose it depends on whether you are trying to achieve an authentic look or not . Anyway, good luck with it .

 

Chrome plating is expensive, zinc plating although less durable is cheap.

Check out this site for the chroming process.

http://www.themotorhood.com/themotorhood/2015/7/28/the-shining-chrome-plating-explained

Guy at work had some bits done for his Dads Royal Enfield, mudguard and exhaust downpipe and it came to over £300.

[Bianco2564]

Ordered a side grab handle off the bay from a breakers in Iowa USA.

[Bianco2564]

Too cold and damp to be in the garage so dragged the bar's into the house, took them apart and polished up eveything.

Needs new pivot bolts and switchgear screws.

Chrome on the bar's is a bit pitted but good enough for now.

[Bianco2564]

Got the bar's and carb back on today.

Also renewed my insurance and added the Honda to it.

Roll on spring.

[linuxrob]

After 3 weeks of nothing happening to the Honda due being ill for a week,new grandson Harry,xmas shopping and babysitting finally got a bit more done.

I ordered the parts to try out the zinc plating thanks @linuxrob ,wired up the regulator and hooked up to a test piece which started to fizz nicely.

Just got to figure out how to adjust voltage and current (No instructions with it) .

Ordered some new chain adjusters from David Silver

 

Glad you are having a go with the plating. the vendor you got the psu from should give you adjustment details as the voltage you have there is far to high. can you post the link to the device please?

anything i can do to help

rob B

[Bianco2564]

After 3 weeks of nothing happening to the Honda due being ill for a week,new grandson Harry,xmas shopping and babysitting finally got a bit more done.

I ordered the parts to try out the zinc plating thanks @linuxrob ,wired up the regulator and hooked up to a test piece which started to fizz nicely.

Just got to figure out how to adjust voltage and current (No instructions with it) .

Ordered some new chain adjusters from David Silver

 

Glad you are having a go with the plating. the vendor you got the psu from should give you adjustment details as the voltage you have there is far to high. can you post the link to the device please?

anything i can do to help

rob B

Yes I am using a 5v phone charger but can't turn it down.current is about 0.5A.In the photo I had it on the RGV battery which was a bit flat at 9v

Mine has two buttons to scroll thru the display settings and two potentiometers to adjust output voltage and current.

Can't get it to adjust the output on either.

No instructions with it, just what was on ebay advert but it was written in Chinglish and made no sense.

Might bin it and buy a proper bench power supply, around £30

[linuxrob]

Hi, no need for expensive PSU here is a link to the ebay one i use:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-step-down-power-supply-adjustable-push-button-module-with-LCD-display-UK/152225073457?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=451414338126&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It works great even from an iffy battery. you could even use the 5V charger as you will only need up to 2v to get the current you want (OHMS Law). It even remembers the voltage you set it to last time.

Left button is voltage up and right is voltage down, i can get a good current from 0.4 V to 1.5V depending on the surface area of the part, have found with the vinegar epsom salt mix at 30C 100mA (0.1A) per square inch of part is good, plate for 15 mins max and buff, degrease and plate again, do this a total of 3 or 4 times and it looks fine. I have now got some passivation chemicals to get the clear/blue, yellow and olive grab colours and better corrosion protection.

On the one you have try slowly adjusting the pots with NO OUTPUT LOAD first you just want to adjust voltage.

Good luck an always here to help.

Rob B

[Bianco2564]

Hi, no need for expensive PSU here is a link to the ebay one i use:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC-DC-step-down-power-supply-adjustable-push-button-module-with-LCD-display-UK/152225073457?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=451414338126&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It works great even from an iffy battery. you could even use the 5V charger as you will only need up to 2v to get the current you want (OHMS Law). It even remembers the voltage you set it to last time.

Left button is voltage up and right is voltage down, i can get a good current from 0.4 V to 1.5V depending on the surface area of the part, have found with the vinegar epsom salt mix at 30C 100mA (0.1A) per square inch of part is good, plate for 15 mins max and buff, degrease and plate again, do this a total of 3 or 4 times and it looks fine. I have now got some passivation chemicals to get the clear/blue, yellow and olive grab colours and better corrosion protection.

On the one you have try slowly adjusting the pots with NO OUTPUT LOAD first you just want to adjust voltage.

Good luck an always here to help.

Rob B

Ok thanks, have ordered one

Will be back in touch once it's arrived.

[linuxrob]

Nice one

rob B

[Bianco2564]

Side cover fitted ,points cleaned up, gap and timing set.

Clutch cable fitted and seems to work ok.

The last time I used it in 2000, the clutch slipped badly even when kicking over, now it kicks over ok and disengaged when clutch pulled in.

[Bianco2564]

Nice shiny new chain adjusters arrived today, all the way from David Silvers stock in the USA.

[Bianco2564]

The kickstart on the SS is badly corroded so bought a pattern part from some pit bike, looks ok IMO.

Bought a used grab handle from the USA.

Fitted the new chain adjusters,old ones are really scabby.

Refitted footpeg and pillion pegs with new Clevis pins