Lucas
Member
This sweet little 360 is my first bike, bought it in March and it's been a whole lot of headache.
First, no one would insure me. I bought the bike the week after getting my M1 license in Ontario, basically your motorcycle learner's permit. Just a written test, can't ride with a passenger, or at night, or on a proper highway. After some months, you can do a riding test at the DMV parking lot and upgrade to your M2 which basically removes all restrictions except 0 blood alcohol level. If you do a motorcycle safety course, you can cut down your waiting time and get get tested the same weekend. I was signed up for the course, but the earliest date I could get was in July. No problem, I'll rip around and get used to the bike until then right? Wrong.
Only one company will insure M1 riders and they know they have the market cornered so quoted me a cool $4200 CAD a year to insure the bike. Thanks but not thanks, I'll keep it in my underground parking and get a feel for it down there, pissing off my neighbours while I wait for my safety course to roll around. May have snuck it out in the neighborhood a few times...
Fast forward to June. I got an earlier course date in a city about 200km away from me but only 50km from my parents. Pass with flying colours, upgrade my license and get it on the road and insured for a much more reasonable $380. I'm chomping at the bit to start really riding. While I was cooling my heels I installed a combo rectifier from Common Motor (I know, I know) and a couple of pod filters because the bike didn't have air boxes. PO just had some unifoam taped over the boots to the air boxes, which struck me as a bit of corner cutting.
Problems started almost immediately, riding for a bit and dying, seemingly fouling plugs. After some gremlin chasing, research here, a few pushes home of shame and one tow truck ride to mechanic we figured out the bike wasn't charging properly. Got that sorted with some proper grounding and the headlight switch mod. Also adjusted the cam chain tension, adjusted the valves and the timing (god it felt satisfying when the bike actually ran after I did that. Once I figured out one of the wires to the points was shorting on the points cover of course).
For about 3 months I couldn't ride this bike legally, and then for 2 months after that I couldn't ride it without fear that it would leave me stranded. This was the first weekend I finally felt confident in it.
Saturday started with a 50km round trip to a little town outside Ottawa called Manotick with a stop for breakfast while I was there. Top speed achieved on the way was 80mph but averaged about 60. Bike ran like a dream although the voltage on the battery was a bit lower than I would like when I got home, about 12.2v versus 12.4v when I set out (both figures with the bike running at idle). But the bike is charging the battery fine so it may be the battery is toast after being run down one too many times while I tried to figure out what was wrong.
I managed to last for about 3 hours sitting at home before I couldn't resist and went out for another 50km round trip ride, this time up to Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park (first picture). Lots of elevation changes here but the bike ran strong and revved freely, although the power goes a bit soft in the midrange. Will likely need to look at rejetting the carbs if I stick with these pod filters.
I was hooked and needed to get a proper ride in. So I said no to the offer of a date on Sunday and decided to surprise my parents with an unannounced visit on my bike. 300km roundtrip, avoiding the motorways and sticking to two lane country roads. Starting point was my favourite coffee shop, around the corner from Parliament Hill (second photo).
The ride was amazing. Perfect weather, clear roads and smooth pavement. Now that I've figured out I need to use the revs Mr. Honda has bestowed upon us, the bike is happy to roll down the road at 6k rpm and 60mph until the tank runs dry. Arriving at my parents' place was a great surprise. They've heard me talk about this bike plenty but this was their first time seeing it. Included a few pictures of the 200-year-old stone farmhouse my parents moved to last year. The longevity of the craftsmanship in both my bike and their home wasn't lost on me.
Oh, and I also found out that when my mother was pregnant with me, her and my dad used to rip around on a little Romet motorcycle in Poland similar to the last picture I've included here. I'm surprised it took me 36 years to get a bike of my own and I loved taking my mom for a spin on the back of one for the first time in a long while.
Needless to say, I'm hooked. Next job is to replace the original sealed beam headlight with an HID bucket I picked up and mounting a vintage set of SHOEI hardcases I got off a member here. Hoping to have that done in the next week or two and squeezing in a solo camping trip with the bike before the summer is over.
Stay tuned.
First, no one would insure me. I bought the bike the week after getting my M1 license in Ontario, basically your motorcycle learner's permit. Just a written test, can't ride with a passenger, or at night, or on a proper highway. After some months, you can do a riding test at the DMV parking lot and upgrade to your M2 which basically removes all restrictions except 0 blood alcohol level. If you do a motorcycle safety course, you can cut down your waiting time and get get tested the same weekend. I was signed up for the course, but the earliest date I could get was in July. No problem, I'll rip around and get used to the bike until then right? Wrong.
Only one company will insure M1 riders and they know they have the market cornered so quoted me a cool $4200 CAD a year to insure the bike. Thanks but not thanks, I'll keep it in my underground parking and get a feel for it down there, pissing off my neighbours while I wait for my safety course to roll around. May have snuck it out in the neighborhood a few times...
Fast forward to June. I got an earlier course date in a city about 200km away from me but only 50km from my parents. Pass with flying colours, upgrade my license and get it on the road and insured for a much more reasonable $380. I'm chomping at the bit to start really riding. While I was cooling my heels I installed a combo rectifier from Common Motor (I know, I know) and a couple of pod filters because the bike didn't have air boxes. PO just had some unifoam taped over the boots to the air boxes, which struck me as a bit of corner cutting.
Problems started almost immediately, riding for a bit and dying, seemingly fouling plugs. After some gremlin chasing, research here, a few pushes home of shame and one tow truck ride to mechanic we figured out the bike wasn't charging properly. Got that sorted with some proper grounding and the headlight switch mod. Also adjusted the cam chain tension, adjusted the valves and the timing (god it felt satisfying when the bike actually ran after I did that. Once I figured out one of the wires to the points was shorting on the points cover of course).
For about 3 months I couldn't ride this bike legally, and then for 2 months after that I couldn't ride it without fear that it would leave me stranded. This was the first weekend I finally felt confident in it.
Saturday started with a 50km round trip to a little town outside Ottawa called Manotick with a stop for breakfast while I was there. Top speed achieved on the way was 80mph but averaged about 60. Bike ran like a dream although the voltage on the battery was a bit lower than I would like when I got home, about 12.2v versus 12.4v when I set out (both figures with the bike running at idle). But the bike is charging the battery fine so it may be the battery is toast after being run down one too many times while I tried to figure out what was wrong.
I managed to last for about 3 hours sitting at home before I couldn't resist and went out for another 50km round trip ride, this time up to Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park (first picture). Lots of elevation changes here but the bike ran strong and revved freely, although the power goes a bit soft in the midrange. Will likely need to look at rejetting the carbs if I stick with these pod filters.
I was hooked and needed to get a proper ride in. So I said no to the offer of a date on Sunday and decided to surprise my parents with an unannounced visit on my bike. 300km roundtrip, avoiding the motorways and sticking to two lane country roads. Starting point was my favourite coffee shop, around the corner from Parliament Hill (second photo).
The ride was amazing. Perfect weather, clear roads and smooth pavement. Now that I've figured out I need to use the revs Mr. Honda has bestowed upon us, the bike is happy to roll down the road at 6k rpm and 60mph until the tank runs dry. Arriving at my parents' place was a great surprise. They've heard me talk about this bike plenty but this was their first time seeing it. Included a few pictures of the 200-year-old stone farmhouse my parents moved to last year. The longevity of the craftsmanship in both my bike and their home wasn't lost on me.
Oh, and I also found out that when my mother was pregnant with me, her and my dad used to rip around on a little Romet motorcycle in Poland similar to the last picture I've included here. I'm surprised it took me 36 years to get a bike of my own and I loved taking my mom for a spin on the back of one for the first time in a long while.
Needless to say, I'm hooked. Next job is to replace the original sealed beam headlight with an HID bucket I picked up and mounting a vintage set of SHOEI hardcases I got off a member here. Hoping to have that done in the next week or two and squeezing in a solo camping trip with the bike before the summer is over.
Stay tuned.
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