My mom said i can have her motorcycle (a Honda CB-1 450) if i get it running again out of my own pocket. It has been sitting for a couple years and she never drained the fuel out of it so it‘s probably gunna need carb work and all that but I know that before it sat the bike ran perfectly so the only problems should be a result of it sitting . I would like to avoid taking it into a shop because of the cost but what do you think It will take to get it running. Also can someone tell me how to drain the brake fluid? The front brakes locked up and i had to take it off the wheel to move the bike.
This shouldnt be too difficult Remove the fuel tank and drain the gas. You may be able to use it in your lawn mower. On the fuel tank fuel shutoff valve, there is usually a small bowl with a filter inside. Remove the bowl and clean the screen with carbruator cleaner. Reassemble. Remove the float bowls on the carbruators and drain the fuel. Re-install the float bowls. Change the oil and filter. Remove the spark plugs and put about 1/2 ounce of clean motor oil down each spark plug hole. Re-install the spark plugs. With the ignition off, turn the engine over a couple of times with the kick starter. Replace the battery. Add clean fuel to the fuel tank. Add a product called Sea Foam to the fuel. About 2 ounces per gallon of fuel. Sea Foam can be found at most major auto supply stores. It is one of the best fuel system cleaners I have found. Open the fuel valve on the gas tank and check for leaks. As you state the front brake is locked up. You will need to remove the brake caliper. Check with the local Honda dealer and see if it can be rebuilt. If it can not be rebuilt, replace it along with the brake pads. You may want to bleed the brakes. The front brakes are very important as most of your stopping power comes from the front brakes. If you are uncertan about this, I strongly recommend having the Honda dealer look at the brakes Check the cables and lube with cable lube if needed Lube the chain with chain lube and adjust if needed. Fill the tires to the recommended air pressure. Bring the bike outside. Make sure the exhaust pipes are'nt pointing towards anything important, I'll explain later. Now you can try to start. Once it starts, do not race the engine too much. It will smoke and spit some oil out the exhaust, remember, you put some oil down the spark plug holes. This will clear in a minute or so. Ride and enjoy
this is what has to be done to get this bike running properly tank flush brake flush carb cleaning new air filter new spark plugs new battery oil change new brakes (maybe new brake lines if lines are coroded) tune up new chain new tires(look for dry rot)
Cool bike. I parted one out a year or so ago. I would take the brake line right off the front caliper (don't lose the little washers on both side of the bolt). Remove the brake pads from the caliper and try and compress the piston with a c-clamp. If it moves in the caliper is fine. If it doesn't move, it will need a rebuild or replacement. If it is fine, the problem is more than likely in your mastercylinder on the handlebars. You will need to remove that entirely from the bike and take it apart on the bench, clean out everything and put back together. It may need a rebuild kit depending on the condition of the parts (dry rotting, etc.). The carbs should be removed entirely. Torn down completely. Keep the internal parts of each carb in the bowl for that carb. Go to NAPA and pick up a gallon can of carb cleaner. This is not a spray bottle (but pick up a few of those also, Walmart sells em cheap for under 2 bucks a can). The stuff NAPA makes is heavy duty, don't get it on your hands. Be sure that all gaskets and rubber parts are removed from the carbs. Anything rubber including any black plastic floats (I think yours are brass) set aside and clean with the spray bottles. Soak everything in the gallon can, just set them right in. Let them soak 1-2 nights depending on how bad they are. Take them out and use the spray bottles to rinse all the parts. If you have a compressor, blow air through all of the passages. Than reassemble the carbs. I would recommend picking up a book for the bike as well. Find a Haynes or Clymer manual on OKorder. Not a bad little bike, good luck with it.
