Better Living Through Motorcycle Repair

A few days ago, my buddy Jason and I picked up the aforementioned motorcycle and brought it back to our house. I rolled it into the garage and promptly started messing with it.

Step one: Tear off the plexiglass fairing. A fairing is the part of the motorcycle that routes the wind around you as to not muss your hair. I won't be needing that, and it gave the bike a sorta grandpa look to it.

Step two: Remove the backrest and luggage rack (also known in some circles as a sissy bar...) because I ain't no sissy and don't intend on leaning back. I also don't plan on going to far so I won't need luggage. Plus, for some reason these things have a crazy value on eBay so I listed it for sale. Also, the blinkers were mounted on the rack so I had to remount them on the bike, factory style. It now looks a little more street fighter, a little less grocery getter.

Step three: Investigate replacing the choke cable, which is snapped at the handlebar end. I've ordered one from the local Honda dealer but wasn't really sure how to install it when it got here. It runs under the gas tank, which necessitated taking the tank off...but before I could do that, I had to take the seat off.

Step four: Even the mighty google couldn't tell me how to get the seat off. I've never seen a motorcycle that didn't have a fastener somewhere that allowed you to flip the seat up to one side on a hinge....but this one doesn't. Had to unbolt the seat.

Step five: On to the gas tank, which comes off with ONE BOLT?!?! Whaaat?

Now I can see the other end of the choke cable - or at least get my hand in there to connect it by feel. I haven't even started this bike yet and I've already had more fun with it than I imagined. I may actually never ride it - just continue to remove parts. It's that therapeutic. I put my iPod on the dock, sip my coffee, and mutter things to myself about Japanese engineering. It's the closest thing I've had to a hobby in....wow. Years.

There's really no hurry to get it running. We're having to order a title from Colorado, and then I still need a rear tire before it will ever pass inspection. Hopefully by June I'll be up on two wheels....