Beginner Biker

Hello all,

I'm Tony from Glasgow (currently living in Gourock) and I just bought my first bike, a Honda CB500!!

I've wanted a bike since I first heard a motorino(scooter) in Italy, when I was about 12 - but only last week, at a tender 27 did I pass my mod 2 and gain my licence (family all against it etc.)

I test rode a Harley Davidson Sportster, as this is the dream, but decided against the £9k tag, and started looking for something cheap to run, insure and most importantly continue to learn on...



Bought this gem on ebay. It was an hour up the road and I got it for a sweet £500. The seller was really nice and made it a simple decision and the bike came with a new front disc as it was slightly warped at last MOT.

I've been working on cars for the last few years, as I bought a mk1 golf and couldn't afford to pay to have it fixed, so I want to learn to work on bikes too, at first thinking it'd be easier cos the engine's already half out, and there isn't an interior!

Got her home no bother but have been having issues with the battery charging.

I can charge it off the bike but the bike is not charging it.

Been searching forums galore (hence how I found this place!) and think I've sourced the problem as the stator.

To prevent having her off the road too long, I've ordered a new battery, regulator/rectifier and stator, and already got the crankcase off and the stator out so everything is ready for fitting when it arrives.

I've also removed the GIVI box, the windscreen and the engine bars, so the bike is starting to look mean, rather than the ultimate commuter wagon.

I have 17 things due from ebay from new mirrors to a new reg plate, so I'll be sure to post some more pics next time I'm working on her and as the parts arrive.

Chances are it'll be very soon.

Hope you've enjoyed reading and see you round!

WeeTony

I'd steer clear of HD's if I were you... Terrible machines.
Do you have an ammeter? Might be an idea to check what the stator is kicking out before replacing as they don't often 'go', more likely the rectifier was the fault? How many miles has your CB done? I guess if you've got all apart already and the parts on order you may well replace them?
Let us know how you get on!
S

well you did the right thing,the CB500 is just about the perfect bike for a newer rider,light,good handling,great on fuel,cheap as chips for spares and they are plentiful too. You will have loads of fun and youre not afraid to go stripping to suss out problems either,thats good.

Harleys are like marmite,you love em or hate em but they are not for the beginner,maybe a year or two up the line you will get one, thats your call. I personally dont get the hype but I have a Triumph now albeit a 95 model and i know its not everyones cup of tea either. Ride and enjoy.

Hi, and nice to see i'm not the only newbie around. Going through a process similar to yours

Here's what I've learnt so far:
You've come to the right place.
Buy a Haynes manual. Really.
The CB is a relatively uncomplicated piece of engineering, thus it's reliable.
Compared to cars, the CB is quite high-revved. Expect little fun below 4000 rpm.
Beyond 8000 rpm, there's a party going on
Adding a GIVIbox causes front wheel wobble @ 40 mph. Not much to do about that.
It's fun to attend rideouts. Actually, bikers seem to be quite social people.
None of your relatives will tell you, buying a bike was a smart choice. Unless they've got one themselves...

Welcome Tony!
My parents were dead against me getting a bike but my Mum bless her got me a card to say "Well done" when I passed
I bought my CB5 with 45 miles on the clock, that was 15 years ago and now I've just about done 82K!

hi tony, before stripping the bike looking for an electrical fault, try another regulator/rectifier first. if it is that, then dont buy a cheap chinese rubbish one.

Hello! CB500 is a good bike to choose, especially if you haven't much money.

Did you do a resistance-check on the stator? I'm guessing you might have done (before you took it apart!). If you didn't, you can do one anyway (see the haynes manual) - you can always re-sell if you don't need the one you have bought.

As others have said, the rectifier-regulators can fail on these bikes...

Anyway, good luck!

Thanks for the replies and the welcomes...

I'm slightly put off Harleys by the lack of waves and nods I get from there riders, they're trying for this bad ass attitude it seems, but the bike I tested was an iron with an aftermarket exhaust, it was very very loud, and looked amazing. I'll be the Harley rider waving at everyone eventually!

I did get myself a haynes and I did the tests on the connections on the battery and then the RR wires.

To be honest it's a weakness in my DIY mechanics, I genuinely hate electrics, which is why I drive cars pre-ECU and why the CB seemed a sweet first bike choice.

It's likely the stators fine, but it's out now, and I wanted to paint the crankcase anyway, so I'm learning as I go.

I did order a cheap RR which I will look to replace as soon as I can afford to, I was just in a rush to order lots of parts and didn't want to spend an extra £10 here and there if I could avoid it.

I've been working away on the bike and enjoying ever minute! Though today is a glorious day here (20ºC) so I am really gutted to not be out riding.

As a result, I'm off a cycle!

Will go start a project/my bike thread and hope to see yous there!

Regards,

WeeTOny

WeeTony wrote:
I'm slightly put off Harleys by the lack of waves and nods I get from their riders...

Yes, they can be slightly up themselves. I wouldn't let that put you off getting one, if you enjoyed riding it. Plus, as you mentioned, you can be the Harley rider who isn't a twat

The only problem is, after riding/using the CB for a while, will the Harley seem as good/practical?

WeeTony wrote:
... I genuinely hate electrics, which is why I drive cars pre-ECU and why the CB seemed a sweet first bike choice.

I know a fair amount about electrical things and I understand what you are getting at! My 1995 Nissan Micra just about has an ECU, but it isn't very complicated compared to a 'modern' car...

WeeTony wrote:
It's likely the stators fine, but it's out now, and I wanted to paint the crankcase anyway, so I'm learning as I go.

Yes, it doesn't really matter if you replace it anyway - just make sure the replacement measures up OK before you install it! You will also have a spare, just in case.


Good luck putting it all back together before the weather goes tits up...

Ah, Harley people. One time I was on my push bike, and filtering up to the "bike box" at the traffic lights found a bloke on a Harley in it. Kind of not for motorbikes, but hey ho, I smiled at him. He started growling and muttering in his helmet, and blipping his throttle to keep the lumpy idle from stalling his bike, and when the lights went green, took the time to give me the finger before he rode off. Charming! This other time I was looking for braces to keep my new leather trousers up, went in a Harley shop I was passing. Big lady at the till dug these ones out, cost £30. I politely asked if they had any without Harley branding, my being an impecunious student, and she got quite arsey at me, started muttering about you get what you pay for and whatnot. I beat a retreat and found some at my local bike shop for £8...

I'll stick to the Honda, always get a cheerful nod from other CB riders, and pretty much every other biker to be honest, even the black visored squids. No idea what got up the HD blokes arses...

The vibration,lol.

Is it true that when you buy a new Harley you get a free monkey with it,it runs behind you picking up the nuts that fall off