CB350 Top-End Rebuild: Day 1

Today was the day... I was finally able to set aside some time to start putting my motorcycle engine back together.  I tore down the top end of my 1971 Honda CB350 in March hoping that I could get it back together and into the frame by April so that I could race again in the AHRMA Corsa Motoclassica.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get all the parts and machine work done on time for the race.

It's been almost a month since I've worked on my engine.  I had business travel, a wedding in Baja, my kiddo came home from college and wanted to do a road trip to NorCal-- I got busy.  I intentionally planned to work on my motorcycle engine on this Memorial Day.  I reviewed my notes and even re-watched some great YouTube videos.  If you're looking for a great series on rebuilding a CB350, I highly recommend Saturday's Wrench Episode 21.

Using a folding table as my workbench.

 Unfortunately, as I was organizing the parts for my engine on the table I noticed I was missing a part.  I'm missing a circlip, which holds the pin for the piston in place.  This meant that I couldn't start my rebuild today like planned.  Also, I joined the HondaTwins forum where "Doode" recommended that I check the cam chain rollers because those tend to wear out.  Of course, I'll need to order those as well.  Check out the photo below.

See the notches down the center?  They should be smooth.

Today wasn't totally wasted.  I took this opportunity to clean the outside of the engine.  It was pretty grimy.  I first tried Simple Green but found that Purple Power was much more powerful in cutting down the grime.

I sprayed it with Purple Power, let it sit for 10 minutes,
scrub with a wire brush.

I wish I would have taken a shot at the same angle as above
but this is the best I have in showing the results for today's cleaning.

I'm ordering new circlips and cam chain rollers from Honda this week.  I hope to update you on some progress soon after I receive the new parts.  In the meantime, if you have any tips/guidance you can provide me on my engine rebuild please leave it in the comments below.  Thanks!

#BJINBAJA

This weekend I attended the epic wedding of my friends, Brittany and Jason, in Todos Santos.  You're wondering, "What does this have to do with motorcycles?"  A lot.  Jason was an integral part of getting me to race in ARHMA.  He helped build my motivation to make me think that I could do it.  Also, he was tremendously helpful in coaching me for my first race.  Therefore, Jason has been a huge inspiration for me in racing ARHMA.

But the most exciting part about this weekend was the reaction I received from a group of new friends I met at the welcome reception.  I mentioned my San Diego Girl Garage meetup group and to my surprise, many of them were interested in being a part of it.  Although these women don't ride motorcycles, they have a ton of knowledge about motorcycles because their husbands ride and race motorcycles.  I was so happy to hear that they were willing to share their knowledge and experiences about motorcycles from the perspective of someone on the sidelines.

What's Your Ride?

As a new motorcycle rider, it can be overwhelming to shop for a first bike.  New riders should look for a motorcycle that is lightweight and one where you can place both feet on the ground.  A lightweight bike will make it easier to balance and you'll feel more confident and comfortable being able to stop with both feet being able to touch the ground.

I'm definitely not the expert on motorcycles but I've done my share of shopping.  Here are some of my favorites.  I feel that these are great choices for newbies:

Standard Naked Bike: Intended to do a little bit of everything.
My choice is the Yamaha FZ-07.  It has a comfortable seat and neutral ergonomics.  It's a naked bike so there's less plastic to damage.  But that also means it doesn't have a windscreen which could be annoying if you need to travel long distance, especially on the freeway.  Other than that, I think it's a cool looking moto to cruise around in.

Cruisers: Built for comfort not speed.
My choice is the Honda Rebel.  This is the motorcycle that I learned to ride on for my MSF course.  It was so easy to handle and I could easily place both feet flat on the ground when I stopped.

Sport Bikes: Built for speed, not for long distance.
My choice is the KTM RC390.  This bike is built to go fast but at 390cc it's lightweight and easy to handle.  I personally want one of these for the track.  I wouldn't recommend it for long distance rides though.

Another choice is the Ninja 250r.  My first road bike was the Ninja 300 and it was so fun to ride!  It wasn't super-powerful but it still made for a fun ride on the track.  It was easy to maneuver through the turns but because it was meant to be ridden in a tuck position, it doesn't make for a comfortable long-distance road trip.

Dual Sports: For both road and off-road.  Dual sports are like dirt bikes that are street legal.
My choice is the Honda CRF250L.  I own this bike and I absolutely love it!  I mainly use it for off-road but the cool part is that it is plated so I can ride on the road if I needed to.  For example, we cruised on the roads in Zion and could easily hit the off-road trails when we wanted to.

Adventure Tourers (ADV): larger and made for long rides.
My choice is the BMW 700GS.  I also own this bike.  This replaced my Ninja 300 because riding long distance on my Ninja was causing me back aches.  The BMW 700GS has more upright comfortable position.  Plus, the built-in hand warmers and tall windscreen makes for a more comfortable ride through the mountain.


Okay, so my recommendations are little biased since these are motorcycles that I already own or would want to own but I did my research and these were the ones that fit my needs.  I suggest you do the same.  First answer, "What kind of riding will I do?"  Then, do your research.  Go visit a motorcycle shop, sit on the motos and ask lots of questions.  Then, when you've figured out what moto you want, look for a used one.  Craigslist is a great place to shop.  There are many great deals out there and why pay top dollar for your "first" motorcycle.  After some experience on your new moto, you'll have more information about what you want your second motorcycle to be!

Find the Right Fit

Shopping for a first motorcycle is kind of like shopping for clothes.  You need to find that outfit that makes you say "Oooooh"-- the colors have to call to you, it needs to be appropriate for the occasion and it needs to fit just right.  The challenge with shopping for a motorcycle is that you can't "try it on" by test riding it.  They'll let you sit on it but that's about it.  So then you have to rely on what you read about it or what others tell you (and many times this information is very subjective).  If you needed to, you could make some adjustments to the handle bars, seat and foot pegs but that's after buying it as is.  So making these changes would be an additional cost to what you've already spent for the moto.

Here are my top tips for finding the right first motorcycle for you:

Style: You need to think about what kind of riding you'll do.  Doing this will help you narrow your choices down to a specific type of bike.  Ask yourself, "Will I be using this bike for commuting, on long road trips or just for fun on the weekends?  There are so many choices: cruisers, adventure tourers, dual sports, dirt bikes, cafe, crotch rockets, nakeds and scooters.  (I'll talk about the differences between these motorcycles in my next post.)

Size:  Size does matter.  Most new riders feel more comfortable being able to have their feet touch the ground when they are at a full stop.  I once had a KTM 400EXC dual sport that was too tall for me that I barely was able to stand with the tips of my toes barely touching the ground.  It wasn't much of a problem for me when I was moving but before I came to a stop I had to be conscious about where I was because if I stopped on an incline I'd probably fall.  And yes, because of this I dropped it a few times.

Power:  As a new motorcycle rider you probably should stick to a lower displacement motorcycle.  The reality is that you probably don't need anything higher than a 600cc bike if you're just starting out.  You'd get yourself more into trouble having more power than you can handle.  Let's be real, guys just want to be able to say they have a liter (1000cc) bike just like Girls like to say they wear a size 2.  Don't pay for the extra cc's until you're ready to use them wisely-- like on a race track.

Cost:  It's always exciting getting something new and it's so tempting to buy one of those shiny motos you see in the showroom but the reality is as a new rider you'll drop your bike as least once and more than likely it won't be your first motorcycle.  So why not buy a used one until you've gained some seat time and know exactly what you want?  My first street bike was a Ninja 300.  I bought it brand new.  I thought it was so sleek looking in all black and thought I'd have it for a while.  I loved it... until I rode it long distance.  The seating posture just wasn't comfortable enough for long rides.  I eventually sold it practically brand new and bought an adventure tour bike with an upright position.

The best thing to do is try to get on as many motorcycles as possible before you commit to buying your own bike.  Hopefully you have some nice friends that will let you try their bikes.  Or you can search places that rent out motorcycles and sometimes vendors have test ride days.

Have fun finding the right fit!

Girls Can Do It Too!

Women have historically battled for their fair place in society and slowly we are moving towards equity.  We are always having to prove our worth in deserving opportunities that are equal to our counterparts.  The progress towards change can be credited to women who courageously stepped up and outside of the box.

I have personally experienced the discrepancy in the women to men ratio in many places.  I've seen it in the 4 male to 1 female ratio at Georgia Tech where my daughter is studying Mechanical Engineering.  I've seen it on the track where there is always less than a handful of women riding motorcycles.  I saw it in my Motorcycle Basics class where I was one woman in a class of men.

But I wonder... is it a matter of unavailable opportunities for women? Or is it a matter of instilling the will and confidence for women to step out into an arena dominated by men.  We need to bravely consider our own biases and be aware of our internal messaging.  We need to tell ourselves that "We can do it!" and surround ourselves with others who will help us get there, whether male or female.  This is why I've started the San Diego Girls Garage Meetup group-- to create a "support group" for all females who are interested in motorcycles.  And if you're not in San Diego, look for something similar in your area or be the brave soul to start one!

Shopping Queen

I wouldn't call myself a fashionista but I do love shopping.  I especially love shopping for deals on clothes and shoes so I'm the type of person that frequents Marshalls, Ross and TJ Maxx.  Sometimes I think my excitement of my purchase is more about the deal than the actual item.

I've been working on building my moto mechanic tool kit.  I have a long list of recommendations from the engine rebuild class I took.  I know it will be costly so I've been doing my research to ensure that I buy the right tools at the right price.  Today I was able to get some great buys at swap meet but before I share what they were there are some things you shouldn't go cheap on.

If you know you'll be working on your own engine, you shouldn't go cheap on the basics such as your socket set, wrenches and screw drivers.  These tools you will always need so buying better quality is the smart way to go.  Now, you can go Louis Vuitton-style and buy Snap-Ons which are super high quality but if being a mechanic is not your everyday job then it's probably not necessary to spend top dollar.  You can go to Harbor Freight if you're really on a budget knowing that these tools aren't as durable and won't last long but will work well in the meantime.  I went with a comprehensive set of Craftsman tools for almost $200 with tax.  I chose these tools because they have a good reputation, have been around for a long time (my dad has always advocated for their tools) and they have a lifetime guarantee (as long as Sears stays in business).  If you have the flexibility you should wait for a sale.  Sears typically has sales on their tools during major holidays.

These were a birthday gift from my boyfriend.

Now let's talk about my swap meet finds.  I bought all of these items for $25!  The hemostats and pics are for cleaning carbs.  I use the hemostats to hold red scotch bright for cleaning carbs or any hard to reach places.  The magnetic tray is something I wished I had when I dropped and lost an important screw.  I use rubber gloves when I work on my engine but find that they tear at the fingertips.  I found these small mechanics gloves that actually fit my hands.  They were only $2 and if they work out well for me I'll be taking a trip back to swap meet to buy more.  The telescoping magnet will prove useful if a screw ever falls into a place in the engine that I can't reach.  So hopefully I don't have to use it to often for dropped screws.  Although I found that I did use it more often to help pull out stubborn washers that didn't want to budge.  And lastly, you can never have enough zip ties.

I also previously purchased a metal cart from Harbor Freight for $50 which I currently have my engine sitting on.  I needed something on wheels because I'm currently working on it at a community garage.  It will be better to have my engine on a work bench when I finally get it home because there always is a risk of the cart being knocked over.

This is definitely not a comprehensive list of tools.  I've been borrowing my boyfriend's impact drill to learn what I like and don't like about it before I consider a purchase.  Also, there are so many specialty tools that I've been eyeing but I'll purchase those as the need arises.  This shopping queen is finding that being a motorcycle mechanic is expensive upfront but will save me in the long run because I won't be paying other mechanics and will be doing the job myself.

Stupid Hurts

"Stupid hurts."  These are the words that stuck with me after my off-road motorcycle class at the Honda Rider Education Center in Colton.  They had posters plastered on the walls to remind you and for me those words stuck.  There are many things you should do if you decide to ride a motorcycle to ensure that you don't ever have to experience the definition of this phrase.

The following are my 5 suggestions:

1) Wear the right clothing-  It's strictly for protection.  If you're like me, you want to make sure your fashion is on point but if that cute motorcycle jacket and pants don't have the armor in all the right places it won't do the job when you crash.  I know we all want to believe we'll never be in a crash but you always need to be prepared, whether you're riding on dirt or on the road.  Most motorcycle gear has tough armor like hard plastic on the shoulders, elbows and knees.  You can also get jackets that have back protectors and pants that have hip protectors.  Just imagine the friction points on your body when you're sliding across the asphalt or the dirt.  I would also consider the material of the riding gear, especially for street riding.  I wear a Dianese leather jacket and pants because of its tough exterior made out of full grain cowhide leather and even has aluminum plates on the shoulders.

2) Wear shoes that match the clothing-  What I mean here is to match the protection.  I wouldn't recommend it but if you choose to wear regular everyday shoes to ride you want to make sure you wear a shoe that protects your ankles, has a tough sole and is made of leather.  I personally would go to a motorcycle store and find a shoe that is intentionally made for motorcyclist because it will have protection in all the right places.  There are many choices nowadays for motorcycle shoes that are protective and fashionable.

3) Wear a helmet- This is a must in California because it's the law.  Make sure you check that it is DOT or SNELL rated.  Revzilla has a great article called Helmet 101 that breaks down the details.  Also, once you impact the helmet whether during a crash or you drop it a long distance or drop something heavy on it you should buy another helmet.  When a helmet is impacted it affects the protective foam that is in the core of the helmet and makes that portion of the helmet vulnerable.

4) Start slow- I recommend starting on a lesser powered motorcycle.  This way you don't accidentally blip the throttle on a more powerful motorcycle that can end up throwing you off.  I started on a Ninja 300 which was so fun and easy to ride.  After I gained some experience on the street I moved up to a BMW 700GS which had more power but also had a more comfortable seating position for long rides.  Lastly, gain more seat time before you decide to start riding at night or in the rain.  You always have to be super aware of your surroundings when you ride your motorcycle but especially so while riding at night or in the rain.

5) Ride smart- Be a defensive rider.  I always assume that the cars around me don't know that I'm there so I try not to place myself in a situation where they could potentially hit me.  Always be ready to react to the cars around you.  I've had many cars cut in front of me or even try to intentionally block me, like when I'm splitting lanes.  I'm not sure what their problem is but unfortunately there are drivers in cars that don't like motorcycle riders and I've experienced it.  Most importantly, save the high speeds for the track.  Here's a recent story about the untimely death of a young female motorcyclist and vlogger who missed a turn riding high speed on Ortega Highway, a highway that she was familiar with and rode frequently: RIP Annette Carrion.