10th March 2014 - Honda Big One CB1000F (P)

This got me thinking, so after he went

I uncovered the Big One and with Michael Osborns help pulled it roughly to the centre of the workshop

and got it up on the paddock stand

Plenty of room down this side

Bikes not central by over 6""s so this side is a little bit tighter but still workable

I decide to see if I can get the engine running first

In goes a new air filter

screwed the cover on, but I cant find the vent

Looks like this

And if memory serves me correct most probably in one of these boxes under the bench.
I will search for it another day!

Yesterday i noticed the rack was loose,

I almost forgot how we sorted the rear rack mount, and had to come up to the house and look over the pics from last year, when Strawbs n I worked it all out

and off it comes

The tail piece also has to come off as its covering up the mounting bolts, plus the rear brake resorviuor is tucked away behind it.

When searching for pics for rack mount, found some comments about the back brake works good but fades to nothing after being used a few times.

So this is a job that needs sorting before I go out for a ride.

Handy props for keeping the tail piece safe

the Allan bolt that bolts this plate into the frame was loose

and this side, altho I used locking washers

Will pick up some Torque seal tomorrow or Wednesday.

I need to drain the fuel tank dry, So as not to leak petrol everywhere. 
It will take a while with this small bore pipe I found. But not in any rush.

with a large funnel and a bit of old strapping for petrol

I tip some fuel in and press the starter button, after about 30 seconds it fires up - amazingly on all 4 cylinders

I let the engine run till all fuel is drained and it stops

I find the box with a CBR1000F thermostat housing that i brought of Ebay

Looks in good order

mmm looks a bit different

I pull this old bowl out from the rubbish bin!

Guess I gonna be keeping it - so gotta find a home for it, sometime.

I drain the coolant from the engine

My thermostat looks ok, it moves as it should.

Time to remove my thermostat housing, looks tight thou

Off comes the top rad hose

and the mounting plate bolt

and the right engine hose

The left engine hose soon follows

off comes the expansion bottle hose

and thermostat wire - looks very manky n green inside

Bummer wont come out and the mount plate bolt is extremely tight

I'm getting bad vibes from this

Not very big

but its soon out.
Mine is the left one - the right is what I hoped to replace it with.....
but just too much difference, altho they use the same thermostat

I was hoping to avoid this and splitting the housings don't give me any encouragement either.
I hate to see orange gasket goo at any time.
The housing threads have been stripped out and the holes ovaled
both had nuts on them and were way over tight
Time to search ebay in a bit to see if i can find any Big One housings in the UK and not at silly money!

Shit, what you cant see from this pic as the next pic was to shaky to upload.
Its the wrong thermostat!
Its too bloody long and there is a 2mm gap all round it - giving me the impression there was no thermostat fitted!
That's it for today folks, am busy with disco stuff tomorrow, so don't know If I will get time to work on the Big One till Wednesday