Changing the Chain on a Honda CG125

I know, this is out of chronological order, but I had this saved as a draft and forgot about it.
Anyway, here you go.

So I've decided to change the chain on my motorcycle.  I had changed the cush bearings, and I was going to change the chain at the same time, but I discovered the existing chain requires a special tool to remove - one I didn't have.
I had purchased a chain and sprocket kit for the bike; it claimed to be the OEM for the CG 125, but I later had my suspicions.  I purchased the kit not knowing the first thing about motorcycle chains, other than the fact that they need maintenance and changing.  After installation, I did a bit of research on the chains and discovered that the bike comes from the factory with a 14 tooth front sprocket and a 44 tooth rear sprocket.  The kit I purchased contained a 15 tooth front sprocket, so this has the (negligible) effect of a higher top speed, and fewer revs at any given speed, ie if the bike was turning 4000rpm at 30mph, it was now turning at 3725rpm.  Not a big deal, but the end effect is I change gears later, and I haven't got as much power on tap at 30mph as I used to.  It's a tiny effect, but on a wee bike like mine, every little bit helps.
I was changing the chain on my bike for two reasons - one, as I said, it is a regular maintenance item, and I have no idea how long the chain had been installed; and second, there were some links that were siezed and were not giving me the smoothest of rides.
The process is fairly straightforward - you expose the chain, remove the tension, break one of the rivets, grease the new chain, clip it in place, and then adjust the tension.
To do the job, I used the following tools:

• an 8mm, 10mm, and 17mm socket with the appropriate ratchet (for removing the various chain covers)
• a few ratchet wrenches, 8mm and 10mm (also for removing the various chain covers)
• a 1/2 torque wrench (for tightening the axle bolt)
• an adjustable wrench for the axle nut (its I think 24mm, and I didn't have a wrench for it)
• a chain rivet breaking tool (about a tenner off ebay - worth the money for sure)

So here are the steps.
First I removed the chain guard covering the top of the chain.  One nut, one bolt, very easy to do.  I then took the front sprocket cover off - two bolts for this one.  Again, very easy to do.
I then loosened the axle bolt and nut, and pushed the wheel towards the motor - this removed the tension from the chain, making it hang low.  I did not adjust the alignment nuts on either side; with the tension off, they could move freely off of their seat on the swing arm.
I had a look at the chain, and found a link with some rivets that looked different from the others, and figured this was a good place to break the chain.
The chain breaking tool is fairly straightforward to use - basically its a bolt with a threaded bolt inside it - the outer bolt holds the chain in place, and the smaller bolt inside is screwed down to push the rivet out of the link.  Its easy to do; the most careful you need to be when removing a rivet is getting the alignment correct.  The tool helps make it easy.  Here you can see how the rivet breaker is in place.  I have a breaker bar on the smaller threaded bolt inside to help push the rivet out.

 It doesn't take a great deal of force, but you do have to push a bit.

Once the rivet is broken, the chain pretty much falls away.  Mine was a bit stiff so I had to wrestle it off a bit (woof woof).

Here are the sprockets, all chain-less.

 (Note how wonky the gear shift lever is - this is the result of it being bent back into place with a hammer after my first fall.)  The new sprocket is in place; this was done when I changed the cush bearings.

(And yes, I have removed the pillion passenger's foot pegs - they kept falling down out of the storage position.)  This image also shows the original rear sprocket.  I couldn't change it because the pins that sit in the cush bearings wouldn't come out.  I have to buy new pins for the new rear sprocket.

I then got the new chain out, and grease it up with the can of chain lube that came with the chain kit, it was a white lube which helped make it easy to see if I had missed any spots.

 

There is a separate link in the kit, which is attached with a small clip.  Pretty important, this piece.  I gave it a good soak in the white chain lube as well.

Next I pushed the wheel as far forward as I could, and tightened the axle nut to hold it in place.  This made the two sprockets sit as close together as possible, to help get the chain on.  

So I draped the chain in place on the rear sprocket, and pulled it to the front sprocket.  This is where I ran in to some difficulty - it wouldn't reach.  

It was off by only a tiny bit, so with a bit of coaxing and pulling and pushing, I got the link to push into place.  Taking careful note of the instructions, I slid the pin in place - its like a cotter pin, but flat and holds the link together.  

At this stage, I wasn't sure if I needed to mushroom the rivet.  I thought I had read in the instructions that I had to, but damned if I could find them.  I figured better safe than sorry, so I decided to mushroom them.

I added the pressing bit into the chain breaker.  It had a small ball bearing - like sphere of steel in it, which, when pressed into the face of the rivet, would squish the metal, flattening it.  (Hard to describe, but it basically makes the force of screwing the bolt tight compress the rivet, flattening it.)  I attached the tool very carefully - I remember reading that its imperative to get it lined up correctly or it will crush the pin in the wrong spot.  Satisfied it was square, I screwed the bit against the rivet.

In the below image, you can see at the bottom of it is the factory-flattened rivet.  At the top is an uncompressed rivet with the clip in place.  The tool is attached to the middle rivet, and is about to flatten, or mushroom it.

I then checked the tension on the chain, and found it to be quite loose on the sprockets.  I don't know how that worked, considering it was in the same place a minute ago and it was too tight to get together....

Anyway, I adjusted the tension the standard way - 2.5cm of play in the middle of the chain, tighten the axle nuts and make sure the wheel is aligned - easy to do on these bike with the marks on the swing arm to help you line up.

With that done, I started the bike and put it in gear, carefully watching the chain and the sprockets - keeping my fingers away.  All seemed to be going the right way, nothing was loose, and there appeared to be no binding in any of the links.  so, I took the bike out for a spin and again, the character of the bike had changed from an unpredictable bucking bronco to a smooth, easy to ride, forgiving little pony.  Definitely worth the effort.

After my short test drive, I lubed the chain up again (I imagine some of it was flung off when I was riding), and parked it, letting the lube soak in over night.

Job done.

~~~~~

As I mentioned, I wrote this a while ago.  I can now update the fact that the bike is now running very well - the combination of new cush bearings and a new chain has made the drivetrain feel much for solid an predictable - the transfer of power is as smooth as my clutch will allow, and old Hank seems much happier for it.

The Thrills and the Spills of Motorcycling in London

So after having completed the cush bearing replacement, ole Hank has been running well and everyone seems happy.  I am finding the ride to and from work is quickly regaining its previous position of being the highlight of my day.  After my first spill, I was nervous and it showed - my riding was not smooth at all.  With some adjustments to the bike, and with more miles under my helmet, I am getting better and better - and faster.  Not that I'm fast, by any stretch!  Here's a short video of how fast I ride post-spill:

It had rained, and there was a real chill in the air.  It was about 5 degrees Celsius, so I was worried about frost.  Plus, this particular corner is almost a complete 360, and its a steep hill down - this is in Crystal Palace.  Keen observers will note that the Mini passes me, and then get stuck behind a queue of other cars.  His pass gained him absolutely nothing.  He did get to swear at me, though, so that's a win for him.  I guess.
The thing is, I was doing the speed limit when he passed me.  Sure, I took the corner slow, but you would think that if you saw a guy on a motorbike going slowly around a corner, he might be trying to be careful and not take risks - therefore maybe keep well back?  And maybe he also realises now that passing like this does nothing for him except make him more upset.
I have had this a few times, where I will obey the speed limit (or maybe go 5mph over), and I will be overtaken - sometimes undertaken! - by someone, and within sixty seconds, I sail right past them as they get stuck behind someone else in a car.  What's the motivation for this?  Why do cagers behave like this?
Well, as an ex-cager (and still a part-time cager), I think I can understand it.  If you're driving a car, and there is a bike in front of you that is making you nervous (driving erratically, weaving all over, going way under the speed limit), I get that you want to have the bike behind you rather than having the option of him going under you.  Fair enough!
What if the bike is going the speed limit, or only just a little bit over?  Is it worth getting past them?  Maybe, if they are clearly not in full, confident control of their bike.
So sure, there are situations where it is safest to pass the motorbike.  I get that.  If you do decide, in your car, that you want to be in front of a bike, can I humbly ask that you refrain from using your horn, or revving the engine so hard it sounds like its going to jump its motor mounts?  And maybe refrain from swearing and getting angry?

A few days ago, I had a similar experience to the one above.  I was making a right turn onto a road where the speed limit changes right away to 40mph.  I negotiate the corner successfully, and I start to gather speed, when a lad in a VW Polo decides he's annoyed with me.  Horn blasting, engine revving, he passes me at 50-60mph.  And he was bloody close when he pulled back in.  Sure enough, less than 400 metres along, he is stopped at a red light....
I knocked on his window, and he rolled it down.  I asked him why he had to pass me like that, and his claim was that because I was on L plates, I have no right to be in the middle of the road, I should stay next to the kerb!  I was a bit taken aback by this, and told him that I am a fellow road user, and I have every right to use the whole lane, and please don't use the horn like that as all it serves is to frighten me and increases my chance of nervously losing control of my bike.  When I lose control on a bike, the repercussions are a bit more painful than when a VW Polo goes into a skid!  He rolled his window up, still swearing at me, and took off - through the red light, no less.  I think he was feeling a bit sheepish and stupid.  At least I hope he was.  Maybe the next day he went and complained to his mates about how I was using the road, and his mates told him he was wrong and stupid.
Dare to dream, I guess.

Anyway, a spill story for you.
Last friday night I met a friend at South Bank, had a lovely time.  I left the area at about 10:30pm, heading home on my bike.  I approached the roundabout that is Charlie Chaplin Walk - the BFI iMax cinema.  I gained the first position at the roundabout, and waited for traffic to allow me a join when I feel a push and a jerk and my bike is falling out from underneath me!
I turn around, and sure enough, one of those Prius Uber taxis is there - he just rear-ended my on my bike.  I pick up my bike and drag it to the side of the road to check for damage.  The taxi driver looks stunned and shocked - he kept saying 'Are you okay?  I didn't see you!  I thought you went through!'
I was fuming - I was not happy.  I look at the bike, and it would appear the only damage was the L plate was broken on the back, and the right footpeg was bent up a bit due to hitting the floor.
I think I was intimidating him by not saying anything to him whilst I checked out my bike.  He was getting more and more agitated, running around me, saying 'its all my fault! I'm sorry!'
I finally look at him and say 'you scared the shit out of me!'  He apologises and apologises, until he says that we can settle this like gentlemen and he will give me £100 for the trouble.
The bike isn't hurt.  I'm not hurt.  I'm just a bit shaken.
I took the £100.

I guess the point is, things like this happen all the time.  It was a minor prang, nobody got their fists out, and we shook hands at the end of it.  Sometimes shit happens and we can be grateful we walk away with all our facilities.  I mean, what if he hit me harder, and he pushed me into traffic and I got run over or worse the bike gets run over?
I'm just glad I get to ride - a few minor inconveniences and some rude or dangerous drivers make it less fun, but at least I still get to ride.

Changing the Cush Bearings on a Honda CG 125

Okay, I know its an obvious title, but I'm hoping that it may help someone who is doing a search one day.  There is very little out there with regards to showing how to change cush bearings on a CG 125 considering how popular and common these bikes are.  So, I will try to explain how they work and why they are there, and how to replace them.
First off, to explain what the cush bearings are, and what they do.
My bike had this thing where if I touched the throttle, even a little bit, the bike would jerk forward underneath me.  Also, if I was pottering down the road at a constant speed, the bike would feel like it was stumbling along - almost like it was misfiring.  After doing a bit of research, I discovered the things called cush bearings might be the culprit.
Basically, they are rubber bushings that sit in the hub of the drive wheel, acting as a shock absorber for the transition of power from the rear sprocket to the wheel.  On a push bike, there is no absorption; the power is directly transferred from the sprocket to the wheel hub.  Motorcycles have the bushings to help make power delivery smooth, reducing stress on the drivetrain, whilst allowing power to transfer to the wheel.
On the Honda, there are four bushings pressed into the rear wheel hub, and the sprocket has four pins that sit in the bushings.  The sprocket is not attached or bolted down in place, it is held only by the chain and the cush bearings.
To access the bearings, you have to remove the rear wheel.  To do this, I first put the bike up on a paddock stand.  Which caused my first problem....  The exhaust pipe prevents access to the swingarm, where the paddock stand lifts the bike!  It sits lower than the swingarm, and is about 15mm away from it, so I had to remove the exhaust to get it up in the air.  A bit of a pain, but seeing as it's one bolt at the back and two capped nuts at the engine, it's pretty easy to do.  (Plus it gave me a chance to examine the pipe, and clean it up - discovered a small hole in the bottom and some rust underneath.)
With the bike up in the air, I then removed the chain guard, and disconnected the left shock absorber.  I then detached the rear brakes, and the brake bar - this is the metal bar connected to the brake assembly hub and the swingarm - it basically keeps the brakes from spinning along with the rest of the hub.  I pulled out the axle, which is held on by a simple nut - there is a spacer on the exhaust side of the wheel, which will fall out and roll under your workbench if you're not careful.

I pushed the wheel as far forward as I could (towards the engine).  This gave enough slack on the chain for me to pull the chain off the rear sprocket.  I also pulled the front sprocket cover off; this is just a plastic cover held on with two bolts, sitting next to the crankcase.  When it comes off, there is also a chain stay that comes with it - this is a crescent shaped piece of metal that keeps the chain close to the front sprocket.  Here is a photo of the front sprocket, with the chain stay highlighted with an arrow.  Note the copious amount of chain grease that's been flung off the chain.

It may be worth noting at this point, that if you need to change the chain, this is a good time to do it.  I had a new chain, ready to go on, however after looking at the instructions, I discovered I would need a chain rivet breaking tool to get the old one off.  I decided at this stage I would just put the old chain back on and change it when I had the correct tools (post to follow....).
So I struggled for a while to get the rear wheel out from underneath the tail of the bike; it was a real tight fit.  I ended up having to grab the tail of the bike and lift it off the paddock stand with one arm and pull the wheel out with the other.  I'll tell you now, if you pull the wheel out on the exhaust side, it will come out easily - I learned this later when putting the wheel back on.
I then put the rear wheel on the bench and removed the sprocket, exposing the worn cush bearings.

They weren't as bad as I thought they might be, but still pretty far gone.  I discovered they were pressed in, and tried removing the rubber from one of them, to see if I could pry it out.  I spent ages chipping away at the rubber - it didn't come out easily, and the end result was that I was no further ahead.  Deciding to spend some time thinking about a way out of this, I gave the hub a bit of a clean; it was heavy with old grease, and it came out pretty nice.
I arrived at the conclusion that I would have to spin it out by force.  I soaked the bearing in WD-40, then took a large pry bar, and hammered it into the bushing.  I was then able to spin the whole bearing, and it slowly came out.  Success!

So, I decided I would make a video of the process.  I hammered the bar in, and spun out the bearing.  I then noticed that I managed to crack the casing of the hub.  Shit.

I was able to gently tap it back into place (more or less), and it seems to be okay - the bike doesn't seem all that bothered.
Here's the damage...

This shows where the prybar dented the inner lip the bushing sits in.

Here is the outside of the housing.
The lesson here is that if doing this with a pry bar and hammering it in, make sure the points of the pry bar and up against the thicker parts of the hub, not the weaker outside edge.

I then removed the other bearings, and slid the new ones in.  They needed gentle tapping to get them flush; I placed a small piece of wood on top of the bearing and hammered the wood.  This prevented me from damaging the new bearing.

I also wanted to replace the front and rear sprockets, however I could not get the cush bearing pins out of the old sprocket.  I didn't want to damage them, so I thought I'd leave them in and reinstall the old rear sprocket. I could investigate the purchase on new rear pins later.
I did replace the front sprocket, though.  This was easy - with the chain pulled off, it was two bolts holding a retainer in place, and off came the sprocket.  I did notice there was a lot of play in the sprocket on the shaft.  I wasn't sure if a new sprocket would make a difference or not.
Also, the kit I got provided a 15-tooth front sprocket instead of the original 14-tooth.  This would in theory give me a higher top speed, but would take away some acceleration as the bike would have to work harder to get the revs up.  We shall see what the end results of that are.
Installation is reverse or removal, as they say.  After putting it all back together, it was a matter of aligning the rear wheel (easy to do with the marks on the swingarm).  A quick test drive, and I noticed a difference right away - accelerating away from a stop was smoother, and steady speeds were better - not perfect though, but that's because of the old chain - it needed replacing as well.
Overall, it wasn't a terrible job - if I hadn't wasted so much time trying to figure out how to get the old bearings out, I think the job could be done in just a few hours or less.  Plus it really showed me the inner workings of the bike; there is nothing wrong with getting your hands dirty and learning how your bike works.  It gave me a chance to also check for other signs of wear and anything else that might be dangerous or might need attention soon.
I will follow up with the chain replacement process, and a report on how the sprocket change has affected drivability.

My First Spill (and the results)

It wasn't raining when I left home, but it was grey and threatening.  I had been riding for about three months, and was starting to feel confident.  I knew there are stages to confidence levels in new riders, and I was ever so worried about the inevitable knock it would take.  It was just a matter of when.
Well, it was the first of October.  I was riding along, doing my thing, when I approached a T junction.  I indicated, applied the brake, geared down and before I knew it I was on the floor.
I captured it on video - here for your viewing pleasure.

When I watch it carefully, all seems fine - I'm not going ridiculously fast for the conditions.  I was doing maybe 10mph when I spilled.  I wasn't asking the bike to do any physics-defying manoeuvres, I was just slowing down for a stop/turn.
I went down, landing largely on my hands.  The bike pinned my left leg, twisting it slightly.  It wasn't bad, there were no broken bones, and virtually no scratches.  On me, anyway.
The bike's gear selector was bent, and the left footpeg was bent at a rakish angle - a close examination showed the metal had cracked on impact, and the peg looked ready to break off.  There was a scratch on the 'CG' sticker on the side panel.  The bike was still running, until I put it upright and the wheel touched the floor and it stalled.
I pushed the bike off the road, and sat down in a slump.  That was my first spill.
I of course called my missus and let her know - she was obviously upset, but she quickly realised that there was no real harm done to me, and my bike - which she plans on inheriting - was pretty much okay.
I had to take public transport to work - in full gear, with hands and knees throbbing, it was not the most fun.  The worst was just leaving the bike behind....

On the weekend, I went to collect it, bringing along some tools to see if I could straighten it up enough to ride.  The first thing I did was fire it up - he started right away!  What a champ!
I then removed the gear selector, and hammered it until it pointed more or less in the correct direction.  The footpeg was a bit more delicate - I was worried I would snap it off, but after some gentle persuasion, it too, soon enough was close enough.  I gave it a quick test ride, and it seemed happy.
So off I go, riding again after a few days of train hell.  It was awesome!

Before I got back on the bike, I knew I would have to buy a new helmet.  It's expensive, but I knew I would prefer to keep my head in the same shape its in now if i could help it, and thankfully my wife agreed with me.  We went to Helmet City, and I picked out a bright yellow HJC helmet, which was a bit more expensive than my previous Box helmet, however proved to be worth the difference - much lighter, better ventilation, better field of vision, better Pinlock, and much more comfortable overall.

Also on my no-bike hiatus, I was worried I would have to deal with the possible fear of not being able to ride.  I had only been riding for a few months but I was already addicted.  I loved riding, and I didn't want to lose the experience to some silly fear.  I had a bicycle crash a few years ago, where I was hit by a car.  It was almost a decade before I got the nerve up again to ride a push bike.  I didn't want that to happen again.  So, I got on, and rode away.

However, after a week or so, I began to notice there was something missing.  I was riding with my heart in my mouth.  When it was time to put my gear on at the end of the day, my stomach would turn, and my palms grew sweaty (like Eminem before a rap battle!).  When I was riding, I was ever so nervous around corners - it always felt like the bike was about to tip over again.  Going over the slightest bit of road paint made me nervous as it seemed the bike was threatening to slide out from underneath me.  Riding had become a chore, and worse than that, it was frightening.

I spoke with a colleague, a seasoned rider.  He was sympathetic, and offered a few suggestions.
One, he said the bike was probably out of alignment.  Indeed, if I was riding at 20-30mph in a straight line and relaxed the grip on my handlebars, the bike wanted to drop left very alarmingly.  I realised I was spending a lot of energy keeping the bike upright.
I also mentioned about how it felt like I was riding on ice when on the road paint.  He claimed that was normal - to a point - but if it was really bad, I should look at the condition of my front tyre.

That evening, I stood in front of the bike, and braced the front wheel between my knees whilst gripping the handlebars.  I twisted and pulled in an effort to get the wheels in line.  As the bike was pulling left, I pushed the left handle (the one with the clutch) away from me, and pulled the throttle side close.  I had no idea if I had any effect until I started to ride.  At the first opportunity, I got up to a steady speed and relaxed my grip - the bike was no longer so determined to lie down!
I replaced the foot peg bar altogether a few days later, which broke off during removal - glad that didn't happen going down the road.

So, with a steadier bike, I made my way home, feeling better; however the list of things I was worried about was growing:
- I was worried about riding over painted lines - every time I did, I tensed up, waiting for the bike to slide out from underneath me.
- I was worried about turning corners - the bike was still skittish going round bends.  I couldn't navigate them unless it was at walking speeds.
- I was worried about cracks in the pavement - if they ran parallel to me, I would worry I would get stuck in a groove and fall over.
- I was worried about patches in the pavement - any irregularity was an open chasm waiting to throw me.
- I was riding in the rain a fair bit, and there seemed to be a huge amount of oil on the roads - rainbows everywhere.  I was nervous to stop in the '2' position at a junction, and nervous around corners, and nervous on straights.

In short, I was still nervous.

This went on for about a week.  My wife happened to be walking past me as I biked past a corner, and she noticed that I looked nervous going round a junction - not smooth or steady in any way.
Then, a realisation hit me - I knew why I was so nervous.
It was when I was describing to my wife, as we were driving in our car, all the perils I was nervous about. 'There's a bump there, and some oil there, and a crack in the road there, and a gentle corner here..' it was a non-stop barrage of perils being thrown at me.  What was I doing differently, compared to what I was doing before I spilled?
I was focusing on the road.  My head was down, scanning the pavement 5 to 10 meters in front of me.  When I was going round a corner, I was looking at what I was about to run over, not at where I wanted to go.
The next time I rode, I forced myself to keep my head up.  I talked to myself - 'look up!', 'look around the corner, where you want to end up!'  This made a world of difference.  I wasn't nearly as nervous as before!  Corners were not a problem.  Cracks in the pavement disappeared - I wasn't looking for them, so they weren't there.  Suddenly the joy of riding came back to me.  I could feel my confidence come back.

It isn't back to full strength.  I still get a bit nervous around rainbow colour puddles, but its much, much better now.  I am not as confident as before, but I'm not sure its because of me - I think it might be because of the bike.  So, there is a weekend of work ahead of me, trying to sort it out.

I will try and do more updates; I haven't really been feeling the full positive experience of riding the last month or so, removing any motivation to write about it.  In the works are a few posts I would like to make, and hopefully they will be coming soon.  Topics will include:

- Removing a rounded-off aluminium oil drain plug on a Honda CG 125
- Repairing indicator wiring so the right turn signal works consistently (I will let you guess why I need to do this)
- Replacing a side stand (well, the spring at least)
- How to align the wheels on a motorbike
And a real big one:
- How to remove and replace worn cush bearings!
This one is going to be a pain, I can tell.  Riding at any speed, with a steady throttle, results in a bucking bronco of a ride.  Pulling away smoothly from any junction or corner is nearly impossible - the bike wants to just jerk ahead.  The rear sprocket is physically loose on the back wheel, which is making the chain wobble and stressing it out - its stretching constantly.  So if things go right, the job will include instructions on how to replace the sprockets and chain as well!
Gosh I have a great deal to do....

My First Unsafe Manoeuver

So as I learn more about the bike, and get better at handling him, I have grown more confident in what it can do.  I am doing a bit more filtering in moving traffic, which allows me to get ahead of slow moving traffic or vehicles that make me nervous.  I am very much aware that I am taking a few more risks, and I'm being as careful as possible.  However part of being a safe rider is knowing what your bike can do and what it can not do.
So I was following a few large vehicles, and felt I had enough power and space to pass them.  I passed the bus, and then went to pass the lorry.  As I was beside it, the driver decided he wanted to move across the center line, and forced me to go into oncoming traffic.
I would not have attempted the manoeuvre if there were vehicles coming toward me, so the lane was empty.  However, there is a central reservation, so I had to swerve right to avoid it, as there was a car in the left lane (in front of the lorry).
Anyway, I kept on going, my heart racing a little bit faster.  I took a moment to think about it, and realised I should not have attempted this move; there would have been opportunities moments later that would have allowed me to pass safely.
Lesson learned.
Here is the video.

The Day My Bike Caught Fire

So a few weeks ago, I was looking online at all the different things people have written about the Honda CG 125.  One of the things was the poor factory headlight - many people were saying the original incandescent bulb was weak to the point of being dangerous.
So I looked for a replacement - I hadn't yet been riding in the dark, and I was a bit fearful of doing so with the original style bulb in place.  I found a bulb on a well-known online auction site (I won't say what it is, but it's name rhymes with 'mee-bay') as a suitable replacement.  It's rated as a 35W/35W bulb (meaning the dipped and main elements were the same rating of 35W), in an 'extreme white blue xenon' colour.  It was cheap, and thought what the hell.
So I undid the two screws at the bottom of the chrome headlight surround, and popped the cover off.  Inside I found a warren of wires.  I disconnected the 4-way mini connector for the headlight, and removed the incandescent bulb.  The new bulb slotted right in, which made me happy!
The main reflector has a small hole in it for a pilot light - a small, five watt bulb which is meant to light up the headlight just enough to make the bike visible - sort of a daytime running light.  The bulb in mine was burned out, so I removed the bulb and set it aside to find a replacement.
I then crammed the reflector back in place, moving the wires around until it all fit, put the two screws back in, and switched on the light.  It looks really good!  It is a much white light, and seems brighter - I don't know if this is true or not, but I thought I may aw well test it out.  It was getting close to dusk, so I thought I'd go for a short ride.
Here is a portion of the ride - check out what happens as a stop at a junction, right about 22 seconds in:

Yep, my bike was smoking!
Seeing as it's only ten years old, I figured I better pull over and have a word.  I went back to the garage, shut the thing off, and this is what I saw inside:

Yeah, the wire for the pilot bulb?  I never put it back in.  The bulb socket was rattling around loose, and  short circuited with the headlight casing, and melted all the shielding off.  It was warm enough that it melted a bit off a few mini connectors as well.
What an idiot.
So, my test drive cut woefully short, I parked the bike, and went off to sulk.  I looked online to purchase a new wiring harness for Hank, and ordered one.
By Saturday morning, the harness had not arrived, but I thought I would go and have a closer look at the damage.  After looking at it, I realised it's not as bad as it looks - one wire was melted, and there was a bit of damage to the shielding of maybe two other wires.  I had a look around the garage, and found an ISO wiring harness for a car stereo.  I wondered if this would work.....
I looked at the existing wiring, and compared it to the stereo wiring.  The stereo wiring was thicker, and more robust than the original, so I thought I'd give it a shot.  What's the worst that could happen -  it catches fire again?
I cut out the burned wiring, and replaced it with the new cable.  I soldered it properly, and wrapped it in shrink wrap, and crossed my fingers.....
I put it all back together, and switched on the ignition.  I then waited for the smoke to start pouring out.  None did.
Hooray!
It would appear that I have fixed it!  So I thought I'd go for another test ride!
It all looks good - however the indicator on my gauges that tells me my main beam is on tends to flicker on and off - even though the headlight itself does not change - it just gives a steady beam, and switches properly.  I guess there is a wire loose in there still, or a mini connector that is a bit wobbly.
I have since received the new wiring loom, so I will tackle the process of installing the new wiring soon - another Saturday wasted when I should be out riding, I imagine....

Fun with Petrol

After running out of fuel, I thought I'd have a look at what mileage I was actually achieving on the bike.  Websites have claimed anywhere from 70 to 120mpg on these, with 100mpg being the norm.  Fantastic!  My car is good for 50mpg if I'm careful on the motorway, and I do enjoy paying less for fuel as I am a miserly old man.
There are a few things that can really affect the mileage of a motorcycle, such as wind and tyre resistance, the weight it has to pull, and driving style.
It seemed to me the bike was a bit thirsty - When I bought it, the chap said it wasn't good for 100mpg, but he put that down to him being 'a fat bloke'.  I'm not the trimmest of athletes, and I thought I could do well with it.  He said it had a full tank when he sold it to me.  I hadn't written down the miles completed or anything, so I had no idea how much it was using.  I looked in the tank before setting off on my first commute, and it looked okay - however I had no idea what nearly empty looked like.
It ran out, and it would not light up after turning to reserve.
At this stage, I was worried it might be something else preventing the bike from running.  So I parked the bike, locked it up, and walked to the nearest train station (in full gear, carrying a helmet, on a very hot day!) to get to work.  I spent the day being humiliated by my coworkers, and worrying my bike was useless and a waste of money.  I also worked out a plan.  I went home (via public transport, with the great unwashed of London), hopped in the car, and drove to my local garage.  I bought a petrol container and some petrol, and drive over to where I had abandoned the poor thing.  It took the full 5 litres, and after a few tries it lit up!  I breathed a sigh of relief and knew I didn't have to worry it was something other major issue.  I now know the petrol gauge well and truly does not work.
So, I drove the car back, caught a bus back to the bike, and immediately topped up the tank with some Esso Supreme petrol, and noted the mileage.  As I'm now fully aware that the gauge does not work, I kept my eye on it, and after four days of commuting, I topped it up again.  I had done 85.2 miles, and used 4.14 litres of fuel - this equates to 77.9mpg.  Not bad.  I'd like to see better, but looking online, it would appear one the best things I can do for my mileage is lose weight.  Sigh....
There are some other things I can do as well.  I've ordered a new air filter- the original is still in place after eight years and thirty thousand odd miles.  I also checked the tyre pressures and discovered the front tyre was at about 17psi, and the rear was 22.  The recommended for this bike is 25psi for the front, and 29 for the rear, so out comes the hand pump....
I am still too inexperienced to notice a difference in the way the bike handles after putting the correct pressure in the tyres, but I'm sure it helps.
After a few more weeks of glorious, trouble-free rides to and from work, I have a fairly accurate idea of the mileage I can expect.  I get a bit nervous, and top up every 80 miles or so.  I've bought petrol five times, and the average mileage is 76.4mpg.  Not the 120mpg I was hoping for, but still pretty good!  In the time I've had the bike, I've spent about half of what I would have spent giving my money to TfL, so I am pleased about that!
Next up, a new air filter...

Motorcycling In London

Hi!
I've been living in London for a while now, and I've spent plenty of time fighting my fellow commuters in various forms of public transportation.  I've done walking, bicycling, trains, buses, trams, cars - everything but longboarding.
A while ago, as I approached the big four-oh, I began thinking about my daily commute to work.  My wife and I have always chosen places to live according to how easy it is to get to work - we've preferred to live closer to mainline aboveground railway stations than tube stations.  Neither of us could ever stand the idea of using the underground everyday.  Miserable.
So after many permutations, and trying to find the least expensive and easiest methods, the idea of motorcycling came up.  No surprise, really; I've wanted a motorbike since I was little.  I suggested it to my wife, who was adamant that I was not to go on a bike - far too unsafe!
After a few gently prods and watching Easy Rider (thankfully she fell asleep before the end), we decided that I could look - JUST LOOK - at what insurance etc would cost.
I'm from Canada, where motorcycling was reserved for the rich men who had too much money, or their  spoiled kids who wanted to show off.  It was a strictly four-months-a-year sport, the use of salt and grit made the roads too dangerous to use until the sweepers went past in mid May, and too cold to use after September.  So I was pleasantly surprised when I priced a bike and insurance!
As a starter, and having never ridden before, I did a fair bit of research.  Here in the UK, one must take Compulsory Basic Training (or CBT) before they are allowed on the road on a bike - and there are restrictions.  Max 125cc, no pillion passengers, no motorways.  Not a problem, I only wanted to use it for commuting, so no passengers required, and I'd only go 30mph!
So I narrowed down my search to either a Honda CG 125 or a Yamaha YBR 125.  I looked around on the internet, and figured I would have to spend about £1,000 on a decent bike - and another £500 on kit.
I looked at insurance, and I was amazed!  My car insurance is about £27 a month for a 2 litre diesel saloon, and for a CG I was quoted £9 a month!  I thought for sure bikes would be about £100 a month - I had an MX-5, and it was £80 a month.  And road tax on my diesel is £180 a year - on the bike it's £17....
So I excitedly told my wife, and she suggested I book in for the CBT training, just to see if I would like it.  'No point in spending all that money on a bike and kit if you don't like it,' - fair advice.  So I booked into LMRT for a Sunday's worth of riding.
I did my training, and man, what a blast!  It was so much fun.  We were on Honda CG's, and my instructor suggested that it is a better bike than the Yamaha.  I enjoyed riding it - it was no nonsense, easy to ride, lightweight, forgiving, and had electric start.
I was won over.

So the search began for the perfect bike for me.  I trawled through eBay, Gumtree, AutoTrader, all sorts of websites.  Most of the bikes I liked were either up north, or too expensive.  Then, there was one based in North London that looked just right.  It had electric start, a bit of shiny chrome, and it was black - it looked cool.
It was on eBay.  I watched it, but it ended without a single bid.  I thought I'd try and contact the seller to see if they were still interested in selling, and happily, he was.  My wife and I went to view it, and she fell in love with it before he completely got it out of the garage.  Yes, you read that right.  She fell in love with it.
The chap selling it was great - he showed me all the bits and pieces on the bike, and was willing to throw in some spare parts.  I couldn't resist - and neither could my wife.  I bought the bike for £650 - well below my budget!
The next day, we went out and bought some kit - a new jacket and gloves from 21st Moto in Swanley, and a helmet from Helmet City.  I recommend these places, as I found the staff at both locations to be very helpful and the opposite of condescending - they were eager to help me, as a new rider, get the most out of riding.
I went to bed, exhausted, my brain going full speed like a six year old on the day before Christmas.
The next morning, I got the train (and the tube - yuck) to pick it up.  The fellow offered to ride with me part of the way, as he knew I had literally no experience.  We also needed to get some learner plates, so I rode pillion on his massive ZX-R, looking for an open shop!  Man, he rode fast!
Anyway, the time came, and away we went.  He rode with me through to London Victoria - past Buckingham Palace, down Park Lane and Edgeware Road - very exciting and scary!  I didn't filter through traffic - a little too scary for me at that stage.
The bike performed flawlessly, and by the time we got to Sloane Square, I was confident enough to go on my own.  We shook hands, went our separate ways, and off he went.
I rode home on my own, unaccompanied.  It was a bit scary, but man, what a rush!
I got home, and promptly spent some time staring at it.  My wife told me she wants it when I'm done with it!

The bike is decidedly small - there isn't much road presence, and it is not the fastest ride out there by a long shot.  But, its mine.  My first ride.  They say its better to learn on a bit of beater, because when you inevitably drop it, you won't be so heartbroken.  I hope I don't drop this bike!  His name is Hank, after two awesome Hanks - Hank Williams Jr, and Hank Schrader from Breaking Bad.

Photo courtesy of Bluzog and  AMC Networks respectively

I decided I wouldn't start using the bike to commute until my train ticket expired, and after I had spent the evenings doing some ride-arounds, just to get a good feel for the bike, and to gain some confidence.
So, the following week, after I felt comfortable, I struck out on my own, commuting in style!
I made it about 3 miles before I ran out of petrol.  It would appear the gauge is not entirely accurate.
Harumph.
So, in full gear, carrying a helmet, I walked to the nearest railway station, emailed work, and headed off.
How embarrassing.
Anyway, that was the start of my motorcycling journey.  I hope to use this blog as a record of works I do to the bike, and to write down my experiences with riding.  I have been at it for a few weeks now - still very green! - and I enjoy it immensely.  Hopefully as I learn about riding, you  may find something of interest here.
Thanks for looking!