[Kevork]

Hey there,
I recently bought a '83 Magna V45 to ride and have fun fixing up. It rides well, but needs some TLC. This weekend, I'm planning on doing some basic maintenance stuff as I don't know what's been done when. I'm looking for advice on additional things to do, as I'm new to the bike world.

Here's what I'm planning on so far:
Changing all fluids (Oil, radiator, brake etc.)
Air filter
Plugs and wires

What else in the "basic maintenance" category should I do or not do?

I'm also wanting to start working on cleaning her up visually. The head pipes for the exhaust (as well as other metal on the bike) has some nasty brown, burned looking parts to them. Do I need to take various grades of sandpaper to it or is there an easier way to get the shine back?

Thank you for the advice. Anything is much appreciated.

[frankclwks]

Hey Kevork!
sounds like something i would do, good on you.
Back to your ?'s, I would also check out the chain tension and make sure to use a decent chain lube to keep it alive & relatively quiet, check brake pad wear as well as the rotors, you can cycle the clutch lever and twist the throttle to make sure the cables are all working smoothly, heck I would even pull and lube them.
I am not a mechanic but I believe these would be in the basic pm schedule.
As for the pipes, thats just not easy but I would stay away from the sandpaper unless the brown stuff is baked on and flaky, I've always used good ole elbow grease and a butt load of mothers polish.
Hope this helps, all that work is going to make riding your steed all the more fun!

[exit90a]

First thing I do when I get a new bike is buy a service manual. Covers everything from basic service to full rebuilds. Try Haynes or Clymer, as they are just as good as the offical Honda manual and cost much less. Honda V45/65 Sabre and Magna Haynes Repair Manual covering Vf700, 750 & 1100 V-Fours from 1982 to 1988

[Kevork]

Awesome guys, thanks for the tips...I'll let you know how it goes.

I got a CD manual, but I'm thinking about purchasing the hardcopy cuase I just like the feel of thumbing throug pages

"you can cycle the clutch lever and twist the throttle to make sure the cables are all working smoothly, heck I would even pull and lube them."

Could you elaborate a little more on cycle through the clutch/throttle procedure? I think I'm in the ball park of what you're talkinga bout, but not entirely sure. Planning on replacing most of the lines, but gonna plan that for another weekend (If only I didn't need to sleep).

[frankclwks]

"you can cycle the clutch lever and twist the throttle to make sure the cables are all working smoothly, heck I would even pull and lube them."

Could you elaborate a little more on cycle through the clutch/throttle procedure? I think I'm in the ball park of what you're talkinga bout, but not entirely sure. Planning on replacing most of the lines, but gonna plan that for another weekend (If only I didn't need to sleep).[/quote]


I know the feeling, I stay up too late working and just starring at my ride.
Anyway, what I mean by "cycling" the cables is just continuously pulling and releasing the clutch and throttle, if you feel any kind of grittyness or sticking its a tell tale sign to at least clean and lube those cables. Sucks to try to ride home with no clutch cable and I dont need to tell you about stuck throttle cables, thats just plain scary!
By the way, how is that cd manual you have? I just bought one, did I screw the pooch on that one?

[Tony929]

As for the pipes, thats just not easy but I would stay away from the sandpaper unless the brown stuff is baked on and flaky, I've always used good ole elbow grease and a butt load of mothers polish.

[ghbzorro]

Originally Posted by Kevork

Changing all fluids (Oil, radiator, brake etc.)

Include fork oil in your list of fluids.

[Kevork]

Thanks guys (and gals?). Didn't get to the fork oil, exhaust or cables as I found that the fuel line was brittle and promptly broke when I raised the gas tank (yes, I did pour about a quarter tank of gas onto the ground). Sadly, I had to order the part so I have about a week to get some stuff done prior to being able to ride again.

Frank>As far as the CD manual, I don't think so. I did end up printing a few pages off just because I like to have something to hold and look at. For the most part though, I can reference the manual and then go to work. When I get to something tricky, I'll prolly print off the whole section to have with me.

I decided to keep a record of what I'm doing, so I can go back and look at it. It's on wordpress at Motorcycle Diarys

If nothing else, my antics will definitely get a laugh if you're having a rough day

[frankclwks]

Thanks kevork, I'll look up your thread.
By the way, ghbzorro brought up a great point, along with the fork oil, check your fork seals. I had to replace mine soon after I bought my blade.

[Alyciadad]

Here's a link for the genuine Honda Service manual for just a few dollars more than the Haynes manual.

Helm Incorporated: Search Results

[Kevork]

Ok, I need help. I broke the main fuel hose from the tank. The part came four days later, and I replaced it. I also changed all 4 spark plugs. After reattaching everything, filling the tank and checking for gas leaks, I attempted to start her up. It tried to turn over, but wouldn't start. What I got instead was a popping sound that sounded like it was coming from the spark plug socket, and a couple small backfires. I checked the plugs and everything seemed ok. I'm not new to changing plugs, and as I think back over it, I can't think of anything I did wrong.

I gapped them all to 0.8 (manual recommends 0.8 - 0.9), hand threaded them straight and applied anti-seize goo.

Any suggestions? Oh, and the bike ran fine prior to the change. The only thing I can think to do is get 4 new spark plugs and try again.

Edit: Is it possible I got plugs with a wrong thread size from the parts store? Would this cause the symptoms I described.