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CBF 125 Cush Drive And Flasher Unit
Blog Date - 25 January 2014
It never rains, it only pours. After the frustration of the knocking engine saga (see previous posts) it's been a delight to finally get the CBF 125 back on the road. Of course the moment I do I notice other problems. This time the indicator is not flashing properly, it's flashing short and fast. The rear cush drive is slacker than a banker's grasp on the reality of being poor too.
I remove the indicator flasher unit to see if there's anything that can be fixed. They're pretty much non user serviceable items but there's no harm in looking is there? As I poke and prod to try and find a way inside some water comes out. Hmmmm. I realise it's supposed to hang upside-down to stop this happening, not the way I had it fitted. I figure I've created my own issue here, stupid boy. I get inside the tiny unit and dry it out, to no avail. I clean the little contacts but that just makes thing worse. I suppose I'll have to spend some of my own money.
I can but them online for around £3. But after the pain of waiting for the last stuff I ordered online I decide to buy a real one from a real shop. Stupid boy. Over the next few days I visit over 10 auto spares shops and not a single one had ANY indicator flasher units. You see modern cars don't use them, it's all part of the computer thingy. They can all get them in tomorrow but I am certain the next shop will have one. Eventually my local Auto Factors who supply garages have a whole shelf full of them. If only I'd gone there first.
I have to chop up a plastic jar lid up and araldite it to the unit to make a mounting bracket. That's the easy bit done. Luckily I've found one that matches the pins on the wiring loom so I don't need to hack the connectors. I almost mount the unit what I consider the right way up, pins up, until I recall the original flooding issue. Well done me for getting it right this time.
It works. Sort of. Being designed for a car this unit is probably expecting a little more wattage. It does flash but with a lethargic pace and the first flash lasts a lamentable time. It's like it has the attitude of a stoned hippy being asked to pass the munchies. It does the job but slowly and lazily. Looking back it would have been a whole lot easier and better to have ordered the right one online and waited. Stupid boy.
The cush drive is altogether more successful. I discover online that the cush drive bearing is a 6203, of which I already have 2 shiny new ones in my cupboard. No ordering online, no waiting, no riding round for hours looking and no hassle. 2 brand new shiny 6203 bearings in little sealed bags and cardboard boxes. Things like this make me very happy.
I remove the rear wheel and spend an hour cleaning the brakes. While I'm at it I treat the actuation pin to a good file down. I also clean the cush drive and to ensure a snug fit I glue a few small pieces of old inner tube to the rubbers. The bearing knocks out easily enough and the new one goes in pleasantly too. Fitting the sprocket carrier is fiddly with the now re-padded rubbers but once the wheel is back in, adjusted and aligned I give it all a shake and it feels good.
The test ride is a revelation! Parts wearing on a motorcycle is like growing old. Day by day, mile by mile you don't notice. It's only when an old flame meets you after 20 years and you can see the look of horror on their face do you realise you've aged. It's only when everything is working as it did when it was new do you realise just how worn out everything has got. Oh such sweet transmission! Gear changes are smooth and slick. Releasing the throttle no longer jars my teeth and the handling. Acceleration is smooth and silky. The back brake is peachy too. It truly does feel like the new bikes I've test ridden recently.
Whilst stood admiring my ingenuity and mechanical genius I notice something else. It needs a new back tyre soon. For goodness sake! I can't complain, I've had over 14,000 miles out of this Conti-GO! and a new one can be had for around £50. That is a massive improvement over the 6,000 miles and £130 price for a larger machine. I really do love this CBF 125. I hated it last month when it was off the road. It's a love hate relationship.
Reader's Comments
john de ville said :-
been there done that with vespas..............its the little things that get in your way and are the easiest to fix, but when they go wrong they are a pain.
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