06-22-2018, 05:33 AM
(06-21-2018, 11:40 PM)PowerDubs_imp Wrote: Lets narrow it down a bit.
When you say learn- do you actually mean 'learn' or just something to wrench on, and experience?
Example- an old 2-stroke such as an RZ350 is a cool fun play bike, but learning the top end of a 2-stroke is different and simpler than a 4-stroke. But you still have the same basic of a clutch, throttle, carb, wheels, chain, forks...
Are you ok with water cooled?
If you have your heart set on something exotic, while I'd never own a CBX I have owned a few VFR- a 700 and a 750. Both V-four engines with gear driven cams. They sound fantastic with a set of mufflers. The level of complexity increases though. You can get the same basic engine design in a cruiser- Honda Magna.
There are a ton of bikes with character and oddities back in the 80's from all the manufacturers.
My Yamaha 350 R5 was the easiest motorcycle to work on I ever had. I could change the oil, clean and lube the chain, remove the carbon from the heads and piston tops, and add new plugs in a couple of hours. Never had to mess with the timing or worry about valves as there were none. At 10,000 miles I bought new baffles for the mufflers so it would have it normal top end of 103 MPH.
The 4-stroke motorcycles I enjoyed working on were my 1966 and 1971 BSA Lightnings. The 66 became a café racer and the 71 restored to original form except for the paint. The colour schemes for the 71s were awful, so mine was painted glossy black.
It helped to have imported the Shop Manual, Parts Manual, and BSA Shop Tools from Eddie Dow in Britain. Loved the feel and sound of those bikes. That is why the 2018 Royal Enfield 650cc Interceptor has caught my interest. Nut and bolt valve adjustment, instead of buckets and shims. Now that's simple Old School mechanics.