Electrical Meltdown!

This ever happen to you?  Randakk customer Randy Troy of Oceanside, CA recently faced this challenge during the resurrection of a ’79 CBX – the alternator harness plug was 100% “toast!”

Now What? (photo by Randy Troy)

Don’t worry, there’s an easy solution …and an easy prevention!

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What I’ve Learned from AHRMA Vintage Roadracing

By: Randall Washington (aka Randakk)

Vintage motorcycles can change your life. I mean that quite literally. Building a business immersed in such fabulous machinery has been quite a ride.  One of the best aspects? Working with the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association, AHRMA.

Steve Sharp Aboard Fierce Honda CB175

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Honda GL1000 Smokes on Initial Startup?

Catastrophe or Nuisance?

Smoke on initial Startup 1

Greg Jones (left) and Al Wransky (right). Photo by Scott Larson
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Team Winston Runs Strong at 2018 AMA Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials

John Winston (aka “Winston”) and team just completed their most productive run ever with the supercharged Honda GL1000 saltracer. New rider Larry Shields battled numerous gremlins (including a fried clutch) but still managed 136+ mph at Bonneville. Winston and Larry have big plans for next year! 

Team Winston’s Supercharged GL1000 Salt Racer

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Not so “Green,” No-Drop Idle Mixture Adjustment Method

I find the factory recommended idle mixture screw setting specs to be very close to ideal. They are listed here for the Honda GL1000.

Idle FUEL Mixture Screw on Honda GL1000

I do usually richen them up an extra 1/8 to 1/4 turn (out) to compensate for the leaner modern “gasoline” which is diluted with ethanol in most US markets.

But sometimes, you just need an excuse to do some high performance tuning on your bike! 🙂 

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Randakk at 2018 Detroit Autorama Event: March 2-4 (Cobo Center)

Great news! Randakk will personally man a booth at the Detroit Autorama (March 2-4) …as an Ambassador representing our 3 sister companies: Randakk’s Cycle Shakk, Z1Enterprises and Mike’s XS.

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Motorcycle Petcocks 101

What is a petcock? Why is important to vintage motorcycle owners?

Can Proper Petcock Use Prevent This?

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Flooding Issues on Vintage Hondas

Flooding is a common problem in vintage Hondas – especially on bikes that don’t get run much.  Flooding can be just a minor aggravation …like hard starting or poor fuel mileage. But, it can also lead to catastrophic problems such as severe engine damage or even a fire!  Flooding issues should not be ignored!

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Low Power Issues on Honda GL1000?

(This Tech Tip is written for the Honda GL1000 …mostly applicable to any vintage motorcycle.)  

If you’ve ever ridden a “healthy” GL1000 you will agree that it is a surprisingly fast bike …especially given its vintage. The original design goal by Honda was slanted toward “sport” rather than “touring.”  In fact, when GL1000s were new in 1975 – only the mighty Kawasaki Z1 was faster.  Honda was shy about publishing actual horsepower figures, but the design goal was 80 horsepower at the crank. That’s quite respectable …even today.

Dyno Testing Randakk’s Dual Weber Carb Setup

If your GL1000 seems a bit ‘pokey,” there are many possibilities. Here’s a checklist of essential things to check:

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Internally Collapsed Header on Honda GL1000?

Internally Collapsed Header on Honda GL1000?

Collapsed GL1000 Header

Example courtesy of Steve Seamans of NGWClub Forum

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