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Back onto the Rascal


Now the "Red Rascal" is rideable, it is slowly time for the reversed operation, which has been carried out after the purchase of the "Blue Angel". Then blue becomes the spare, and red the driving, my first and bests CX. I think awhile how to tackle this refit job. How I do get, supported with only 1 krik, two Cx-en up and stable?. How do I get the rear wheel off? I consider different solutions, and when Frans B. during the weekly mondagevening-chat at Dutch Honda CX-500 club points out that I can remove the rear wheel easily by removing the back fender, the bits and pieces fall into place.

So it must be done, and the rest follows almost automatically. On a not to cold morning (it still remains winter) I start with removing the trunkcases of the "Blue Angel". Those must go to the red CX. The bumper which will come off the red will be fitted onto blue. As the trunkcases are removed, and also the trunk rack is loose, it is time to remove the bumper and that dismantle the CX-'bottom'. And following that I remove the rear wheel, because I am now busy at that end og the bike. The wheel that was on red will be put beside the trunks and the krauserrack, while I remove the wheel of blue, where the best tire is fitted.

wiel,koffer en krauserrek
... truncs and krauserrack ...

beste band
... best tire ...

Both the brake druma are cleaned, and I place first, because I am working on that bike, the not-so-good rear wheel with the not-so-good brake in the blue one. Than the same event take place for the red. Brake, then lift the wheel a little bit, place the axel into place and turn. Connect the brake, an test it, but it goes so very heavy! I have to dismantle the wheel again. Fortunately it is CX, it is just like mecano. If I hold the brake anchor plate in my hands, I look at the problem from all sides. The conclusion is: dirty and dry. WD40 is obtained, and some grease, and some I can turn the brakelever entirely round. Now the wheel can be replaced. After the wheel, brake and everything sits in the CX, I do a small test. Brake pedal, and loose. It seems to work.

Now the Krauserrack can be fitted to teh "Red Rascal" To do this I have to remove the passenger footsteps, that also supports the exhaustpipe. And therfore the next job is to swap the exhaust between red en blue. It take som effort at the blue CX to get the pipes loose, but it went on, so it can come off again. When I have swapped both exhaustpipes it is time to look what is forgotten. The electric system on blaue and red are not yet connected. That oversight is easely enough corrected. On the blue one a wire got loose, and that takes a few minutes extra.

halfords potkrik The next point is the frontlegs. Fender, frontwheel, legs, it all has to go from bleu to red, and vice versa. I start with jacking up the "Blue Angel". But there is a problem. The "Blue Angel" starts to slide a bit, because one side of the main stand is on a small edge in the concreet. By moving the motor a bit the main stand comes to a more flat surface, and, by using some tiles and wood, I can place the CX firm with the front wheel above the ground. But when I try to lift the "Red Rascal" in the same way scary things happen. Appearently, when I lifted the blue Cx up, the scissorjack broke down somehow. The solution? A smll lifting jack from Halfords. With this I can lift the 200 and more kilos of the CX safe and simple. With two blocks of wood the small jack stands more secure as the scissorjack.
Safety first.... !

tegels en balkjes
... tiles and wood ...

Now the front of the Rascal is also raised I can start with removing the legs. The mudguard is loosened firstly. Because soon wheel and legs go of, I let the mudguard lie nicely, resting onto the tire. There will be more space to take it away soon. Brake claws loosend, kilometre meter case loose, and where did they put the bold of the bottom stem? In the less well lightend shed I cannot see everything, and for this reason I look to blue, which stands outside in the daylight. Also that bold is found. I know in the meantime, learned by replacing by of the oil washers on the front legs rings, that I do not need to separate the headlight, to work at the front legs. Also at blue all parts are loosened, the brake claws are hung and first one, and then the other leg is removed. Rapidly there are two Cx-en without any front legs.

efirst one
... first one ...

Now its turn for the "red Rascal". I collect all the parts I need, and start the rebuild. But first I have to check on to the bold and nut of the right leg, while unscrewing it went very haevy. I works out that the bold and nut are a bit rusty, but with the help of the miracle cure WD40, it is not so hard to ckean things up. Right leg, left leg, there is barely enough space to put a spanner to the nut, when I secure the leg into the stem. Next the bottom forkbold is fixed into place, and this is also a tight fit. I works! Fender between the legs, secure them, and finally the brakes. It's my impression that the brakes, left and right, are striking to the brake disks. I hope it's 'new', and that both brakes have to 'fall in place'

spanner
... a spanner ...

After I have checked all nuts and bolds of red, I rebuild the blue. I will not much more drive on it, I think, but nevertheless I want that CX to be in a as good as possible order. Then the "Red Rascal" goes out the shed, and the wind screen is transferred from blue to red. This is the moment that the red CX will become my 'first' bike again, and blue will be the spare one. Although, do I need that still? If I see the two 'honda brothers' standing beside each other, then the red is clearly the one that is my favourite.

Maybe I have to put an ad onto Marktplaats, or maybe not ......?
first bike
... honda brothers ...




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