legacycentral bbs

I can't work on my subaru in the winter, its my DD, its to cold and to big to come inside.

Last year I found an abused wreck of bike allmost free with a decent seat and tires. Blown forks, Bad engine, no coolant, worn out chain and sprockets. electrical failures. Aaaannnd a 3 colour oversprayed homemade paintjob with big speckless in the center Stripe that totally devistated my sandpaper and elbow.
Not to mention compleatly covered in old grimey fork oil, coolant, and crankcase oil from the leaky way over tightened oil filter. Drive on my friends

The good news, its a Cruiser with a sportbike engine!
My Cruiser cruises at 5-6000 rpm and redlines at 12,000
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[*PAID*] $400 to rescue it
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1984 honda magna 500cc
- 0.5 liter 4 cylinder V4
- 16 valves and water cooled
- harmonically balanced like a flat 4 or inline 6
- 430 pounds wet
- 65 hp
a quote from wiki states that " Honda sold the VF500C Magna in the United States, it advertised it as the "most powerful midsize custom in the world".[9]

BUT, This is what I got after steam cleaning it.



Then i rebuilt and painted the fork lowers Flat Black
-Before


-After


-Another



Then i got a gold chain and new sprockets for $78 total thanks to Motorsport Plus.
It got a new Alternator(stator) $60 Used

The pegs and passenger backrest and sweet windshield was all reinstalled since that stuff came loose in a box with the bike.

And I gave it a slightly better gloss black paintjob









The engine like i said was rideable for about 1000 miles, till the heads finally gave up and a rocker arm brock off. With the Odometer at 52 thousand killometers, the honda was dead from the infamous oil problem these engines were known for.

I plan on putting another hundred thousand on it so The engine is out. Heads are here, $200 ready to go.
Im currently tryin to get the old gasket mateial off. And waiting for full engine gasket kit ($100)
And soldering DIY improved oil supply for the heads.

This is all currently happening in my living room.
Its not leaving my livingroom till I can drive it out.

I think theres a shot of my subaru in the background.

L8r Guys

cool, I like old bikes but don't have the experience to salvage one

good on ya

She's looking good, keep the updates/pics coming! Love the fact that you're rebuilding her in your livingroom!

obviously a single guy..... wife would have a cow about a "greasy, leaking, POS in the house"

Great! im glad u like it.
I have a new love for my steam cleaner now. I started the job with expensive corrossive chemical cleaners such as degreaser,
I found them slow and difficult to use properly considering the lack of space and overspray. And the finished product is 100 times better with the steam cleaner.
Also turtle wax polishing compound after the cleaning brought back the origanol colour and shine to every piece. like-plastic signal lights, anodized brake levers and resivours, frame paint.....chrome to i think but i want to run more tests. LOL

Its a real nice Bike, everything is designed to be as light as possible on it, without to much comprimise. IT seems that the metals used are very very good quality.
Before I got this bike I rebuilt my friends front brake on his kawasaki 500 cruiser year 1992. Ill compare the brakes.
Honda first- Twin piston 1 piece magnesium( i think) caliper that wieghs......Nothing
(If my memory servives me right)
Kawasaki- Single piston, 2 piece stamped and bent flatstock Steel and its heavy!

-Honda

Well that certainly tugs the at the ol' heart strings. My first bike was a '86 Magna 750. Loved it, neglected it, left it in my parents' garage when I went off to college. Then didn't have the time or space to re-invigorate it when I came home and ended up selling it.
I still miss it.
Good work. Enjoy.