New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38 
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Aug 8, 2017 22:00:03 GMT -5
My 07 Jonway had a much faster takeoff than my 04 Reflex, & since I no longer own the Jonway I couldn't check the variator weights. And having spent many hundreds just to get the Reflex back on the road I didn't want to spend more on the k-mod. Research told me that the Reflex came stock with 31g & 21g weights totaling 156g.
I ordered a set of 18g from eBay and begin to test them out. With my stock setup I started out slow but the scooter would top out at roughly 80mph as verified by my Garmin. Next I tried 31g & 18g totaling 147g, the scooter started out faster but my top end was roughly 64.84mph and my rpm's were in the red @ 8k.
Next I tried 21g & 21g totaling 126g, it started out faster & my top end was 68.62mph & my rpm's were at a constant 7k. This is the setup I'm going to stick with for awhile. My son and I have a ride planned in 2 weeks and I'll get some real world results from that ride.
ps: Just wanted to add, I'm 6'4, and weigh 295lbs. I rode the scooter on a one mile stretch of road with a slight hill. I'm sure that it could hit 70+ with this setup and I'm hoping to find out on the road trip. Are you still using the stock ramp face? I switched mine to a Big Ruckus ramp face. It got rid of the 30-40 mph lag but the rollers are only 19grams. It accelerates fast but tops out just over 70. I think I want to try 21 gram Dr. Pulley sliders. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 12, 2017 7:29:32 GMT -5
Bandito, what I'm hearing is a loud rubbing noise. When I was backing the bike up it was minimal at best, but when I was riding it and applying the brakes it was expected. But then when I released the brakes and was turning it was very pronounced and sounded like a car that has a warped rotor. FWIW, my used motor arrived today and I loaded the bike and motor onto my truck and took them to the repair shop. I did the math tonight and aside from the $350 purchase price, this Honda has cost me $1487.71 and it will probably take another $700 to $800 to get it totally right. I'm talking replace the engine, new tires, new belt, brake work, check all hoses and replace as needed. In other words I told them to give the bike a 100 point inspection, I want to be able to ride it like I stole it when they finish with it. Maxtera, I am glad you are finally getting your Reflex sorted out, but sorry it is costing you so much to do it. I am amazed that the PO could do so much damage in less than 4000 miles. I guess even though Honda makes a great machine, it is not immune to someone's lack of maintenance or in this case maybe abuse. Hopefully the new engine will be in great shape and you will be able to put many miles on your new scooter. As far as the brakes go, they may work themselves out as it sounds like you may have a sticky caliper piston. If the seal was broken or cracked, they may find some rust in there and that may cost you more if they have to replace the piston. If they start talking about replacing the caliper then I would look on EBay for a good used one. How does the brake fluid look in the reservoir window? Is it clear or cloudy looking? If both front and back brakes are sticking it may be the balancing valve that Honda uses to do the combined braking. Hopefully as time goes on and you learn more about the bike and how it works, you can start doing some of the maintenance yourself and I am sure you are finding out, even a good dealer is expensive to have some of this stuff done. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 11, 2017 13:18:22 GMT -5
Actually runs fine, better now with a SSP-G intake manifold, CVK 32mm Performance carb, and air intake filter. The issue now is electrical. I'm having a spell with the starter, as the battery is fully charged, I turn the key to no response from the IP cluster gauges, lights, or solenoid. I wonder what it is. The grounds in the headlights are good, the switches are connected, and only when I have the battery hooked up to the charger, does it start. All the wires are good (less than a year old from brand new) and metered all the connections, to good signal, can't seem to find the bug. Help? Sounds like just a surface charge on the battery. Put voltmeter across battery, it should read over 12V. Hit the starter and if it drops to zero, buy a new battery. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 6, 2017 7:43:50 GMT -5
That is great news! The brake dragging and indicator should be just a cable adjustment. That brake indicator is for the parking brake to let you know to release it.
You should keep at least one of the carbs. The carburetors themselves are not that special but I know from experience, the bystarter (starting enrichment valve) will go bad and if Honda is no longer making them, they can be very hard to find.
|
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 5, 2017 9:32:01 GMT -5
Thanks for the link. I hope they would be honest with me but I really suspect they won't. I called them on Tues just asking for a status update and they told me that it looks bad. The guy then went on to tell me that it had straight anti-freeze in it and that it's caustic to the engine and moving parts. I explained to him that the scooter had been sitting for several months and had no fluid in it, and I used what I had while I tried to get the motor running. He seemed to be trying to make it seem like having straight anti-freeze would somehow cause catastrophic damage. I hung up feeling like he was trying to mentally prepare me for an expensive bill. I can't wait to see what they come back with as the problem. I'm totally prepared to tell them to stop working on it and put my parts in a box for me to pick up. Yeah that is rough to hear. The only antifreeze issues I have heard of with these bikes is if you use antifreeze with silicates in it, it can cause the mechanical seal to fail prematurely in the water pump. Other than that, I don't think I have ever heard of a issue with antifreeze and aluminum block engines. Since most automotive engines are now mostly aluminum, if there was an issue with this, I would think it would be more widely known. I suspect they are trying to get you ready for the bill. At least you have another engine so if they come back and want the big bucks, you can drop the other engine right in and ride while you wrench on this one. They are pretty simple to work on. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 5, 2017 7:22:23 GMT -5
Here is a link to a step by step tutorial where they show you how to rebuild your water pump without using any of the expensive Honda tools that are referred to in the service manual. Water Pump serviceI followed this on my '06 and it was exactly as described here. The new parts cost me around $40 from Partzilla. If I went with a eBay mechanical seal, the cost would have been closer to $20. Because of the difficulty of the job, I decided to stick with the Honda OEM parts. It is now working properly and not a drop of oil or antifreeze since. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 4, 2017 20:56:29 GMT -5
Hello Akais, When I had the carburetor off for the 2nd time fixing the gas leaking from the float bowl I stupidly sprayed about 2 tablespoons of carb cleaner in the chamber in an attempt to clean the carbon off the back of the valve. I think that's where my smoke came from. Also, I did notice coolant dripping from the bottom of the engine when I had it running and I remember thinking, "where is that coolant coming from" as I had filled up the radiator 2 days earlier. Right now the Honda shop is stripping the top end off and should have a diagnosis for me in a day or 2. I'm in it now for the long haul, I have every intention of getting the Honda up and running. Man, I hope they are more honest with their diagnosis than my local Honda dealer. The water leak is probably a bad mechanical seal in the pump. I can send you to a link where they show you how to rebuild the pump( $45 worth of parts ) or you can buy the whole pump for $115 from partzilla.com. They get bad from sitting. My '06 had 4500 miles and it was bad. Mine leaked oil. I rebuilt mine with parts but if I did it over I would probably get the whole pump. |
|
New Rider
Currently Offline
Florida Antique
Posts: 38
Likes: 4
Joined: Feb 9, 2014 8:23:09 GMT -5
|
Post by akais on Apr 4, 2017 15:04:58 GMT -5
Maxtera,
Given that when you started the engine you had continuous cloud of smoke, and what sounds like water in the oil, I suspect that you may have a blown head gasket or cracked block. Another thing it could be is the water pump. Look at the bottom of engine case on the left side of the scooter. There is a small weep hole drilled into the case. Is there any oil or antifreeze dripping from that hole? That hole is the weep hole for the water pump. The oil pump drives the water pump on this engine. If the oil seal and the mechanical seal go bad, the coolant water will leak into the engine crankcase however, that would not cause the smoke you described in your first post.
|
|
