Bringing a bike back from the dead

I thought I'd chronicle my experience with a 2005 non-ABS Silver Wing with 5000 miles that has sat in a garage since 2009.  A friend asked for advise/help with his Silver Wing because he was getting ready to move and needed to do something with it.  He said it needed a new gas tank because of rust but it was running when parked.  I told him I'd do some research and make an offer based on what I expected it to take to get it running.

The research I did said the wholesale value of $2200, less parts and labor to get it running.  It needed battery ($100), Tires ($200), Fuel Tank ($220) as a minimum and maybe a fuel pump ($476). Figure another $200 on miscellaneous stuff (oil,filter, plugs, shop manual).

Because he's a friend I didn't price my labor or the cost of picking it up (200 miles each way) and offered him $1200 not expecting him to take me up on it but feeling it was a fair offer based on my best guess and lots of unknowns.  I could end up with a basket case and have to eat a significant loss.  But having "rescued" bikes multiple times it was where I felt the risk was worth it.

Surprise!  He said "SOLD!"  I went and picked it up.

The body work was in good to excellent shape but the fuel tank was so full of rust the cap barely came off. Uh-oh. This was going to cost more than I hoped.  I needed to watch my costs closely.  I ordered a shop manual and found a good looking used fuel tank on ebay.  I ordered a battery and tires off of Amazon.


I spent about three hours taking off body work. I used zip lock bags labeled with a marker on painter's tape to keep the bolts straight.

After the body work was off I spent one hour removing the fuel tank. Took it apart and found the fuel pump assembly was as rusty as the tank (caused by a shorted cell of the battery... you have to disconnect the battery for long term storage or keep it hooked up to a maintenance charger)

Spent a week waiting on a new fuel pump assembly.

Spent three hours putting the fuel tank back in and hooking everything up.

Took it outside to fuel it up in case of leaks.  No leaks.
Hooked up the battery and powered up the scooter (I have to keep telling myself "IT'S NOT A BIKE!")
Fuel Pump ran up and stopped as it was supposed to. Still no leaks!
Hit the starter and it turned over but didn't start (air in the system).  I had sprayed the cylinders with penetrating oil through the spark plug holes so I wasn't too worried about piston scoring. The OIL PRESSURE light eventually went out.  Next time I will not replace the oil filter until after I get the bike running as it took a long time for the oil pressure light to go out.  Still wouldn't start.  Lots of cranking and with long breaks to let the starter cool.  Put the bike back on the battery charger and quit for the day.  Came out the next morning and tried it again this time leaving it on the charger.  Started about the third try. After riding it around the neighborhood a few times it keeps getting better and better as all the parts start working they way they should.  I have a couple of outstanding issues that need some attention but other than that it's now ready to hit the road. YA!!!

After spending $1200 on a non-running bike and another $700 on parts I was thrilled to know that I wasn't going to end up with a basket case.

Parts list so far..
Used fuel tank ($94 shipped)
New fuel pump assembly ($341 shipped from MR Cycles)
Tires (Shinkos $85)
Battery (AGM $45)
Plugs (NGK Iridium $20)
Oil & Filter ($20)
Shop Manual ($77)
Misc.  ($70)  This is everything from penetrating fluid to a needle nose vice grip I had to buy to get to a fuel line clamp.  

I have about 30 hours total into it including going getting it.  I still have to mount the new tires, take it to get inspected, and pay for tax/title/license which should be about another $150.  So figure I'm at $2100 plus labor.   If I'd been buying from a stranger I'd have offered him around $700 and negotiated with him maybe to $850.  Private seller price is most likely around $2800 for a bike in excellent condition

Anyway.  That's my experience. Hope it's useful to others looking to put a bike back on the road. With some searching and patience and negotiation I maybe could have found a running low milage '05 Silver Wing that needed nothing for under $2500.  However, I can't put a price on how much I enjoy getting a bike back on the road and knowing that it's not wasting away in a garage.  If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.
Ciao'
Keith

Somehow I completely forgot to mention putting all the body work back on. I have a very efficient selective memory that allows me to forget things easily.

WOW is that a bunch of plastic parts. Well over a dozen. And everything has to go on in certain order. I had to back-step a few times to get everything right and I just found that I didn't put the instrument panel tab under the upper step cover so it buzzes. What a pain. Also, I had to run to Lowes and spend $5 on special bolts that went missing and one bolt I ruined while removing. Also, I have two bolts that are left over that are driving me crazy.

Just saying, be careful, stay organized, take your time, and take lots of notes and pictures. Give yourself around 4 hours taking it off and 5 hours putting it back on the first time.

Exellent example of Fra Junipero Serra's counsel, "Kindly come to terms with your ašš for it bears you"

You have done well and made me feel good about my 2005 that I bought a couple years back, fortunately the owner had bought it for his wife but he ended up " riding occasionally ".
I didn't have your issues but replaced all fluids, belt, oil / filter and cleaned up the drive unit. I put all my bolts / screws in separate plastic containers with labels. IF I ever do it again as I take each piece off I'll put the bolt / screw either back on the bike or in the hole of the piece I take off and tape it in place.

:not worthy:



Having the bodywork in good condition was a real plus. Thanks for saving a scooter.

at least it isn't like a Gold Wing which I'm afraid tells you to first remove the seat, thinking maybe even checking tire pressure well maybe not that bad. Second thought ask a 1800 owner about changing the air filter.

Good job. Take off the cover to the CVT as well and make sure no one made a nest in there. I just put the Shinkos on mine and like them much more than the Hoops. And as you discovered they are cheap.

At oldwingguy - I also have an NC700X and when I saw the process to check the air filter I said to myself that I wouldn't bother unless I experienced a loss in my mpg - WHAT is Honda thinking?

dalehazelton wrote:

At oldwingguy - I also have an NC700X and when I saw the process to check the air filter I said to myself that I wouldn't bother unless I experienced a loss in my mpg - WHAT is Honda thinking?

Did a lot of that "What was Honda thinking?" during the process.  There is no way to spray some starting fluid/ gas into the throttle body which is a primary trouble shooting tool without removing a LOT of parts.  

As it was, there were parts on spread out on three moving blankets taking up over half of my side of my side of the garage bay. There was barely room for the scooter and the tool box. I saw what it would've taken to remove the airbox and said "fogetaboutit" and went back to cranking it over with the throttle wide open to bleed the air out of the fuel system.  Took time but it worked.

I guess the proof is in the fact that after eight or nine years of sitting, Honda engineering still works and works well.  Impressive.

If you think about it, the air filter is the same size as the one in my 2.4L Accord that lasted almost 30,000 miles without effecting mileage.  With less than 1/4 the volume of air moving through it, the Silver Wing air filter should outlast most ownership statistics.  My research in 2010 showed that the average motorcycle was on the road significantly less than 20,000 miles during it's lifetime. We are very close to having disposable vehicles.  I fear my occasional hobby of coaxing a motorcycle back to life may soon go the way of the repairing an appliance..... (buying a new one makes much more sense than repairing an old one)

Great job, Kbetts. With that much pain to fix anything, Honda have come up with a reliable machine, overall, with just routine maintenance and cleaning !
Jay.

Good job. Takes a lot of time on a new to you bike.
Fuel system has a return back to tank self bleeding. Most likely plugs got fouled with oil or injectors sticking caused hard starting. Run some fuel injector cleaner through system 1 OZ per gallon for a tank or two. REC. changing oil at short intervals for awhile. Replace belt soon, age.

I did the same thing on a 1979 Honda CM 400A a few years ago. toooooo much work and time.
I now have a new project 1978 Honda CB 400A have all the parts. Time and effort I'm short of.

oldwingguy wrote:

  at least it isn't like a Gold Wing which I'm afraid tells you to first remove the seat, thinking maybe even checking tire pressure well maybe not that bad. Second thought ask a 1800 owner about changing the air filter.

I've had two GL1800. Changed the air filter on the second one. Not too bad, but a bit more effort than changing one on my old GL1500. The trick on the 1500 was routing that radio cable. Silverwing wasn't near as much trouble.
One thing I'll never use is a K&N air filter. Two bikes I've purchased had them. When you hold the filter up to the sun you can see little bits of light coming through. Not so with the OEM type. I don't see how that K&N could filter as well if I could see rays of light through it.