New Owner

[mattard]

Hello all, I just acquired, well last September, an '82 ascot.  It looks like its been rattle-canned black by a PO, but all the body panels are there.  Someone knocked it over the first week I had it and dented the tank, but that is why I bought it(my other bike is a hypermotard, and if that had gotten knocked over, I probably would have killed the nearest person, just because).  It seems to run good, but if I get on it for a while, when I go back to idle, it wants to die.  Someone mentioned a sticky float, but I haven't gotten around to tearing apart the carb yet.  I've read the sticky on what to do to make the bike right, and besides checking the carb, upgrading the rear shocks are first on the list.  Overall, I think I want to customize it.  I find the stock tank to be ugly, as well as the instruments.  I could live with the headlight, but i'd like to clean up the front end some.  Anyway, I'm new here, and will probably be asking some questions in the future as I start to do things to the bike.  And my picture file is too big, so no pictures yet.

[J6G1Z]

Welcome to the forum & congratulations on finding an Ascot.

I'm glad that you found the Sticky. Probably the first thing you should do besides changing all the fluids, plug, etc, is to buy the two jets that richen up the mixture & a 16 tooth countershaft sprocket. While you are changing the jets you can check the float, blast it with carb cleaner if needed & gently excercise the float.

As far as shocks... I like the shocks offered by HAGON. http://hagonshocksusa.com
Their web-site is a bit confusing sometimes, but they build a nice shock that is built to your bike, body weight, riding style & more.

Make sure you pick up a Honda Service Manual for the bike if you don't already have one.

Good luck & fire away with any questions you might have.
J.

[Slyphon]

Which Hagon shocks do you like J6?

[J6G1Z]

Which Hagon shocks do you like J6?

Here is the description of the shocks that I bought:

Hagon 2810 adjustable shocks - Application Type TTSA (Standard Spring) / TTSS (Slimline Spring)
These feature black body, choice of chrome or black, standard or slimline springs. Quadrate progressive action springs (except 30kg/cm and above) adjustable by conventional stepped cam ring. 10 position damping control with automatic compression & rebound balance. Hard chrome piston rod. Supplied in complete pairs with spring adjuster spanner.

Generally compatible with Type A applications (check with sales team to confirm before purchase)

$299.00

It's a nice pair of shocks. I was able to go with the "SlimlineSpring" which gave me the clearance that I needed for my rear caliper bracket on my hybrid bike. You need to call them & they go over the options with you. Then they build the shock for you vs. grabbing a common shock & spring off the shelf.

J.

[mattard]

Well, Ive taken the airbox out, Im  planning on tearing into the carb tonight.  Has anybody done an airbox removal?  What did you do with the large hoses that hook to the airbox?  How did it affect jetting?  Im running a stock exhaust, but we have a local guy here that does nice stainless ones, Ill probably get something done eventually.  I forgot to mention above, but I have put renthal bars on already, and really like them.  I cant believe how much the ones that came off weighed.

[J6G1Z]

Well, Ive taken the airbox out, Im  planning on tearing into the carb tonight.  Has anybody done an airbox removal?  What did you do with the large hoses that hook to the airbox?  How did it affect jetting?  Im running a stock exhaust, but we have a local guy here that does nice stainless ones, Ill probably get something done eventually.  I forgot to mention above, but I have put renthal bars on already, and really like them.  I cant believe how much the ones that came off weighed.

The original bars have a steel slug at the ends of the bars to dampen vibration. You might find that your mirrors are fuzzier now.

I have removed the air box from an FT & run an oiled foam UNI filter. It has been a while so I can no longer recall what all hooks up to the air-box. I took the crankcase breather & routed a longer hose from the crankcase up to the top frame rail where I mounted a small vent filter into one of the brackets that used to support the air box. You want to make sure you run the crankcase vent to a filter so it doesn't suck in any dirt.

You should re-jet the bike as described in the "Ascot Essentials" when it has the air box attached. You definitely need to re-jet when you remove the air box. So far I'm running the same jets that are recommended in the upgrade instruction. I may need to increase my main jet one more size still.

Here is a pic on how I ran the crankcase breather. The little K&N type of vent filter has a bolt on top, in the middle, that makes mounting real easy.

J.

[mattard]

Ill probably end up doing something similar.  That's a little ways off for now.  Is that an Li battery?  Im thinking about doing one of those also, what size is it?  What you said about the bars makes sense, I really couldn't believe how heavy they were.  Im not worried about the mirrors, I put a bar-end one on the left side, that way its in the same place as on my motard.  Also, one of the smaller hoses that came off my carb ran back behind the airbox, and had a nail stuck in the end of it, What do you make of that.

[J6G1Z]

Do you have a small vacuum line running from the fuel petcock back to the carb?

Originally the petcock is vacuum operated. The engine has to create vacuum to draw in a diaphragm & let the fuel pass by. Many folks have disabled this feature by swapping the spring to the other side of the diaphragm & then plugging that vacuum line.

The battery is a 12 cell "AntiGravity" battery. They are awesome batteries. Real small, weigh less than 3 lbs. & produces 360cca.

J.

[mattard]

There was a line from the petcock to the carb, this one was different.  did i say it went to the carb, it was the airbox, the line came off and was just sitting there after i took out the box.  I had noticed the nail plugging the end of it before, but didn't know where it went until last night.

[Slyphon]

I believe there is an overflow hose that comes from the carb and runs down towards the swingarm. They are often just plugged or capped. Can you tell where the hose was coming from on the carb?

[scottly]

The petcock has two vacuum tubes; one goes to the carb, and one is a vent. I'm guessing the vent is the one plugged by the nail? When I was testing mine, trying to remember which hose went where, it seemed that plugging the vent shut the petcock off. 

[mattard]

I didnt mess with it last night, took the dog for a walk, made dinner, had a few...I just didnt make it into the shed.  I believe the plugged tube did come from the petcock area.  I know I discoed the one from the petcock to the tank, yes, positive on that.  so that thing is vacuum operated?  I have to remove a spring on a diaphragm?  that sounds like something I might want to do.  I do have a weird issue with it cutting out, one time I couldn't get it started again.  those antigravity batteries are 'spensive!  I saw a shorai Li battery on rockymtnatv, $140 or so.