My first bike over 500cc - last CX500

[TheDon]

What can I say? My bikes to date include a CX 500 (1984) Suzuki GT380 (1988) I sold it in 1991 and was so busy, familiy, work, other hobbies (any other philatelists out there?), money, that my promise to myself to get back on two wheels vanished into the distance. Spring was always the worst as I looked on at bikes with envious eyes Then 2010 I was back. a 2004 Honda CBF250. To be honest, it was an excellent reintroduction to biking. Infact I liked it so much I kept it for pottering around. Then May 2011, a shiny 53 plate bright yellow Firestorm. A bit of a jump eh and the best colour? It certainly gets noticed on the road.

I collected it from Stoke on Trent the first day the weather broke after the long dry spring. I was nervous, the heavens opened and the power of this thing seemed awesome on the rain. It seemed so big after the CBF. I gingerly made it home the nerves still on edge but with a grin. My wife was horrified. There are no bikers in my family and she doesn't like sportsbikes. I still havn't tempted her to ride pillion still, you can't share everything.

Still awake? more to follow.

PS Lots of talk here about Cam Chain Tensioners. Talk about de-ja-vue with the CX500! I will certainly have it looked into but, I never got the service history, Is there any way of telling if a mod has already been done?

[agentpineapple]

hi buddy
look at the rear of the engine on the nearside, if you see the original cct which looks like this

then you will have to do something about it, theres a possibility its had what is called a stopper mod, but i doubt it mate

[AMCQ46]

welcome back Don, you dont say where you are based, so if you can update that part of your user profile, it will help you get intouch with someone local who might help you check the CCT etc.

we try and have workshop days as well, but they wont be till spring and so far only Kent or Birmingham. the instructions for the stopper are in the workshop section, it is much easier than it sounds and plenty on here who can talk you through any problems.