I went out into the garage three or four times yesterday, but each time the intention was just to check the fuse on the 87 for the fan so I didn’t take the camera out. Each time, however, I crossed the threshold into the garage and lost my mind a bit and started take more stuff of the 84.
So I don’t have any pictures, but basically the motor is out, the gas tank is out, the wheels are off, the rear suspension is off, the rear end and drive shaft are off, and the frame is tucked back in the corner a little more.
Tires look decent. They have a 2011 date code, have held air for the last two months at least, and don’t show any signs of rot. They’re not brand new by any stretch, but they’re not that close to the wear marks either. Assuming the speedo will plug in, I will probably swap wheels.
I think each bike has one leaking rear shock and one good one. How providential!
Eventually I got around to checking the fan fuse and it is good, so next I need to try applying voltage directly to the fan to see if the fan itself is bad, then track back through to the temp switch. Good news is that I have an extra one of those!
Everybody says to skip the Clymer and Haynes books because they aren’t accurate and skip steps so you’re supposed to shell out big bucks for the official Honda manual. Let me save you some time and tell you that the Honda manual lies. The gas tank does not simply slide out the back, and they miss a handful of things that need to be done to remove the engine.
It’s a little bit sad to see the 84 nothing but a bare frame in the corner. It did look like there was some oil under the timing cover, though, which could mean a leaking front seal. And since that seal is NLA, I’m not sure that could be fixed with anything short of a new motor. I do know that timing belts don’t like oil, so the only other remedy might be to do a timing belt job every year.
On the 84, I need to start boxing up parts to get them out of the way. Then I’m going to set up my PVC and plastic paint booth again and start prepping to repaint the plastic bits. The 87 needs to have the tires changed out and the cooling fan fixed and then I’m going to try riding it as-is for a while until the bodywork is ready. Then I can do the belts, fluids, and change out bodywork all at once.