New bike CB250, not the new CBR250 yet!

Well it's a year 2000, cb250, a twin 234cc Honda. I've had a CD175 and CB200 in the past and really like the little twin engines. I paid £310 on Ebay for this 12500 mile example, it is a stolen recovered bike, the owner did not put it back together when he collected it from the recovery company in his car.
I found I had a gap in my fleet of bikes, I've lost interest in the Bantam, the VanVan for local bird watching trips, the Burgman for long tours (Brittany soon), the Triumph for Bike nights at Oakdene cafe and now the Honda for Ace cafe breakfasts runs.
I have not yet picked the bits up from Oxford, but the seller has offered prenty of cups of tea, if I want to do a 'dry build in his garage'
I'm thinking of making a cafe racer from it, after all it will be going to the Ace cafe most Saturday mornings.
We all have a duty to keep the bike industry going, and for that matter the good cafes as well, in these difficult times.
Regards to all
Dave

If it's the mini-Nighthawk 250 it will make a marvellous flat-tracker, Dave.

They are great bikes.

I have spent today putting the bits together, if anyone has a good breaker handy, I do need a few parts, its a 2000 CB250Y (Nighthawk in America).
I need chain adjusters, a complets exhaust, exhaust collets, a main wiring loom and an Alternator cover. So quite pleased really, most of the bits were in the boxes.
I will try Wemoto for consumables and David Silver for the Honda parts after the Holiday.
The DVLA say they will issue me with a V5 soon, It was stolen but the unlucky owner did not have insurance, so could not claim for the loss. The police found the bike and got a recovery company to pick it up, the owner then took it apart in large lumps to remove it from them.
Have a great Holiday folks
Regards
Dave

Wemoto are generally great, Dave. They are just down the road from me if you need me to pop in there anytime.

Just a thought but a few of these CBs have turned up as non runners on ebay and gumtree . I remember seeing a fair few when I was looking for a sub-33bhp bike for James a few years ago. A complete 2nd donor bike might not be a bad thing.

Ged
I was outbid on a crashed bike yesterday, I'm looking for a cheap high mileage bike, assuming it makes very little difference to the parts I want from it.
The bike has only done 12000 miles, and is not so old that I cannot get the new parts for it, David Silver can get a new loom for £100. I've seen the bikes retailing for £1799, so may go new.

I'll keep an eye on local small ads, Dave.

Ged
I have got all the parts I need now, a Motad exhaust was for sale on ebay, and the seller has included all the other parts and wiring I need, should turn up next week. Result.

Good result, Dave!

Ged, I have 3 yellow wires from the coils of the alternator that were cut by the thieves where they leave the engine case , They go to the rectifier, I assume that they all do the same, I will have to solder them where they have been cut. As they are all plain yellow wires I assume they are transfering the current in differant phases to the rectifier and no harm can be done. Have you ever played around with alternator wires?
So far the bike has cost £460 including the £25 to DVLA to obtain a V5.
The bike weighs in at 132kgms (less with a Motad), and is as easy to manhandle as the vanvan,

Any pics yet Dave ?

I've fitted Lucas rectifiers plus a separate regulator to a 12v MZ Dave.

I think you will be OK TBH. If they were position-crititical they'd have different colours would be my bet.

Phil, I do not know how to input any pictures, I have a mental block when it comes to uploading picture on the internet.
I have got an old alternator case which needs polishing, any ideas on how to quickly remove the old lacquer. The aluminium is very soft and anything I use is leaving marks. The dishwasher damaged a pressure cooker, so I can't use that.
Regards
Dave

I have had a word with my Nephew who knows such things and he recomends glass bead blasting which polishes or puts a nice lustre to alloy . Have you got a pressure washer? I have had succes removing coatings with one though I have not used it on alloy .

Thanks a lot Phil, I will take it over to my friend Martin who has a blaster, I will get the bike running first though, then if I like it and I'm sure I will, it will be taken apart and treated to a full makeover.
Regards
Dave

Dave, you can email the photos to me and I will post them up.

bestleftdeadged AT hotmail DOT com

Laquer off alloy, I've used Nitromors followed by a blast with the pressure washer.

Quick update,
The generator case was sand blasted, after making a bit of a mess with a Dremmel attachment. it is in a matt grey colour and is not polishing up, I may spray it silver later.
I have completed the wiring and will test that out before starting it up, there are no shorts on it (continuity test between battery wires).
I got a wiring loom from an earlier model cb250w instead of a cb250y, it has 2 relays hidden in the loom and a few spare wires.
It has a motad exhaust fitted now.
I am most impressed with the engineering and design of the little bike, there is a mint one on ebay going through in 6 days time, it has a buy it now price of £1000, 4000miles only and one lady owner from new.
It has new head bearings, brake fluid change, rear swingarm overhaul.
Fingers crossed it will go,

Any chance of seeing this at Alton next meet ?

It starts, it's charging, in fact it's ready for an MOT next week.
The idea behind this bike was to sell the others, now I wonder if that will happen? I think it needs a few miles testing first, before selling anything. My total spend is less than £450, it is the best sounding twin I've had, only got 12000 miles on it, it should do 90 mpg when I have serviced it.
There is something very satisfying in saving a bike from being broken up, and getting it running again. I think it's more fun than any other biking activity.
Next year will be a full strip and vinyl wrapping, (the bike not me). For an example see rockets new burger on the X9 site,
So it could be at Alton next time, Phil
Stay safe everyone
Dave