New to motorcycles and just got an 82 CB 750k

[wlangley]

Hey guys, first off a little introduction.

My name is Walker and my wife and I just took the MSF course and bought a couple bikes.  We got her a Rebel and I found an '82 cb750k in what seems like pretty good condition (by that I mean it looks great and it runs.  How well it runs I'm not sure since I don't really have anything for comparison).

There are a couple things I'd like to do to the bike and this is where I'm hoping I can get some guidance.
1 - After talking with an employee at the local Honda dealership who convinced me that an '82 cb750 wasn't too old of a bike to start with, I've decided to run some Chrvron Techron through the engine to try and clean the fuel system.

2 - The throttle is really tight and doesn't snap back, so I'd like to lube the cables.  This is where I need some help.  I just bough some 3 in 1 oil but was planning on buying some dri-glide this week for this job.  I removed the right assembly housing today (kinda) and am planning on flushing the cables next weekend, but I don't know if I need to remove the throttle cables from the carburetor or not.  There is one video on youtube where the poster doesn't remove the cables from the carburetor ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksiQIvNIPRw ) but I also read that it's pretty bad for whatever gets flushed out (water, dirt, etc) to flush into the carbs.  So, if you've made it this far, is it necessary to completely remove the throttle cable or can I just disconnect them from the assembly housing and flush away.  Or is all of this wrong and am I on the completely wrong path?

Thanks for any guidance!

Walker

[TOOLS1]

Congratulations on your new bike purchase. I think you made two good choices. As for lubing the cables, you do not need to remove them from the carbs. There is no way that anything coming from those cables will get into the carbs. Also most of the guys here use "Seafoam" to keep their fuel systems clean. I put a few oz's in my gas tank every 3-4 fill ups.
TOOLS

[wlangley]

Thanks for the quick reply Tools.  Any thought on the 3 in 1 oil vs Dri-Glide?  I know these are grade-school type questions and I have to admit I know nothing of motorcycles / engines, but I'm definitely interested in learning.

Thanks in advance.

[TOOLS1]

I have used every thing from WD-40 to 10W 40 oil on them. I just recently bought a little tool that clamps on the end of the cable, and you spray cable lube in it, and it forces it down the cable. Can't say it works any better then any of the other oils, but it is a pretty blue color, and looks good in the tool box.
TOOLS

[wlangley]

Well blue is my favorite color and if I can add something to to the toolbox to make it pretty (other than my studded ratchet) I consider it a win.

I appreciate the advice and hope to get to the job next weekend.  If something comes up, I'll be sure to check back.

Thanks for all your help!

[sgtslag]

Walker, congratulations on the course graduation, and the bike purchases!  I graduated the BRC back around 1981 -- still use what they taught me today...  Has saved my life countless times.

Be sure to download the Factory Service Manual from the home page of this site -- it's free!  The Clymer manual is also very good.  You can probably get a used copy, in decent condition, for <$20 from Amazon.

I ran SeaFoam through my engine twice.  First time, I added it to the crankcase, ran it on idle on the center stand, shifting through all five gears (idling!), for five minutes (oil reached 180 F, minimum operating temperature for detergent oils, installed an oil temp gauge), then I shut it down:  oil went from a dark caramel color, to coal black!  Changed oil and filter.  After 5,000 miles, I treated it again:  oil never changed color, even after 300 miles -- changed oil and filter to be safe.

My 750 was a '79.  Back then, the API oil standard was SG or SH -- current API standard is SN!  No comparing SH oil to SN...  The carbon sludge and varnish which SeaFoam dissolved within my engine and transmission, was left behind from the older oils, when my bike was young (I bought it in 2006, with 9,600 miles on it...).  The modern, SL - SN oils will not leave carbon or varnish behind, unless you run them past 7,000 miles.  I'd suggest running SeaFoam through the engine/transmission once, then use modern oils which do not contain friction modifiers/energy conserving additives (check the API circle on the bottle).  Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic is diesel CJ-4, as well as API SM for cars, has no friction modifiers, and it is around $22 per gallon, at Wal-Mart.  Great quality, inexpensive oil to use in a bike (5W-40, so easy flowing when cold starting, but thickens up to spec when warm).

Be sure to change out the brake fluid, as well, to make sure your brakes will function without issue.  Only use the specified type!  Check the date on the tires:  if more than three years old, get new skins.  Pirelli MT66 Route tires will glue you to the road in rain, but your mileage on the rear tire will likely be around 12,000-15,000 only.  Worth the cost for the wet traction, for me (rode two up, 98% of the time, touring on that bike).  I run the same Pirelli's on my heavy touring bike:  got only 9,000 miles out of the rear tire, but I won't complain, as that bike is also glued to the road in rain, and that is worth the cost, to us.  YMMV.  Cheers!

[wlangley]

Thanks for the help guys.  So I came home tonight to put some dri-glide on my cables, got things working much better, and when I screwed the assembly housing back on the handlebars, it was super tight again....  I'm thinking it has to do with this silver knob (see below) in the opening of the housing that's not allowing the handlebars to sit flush in the unit.  Not real sure is this knob is supposed to be there.  If it's not, I'm hoping I can just grind it off and that will take care of it.

Any thoughts?  And sorry for the HUGE picture (at least it's clear)......  I'm hoping to finish this tonight so I don't have time to resize it.

[wlangley]

Nevermind........  Just realized there's a hole in the handlebar for that knob to go into....

Wow.  Well, I told you guys I was new....