Page 6 of 6
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2025 9:59 am
by julimike54
Good catches.....
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2025 5:30 am
by Paola Zago
3KidsinAustin wrote: ↑Mon Sep 01, 2025 5:54 pm
Quick Update: After bolting everything back on and tooling around the neighborhood, I was stopped behind a lawn truck and noticed a lot of exhaust blowing past me. Turned out my bike was the offender! Was close to home, so pulled it back into the garage and onto the work platform. Lots of emails back and forth with Rednaxs60, with the theory that the bike is running rich once it hits operating temperature. Tried to balance the left and right bank but couldn't get any action to level them out despite rotating the adjustment screw fully in and out. Found a small vacuum leak from the reed valve on the left bank, so pulled the air chamber - more work than removing a carb assembly, but not awful.
Upon removal, I was able to determine the throttle shaft for the right bank was stuck enough that the spring would not rotate it back into position when using the adjustment screw. Basically, it was a one-way adjustment - you could tighten it down, but not get it back if you wanted to loosen it. Pulled the throttle shaft and separated it from the adjustment part. Took my press to get it started moving, but about halfway down it began to loosen up and I removed it by hand. Some cleaning and a quick rub with 0000 steel wool and that portion works just as it should.
2025-08-31 13.59.26.jpg
2025-08-31 13.59.08.jpg
Replaced the hoses that connected the reed valve and went through the other lines to assess condition. All looked good, so clamped everything up for now.
2025-09-01 14.50.53.jpg
Was getting the intake elbows ready for installation by replacing the small pieces of vacuum line that lead up to the pulse generators when I turned over #4 and saw the gunk inside. Looks like potentially an injector issue? The system holds fuel pressure REALLY well, so it doesn't seem to be leaking when powered off. When I got the bike, PO had done some disassembly of the fuel system on the right bank, but the left injectors hadn't been installed. Possibly something had leaked through the injector hole for awhile?
2025-09-01 15.31.26.jpg
Big opening, hopefully everything sorted and reinstalled tomorrow.
Greetings everyone. Years ago, we had a Honda CX Turbo 500, a great motorcycle, but at 92,000 km it developed a problem with the throttle body that stopped working properly. We visited four Honda dealers, and the motorcycle sat idle for 18 months, but no one was able to fix the problem. We recommended replacing the part, but not buying a used one, which might have the same problem, and buying a new one. At the time, new parts were only available in the US or Japan, with a final price, including shipping and duties, of over €1,800. The motorcycle in Italy was worth perhaps €3,000 at the time, and we reluctantly decided to sell it as a source of spare parts. Perhaps our Turbo had the same problem as yours, and you solved it in no time, and for free! My sincere compliments on your skills!!
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2025 1:46 pm
by 3KidsinAustin
A lot has gone on with the SE-i over the past week. After reassembling the throttle shaft, I installed the complete assembly back onto the bike. This time, I was greeted with the continued smoking exhaust AND the bike didn't come smoothly back to idle. To get back to my set idle, I would have to gently push on the throttle linkage - that small bit of force must have helped the throttle plates on the right side to properly close. Bummer.
Before giving up hope on the smoking exhaust, I tested every sensor on the bike - and there were a LOT! Mother Honda references an adapter tool that plugs between the male and female sides of the wiring harness to sensors - after seeing the prices of used ones on ebay ($90+), I used the images and made my own out of some on hand connectors and wire. It worked great! Unfortunately, it only confirmed that all the sensors were well within tolerance and not causing the smoking. I also confirmed no leaks in the vacuum system with my portable smoke machine. That little tool has gotten a heck of workout on this project!
2025-09-07 11.02.31.jpg
That pretty much left me with faulty injectors. I don't have a good way to test those and they are almost certainly original to the bike. I was going to swap those out until I realized life could be a lot easier if I just swapped the entire fuel injection assembly I picked up with the frame earlier this summer. I swapped the hoses for both the secondary air system and the idle valve as they were molded and fit better without crimping. Two air chambers on the workbench take up a lot of space!
2025-09-10 14.06.47.jpg
My first start created some hearburn. I had forgotten to connect the main air hose from the air valve to the reed valves that feed into each intake runner at idle. It sounded like a horde of angry geese in the garage! After discovering my oversight, I fired it up again and it is running like a dream.
Ready for the Road!
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2025 4:30 pm
by 3KidsinAustin
Been working off and on over the past couple of weeks getting the SE-i back together. It is now in its finished state, after sorting out the air suspension (including replacing the display for the air computer - required re-pinning between 85 and 86) and isolating a fault in the travel computer that was causing the dash to flash while driving. It's up and running like a scalded dog, very pleased with the results.
Here are a couple of glamour shots I took near the neighborhood pond. Due to the condition of the trunk, I'm leaving it off the bike. This one is getting put up for sale when I'm back from a trip this week, but I've already decided that if I can't get what I want out of it, I'll keep it, strip it for better paint, and probably get it much closer to a Naked Wing. Tougher with all the fuel injection wiring, but I think that if I replace the OEM computer with a Speeduino (like Rednaxs60), several of the sensor components are no longer needed and can be removed from the harness. Plus, the ECU is about the size of a deck of cards so easier to find a place to hide it. Still have the 84 to work on and might do the same to it. Fun to plan the next project!
2025-09-21 12.38.44.jpg
2025-09-21 12.39.02.jpg
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2025 4:54 pm
by Rednaxs60
You and Willie Nelson, on the road again.
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Tue Sep 23, 2025 9:23 pm
by Fred Camper
Looking good, should sell fast.
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2025 1:53 pm
by Track T 2411
Excellent work!
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Sep 24, 2025 9:40 pm
by 3KidsinAustin
Thank you guys!! This is a neat bike. I love its backstory, the fuel injection and how well it runs. If it stays on the stable, I have some plans for it. I still want to do a stripped down fuel injected bike and can either build up an interstate or Aspencade or de-feature a Limited or SE-i.
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2025 5:31 am
by Paola Zago
3KidsinAustin wrote: ↑Wed Sep 24, 2025 9:40 pm
Thank you guys!! This is a neat bike. I love its backstory, the fuel injection and how well it runs. If it stays on the stable, I have some plans for it. I still want to do a stripped down fuel injected bike and can either build up an interstate or Aspencade or de-feature a Limited or SE-i.
Congratulations! I can honestly say you have technical knowledge, manual skill, and a passion that no Honda mechanic in Italy possesses. Repairing an SE in Italy is practically impossible! Truly well done!
Paola (Italy)
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2025 5:34 am
by Paola Zago
3KidsinAustin wrote: ↑Wed Sep 24, 2025 9:40 pm
Thank you guys!! This is a neat bike. I love its backstory, the fuel injection and how well it runs. If it stays on the stable, I have some plans for it. I still want to do a stripped down fuel injected bike and can either build up an interstate or Aspencade or de-feature a Limited or SE-i.
Congratulations! I can honestly say you have technical knowledge, manual skill, and a passion that no Honda mechanic in Italy possesses. Repairing an SE in Italy is practically impossible! Truly well done!
Paola (Italy)
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2025 11:20 am
by Fred Camper
Took loads of perseverance for sure. Glad to see her titled and running. Secretly hope you keep it and make it yours.
Re: '86 SE-i That Followed Me Home
Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2025 12:24 pm
by 3KidsinAustin
Thanks guys! This bike was a ton of fun to work on. Unlike the previous 86 Aspencade (which fought me EVERY step of the way), the SEi
wanted to be back together and on the road. I sold it about a week ago to a young guy that wanted to get back into riding. It had been a long time since he'd been on a motorcycle, so the test ride was nerve wracking for all of us (cash was in my hand during the entire test ride).
Out of the three, this one was a bit of seller's remorse. I love the story behind it and I considered keeping it and stripping it down. A naked, fuel-injected bike is still on my list of things to do, and I might use my proceeds from the sale to purchase a welder and teach myself how to do some fabrication.
At the moment, I'm building a virtual pinball / arcade cabinet for me and the kids to enjoy. Once that is done, the 84 will get put on the workbench for the full treatment. I've been gathering parts over the past several months for it and will detail its history in an upcoming post when the teardown launches. (The colored solo cups are for keeping track of parts for its carb rebuild)
2025-11-05 10.01.11.jpg