SUZUKI CAVALCADE OWNERS GROUP NEWSLETTER January

Look forward to all who want to participate. ~"BigDaddy" Rick Moore, 86'Cav LXE Email: bigdaddy_ent@yahoo.com

Most of our Cavalcades officially turn 20 years old this year. To celebrate, we are hosting a gathering of Cades and Cade owners in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Golden , Colorado . We have a full schedule of events all week. There will be workshop classes by the best Cavalcade mechanics in the world. You will learn to repair, maintain and enhance your Cavalcade from these experts. There will be special activities for spouses & passengers too. We’ll feature daily rides through the majestic Rocky Mountains. We will have an Advanced Rider Training Course to improve our skills riding heavy motorcycles. We’ve scheduled evening meals and entertainment. Wednesday we’ll have a western barbecue and “Evening with Wild Bill Hickok”. Our Friday Night Cade Raid Dinner will feature our own Cavalcade Prime-Time Entertainers, including Jay, Tracy, Nancy “Motherwind” and others.

Email jay@treefarmtapes.com for a registration form to attend Cade Raid 2006. Reserve the week of September 11-15, 2006 at the Holiday Inn in Golden, Colorado . When you call the hotel for reservations, be sure to identify yourself as with the Suzuki Cavalcade Owners attending “Cade Raid 2006” to receive our special room rate of $70 per night.

The schedule of events for our Cavalcade rally next September is complete. Here is part what we have planned for our big 20^th anniversary celebration.

Monday through Friday Daytimes ~ Daily Classes, Rides and a Safety Training Course designed for Cavalcade riders. We’ll also have special activities for spouses and passengers planned by Nancy Dilldine and Cathi Hughes for all the ladies attending. The Cavalcade Store will be open where you can buy and sell items and parts for your Cavalcades. Improve and update your Cavalcade with hands-on instruction by knowledgeable Cavalcade mechanics including Tracy Presnell.

Monday Evening ~ Dessert Bar-Welcome to Colorado ! ~ We are going to have an evening get-together to allow everyone to mingle and get to know each other. I’m still working with the hotel to plan this event. I’ll have the details soon, but for now let’s just say it’s going to be informal, fun and not particularly low calorie.

Wednesday Evening ~ Dinner & a Show… We are planning a dinner at the hotel followed by an evening with an authentic western cowboy legend, Wild Bill Hickok, in person. Actually in the person of a descendant of Wild Bill who portrays his famous ancestor scout, gambler and lawman. This remarkable re-enactment will bring alive the history of the old west.

Friday Evening ~ The Cade Raid Dinner ~ The chef at the Holiday Inn in Golden, CO is planning an outstanding meal. Plus, the usual Cade Raid performers; Jay, Tracy , Spike and Motherwind will entertain you with all new performances for 2006. Plus, we will have some new entertainment from the ranks of the Cavalcade owners. We will also present some awards and prizes. This is our traditional finale to wrap up a week of Cade Raid. It's our one last group gathering before that long ride home.

For your registration form, email jay@treefarmtapes.com Registration is $65 for bike and rider, $45 for a passenger. This includes all activities except the Wednesday and Friday dinners and the Rider’s Training Course. Your registration also includes an event tee-shirt and pin. You can reserve your guest room by calling Holiday Inn-Denver West (303-279-7611). We have a special group rate of just $70 per night. Be sure to identify yourself as attending the Suzuki Cavalcade Group’s Cade Raid 2006. Be sure to reserve the week of September 11-15, 2006 for our Cavalcade Rally at Golden, Colorado . It’s our 20-year celebration event!

BRITISH COLUMBIA CADE RAID ~ July 8-9^th Weekend

The July 8^th & 9^{th weekend} at Osoyoos , BC ; that is the date and location for our BC Cade Raid. This is a resort town with many motels and good restaurants. There are scenic motorcycle roads there and it’s always sunny in July. We’ll probably visit a hot springs so bring your bathing suit. Come for the weekend or a day-ride. There is no fee to attend. We will have daytime rides and evenings to socialize and compare bikes.

Many hotels, resorts and motels in the Okanogan Valley are already booked up through July and August, Osoyoos is particularly busy. Even the Super 8 Motel there is sold out. The ones that are not sold out tend to be quite expensive. But, one quality motel still has rooms available and is willing to offer us a group rate which is not bad. It is the Econolodge in Osoyoos and they have offered us a group rate of $119 (Canadian) per night for July 8th and 9th weekend. But, we must make our reservations soon. I don't know how long these rooms will be available.

The telephone number for the Econolodge in Osoyoos is 1-250-495-2633. You need to call them to reserve your room and ask for the group rate of $119.

If you plan to attend, please contact jay@treefarmtapes.com so we will know you are coming and keep an eye out for your arrival. See you in Osoyoos!

This is the country’s biggest motorcycle rally at Lake George , NY . We normally get about 30 Cavalcades in attendance among the 50-60 thousand motorcycles at this huge event. Cavalcade headquarters at Americade is Mrs. B’s Sub Shop in Lake George . Check in there to connect with your fellow Cavalcaders. Lodging and scheduled events fill up early, so make your plans now. For complete information go to this web site: http://www.tourexpo.com/data/

If you are planning a ride, rally, or other motorcycle event

of interest to the membership of the Suzuki Cavalcade Owners Group, send the information to jay@treefarmtapes.com and it will be posted in the next issue of this newsletter.

~ TRIPS AND TIPS ~

Tim, I just wanted to thank you for helping Don and I out by picking up this frame here in Oklahoma and delivering to Alabama . Not many folks would go that far out of their way to help people they don't even know. As I said when we met, next time you pass by, be sure to take that little detour to visit. We'll have a parking place for the big rig and a plate at the dinner table for you. I posted this on the group because I wanted to let everyone here know, you're one of the good guys! Thanks again for helping us out, and GOOD LUCK! ~Allen

Thank you! That’s why I posted awhile back about picking up parts and bikes because I don't have a boss and I can go where I want. It just so happened that I was coming to Oklahoma on the way to California and then to Florida up through Birmingham so it worked out perfect for all. There’s nothing like things falling into place at the right time. It’s good to have finally met you. ~Tim

Several people have mentioned using things under the side stand. I have found that not only in dirt, grass, sand, etc. but also on blacktop paved parking lots (particularly when warmed by a Deep South summer) the side stand can sink in. I found a piece of 1/4" flat steel, used a grinder to cut it to about 4" X 4", drilled a hole in one corner and tied a piece of nylon cord about 1/8" inch through the hole and loop the other end. It fits nicely in the compartment on top of the side bag. I just put down the side stand, grab the end of the rope, let the metal unwind from the rope wound around it, when the metal hits the ground I pull it over next to the stand, lean the bike a tad and use my toe to put it under the stand. Then I just loop the rope loosely over the clutch lever for easy retrieval when I am ready to go. No trying to bend over and pick up the metal while balancing the bike, etc. I started doing this many years ago with my XS11 and when I sold the XS11, I kept the plate and have used it ever since for the Cade. The 4X4 is big enough to even keep it from sinking in sand or wet ground. ~Hitekredneklast

What is the name of the maker of the windshield that a few of the guys had at Yellowstone ? I’m thinking that a taller windshield might be nice on these chilly mornings.... ~Jim, 86 LXE, Tucson

This is the information that was passed to me and I made the change after Yellowstone . Sure made a difference in the wind and visibility. Go to http://www.plastic-man.com/windshieldprice.htm and order the windshield for the Cavalcade. $150 plus shipping. It's approx 3" taller and 6" wider. Instead of being made of Plexiglas it's Lexan. ~Mac

Can some of you give me some info on what I need to look for in aftermarket speakers to replace the ones in the bike? Size, wattage, type, do they need to be marine or outdoor? Any and all help greatly
appreciated. Thank you. ~Hitekrednek

The front speakers are 4 inch. Go to some place like circuit city, they have them. If you are concerned about the speakers being somewhat exposed, some of the speakers have a cone are made out of something like a plastic. Not bothered by the weather and they work just fine, I have them in my Cade. ~Dolphin

This is what I did! I've installed a 200 watt amp then I took the LXE back rest with the speakers off and replaced it with a lx back rest and installed a big 3 way 200 watt speaker on it! Then I replaced the 2 front speakers with 2 x 200 watt 3 way 4 inch Kenwood speakers! The speakers and the amp cost all together $90.00. pretty cheap no? Now this is not the top of the line. But I go to the car wash and use the high pressure wand on it. The speakers are just fine and if not? $20.00 will replace them! I also installed a 12 CD changer (now I don't have much space left in the trunk "excuse me the tour pack" but I can ride in the middle of a pack of Harleys and still listen to my tunes) hope this'll help. ~Jaurdan

I have Boston Acoustics in mine. They are polypropylene speakers (sort of plastic looking) water resistant so far. I’ve had them in for about 5 years now with no problems. ~Tim

I recently purchased my first bike since 1961, a "Cade" would you believe? I would like to change the coolant; I have no idea how long it has been since it was last changed. Can anyone please tell me the easiest way to do this? ~John S.

I just did the same thing on mine. If you have the LXE remove both lower fairings, the top radiator bolts and the side bolts. The radiator will then move forward enough to get at the cap. Pull the plug in the front on where the lower hose connects and the system will drain. Put in 2 oz of Barrs Leaks and fill it back up. I filled mine by pouring coolant into the reserve tank and letting it drain into the radiator until it was full. Then quickly put the cap on and fill the overflow to the full mark. Let the bike warm up and cool down and check the tank. Add coolant as needed. ~ Jerry

I'm not sure which model I have but it doesn't have self leveling suspension. It is an 86. Great bike, glad I bought it. Needs a lot of TLC though doing it the way you suggest, will it also drain the engine? I've removed the lower fairings and checked as far as I can see but can't find any drain plugs on the engine. ~John S.

Cavalcaders, I am the Amsoil Direct Jobber you have listed on the SuzukiCavalcade.com web site. I wanted to let you know that I still have 22 air filters left from the group purchase I made of the lifetime filter. Kenn G was gracious to show me how he glues the Amsoil filter cage into the existing Cavalcade filter frame and they come out really well. I use an adhesive to seal the cage to the top and bottom of the old paper filter.

I am also reducing the price to $34.95. That includes the shipping and a bottle of filter oil. This filter can be considered a lifetime filter. It can be cleaned, dried, re-oiled and placed back on the bike. They are a very efficient and high performance filter and increase air flow.

When these 22 filters are gone, they are gone. I only request that customers send me their old paper filter so I have a supply of tops and bottoms. They make all the difference. Take care and thanks for the opportunity to work with the 'Caders. I've met a lot of great people. My hat is also off to Kenn G for all of his support! ~Marty Gilmore Email: marlor@msn.com

My first transaction is complete with MotoX Outlet and I'm able to give them a review now. All I can say is I'm REALLY impressed with their level of service!! I ordered a set of Avon 's last Sunday night (late) online from them. I got a confirmation email right away (automated response) that the order was received. On Tuesday morning early, I got another email stating that the order was shipped. On Friday morning about Noon , the tires arrived via UPS. That's pretty good service in my book!! They definitely were FASTER and paid more attention to detail about keeping me informed than my recent transaction with Crotch Rocket. MotoX Outlet will be my first choice in the future to check for parts availability and if they have it, they'll get my business. TWO thumbs up to them! ~ Wayne

Ok Cade gurus, I'm sick of this brake problem I'm having. I have a little over 100K on the bike. It seems as if one piston is sticking on each side, (Not the same side on each caliper), diminishing my braking power to mush. I've got new pistons, seal kit; master cylinder has been rebuilt. It has new rotors; and several kinds of pads - the latest ones being the HH EBC. I've bled till I'm blue - heh, heh. I've disassembled and reassembled, polished the pistons, cleaned the bores, etc. So what's the deal with these things? Worn out bores? Maybe the pads are too sloppy in the calipers? What?

So what are my options - I'm not too keen on another used set of calipers, but I think the Suzuki ones are discontinued. Could a newer 4 piston unit off a GSRX or something else come close to working? Any after market like Brembo or such? ~Denny, Arizona

I don't profess to be a guru, but recently replaced my front brake lines and put in new brake pads. I had basically the same problem, no pressure build up when pumping front brake lever. Two pistons, one on each side wouldn't even push out enough for pads to contact rotors. I checked at SuzukiCavalcade.com under maintenance. There is an article there on how to bleed brakes. I bought a pump oil can as suggested and pumped brake fluid backwards though the calipers. The only issued I had was that I could not get fluid into the master cylinder. So I loosened the banjo bolt by the master cylinder, and then pumped the oil can until no air came out. Then I pumped the brake lever, held lever in and burped the master cylinder. I repeated the process twice and now the brakes appear to be working normally. I haven't ridden it yet, too cold! ~Wes '86 LX in Iowa

Tom: I did everything you did with your brakes. Even replace the lines. Still my brakes have been mush. I removed the spacer on the back of the pad and now I have pressure. Why does it all of a sudden make a difference, I don't know. I have had my bike since 86 and have watched my brakes fade a little at a time. I thought it was just the parts of the system failing but after rebuilding or replacing all of the components. It was just dumb luck leaving the spacer off after replacing the pads gave me back the pressure. ~Mike C

If you're at your wits end trying to bleed these front brakes, REMOVE the reservoir top and totally disassemble it, yes it has Three pieces >>the top itself>> the rubber boot/gasket and a spring or thin metal piece in it>> carefully take it apart and clean all the gunk out of the top notice a VERY small hole or channel in one of the TOP itself. Sometimes this gets gooked up and does not allow air to be sucked in to the boot to expand as the fluid is pumped out of the reservoir causes a vacuum within the reservoir and it will not ump any fluid into the calipers. TRY it. IT works. ~Old COOT N MARYLAND , Walter

I was speaking with Tracy about some replacement fork tubes that I recently obtained and he indicated that I should share this info with the group. I learned of Forks by Frank from the service manager at my local Suzuki dealer. The inner fork tubes cost me retail $224 a pair plus shipping and they only ship COD. This is in comparison to Suzuki OEM part at $240 each. However, if someone owns a repair shop, they can get the fork tubes at a wholesale rate. Which I believe may be about $30 to $40 less than retail. The shop would need to call Franks directly for pricing. Forks by Frank will sell directly to the individual or a shop. The inner fork tubes are brand new manufactured and not refurbished. I found them very nice to deal with. ~Joe, aka cunajoe, 87 LXE in TN

Frank's Maintenance and Engineering, Inc.
945 Pitner Avenue
Evanston , IL 60202
For more information, please call the office at 847-475-1003

When rebuilding a secondary or removing clutch or stator covers, how many of you use gasket sealer on the gaskets? My bike seems to have been reassembled with no sealer but did not leak from the gaskets (leaked from seals and clutch slave cylinder but not gaskets). I have always used a good grade of silicone or Permatex #2 but it would be great not to have to mess with sealer. Any thoughts would be appreciated. ~R.H.

I put a set of clutch plates, springs, and a new water pump in and bought the Suzuki recommended sealer and put a small amount where the case halves are bolted together. I have not had any leaks from this bike. I put an old XLCH together one time and used YamaBond4. That old Harley was almost leak free for about six months. The Yamaha or Suzuki sealer is about $25 for a small tube. ~George

Springs are a good idea, but I am surprised your clutch plates needed replacing with less than 30k. The Cade has about the sturdiest clutch plates I have seen on a motorcycle. Last I had my 80k LXE apart, I was prepared to change out the plates, but they were still well within spec. Just added the Tracy springs and put it back together. It’s been working fine ever since. ~ WOW six months without a leak on a XLCH? I'm pretty sure you hold the record. Check, make sure you didn't forget to add oil back to the crankcase. ~Spike

I use that Yamabond or Hondabond stuff too, on the cover side but not the case side. It works. If you need to pull off a cover on the road somewhere, you don't want that gasket to tear apart. I carry extra gaskets and some razor blades and hope I don't need to use them. ~Spike

I have never used sealer on any side cover gaskets. It makes it very nice for future stator or water pump replacement. I have never had a leak either. As long as surfaces are very clean and dry, it is not needed. The only exception is to the rubber grommet on the stator cover. Some replacements are smaller and need some sealant to fill the gap. ~Jerry Wisc

I do a lot of engine covers and what I do is only use sealer where the factory recommends it (where the main engine case splits about 2" long) and around the stator and ignition pickup grommets. I use only gray import silicone as it sets up harder than regular silicone so there's less chance of strings of it getting into the oil. I will also put some along the bottom side of the clutch side gasket, but just a light coat. ~ Tracy

I was thinking about trying to splice the stator wires between the stator and the original rubber grommet. That way I could use the original grommet, which might be less likely to leak. Then of course there would be splices in hot oil, but if you put some high temperature heat-shrink tubing over the splices it might be OK. Tracy , do you have any thoughts on that? ~Spike

Just out some sealer around the new grommet (be generous but not sloppy). Let it dry OVERNIGHT before starting the engine and it won't leak. I’ve done LOTS of them that way. ~ Tracy

How does one go about lowering /cutting the top 10 or so inches from the wind screen? I've thought about doing it since 86 and I want to get it done before this summers coast to coast. ~Roy B and Old Gold.

Roy , I'm going to try that on an old shield too. Here's how I plan to go about it. (I've made bike shields before) With shield still on the bike and adjusted to the lowest position, lay out a new line with masking tape below the height you want it. The top of the tape will be the new upper edge. Sit on the bike & see what you think of it. Adjust as needed, up or down. This way the shield has no marks on it until it's ready. Once you're happy with it, put a 2nd layer of tape over the first. Score the shield slightly above the tape with a razor knife, about 1/8" or so. Score line doesn't need to be perfect, but the tape line DOES. Remove the shield from the bike. Tape it on the inside following the outer tape line. Use a double layer of tape. Cut the shield on the scored line using whatever type saw you have. I'll probably use a band saw myself, but anything would work, even a handsaw. Plastic tends to melt around a power saw blade & it'll bind if you try to make a long cut, so cut slowly & take "bites" out of the waste as you go. I'll probably make an initial rough cut an inch or so above the score line just to get most of the waste out of the way. Once the scored line's cut, sand it to the tape line. I'll use a band sander initially, but will finish with 1000 grit paper by hand, maybe even 2000. Remove tape, polish shield, reinstall & adjust. ~Ed

I was checking some back mail here, and saw these about the center stand. I still can't find the right position or trick to put this '86 on its center stand. I've pulled, tugged, stood on the stand lever, pulled back, pulled up, changed my underwear, take a rest and still can't get it on the stand, without some assistance. ~ I do realize there has to be an easy way to do it, for solo riders. I just haven't found the right angle I guess. I suppose I just need to keep working with it until I discover the move. ~Ron

3. Right foot on center stand lever with lever pulled back into lifting position.

If all else fails, a one to two inch piece of wood under the tire will do the trick.

OR, attend Cade Raid 2006 in Colorado next September and we will have a class on the Center Stand Lift. ~Jay

I've just dismantled the compressor on my bike and I think the piston rings may be worn. Does anyone have any hints on how to revitalize those rings or can you still buy replacements? Also the compressor is
surrounded by several solenoids controlling what look like valves, has anyone had experience of these valves leaking? Also roughly how long should it take to pump up the rear shocks from bottom till cut
out (rider only)? ~Geordie Dave ,

I’ll tell you what I know and perhaps others can chime in and give you the rest of the information. There is a guy in our group that had the same trouble with the rings. I believe they are plastic. From what I remember they are not available. What he did was take them out and put them on something bigger than the inside diameter. Then he boiled them in water to get them to expand and let them cool. Apparently they held the shape of the larger item. He reinstalled them and the last I heard were working fine. ~ I don’t know what the solenoids are you are referring to. The compressor has to send air all over the place so perhaps these are directional valves of some sort. ~ I would think that the compressor should be able to pump up the shocks within one or two cycles. Each cycle times out in about 45 seconds. Depending on the output of the compressor, I would think you should be able to do it in one. Those are my thoughts. I also am having difficulty with my air system and am curious to see any other responses. ~Tom (1986 LXE in Alabama )

I would check every connection for leaks first. Could it be a solenoid? Yes! You can check the pressure in the system (while it's pumping) by using a tire gauge on the valve on the tank. The pressure should rise fairly quickly to 40-50 psi and then it could go as high as 80+ to level. If you have the right fittings, you can deadhead the compressor into a gauge and see what it puts out. I did that a couple of weeks ago and was able to get 100 psi pretty fast. ~ If it takes 4 minutes to air the shocks then you either have a pretty severe leak (doesn't have to be too big to overcome the compressor output) or your compressor is really weak. ~ Complete compressor assemblies are not that expensive. That way you replace it all potential defects. ~ Tracy

My problem is that I have not been able to fully pump up my air shocks. I have gone through numerous cycles and still the auto level comes on. I am assuming that either a) the air compressor is not able to create enough pressure to pump them all of the way up or b) I have a leak in the system somewhere. Seat bladders work fine. I have not taken the time to look into whether or not the banjo bolt is plugged, although the fact that the seats work and the auto level works makes me inclined to think it is not clogged. Like I said, I have not taken the time to look as yet. Do you want to steer me in any other directions when I get into it? ~Tom

Well, if you haven't cleaned the fittings then I wouldn't make any guesses. It takes a fair amount of flow to air the shocks and the fittings I've seen that are plugged are really plugged. Clean the fittings first. If it still doesn't work right then get back to us. ~ Tracy

Well, there are a couple of new Cades here. They are both wrecked and are project bikes. One will be the Club bike that I will rebuild to its former status to be used during Club events and the other looks like it will be a Cade "cruiser". It won't look anything like a Cade but there might be enough hints for those that are in the know to pick it out as a former Cade. I will likely have it for sale when I get done. I'll hafta see. I might end up liking it too much to part with. ~ Tracy

Tracy , I thought I needed to change my anti freeze so I started draining the old stuff out... I soon realized there was nothing wrong with it so I stopped after about 1 and half quarts. I figured I could refill with new anti freeze in the top reservoir but it doesn't go in. I can see the radiator cap in the drawing but how do you get to it to refill there or how do you refill the radiator? ~Jim

It's a little hard to get fluid into the radiator from up there, although not impossible. I have found that after changing coolant and topping off the tanks with a 50/50 mix that running the motor for about 5-10 minutes and then shutting it off and letting it cool will draw coolant into the radiator. Since there is always a little air in the system after a change then I will repeat that about 2 or 3 times until the level quits going down in the upper tank. You don't want to get the motor hot, just let it warm up and then shut it off and let cool. That creates a vacuum in the radiator and draws coolant in. ~ Tracy

I just did the same thing on mine. If you have the LXE, remove both of the lower fairings, the top radiator bolts and the side bolts. The radiator will then move forward enough to get at the cap. Pull the plug in the front on where the lower hose connects and the system will drain. Put in 2 oz of Barrs Leaks and fill it back up. I filled mine by pouring coolant into the reserve tank and letting it drain into the radiator until it was full. Then quickly put the cap on and fill the overflow to the full mark. Let the bike warm up and cool down and check the tank. Add coolant as needed. ~Jerry, '86 LXE

Just some additional info on the cruise system. Suzuki used a Mitsubishi system for the cruise. Like several other systems on the bike, they relied on other Japanese manufactures to supply the systems/parts. I recall reading a post that the cruise control module (left of headlight) is the same as what is used on cars. For sure it’s true on Mitsubishi cars and probably on many others that used the Mitsubishi system. It would probably have to be an older one. New systems integrate a lot more into the system and it probably wouldn't be compatible. This makes sense since the connector to the cruise module is different than anything else on the bike.

Well, I thought this part would be easy, but I guess not. I went to CrotchRocket.com to price Avon tires and they list 38 different Avon tires. Now, what should I be looking for to replace my Cade tires...? Venoms, O.E. Replacements, Super Venoms??? What kind are you Avon users running? ~ Wayne

Venom X. 130/90-16 front (AM41), 150/90-15 rear (AM42). Both H rated. Do NOT buy the V rated. ~ Tracy

Since Suzuki only offers the carb needles as a needle/seat assembly that sells for a lot of $. And, since there's little chance that the seat could possibly go bad with a rubber tipped needle, I went in search of some aftermarket needles.

K&L doesn't list the Cade for needles so I called Mikuni and they didn't have any idea what parts fit in the Cade carbs (even though they are marked Mikuni). Apparently, Mikuni licenses a factory to Suzuki and they make the carbs, not Mikuni.

Anyway, I just bought a couple of needles that looked close and measured them up. The K&L 18-8944 looks like a perfect match. If anyone needs any I can get them for $8.50 ea. I also have a complete needle/seat assembly coming from K&L that says it fits a Yamaha but it looks to be the one in the Cade carbs. I will let you all know if it will work and what the part number is. ~ Tracy

OPENING THE SLAVE CYLINDER

Face the piston to the workbench and don't let your fingers get in the way. Stick the end of an air nozzle in the threaded hole for the banjo bolt (wrap a rag around it to seal it a little) and give it a shot of air. The piston will pop right out. Remember, face it down on the workbench and keep your fingers out of the way. ~Tracy

CABLE QUESTION
Tracy , Fast question concerning cables: Took off all the fairings etc Took carbs off. I noticed the throttle cable from the throttle unit to the carb is used a little (some fraying). I just checked the parts manual and it seems that the throttle cable is part of a complete unit. While this cable from the unit is not too frayed, I would normally replace it on my other bikes. However, it looks like an expensive replacement if I have to replace all the cables and the junction box in one piece as indicated in the parts manual. Have any other people had the throttle cable replaced? (short cable from unit to carb). ~Roger

Started my bike today and brought it up to operating temp. While she was on the center stand I put it into gear and everything seemed fine until I noticed warm brake fluid on the garage floor. Yep, I think it's leaking from the slave, I bled the system and the clutch is working. Any suggestions?? ~Lou

I used compressed air to blow out the piston and spring. I used a piece of 1200 grit wet paper and very lightly cleaned the cylinder. Installed the spring with the new rubber piece and put the piston back in. ~Lou

Well, that should have worked. ~ However, I use 400 grit and make sure that I only go around in the bore, not in and out. In and out makes grooves that the seal cannot deal with. But, 1200 is pretty fine paper. My only concern is that you didn't take off enough material. I have to work the bore pretty well with 400 grit to get it to my satisfaction. ~ Are you sure you faced the seal the right direction (open cup towards the pressure)? Did you confirm that it was sitting all the way down in the groove? Did you clean the area on the piston where the seal sits? ~ Tracy

I have an interesting problem. I just put the heavy clutch springs in my Cade. I sanded the fiber discs and put it back together and now the clutch doesn't seem to fully disengage. It seems to be fine till it starts to warm up then it gets hard to shift. Did I do something wrong or should I run it till the oil gets fully worked back in the plates. I have only driven it up the street and back. I am running Mobil One oil. ~Dennis Nottingham, Borrego Springs , CA , 1986 Gold LX

Make sure it's bled well. Use only DOT 4 fluid. Make sure the lever is returning completely. There have been a couple of cases where the lever was hanging up a little on the wire bundle from the radiator control. ~ It does take a little time for the oil to get in between the plates and your sanding has raised the grain of the plates a little so it might take a few miles to slick back up. ~ Tracy

Speaking of firing right up… Mine DON’T after it has set for a while. I had a heck of a time getting her to fire up after this past month of working on her. I guess that I’m due for a carb rebuild next winter. If I choke it, it’s even worse so I have to get her cranked with no choke or no throttle added. If I do add choke or throttle it makes it even difficult for the engine to turn over. So, what do ya think guys? A carb rebuild or am I just out of adjustment somewhere and running way to rich to start with? ~ Wayne

If you don't need any choke on a cold engine, then you likely have a carb problem. I rebuilt another set of them a few days ago. It's the same story as with all of them. O-rings are all flat or rotted. Shaft seals are leaking and the choke plunger seals are cracked. Gotta expect that after 20 years. ~ Tracy

I also had mine out yesterday for its first ride since its 20th Anniversary makeover. I basically finished the bike up about 3PM yesterday. Still have a few bugs to get worked out yet but she left NO drips on the garage floor last night. Still need to go back into the auto-level again and clean the banjo bolts (guess I didn't do good enough the first time). And, I need to bleed another gallon of fluid through the front brakes since the rebuild on them. It takes 3 or 4 stabs on the lever to get some brake there yet. Also, still waiting on the lighted rocker switches to arrive so I can wire all the lights up. Otherwise, she's pretty much done with the exception of getting a cigarette lighter/power supply installed as well as the Vector Voltmeter. But, she's back to riding stage again anyway. Still have ideas on upgrades that can be applied over time such as the installation of my satellite radio, and a cup holder, and additional driving lights mounted under the fairing, etc, etc, etc. ~ Wayne

You probably don't need to bleed the brakes again. Pumping up is not a sign of air. Air is just spongy. Pumping up indicates that you have one or more pistons lagging behind and you have to pump it to get the opposite piston pushed out far enough to meet the one that's lagging (dragging). I've done several sets of braided stainless lines lately which means a completely dry system when I start. I haven't had to bleed more than a couple of ounces of fluid through to get the air out completely. If you turn the handlebars clear to the left with it on the side stand, most of the air comes to the top and exits out the bleed hole as you pump the lever. ~ Tracy

Tracy , When I had my carbs rebuilt, the mechanic recommended using Mystic Miracle Oil (am not positive on the name) mixed in every tank of gas. This is supposed to keep the rubber parts from deteriorating. Do you have any thoughts on this additive? ~George

Marvel Mystery oil is supposed to be okay in the fuel. It acts as a cleaner and lubricant. I have no idea what the long term effect is on the rubber bits is but many swear by it. ~ Tracy

Need help on why my fuel pump will not prime. With the key on, the start switch in the "on" position and the clutch NOT pulled in...I hit the start button and I no longer get the 'clicking' I used to that would prime the carbs. I have replaced the fuel pump relay but no change. I checked the volts at the fuel pump leads and with the start button engaged I get 5.66 volts. I am hoping that if I get to the bottom of this it may help resolve my 2 year battle with the starting issue. ~ I did come across an interesting piece though and took pictures to see if this is normal on the Cades. It appears to be a diode (?) which says "Honda" right on it. It is connected to a Yellow / green lead and a Black/ white ground. Did someone add this? It is just to the right of the radio. I tried to add the pictures here but maybe we can't do that? If someone tells me how though, I will glad to share. ~Maury

I don't think it's a diode even though it could be. If one of the leads is a black with white then it's a ground wire. It seems unlikely that they would be putting a diode to ground. There are numerous diodes in the system but they are used to separate functions that are common to several circuits but I don't know that any are to ground. A look at the wiring diagram would tell you that. ~ Hard to say what it is.

You will need to move back upstream from the fuel pump in the wiring to see where the voltage is dropping out. You might have a bad ignition switch. There was a guy in Florida that was having a charging problem (too high a voltage) and it turned out that there was too much resistance in his ignition switch (there are several circuits going on in there) and the regulator was seeing too low a voltage and then it was overcharging to compensate. The problem was solved by giving the regulator a shot of better juice from a relay triggered off the ignition but getting its feed directly from the battery.

You could have the same thing going on. Also, I just had a bike in here that had a finicky ignition switch. I had to wiggle it to the left to get the auto-level and seats to work. Replaced just the switch part with from another and that took care of it. Sorry, but until you go backwards in the wiring until you find the
voltage dropper I can't offer much more help. ~ Tracy

Sounds like too much of a voltage drop to me. A new pump might be in order. Whadayathink T? ~Mikey

The pump is nothing more than a coil so the voltage measured across it should be the full system voltage. The voltage drop is coming from upstream of the pump. If the pump coil was bad it would either short out or be open. It seems like it's neither of those. ~ Tracy

If the voltage is normal before the starter button is depressed and nothing else is on, then you can't eliminate the fuel pump. The inductive reactance of the pump can change over time due to use. The higher impedance will be enough to give you a higher than normal voltage drop. Shorting out or opening up is not the only thing that can happen. ~Mikey

What kind of voltage do the Cades put out on average? I'm getting 13.7 to 13.9 on one and 12.9 to 13.3 on the other. ~ marloweg66

Voltage will vary with each bike. It depends on a number of things; regulator, wellness of grounds (especially the main ones near the battery), resistance in the circuit that feeds the regulator, extra
lights/acc, etc.

Most systems should put out about 14-15 volts somewhere in the RPM range with extra lights and stuff turned off. With extra load it could be lower than that. Generally, you need to keep the voltage about 14.5 or so to keep the battery fully charged (a fully charged battery is 13.8 volts). In order keep juice flowing into it, the charging voltage needs to be a bit higher.

Most of the time, with extras turned off, the highest voltage will be just above idle. That's where the regulator isn't shorting too much to ground. As the RPM rises and the SCRs in the regulator spend more time on and are switching more, the voltage will usually drop a little. But, it should be 14 volts or above with the motor turning 2500 RPM or more. ~ Tracy

You need to specify under what condition, and where you measured it. At 5,000 rpm the voltage across the battery should be between 14 and 15 Volts. You can't compare voltage if the rpms are insufficient to
supply all the loads and fully stress the regulator. If that is really the voltage across the battery at 5,000 rpm - you have a problem on both bikes. Start with the ground connection near the fuse block. ~Peter in Nova Scotia

There was someone having an overcharging problem he changed the feed from the ignition switch to a relay to power the regulator. Which wire do you change, the red wire or the orange wire? ~Tom, Travelers Rest SC

You switch the red wire into the orange wire. You can use the unused red wire off the regulator as it is straight off the battery. Make sure that you cut the orange wire going to the ignition switch to prevent a back feed into the system through the relay. ~ Tracy

Is this a fix for a new regulator or an old one? Is this a new problem due to a beefed up stator? ~Larry, 86 LXE, Dayton , OH

The issue arises not due to new, old, OEM or aftermarket regulators. It has to do with the ignition switch.
As the switch contacts age, they can develop an increased resistance which lowers the voltage that is fed to the regulator. When the regulator sees this lower voltage, it wants to overcharge to compensate.

The one example I know of is a guy in Florida that was seeing a consistent 15.5 volts. After he did the relay thing it came down to the normal 14.7 volts as the regulator was seeing actual battery voltage since it didn't have to go through the ignition switch.

Personally, I would like to take the load off the ignition switch completely and use a relay or two for the entire electrical load. Relays are cheap and they carry a lot of current (30-40 amps). The ignition switch is
$100 and you can only buy the entire assembly, not just the lower portion with the contacts in it. The contact assembly really isn't made to come apart so that one could refurbish the contacts. I'm not saying it's impossible, but the casing is made from a glass-filled plastic and doesn't want to flex to allow the snap fits to release without breaking the plastic. ~ I may pose the question to Mr. Kirkland with Suzuki to see if they would be willing to supply us with just the contact assembly for a much reduced cost. ~ Tracy

My bike has a little over 26,000 miles, I am the second owner. The original owner bought the bike in Oklahoma while he was in the service. The bike runs and rides great, I had the clutch slave cylinder replaced and put new tires on it last season. My phone number is 765-977-5569 Email: gregcon@insightbb.com asking $3500. ~Greg Conley

Brown/brown LX. 61,000 miles. Tires at 50%, Trailer hitch. Driving lights. Large trunk, rack. Its been corked. Has new clutch springs. Radio buttons replaced. Backrest and seat recovered. New r/r in 05. New stator in 04 New speakers...good ones. No CB. Left inner faring needs to be replaced. He is asking $1750, yeah, you heard right, only 1750. Here is a buy for you guys in the northwest. The gentleman who owns the bike is Larry Meink and he can be reached at larrymeink@peoplepc.com .

VIN# JS1VX71A9G2101127 Gold/Brown-Good Chrome-front & rear marker lights-new spark plugs-fresh oil change-secondary grease change-rear-end grease change-new tires-flushed all brake lines & clutch with DOT4 brake fluid-brakes work great & pads r about 80%-Marvel mystery Oil used in oil & gas since I purchased from private owner who lived in Daytona last Feb.(2005) aftermarket fork stabilizer brace-Seat re-done-lots of good chrome-air compressor works for the seat-all turn signals/headlights/flashers work- cruise control works-passenger seat adjust works-passenger footrest adjust works-NO RADIO; BUT radio & CB speakers & connections tested 2-16-2006 & worked fine-Plug-ins 4 driver & passenger radio/CB R on bike but have not been tested-battery checked good at shop April 2005 & has not been any problem-Battery Tender Plus used when put in shed-never ridden in rain or rained on-56,800 miles-I've asked fellow Cade owner, gandalf2@comcast.net, to look at this bike & give me his opinion about an asking price. He told me that I could get $3000 for this. E-mail me for some pics or if you have any questions. I'll try 2 get them 2 you. Make an offer! I might be able to deliver (ride) to your location for a fee; but not too far. That's the reason that I have to sell the bike. In Jacksonville , Florida 32208 Email: ednamsch@yahoo.com

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