Hawk Talk

[goat67]

Originally Posted by Megadan

True, but the Brozz also comes with a smaller diameter rear tire. If you were to match the total final drive of the Brozz to the Hawk, the Hawk would basically need a 17 tooth front sprocket. In short, the Brozz has the same final drive as a TT250 out of the box.

If you wanted to match a Hawk's final drive with 17/45 gears, you would need a 42 tooth rear sprocket.

I think my next setup will be 17 X 43 with a 120/90/17 tire this will be pretty tall I think

[pistolclass]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

I suspect that there is a reason that the Hawk (and others) are geared that way. In order to keep the fuel mixture uber lean to satisfy the EPA, they short geared it so you couldn't run a wide open throttle very long. If you did, you'd hit the rev limiter. A lean mixture is a hot mixture = engine meltdown. That is why I don't recommend changing the sprockets until jetting issues are resolved...ARH

Wouldn't the shorter gearing of the hawk in it's stock trim lend itself to higher rpms?

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by pistolclass

Wouldn't the shorter gearing of the hawk in it's stock trim lend itself to higher rpms?

Oh yes, definatly. That's how you take the load off of an engine, short gearing. Less load, less heat. When you gear the stock engine up, you get more load and more heat. That is why I reccomend changing the jets before changing the sprockets. In other words, if you hold the throttle wide open on a Hawk as it comes out of the crate, the rev limiter prevents over-revving a short geared bike. By switching the ignition on and off at top revs, it prevents the engine over-heating, like it would pulling a more normal gear with an all-stock bike...ARH

[wamey]

PSA: if you start running super rich for some reason, check your air filter before you tinker with your carb... I gotta do something about the vent tube going directly into my airbox.

[timcosby]

if you look down in there where the tube comes in there is a post and a hole for a screw to screw down a cover. what cover was oem for honda????? i searched and never found one but it has to be out there. i made a diamond shaped cover with the hole for the post and a hole for the screw. not to hard to do and it causes the oil to hit the wall and come out of the air stream. some add ss dish scrubber stuff to take more oil out but im not sure you need it. i sold all i made i think. my post on it is in here some where last year.

[Megadan]

As a side note, Wamey, you may want to clean your battery terminals of corrosion and then spray them with a corrosion inhibitor spray. Most parts stores sell a battery terminal spray which works decently. CRC makes a great heavy duty spray. My terminals and connectors corroded rather quickly too and was actually starting to affect my charging and ignition strength after just a couple of months. I already had to replace my main ground and positive straps because of it - which I also upgraded a gauge size.

[JerryHawk250]

Good catch there Megadan on the battery terminals. That alone will cause all kind of issues. Clean and spray them. And Timcosby I had made me one of those covers when I read your post about it. Thanks.

[wamey]

Originally Posted by Megadan

As a side note, Wamey, you may want to clean your battery terminals of corrosion and then spray them with a corrosion inhibitor spray. Most parts stores sell a battery terminal spray which works decently. CRC makes a great heavy duty spray. My terminals and connectors corroded rather quickly too and was actually starting to affect my charging and ignition strength after just a couple of months. I already had to replace my main ground and positive straps because of it - which I also upgraded a gauge size.

Thanks guys! I've been meaning to get around to the terminals, it's not been at the top of my priority list, but I suspect it'll make itself a higher priority soon

[wamey]

Originally Posted by timcosby

if you look down in there where the tube comes in there is a post and a hole for a screw to screw down a cover. what cover was oem for honda????? i searched and never found one but it has to be out there. i made a diamond shaped cover with the hole for the post and a hole for the screw. not to hard to do and it causes the oil to hit the wall and come out of the air stream. some add ss dish scrubber stuff to take more oil out but im not sure you need it. i sold all i made i think. my post on it is in here some where last year.

timcosby, I couldn't find the thread you were talking about but I found this thread:
http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....32&postcount=1

I assume that's what you did?

[JerryHawk250]

Yep, Same thing. Here is Tim's thread. http://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=18629

[timcosby]

Originally Posted by wamey

timcosby, I couldn't find the thread you were talking about but I found this thread:
http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....32&postcount=1

I assume that's what you did?

yea but dont cut the post off its there for a reason

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Yeah, I used to have one of those too. I hankered after a Ferrari before common sense kicked in. A friend of mine had one, a Zagato bodied 3 liter Mille Miglea car. I got to drive it a few times. What a car. Not terribly practical, though. Likewise with motor cycles. This was the hay day of the 500cc V-8 Moto Guzzi. Yeah, I wanted one, but that bike was even more impractical than the Ferrari. A BSA Goldstar was impractical enough, even if it was a road bike. You had to learn the drill to even start that beastie! But, I eventually learned that I really liked riding dirt and gravel roads, and cow trailing more than I liked road riding. I had an old Triumph Trophy 500 that I tried to wear out on trails and dirt n' gravel roads. And easy starting. So, to the point. The bike I would buy now is a Hawk. The Hawk offers the mostest for the leastest as far as I am concerned. It has Ceriani style front forks. It has a frame that is as close to indestructable as you can get. It has a simple, easily tuned engine. It has electric starting - a modern feature that I like. It doesn't have 4 valves, no overhead camshafts, no water cooling, no fuel injection with its computer. Nothing terribly sophisticated, but it works. And it is cheap. What more can you ask....ARH

[Ariel Red Hunter]

No, it is not. We don't know if the rear chain is as bad as thought, or if it just needs cleaning, and better grease. Or wax. The rear swing arm bushings are bad, or need greasing. The brakes are bad, or need dot3 fluid. The front forks are bad, or need the oil changed. The spokes are bad, or just need tightening. The engine is bad, or just needs the valves adjusted. The carburetor is bad, and needs changing. The basics are there, we just need to bring out its potential....ARH

[Ariel Red Hunter]

The Hawk is perfectly capable as it comes out of the box. 14 horsepower will get the job done. The brakes are adequate as it comes. The forks even work ok if you are not pushing it hard. It all works, if you are not fussy. On road, off road, it will be fine as it is. But I have never been all that satisfied with things as they come out of the box. Now, I'm not about to mortgage 40 acres of prime Mississippi bottom land, not even the cotton crop that comes off of it, to make it better. No, not me. But spending a couple of dollars for ATF fluid to improve front fork action is no problem. Another couple of bucks for DOT-3 brake fluid won't break my piggybank. Taking off those so-called rubber foot peg covers costs nothing but time. Changing the motor oil to a synthetic high quality brand is a what-the-hell, I was going to do it anyway. Taking the rear chain off the bike and cleaning it real well in kerosene, then giving it the hot wax treatment? Cheaper than a new chain. Making sure the front and rear axles, and the swing arm hinge bolt are greased is only time and a little grease, and checking the spokes, front and rear, by the ping test, this is a big deal? I think we've spent about twenty bucks total and a couple of hours work to improve our motor cycle all out of proportion, all for the cost of two packs of cigarettes in NYC. What a deal!...ARH

[BlackBike]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

The Hawk is perfectly capable as it comes out of the box. 14 horsepower will get the job done. The brakes are adequate as it comes. The forks even work ok if you are not pushing it hard. It all works, if you are not fussy. On road, off road, it will be fine as it is. But I have never been all that satisfied with things as they come out of the box. Now, I'm not about to mortgage 40 acres of prime Mississippi bottom land, not even the cotton crop that comes off of it, to make it better. No, not me. But spending a couple of dollars for ATF fluid to improve front fork action is no problem. Another couple of bucks for DOT-3 brake fluid won't break my piggybank. Taking off those so-called rubber foot peg covers costs nothing but time. Changing the motor oil to a synthetic high quality brand is a what-the-hell, I was going to do it anyway. Taking the rear chain off the bike and cleaning it real well in kerosene, then giving it the hot wax treatment? Cheaper than a new chain. Making sure the front and rear axles, and the swing arm hinge bolt are greased is only time and a little grease, and checking the spokes, front and rear, by the ping test, this is a big deal? I think we've spent about twenty bucks total and a couple of hours work to improve our motor cycle all out of proportion, all for the cost of two packs of cigarettes in NYC. What a deal!...ARH

That about sums it up folks...close the thread