Owners Bike: Fotios Grigoropoulos, Honda MBX50

Its awesome to here from fellow MBX enthusiasts from around the world and recently I was contacted by Fotios Grigoropoulos from Greece who has just restored Japanese import MBX 50. 

This is Fotios's story:

"I spent about 2 years for the parts from CMSNL and over 5000€! I had spoken and with Steve from MB5 club UK because I was looking for the original Honda Shop manual before I started to fix the engine. All the engine from my hands and it was my first job with all knew parts except the left crankcase cover because has the numbers and one friend of me helped me in the assembly because he has a shop and you see him in the photos.
You see the frame in my room in 2012 and I live in a flat apartment, as you do understand the reassembly wasn't easy in the apartment.
Today the bike has 800km and I spend most time for watching it. I want to have it in my living room but I don't know what to do because I want few times a ride. I am 43 years old. All these bikes came here in 90s as import from Japan.The MBX 80 must be perfect combination because it has the same light frame but 80cc engine and gives better performance."

The first series of pictures is of how the bike was.

And now for the restoration!

My bike: rear light, exhaust, rear pegs, decals pt 2

This weeks restoration update is a little varied as I still have lots of little jobs that need doing.

First up, decal replacement. The first decal I put on was the non-drive side tail unit and as it went on dry (fit them wet people!) it had a bubble in it I couldn't get rid off. Anyway I spoke to the decal company Classic Motorcycle Decals whom were more than happy to supply just the tail decal. So new decal fitted and I am a lot happier.

Next up was to work on the rear light unit assembly. This was completely dismantled and lenses and body were polished using a plastic polish. The heat shield for the number plate light was tatty and although you cannot see this I rubbed it down and painted it anyway. While I was painting I started work on the rear foot peg hangers.

I also wanted to work on the heat shield for the exhaust as this had a nasty dent in it and as this is a no longer available item I needed to make a good job.
Using a small metal hammer and my vice, I beat the dent out and shaped the plate, then a little filing to get the major gauge out then finished up with wet and dry. This was a particularly satisfying job!

before

after