A week with a cub
So I’ve had the Cub for a week, and been studying different aspects of Cub ownership for a while longer than that. The more I read, the more I really love this simply, modest, faithful little bike.
Seeing as my particular bike came to me already running and already having a few electrical issues sorted out (such as the use of LED lights to save battery load) my main concern has been cosmetic. Unbeknownst to me at the time, the Australian issued C90 is what as known as the ‘Deluxe’ model. A variant only issues in the US for a short time, in Asia, and here. This has made parts a little more difficult to find, so ingenuity has been the key.
A great example of this as been the Leg Shields. Finding the correct ones online has been a nightmare. so I decided to fix what I had (not to mention that with buying a house, dollars are pretty tight at the moment). They still have a little bit more work to do (which I should be doing and not curled up in bed typing this), but all in all I’m happy with the progress.
Eventually the bike will get a total strip down and repaint. I just dont have the time/money right now. I’m going to look into home sandblasting options too for something new that I haven’t tried before 🙂
However this brings me on to the first of a few observations I’ve made since getting into Cubs; rust.
Now, we dont get it anywhere near as bad as the Pom’s in the UK. I honestly believe it must rain acid over there of something. Leave a bike out for a week and you come back to a Lancia Beta. Also it should be noted that my bike did spend most of it’s life in Wollongong, right on the coast. But even then…. The whole bike is covered in what I call ‘rust acne’. Surface rust spots everywhere and every join/crease/seam is rusty. Nothing structural, just surface rust (hence the sandblasting idea). I’ve tried to clean it up, but it will always be there as long as the original paint survives.
Observation number two; uses. Yes we all know the stories and photo’s of these cubs in Vietnam being used to carry chickens, pigs, the entire family, a fridge. Usually all at the same time. But it’s the truly epic adventures in Europe that I’m astounded with. I’d be hard pressed to ride mine from one end of Canberra to the other. Some of these guys will ride them from one end of Europe to the other! Seriously? That takes balls in my opinion, especially on some of Europe’s very fast freeways. I recently finished reading Ed’s adventures on http://www.c90adventures.co.uk/ WHat an awesome read.
Lastly; longevity. These bikes just dont die. The C90Club forum is just full of stories of old bike found in the the backs of sheds. The whole frame rusting away and hardly attached to the engine any more. Fresh fuel, fresh battery, and a few kicks and they’re up and running again. Amazing! I dont know too many other engines that can/will do that. Ed tells of riding his C90 at basically full-throttle for weeks on end with no faults. Just bullet-proof (touch wood).
So where to from here?
My plan is to finish the leg shields and get them back on. A new exhaust has been ordered, but will take a couple of weeks to get here. Other than those things, that kinda it for now. I need to take a good look at the side panels (ones is very rough and one has a bend in it). They may yet end up in the same satin-white paint of the leg shields. Dunno yet. Also, the swing arm is looking very tatty. For now it may end up rubbed back as best as possible and a coat of black on it.
Once the house move is done and we’re settled in, i’ll start planning a proper resto. Stripping it right back etc. But time will tell. I may love riding it too much to take it back off the road 🙂