Rat CB250N the devolution

So this is where the wee beastie was in 2005 when it first arrived with me. To the right is my exes CM125, and to the left under the ivy was my CZ125.

I also had (still do under the stairs three houses later) a CB400n frame which came with an engine (long since given away)

superdream5 by kalwidget, on Flickr






Winter 2008/2009 at a rough guess. The clubman was playing up so the Superdream was brought back from the dead.

The beautiful turquoise petrol tank had developed a pinhole leak that led to petrol spraying out of the tank in a beautiful arc, well it would have been beautiful if it hadn't been over a hot engine.

Fortunately my mechanic had this beautiful white object in stock. So gorgeous was this that is gloss house paint, with brush strokes and runs in the paint.

The brush guards were my brightest move as they definitely help with my hands endurance when it gets cold.

Also, by this point for some reason I have fitted NTV indicators I had in a box and a set of Yamaha mirrors I had lying around.

superdream3 by kalwidget, on Flickr



So anyway having a perfectly good running CB250 in 2010 I have delusions of mechanical adequacy and strip it to replace the timing chain. The rattling in the engine was annoying me. Unfortunately right about the time I accepted I was out of my depth life things got complicated so all the parts were packed into crates which promptly filled with rainwater to be found the following spring.

superdream4 by kalwidget, on Flickr



A new engine was obtained in 2014 from a restorer in Nottingham that I was a little excited over. Mostly because I really wanted the kick start.

Anyway I eventually get the engine fitted (by now I reanalyse it's cheaper to get someone else to do it) and an MOT on it. The tax disc is still the 2010 item, I can't be hassled to remove it but I have replaced the round headlight with a rectangular model from a CG125 and a bulb from a CB500.

As part of the upgrades I've changed the gaffs take holding the indicators on for cable ties.

Fully sorted more or less I attempt to ride to my partner in Blackpool, via Nottingham. Now I did get slightly lost, which was a good thing as the bike broke down just outside Sheffield.

1am Christmas morning. The first of many meetings with Bike SOS. Anyway they very kindly recovered me to Leicester.



superdream2 by kalwidget, on Flickr




A little bit of spare money this year saw the purchase of another motor and a visit to a new mechanic who brought her back to life, I also invested in a GPZ as I kind of wanted to know what modern felt like.

Survive to say I've managed an indicated 65 to 70 out of the Superdream which was terrifying, as opposed to an indicated 110 on the GPZ (private road) that felt very controlled and safe.







superdream6 by kalwidget, on Flickr


superdream7 by kalwidget, on Flickr




Having moved back to Nottingham I used the Superdream to commute to Leicester while the GPZ was getting it's alarm fitted.

Anyway something didn't feel right and I lost my nerve, I ended up riding it back one night at 30 and 40 mph cornering upright with the front wheel making a singing bowl noise the while time.
My mechanic had me feeling like a mental case as he couldn't find the fault for a couple of weeks. Eventually he comes back with the head race bearings are notchy, so we replace them to discover the front wheel is buckled.

I knew the bike wasn't right! The bum always knows.
So that's where we are devolved to. I keep thinking I should pretty the wee beastie up but I'm no good at keeping things nice and to be honest I'm still not overly confident in it.