old Honda Tena: front forks run over.. replace or discard?

[ClareQuilty]

My best old low mileage, excellent condition Honda Tena had its front parts run over by a large car a week ago, bending the shocks and ruining the front wheel, and the plastic splash guard over the wheel and the kind of little plastic thingy down by the engine behind the wheel (looks a bit like an air scoop). They say the disk brake & brake mechanism is still good, the headlight/instrument panel faring looks good, and the chassis is not bent.

Since the new Honda dealer were the ones who picked it up for me, they quoted a full repair at about 5,300 baht, but that's with all new parts. My shade-tree mechanic figures he can do it for less than half that, with a few make-shift short cuts about the plastic parts, and using some second hand bits. To fix or not to fix.. what would you gentlemen do?

[papa al]

shade-tree

[VocalNeal]

It is an older model bike so there should be lots of used parts available. It is subjective but I would get your guy to source some used forks and buy new plastic from Honda IF they can match the colours. Tena has full length forks but an aftermarket short set for a Wave is about 2,500 or less. Tena forks maybe the same as Nova Dash?

I think you'll find all the drag guys use those as the basis for a drag bike so there should be lots of old forks around.

[ClareQuilty]

It is an older model bike so there should be lots of used parts available. It is subjective but I would get your guy to source some used forks and buy new plastic from Honda IF they can match the colours. Tena has full length forks but an aftermarket short set for a Wave is about 2,500 or less. Tena forks maybe the same as Nova Dash?

I think you'll find all the drag guys use those as the basis for a drag bike so there should be lots of old forks around.

Thanks for the input! I'm not at all concerned about the appearance, so I'll let him do the plastic parts in any old makeshift way. But I agree the hardware stuff shouldn't be a problem. I'm just hoping it drives straight & true once I get it fixed.. you never know whether the chassis might've gotten a little bent as well.

[ClareQuilty]

After taking the bike apart, the mechanic discovered that not only the front forks and wheel were destroyed, but the front neck part was slightly bent. I said to him that since this meant the 'chassis' was bent, the bike was "totalled" (ruined), but he stated that in fact he could fix it. I assume he still means "for a reasonable price", since he knows me, and he knows I know as well as he does the value of the bike (at most 6k baht). I had originally mentioned I would be interested in fixing the bike only if the total cost was under 3,000.

I was a little bit surprised the mechanic expressed such confidence in being able to fix a bike with a bent neck - seems to me that the 'neck' part is by definition part of the chassis. Is the neck a replaceable or straightenable part?

[papa al]

I was at my fav cy shop the other day,

and they had a pile of about 10 bent fork sets

that a young mechanic was straightening.

I asked what was going on.

Various other shops send their customers' bent forks in for the cure.

Go Clare....

[ClareQuilty]

Here's a couple of photos I took today when I stopped by to check on the progress of the Tena which got smashed by the Benz.

As you can see it is very slow going - the mechanic has only so far removed the head light thingy and some other plastic bits. But, anyway you can see how badly the forks were bent - no straightening of those I'm afraid. We'll see if it ever gets finished.

[papa al]

endeavour to persevere.

[nard]

I'd write it off and get something else.it looks pretty sad

[papa al]

...couple of 2nd-hand fork-tubes....

[Briggsy]

I am afraid the chassis damage would have been it for me.

Even damaged like that, it is not inconceivable, you could get 5000 Baht for it if the engine is in good condition.

With these 2 facts, I would have sought to get rid of it.

But there is no right answer here. I do many things (every day, almost) that make little sense, financially or otherwise, but give me a greater range of knowledge and experience and come in handy months later, often when least expected.

[Gsxrnz]

After taking the bike apart, the mechanic discovered that not only the front forks and wheel were destroyed, but the front neck part was slightly bent. I said to him that since this meant the 'chassis' was bent, the bike was "totalled" (ruined), but he stated that in fact he could fix it. I assume he still means "for a reasonable price", since he knows me, and he knows I know as well as he does the value of the bike (at most 6k baht). I had originally mentioned I would be interested in fixing the bike only if the total cost was under 3,000.

I was a little bit surprised the mechanic expressed such confidence in being able to fix a bike with a bent neck - seems to me that the 'neck' part is by definition part of the chassis. Is the neck a replaceable or straightenable part?

Regarding your bent neck (steering stem), there's nothing in metal a Thai repairer can't straighten with a blow torch and a sledge hammer.

[canthai55]

Regarding your bent neck (steering stem), there's nothing in metal a Thai repairer can't straighten with a blow torch and a sledge hammer.

Without a frame table - or a reasonable facsimile - getting it straight will be almost impossible. Tracking will be out for sure.

[harrry]

Personally my life is worth more than a badly tracking bike.

I would sell it for what you can get and put it towards something safe. A new one will give you many years without money spent.

[thruthehaze]

Had the same bike for 5 years never had another one so much fun to ride, definitely fix it, cos you'll miss it.

[ClareQuilty]

I am afraid the chassis damage would have been it for me.

Even damaged like that, it is not inconceivable, you could get 5000 Baht for it if the engine is in good condition.

With these 2 facts, I would have sought to get rid of it.

But there is no right answer here. I do many things (every day, almost) that make little sense, financially or otherwise, but give me a greater range of knowledge and experience and come in handy months later, often when least expected.

Well actually one of those old Tenas in good condition costs about 5,000 baht if you can find one. I paid 6,000 for this very bike about 5 years ago, and it has been rented out almost the entire intervening time at 1k/month, without ever needing any repairs! (it is typical for a Tena to never need any repairs). So, I figure I'm about 50,000 baht up on the dear old bike. I don't mind throwing away 3,000 on an attempt at fixing it.

Had the same bike for 5 years never had another one so much fun to ride, definitely fix it, cos you'll miss it.

Yes, Honda Tenas are absolutely amazingly durable & reliable machines, and all old two strokes are hugely superior (at least from my perspective) to anything sold today.

As my subcontinental chum puts it: "Old is gold".