Does Honda update to same year models on assembly line?

[Huffa]

I always thought they just waited to the next year to update anything but evidently they must do a few if they find it easy to do so on production line.

Why I say this is that (no big deal really) I noticed after 85 in my shop manual they put 2 boots (L & R ) covering the main connectors of wiring behind headlight assembly.

Mine is an 85 SX 250 (serial# J113TED423FM032018 ) and has two and my neighbors is an 85 and only has the L one (R one in picture) which is what the book shows for 85. For 86 it shows like mine so mine must be a late 85 (85&1/2) I imagine? OR it was built at a different location and ALL should have had 2 all along? Can't imagine why they would only cover the L cluster of connectors and not the R ????

I thought some how my neighbors had gotten lost yet knew it was never taken apart.

A small unimportant tid bit of info but I just thought I'd point that out.

[350x'inNY]

They do some updates midyear on the assembly line. I know for the 350X frames for example, there are really 3-4 'generations" of them. They had problems especially with the first batch of 85 frames busting on the left side back by the motor mount. Not sure if they caught some in '85, but know for a fact, that they "beefed" up the 86 frame some and then had a later batch of 86 frames with even more gussetts/supports.

I know there are numerous parts in the 350X parts guide that refer to mid year changes on part numbers.... it will list a 85 number, to a certain serial number then a different part number from a certain serial number on, etc.

Bruce

[bigredhead]

My 85 sx.. has an 86 head on it...

has a green type pain ( something you'd get from a used parts store.. but i'm told it has never been touched ) with a marking of 86.. but my bike is an 85 according to the frame. weird.

[nouseforaname90]

Yeah. My dad has two '84 200 Big Red's.. (i thought one was '85, and one was '84, but he tells me that they are both '84), and one has reverse and one doesnt, and one has the "Neutral" and "Reverse" lights, and the other doesn't. I thought that was kind of weird if they are both '84's..

[Tri-ZNate]

Yeah. My dad has two '84 200 Big Red's.. (i thought one was '85, and one was '84, but he tells me that they are both '84), and one has reverse and one doesnt, and one has the "Neutral" and "Reverse" lights, and the other doesn't. I thought that was kind of weird if they are both '84's..

One might be an '83 and one an '84 but definatly not an '85 since the 250 big red took its place in '85.

[mad_max]

I always thought they just waited to the next year to update anything but evidently they must do a few if they find it easy to do so on production line....Mine is an 85 SX ....


One good example of a mid-year update on the SX is the carburetor.

The early ones have a hard starting issue, it was fixed by adding a bigger starting valve (richens the starting circuit). You can identify the corrected ones by all the vacuum hoses added to the carburetor (this was a minor part of the update).

[Tri-ZNate]

One good example of a mid-year update on the SX is the carburetor.

The early ones have a hard starting issue, it was fixed by adding a bigger starting valve (richens the starting circuit). You can identify the corrected ones by all the vacuum hoses added to the carburetor (this was a minor part of the update).

The 3 I had only had 2 overflows and a hose that ran to the differencial to burn oil fumes. So I take it they arent a latter year model?

[Huffa]

The 3 I had only had 2 overflows and a hose that ran to the differencial to burn oil fumes. So I take it they arent a latter year model?

Yep, you have the "simple" one and I do to.
Here is the 85 and in front of carb pic is the updated vacum hoses. That's the way I take it anyway because mine doesn't have any of that.
http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/schematics/Honda/H00270037.gif

Also, the 85's came with #9 intake manifold spacer on here
http://houseofmotorcycles.bikebandit.com/partsbandit/assets/schematics/Honda/H00270005.gif

and the 86 & 7's only came with #8 on that must have been lengthened some to make up the difference I guess?

I have not driven mine yet but all that I know is when I bought it, it started on 3rd kick and it was setting for years. The carb had some gunk in it too so not sure if you benifit much from this "updated" starting circuit?

[mad_max]

...not sure if you benifit much from this "updated" starting circuit?

Cold weather starting was helped alot (on mine) with the installation of the kit. If you live where it doesnt get cold it may not be an issue.

[Huffa]

Cold weather starting was helped alot (on mine) with the installation of the kit. If you live where it doesnt get cold it may not be an issue.

So you had it the stock way then Honda issued you a kit? You must of had that kit on for a long time now?

[mad_max]

So you had it the stock way then Honda issued you a kit? You must of had that kit on for a long time now?


Yes and No. When I got it 4 years ago it was stock, a couple of years ago I found out about the kit and service bulletin, tried to order the kit from my local Honda dealer and found that it had been discontinued. So I called a number of dealers up north (Wisconsin, Minnesota) till I found one that had the kit in inventory. He sold it to me and included a copy of the bulletin.