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Electrics are a bother but I think it is mostly due to the electric starter being somewhat new for the marque at the time. As you know, a 900 Darmah was kick-start and the Paso starter is only 0.7kw or 58 amps. Thats not much for a 900 twin. I have been thinking of buying a Lithium Ion battery for my Paso. I have never been happy with Lead-Acid batteries but the new Li-ion types are very promising - plus they are a quarter of the weight and have huge cranking capacity 300 amps+. There are a few modifications that will make your Paso feel and run like a new 'un but the first job is to get it fired up and whatever you do, don't use a 'Battery Booster' - it will toast the ECU. I don't blame you for buying this barn-find, it looks super and if you don't buy it, someone else will.

In my very recent experience Lithium has issues

AGM is the way to go

JWilliam wrote:Electrics are a bother but I think it is mostly due to the electric starter being somewhat new for the marque at the time. As you know, a 900 Darmah was kick-start

That's actually not quite right, square case Bevels were available with electric (as an option) as well as kick starters since the 860 GTS (in the top 10 for what were they thinking styling awards of all time ) from the late 70's onwards, and they were huge arse thing on top of the left side of the engine between the cylinders, all the Pantah's which the Paso/Sport engines were developed from originally, were electric start only from memory, well here anyway, did own a Drama and 3 x 600 Pantahs back in the day and don't remember a kick start on any of them.

Don't think I've ever seen a Paso/Sport with a kick starter, sure someone will post a picture of now just to be contrary...

I just got a ballistic evo 3 battery for my 630SMS and so far I'm impressed. The bike has no parasitic draw, which I hear is what's certain death for Li batteries. The battery is an 8 cell & it spins the single over well faster/starts faster than when the bike was new. Definitely going that route for the Paso. If I sense any parasitic draw I'll just add a master kill switch.

Gave a try on LI=ion awhile back and found it to deteriorate very rapidly. Charge rate is just as detrimental to these batteries as is a draw. Went back to AGM for now

So I went and picked her up today.

The good:it's all there, including the original tapered exhaust cans & a bag of misc parts, mostly small stuff (old spark plugs, clutch/brake lever covers, new bodywork hardware, etc.). It's even got the complete original tool kit & factory service manual. Oh and the tank is clean......like unbelievably clean. I opened it up expecting to see a nightmare, it looks like a 3 yo tank. Very few small spots of rust no larger than a pinhead.....that's it. And the bodywork is perfect except for a small scratch on the lower right side, as if somebody banged into a lawnmower or something while parking it. As it turns out his garage is climate controlled so that's got to have a lot to do with why it's not crusty.

The bad: fork wipers are dryed & cracked, rear caliper is seized, front calipers aren't seized but are very mushy. Rotors are rusted, but nothing a quick trip to the blast cabinet won't fix. Throttle cable is seized in the closed position & the choke lever as well. I'm assuming the carb is gunked pretty well. I don't dare put a battery in it till I verify the valves aren't seized into the head or something. I also need to inspect the cam belts, probably just replace them to be on the safe side.

The plan: probably not for a while but I figure a complete tear down & inspection is in order. I'll just note & replace compromised items as I come along them. I need to stay focused on my interceptor project at the moment though. Once I get the paso back to working order I'd like to source a set of hard bags (Givi, etc) and have them sprayed to match the paint. I think it'd make a great commuter bike esp for when I need to carry something small/pick up something on the way home.

I bought a 907 in similar condition last fall, and even though it all looks good, going through all the systems takes some time and patience. Of course, most of that patience is needed from the spousal unit. She will undoubtedly ask, "isn't that thing done yet?" and of course "What are you fixing now?" But hopefully, as soon as she hears that rumble and roar, she says "Honey, take me for a ride." Lots of little bits to take care of.

I have not taken the 907 for a ride yet, but it does fire right up and sound lovely. I fire it up to remind my why I'm working on it.

Cheers, Phil

bmw851 wrote:

JWilliam wrote:... all the Pantah's which the Paso/Sport engines were developed from originally, were electric start only from memory, well here anyway, did own a Drama and 3 x 600 Pantahs back in the day and don't remember a kick start on any of them.

Don't think I've ever seen a Paso/Sport with a kick starter, sure someone will post a picture of now just to be contrary...

Pantah based castings up to 1996, including the 916 engine had castings for a kickstart boss. It was used on the Cagiva Dakar Elefant

ducinthebay wrote:I bought a 907 in similar condition last fall, and even though it all looks good, going through all the systems takes some time and patience. Of course, most of that patience is needed from the spousal unit. She will undoubtedly ask, "isn't that thing done yet?" and of course "What are you fixing now?" But hopefully, as soon as she hears that rumble and roar, she says "Honey, take me for a ride." Lots of little bits to take care of.

I have not taken the 907 for a ride yet, but it does fire right up and sound lovely. I fire it up to remind my why I'm working on it.

Cheers, Phil

I wish I had that problem, she used to love going for rides, 15 years since my oldest was born & she hasn't been on since. Hence why all of my bikes are single seaters. She actually hates them now.....just gives me shit as soon as I utter the word motorcycle.

It happens
My wife tells me she will ride if I get a Harley
I'd rather have an Indian Board racer
Maybe I married the wrong girl,but such is life

higgy wrote:It happens
My wife tells me she will ride if I get a Harley
I'd rather have an Indian Board racer
Maybe I married the wrong girl,but such is life

Lol.....be pretty hard to ride one of those on the street is guess.....didn't they run total-loss oiling systems?

Ok, does this look like the original setup under the seat?

One of several

Women huh? , once they discover there arses look big on a bike seat that's it , and this aint a bad thing ..... nothing soaks up horsepower and ground clearance like a passenger

Mc tool wrote:Women huh? , once they discover there arses look big on a bike seat that's it , and this aint a bad thing ..... nothing soaks up horsepower and ground clearance like a passenger

TBQH, mine is still fit as a fiddle even after squeezing out 5 pups. I get that she doesn't want to risk orphaning them God forbid the worst happens.....and although she was the best passenger I'd ever had on the back (no troubles dragging a knee with her on the pillion), I don't fancy riding with a passenger. My riding time is "me" time, described as moto-therapy!