The funniest (not funny) part of doing this stuff for the first time is the collateral damage. And I don't mean actual damage in this case, I just mean, when I pull the rear tire off and 4 random pieces drop to the ground, haha. It's all good though. They're self-explanatory as to where they go back on but I couldn't help but laugh. Chain and chain sprocket(?) have some rust on them but not an awful amount, so for the first time on this bike, I'm going to LEAVE IT ALONE! I'm running out of time anyway. I wanna get this road ready ASAP!
Will definitely need another set of hands when I go to put it back on. That way someone can hold the tire "forward" in place while I try to get this chain back on! (Something I didn't think about when taking it off. Hope it doesn't come off the front because I can't even see that part at this point!) These old bikes (and maybe the new) rely an awful lot on symmetry in terms of adjustments. Once I get the chain back on and the tire moves "back" into place, I have to make sure the chain adjustment bolts on each side are holding the tire straight and evenly in place. Very precise stuff! See left and right photos below to see what I'm talking about.
There doesn't seem to be the same orangish rust/rot around the rim of this wheel like there was on the front, so hopefully the Steve at Honda - Cross Country Powersports doesn't want to kill me like I'm sure he did last time...
