Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => Other Bikes => Topic started by: Rozabikes Tim on February 21, 2019, 01:18:32 PM
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Just dreaming of future projects. I love the look of sloper style engines over vertical on these earlier bikes. My ideas would be a non standard variant, probably based on the CL frame. What are the common issues with engines and what are spares like to get? Appreciate CL was not imported into the UK and CB parts would be more available (where they do cross over). Just thinking fodder.....
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The only thing I found hard to locate in engine parts was the primary chain, but that was a while ago and I believe they are more readily available now.
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Primary chain is now available by 'Sprockets Unlimited' in the UK at £25. Whole kickstart mechanism including engine side cover is a nightmare as so fragile and poorly designed but I think the CL arrangement is much more robust. To be honest I have a CB72 but, to me, the 160/175 and CB250 engines are a lot better designed bottom ends easier to work on and fix. There are five chains in the CB72, Primary, Cam, Oil filter, Starter and main drive chain. On the CB72 there is a weird kickstart shaft drive shaft that runs in needle bearings through the gearbox shaft ... very expensive to replace.
My mate Graham Curtis is a guru on all things C/CB/CL 72/77 and I can put you in touch if you wish. He has lots of 'em including a '61 CB72 which is quite a bit different than the following years and very rare.
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Thanks Tomb and Ash. Thought you might pop up in with response Ash and as usual very helpful and knowledgeable.
This ia all just a thinker at the moment but may well take you up on contacting your mate at some point. "Is e oop north wi us?"
Tim
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Thanks Tomb and Ash. Thought you might pop up in with response Ash and as usual very helpful and knowledgeable.
This ia all just a thinker at the moment but may well take you up on contacting your mate at some point. "Is e oop north wi us?"
Tim
He's in Morley, Ilkeston, Derbyshire !
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Proper bloke then!
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Proper bloke then!
Say's 'chap' though not 'duck' :D
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Reet youth! ;)
As a Sussex man by birth and a Derbyshire import in the 70's masquerading as a Northerner, Duck always seems a bit weird....
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Cumbria, dont you have icebergs and stuff there? Properly put in my place ;D
Loving the technical knowledge available on our brill forum as usual.
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though). Grahams '61 build is here :) Truly amazing detail.
http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm look for 1961 restoration project and he is 'G-man' on there.
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Interesting read Ash, what a wreck to start from though! I need to read the full story on a laptop, a smart phone is difficult to read!
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Icebergs!! hahaha not quite. I was out and about around Coniston last Saturday and Sunday on my CB77, it was mild, dry roads and sunshine.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though).
Now you mention it I think I diverted away from home made steel roller the racing boys use as I had an old CD175 roller available and used that in the CB72/77 arm. I'm guessing they are still unavailable?? It was years ago I built my bike up.
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Interesting read Ash, what a wreck to start from though! I need to read the full story on a laptop, a smart phone is difficult to read!
Really rare bike though ..it looks the same as the later model but lots of differences.. he has other projects like that from the early 60's plus he is hoping to build a 600/6 out of two 400/4 engines .
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though). Grahams '61 build is here :) Truly amazing detail.
http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm look for 1961 restoration project and he is 'G-man' on there.
Jesus Ash. Talk about War and Peace post -160+ pages! Started reading but how do you then go back to where you were as you seem only able to advance a few pages at a time if you are lucky. Is there an easy way?? Good read though and getting very technical with DIY crank rebuild etc.
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though). Grahams '61 build is here :) Truly amazing detail.
http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm look for 1961 restoration project and he is 'G-man' on there.
Jesus Ash. Talk about War and Peace post -160+ pages! Started reading but how do you then go back to where you were as you seem only able to advance a few pages at a time if you are lucky. Is there an easy way?? Good read though and getting very technical with DIY crank rebuild etc.
Graham is a lovely bloke ... he prides himself on taking wrecks and restoring everything himself to an extremely high standard. Years ago he was a features writer for Classic Mechanics .. restored a Yellow 400/4 that was featured in there and a CB250K2 amongst others. ... We usually do swapsies out of the boots of our cars at Newark autojumble without any money ever changing hands ...just good old fashioned helping one another out just the way it used to be before prices for stuff went crazy.
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A window of fame for inspiration
[attachimg=1]
So many films use bikes for indirectly signalling character, maverick etc for their actors.
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though). Grahams '61 build is here :) Truly amazing detail.
http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm look for 1961 restoration project and he is 'G-man' on there.
Jesus Ash. Talk about War and Peace post -160+ pages! Started reading but how do you then go back to where you were as you seem only able to advance a few pages at a time if you are lucky. Is there an easy way?? Good read though and getting very technical with DIY crank rebuild etc.
Graham is a lovely bloke ... he prides himself on taking wrecks and restoring everything himself to an extremely high standard. Years ago he was a features writer for Classic Mechanics .. restored a Yellow 400/4 that was featured in there and a CB250K2 amongst others. ... We usually do swapsies out of the boots of our cars at Newark autojumble without any money ever changing hands ...just good old fashioned helping one another out just the way it used to be before prices for stuff went crazy.
Here is the project 400/4 at the 1st Classic Mechanics show in 1994 with Dinah May sitting on it ... she was the model for Honda UK around the time that the 400/4 was being sold. She then became Michael Winners P.A. :)
Graham still owns that 400/4 ..it was his 1st one he owned that he rode into the ground before the Classic Mechanics Resto.
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]
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Just dreaming of future projects. I love the look of sloper style engines over vertical on these earlier bikes. My ideas would be a non standard variant, probably based on the CL frame. What are the common issues with engines and what are spares like to get? Appreciate CL was not imported into the UK and CB parts would be more available (where they do cross over). Just thinking fodder.....
I have had 2 CB77's until recently when I sold one. Both I upgraded to 5 speed, 350cc, big valve, electronic ignition, duplex primary, etc. Parts are fairly easy to get via e-bay, CMSNL and people like Chris Bancroft who has bought a lot of spares but prices climb ever higher. They are a beautiful and iconic bike and perfect for projects. With the mods I did this wonderful bike also becomes a real bike to use in modern traffic. Are you in the UK?
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Yep UK hence concerns on bits for US only CL etc. Tell me more re 5 speed box. Is it a drop in from another model?
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Oop Norf!!! hahaha You're all southerners to me.
Another difficult part to find for me was the cam chain tensioner, I ended up making one of my own using the old parts and home made roller following instructions from a lad that races them, forget his name now. Again this was a while ago so may be available now.
Graham Curtis told me to get a sprocket/roller from a Kawasaki Z650 to make a new camchain tensioner (I got one from DK it's a brilliant design with bonded in rubber cushioning ...needs a different size needle roller bearing though). Grahams '61 build is here :) Truly amazing detail.
http://www.honda305.com/forum/index.htm look for 1961 restoration project and he is 'G-man' on there.
G-man is a good guy and he knows these bikes backwards. They're so popular though as project bikes and such good bikes to use that there are a few people who just buy up any spares going and know what the value is. You just have to pay and unavailable spares sometimes surface. Once you have done a resto on them they are good for many miles though because they are so lightly stressed.