18" Honda Rims

[exeric]

I am restoring a 1966 Honda CL450, and would like to find the correct 18" chrome rims in very nice condition. I don't mind a few flaws, or minor rust; but must be what everyone would call, "real nice". I'm in pretty good shape on parts for this bike but if you have some spare '65-'68 450 parts kicking around (gas tank, hint, hint) I would be interested.

[exeric]

I posted the above request without much knowledge about vintage Honda parts. It turns out that rims for a 1966 Honda (Black Bomber) are pretty scarce. So, I still need one (1) rim that is in good shape. The rim is an 18", and the Honda code # is" 42701-283-000. "D.I.D." is stamped into the center of the rim by the valve stem hole. I suspect that rim was used on other models of Honda back in the day, but how in the hell would I know, I'm a Harley, and Indian guy I know there are aftermarket alternatives, but I want to be true to this bike, and put genuine, and correct Honda parts on it; I think it deserves that. Worst case is, I'll have to have the rim re-chromed and we all know how stupidly expensive that is. So, please take a look in your junk piles and see if you can spare a nice old 18" chrome Honda rim.

[Steve Swan]

Eric, i don't know much about Honda's except the sandcast 750, but you might try these links if you have not already.

https://www.hondatwins.net/index.php

https://vjmc.org/

http://www.honda305.com/forums/

[exeric]

Thank you very much, Steve. Hondas don't get a lot of respect on these forums, and I confess I was one of those. . . . I joined the VJMC, and have visited Honda centric forums. I think there is a culture thing that I need to interpret, and that will take a little time. Just like the American bike world, it will take time to meet new people and be able to discriminate between B.S. and good info. Meanwhile, I decided to use a cleaned up (but correct) rim that has rust pitting. Somewhere along the line I'll find the right rim in good shape. I actually love lacing, and truing rims so that isn't an issue. Again, thank you, Steve. You are a true enthusiast and I am always impressed with how you try to help people on this forum.

[Steve Swan]

Thank you very much, Steve. Hondas don't get a lot of respect on these forums, and I confess I was one of those. . . . I joined the VJMC, and have visited Honda centric forums. I think there is a culture thing that I need to interpret, and that will take a little time. Just like the American bike world, it will take time to meet new people and be able to discriminate between B.S. and good info. Meanwhile, I decided to use a cleaned up (but correct) rim that has rust pitting. Somewhere along the line I'll find the right rim in good shape. I actually love lacing, and truing rims so that isn't an issue. Again, thank you, Steve. You are a true enthusiast and I am always impressed with how you try to help people on this forum.

Thank you for your kind words, Eric. One of the reasons i appreciate this forum so much is that the majority of the guys here not only know their bikes but also are very fine machinists, fabricators, parts reproducers, repairers, builders and restorers. The Japanese bike websites have some extremely knowledgeable and skilled people, but there is a lot more b.s., so it takes a while to know who is who. The thing with Japanese bikes and owners, not that many are bent on getting correct parts, such as in your case coming up with the correct original rim, and although original parts are increasingly difficult to find, there certainly did used to be a glut of a lot of the parts, so finding them was not difficult, more often a matter of paying high prices gougers place on their parts; but what i am actually trying to say is that it more often than not it was simply a matter of buying a n.o.s., o.e.m. factory the part and putting it on the bike; not a luxury we more often than not have with our old machines; we often repair what Japanese collectors/restorers wouldn't think twice about simply replacing. One of the things i've run into with factory o.e.m. n.o.s. parts, is a part the factory produced as a replacement, say in 1975, 1985 or even newer, while it will fit on the bike and work just fine, a replacement part produced in a later time will often not be identical in appearance to a part the factory produced in an earlier time. The factory also contracted out manufacture a fair amount of the parts, particularly chassis parts and various other ancillaries, so the manufacturer of a part made in 1965 may not be made by the same manufacturer of a part made in 1975 or 1985 as well as manufacturing processes changes, e.g., a part made in 1965 may have been machined and a later part cast or stamped; i think you get my drift. The other thing with the Japanese bikes, and i would guess probably on your '65 CB450, there could be changes in parts, completely different parts seen on early, mid-range and later production units all within the same year. Both Honda and Yamaha did that; particularly these companies were so obsessed with breaking into the American market, making a quality product, that the factory demanded continuous ongoing improvements, and ever increasing quality, so the engineers were kept busy continually making improvements. i had a first year Super 90 (1964) and it drove me nuts, there were so many one year only parts on it and also parts that were mid year changes in 1964, then parts that were not on a '65 that were on a '64. Another example is the 1969 CB750 sandcast; there are over 150 major and minor differences between the early sandcast vins up to around vin 250 and the later sandcasts that ended at engine vin 7414; the CB750 sandcast was only produced for 7 months, so finding the parts to make an early vin sandcast correct can be near impossible; e.g., 11 mm mirror stems, thin lip alternator covers, diamond web cam covers, horizontal brass vent carbs, sandcast gauge drive boxes, and 19 liter gas tanks to name a few of the more difficult and major parts to find that make the early vins different from later vins. So, it would be interesting to know what vin your '65 CB450 is and to learn the vin breaks (some noted by factory and many not) where parts were different between various vin ranges of a first year CB450. i've always liked the black bomber, definitely a classic Japanese bike, but my favorite year of the 450's is one year only 2nd generation model produced only in 1968, they had a look all of their own. anyway.... what fun it is!