Cheap Honda

[pem]

I found this 1968 CL175 last December after looking for a winter project. 13,000 miles. $200. For the last 35 years I always had at least one project bike to work on in the winter to keep my sanity. I was afraid of having nothing to work on this winter. Everything from Tohatsu's to Rickman's and BSA's. This bike was covered in pigeon sh!t and dirt. Missing title, blinker lenses, foot peg rubber, keys, side cover and tail light lens. Everything was bent except the sheet metal. Lucky me. Replaced all missing pieces plus in the process of getting a title. Inside fuel tank was like new. Turns out replacing Wisconsin titles has gotten much easier. I'll be riding this bike all over the Kickapoo Valley this summer. Photo was taken after I washed it. Paint is not correct and chrome is quite pitted in areas. Not doing a complete resto just cleaning and polishing. Air cleaners were junk as were the tires. Chain was stiff as a board. Soaked it in mineral spirits and cleaned it and it is like new now. Valves and cam chain tensioner were really out of adjustment. Points weren't bad. Removed and cleaned the centrifugal oil filter. I don't think it was ever cleaned. Just waiting now for my title Surety Bond and a battery.

later

[koanes]

I have a 67 160 Scrambler that I talked my Father into buying in 1969. My parents rode the machine all over Wisconsin. Just good dependable motorcycles, I know you will enjoy tearing up the roads of SW WI.

[exeric]

Great bike, and nice to see it brought back from oblivion. I used to hate Hondas, but I love them now; but only the mid 70s and earlier. I really want to work on the 550 that I have, but I have so many projects ahead of it that it will just have to wait. The Honda is going to be a real challenge for me as I have no experience with them; but there's nothing like delving into the unknown for fun. Beautiful bike PEM, and I hope you have a lot of fun with it.

[TechNoir]

Re: Cheap Honda

pem, thats a cool little bike you have there. I like it.

Eric, your 550 is no more difficult to work on than your early HD's, just a bit different.

John

[frichie68]

"Cheap" is good! I picked up a 75 Suzuki TS185 a couple months ago, runs great and it's nice to tinker on something without worrying about it being "correct". Ace Hardware has a good supply of metric nuts and bolts.
021416a.JPG
I've been looking for another "collector antique" but couldn't afford much. This one fits the antique requirement and is a blast to ride!

[pem]

Hi Rich, my Ace Hardware is a life saver. If they don't have it nobody will. Nice Suzuki. I find as I'm getting older riding smaller bikes is more enjoyable. Less weight,
less cost and less hassles. I used to have a 50cc Tohatsu Sport 50 that was all original. I would take off the muffler which had an expansion chamber hidden inside and ride it all over the Elk Heart Lake race grounds. What a hoot. Thanks John. Eric, when I started riding in 1966 all I wanted was a Harley. Settled for a Sprint cause I'm cheap. I was thinking if I started to collect and work on bikes back then I would have been collecting 50 year old bikes like I have been. So I would have been collecting bikes made in 1916. If only I would have.

I included a photo of my bike since it's restoration. Looks a lot cleaner at least. Kyle, I believe your CL160 and my 175 are pretty much the same. Many parts are interchangeable. I plan on doing a lot of riding. In my area I can ride all day and have the roads mostly to myself. I was talking with Herb Wagner and his first bike was a CL160 and he still has it. I was gonna use some parts off his but it was all frozen solid. As in buried under snow. Another treasure waiting to be discovered.

later

[Jim]

Very Nice!!

[frichie68]

Very Nice!!

Jim- Where's your Dream?!

[fillibuster]

"Kickapoo Valley"??
I'm a Li'l Abner/Al Capp fan. So is there a real "Kickapoo"?
.. and how about some real Kickapoo Joy Juice, then?

[pem]

Actually there really is a Kickapoo Valley with the Kickapoo River in it. The area is just beautiful and has some of the best trout fishing in the United States.
My brother and a buddy were just here this weekend and caught and released some browns and brookies. The roads are made for motorcycle riding. Reminded
me so much of riding in New Zealand that I moved here and retired 10 years ago.

Speaking of Joy Juice, back in the day the area was crawling with illegal stills and a lot of the liquor went to Chicago. The old timers have some great stories.
There are even some Al Capone stories.

I added the photo cause it's so remarkable. That fish was caught 15 miles from my front door and about 20 miles from the Kickapoo River.

Dick

[Dave Bone]

Nice find!

My first bike was a '66 Honda Dream 300. Still in running condition but, I'm on a year(s) long search for mufflers.

[pem]

Hi Dave, to have your first bike is remarkable. Good for you. I've had Dreams too over the years and I really liked the ride. Smooth and well cushioned. I had a 250 with
serial # 400001. Finally figured out it was the first one built for the 1966 model year. Engine # was 400002. In real nice shape. 110% original.(it had accessories) Should have kept it. Muffler was like new. I was told and read that Honda always destroyed the first couple of bikes in testing. Guess that's not true. I thought I had heard that somebody is re-popping mufflers for your bike. Good luck on your search.

[Jim]

Those Repop mufflers were something like $1200. Here is my all original (Except Mufflers) 1965 305 Dream. I used aftermarket EMGO mufflers on mine. I think they look nice and also sound good. Plus... they were only about $125 for the pair!
Jims 1965 Honda CA77 305.jpg

[pem]

Nice original. And those mufflers don't look too bad for repops. Can't beat the price. Love the whitewalls too. And it looks like you may have original tank badges.
Please don't restore it. I really like the original bikes.

[Jim]

Nice original. And those mufflers don't look too bad for repops. Can't beat the price. Love the whitewalls too. And it looks like you may have original tank badges.
Please don't restore it. I really like the original bikes.

Thanks, I'm glad you like it! I really have been on the fence about restoring it... and that is why after almost 4 years, it is still original. I am actually leaning towards keeping it all original, except for the mufflers and I will have to buy new tires eventually. I also may clean the aluminum and chrome as best as I can though. Chrome has pitting, and aluminum has that DULL oxidized look to it. The whitewall tires are original tires (probably tubes too) and the rear tire has minimal tread left on it... they even have original CRACKS in them! HAHA! The tank badges are the metal replacements they used. They are not the original "Plastic" ones that had the 300 on them. Yeah, I thought those mufflers looked pretty good too! Certainly much better than the completely rusted away muffler it had on it when I got it. The mufflers I bought are Emgo Megaphone Universal Muffler 80-84034.