450 engine install

[pem]

Can't wait to see it finished. Nice!

[exeric]

your next project needs to be a earlier Superhawk.

You read my mind, Steve. I appreciate your insight, and observations about Hondas.

[Steve Swan]

the Superhawks had an amazing engine, capable of handling excessive amounts of sustained abuse. Remind me and i will tell you a rather entertaining story about a riding buddy's Superhawk from my high school days, it's a bit of a long-ish story and i don't have time to regale you with the details at this moment. The beginning of the story is Ralph Jones bought his son Leslie (my riding buddy) a brand new Superhawk on a "white sale." This would have been around 1967, as i distinctly remember i still was riding my 1965 Yamaha YDS-3. Around that time, Honda produced the Superhawk in white, dealers could barely give them away.... Hence, the "white sale."

[Jim]

That will be VERY NICE when finished! This paint reminds me of my Honda CB160 which was originally black and silver, and when my dad gave it to me back in 1973, he painted the tank, side covers and fenders orange. When I "fixed her up" I liked the red so much so that is what I repainted it as. Now... I kind of wish I had painted back to orange and black like it was when I first rode it. Ah... it's only paint, so maybe some day!
I also own a 1965 Honda Dream 305. Yeah I know a lot of people thought that they are weird, but it runs so good and it's 95% still original (tires and mufflers), albeit not very nice.

100_5084.jpgJims 1965 Honda CA77 305.jpg

[exeric]

I think the 160 is a beautifully proportioned motorcycle and I'll bet it is a fun bike to ride. Needless to say, I like the red, silver I don't really know what I think of Honda Dreams. Like you said, they are kind of weird looking but they do have a strange charm. Thanks for the those great pictures, Jim.

[Jim]

I think the 160 is a beautifully proportioned motorcycle and I'll bet it is a fun bike to ride. Needless to say, I like the red, silver I don't really know what I think of Honda Dreams. Like you said, they are kind of weird looking but they do have a strange charm. Thanks for the those great pictures, Jim.

I was always fascinated by the "Square" headlight of the Dreams. I bought the bike for $500 and after cleaning the tank, points, plus a carb and petcock rebuild it started and ran fine. I replaced the mufflers with "EMGO" pipes and it sounds good. The tires in the photo are originals, but have now been replaced with blackwalls. Sounds great and rides nice. BOTH the CB160 and Dream are FUN to scoot around with.

[Bubbalowe]

Going to be a beautiful example of Honda's big bike, especially with the colored frame.

[Steve Swan]

the Superhawks had an amazing engine, capable of handling excessive amounts of sustained abuse. Remind me and i will tell you a rather entertaining story about a riding buddy's Superhawk from my high school days, it's a bit of a long-ish story and i don't have time to regale you with the details at this moment. The beginning of the story is Ralph Jones bought his son Leslie (my riding buddy) a brand new Superhawk on a "white sale." This would have been around 1967, as i distinctly remember i still was riding my 1965 Yamaha YDS-3. Around that time, Honda produced the Superhawk in white, dealers could barely give them away.... Hence, the "white sale."

So, here’s the rest of the story on Leslie Jones and his white 305 Super Hawk. While Les was glad to have a bike that could go fast, Les was nonetheless, less than grateful for the Hawk being white. In fact, Les downright hated and despised the white color and wasn’t shy, regardless of the great deal his dad Ralph probably made on a white sale to express his ingratitude having to be seen on a white motorcycle. The more I think about this, the more I am convinced that the event I am going to share must of occurred summer of 1969. We were careening about the county at will and in ’67 we’d of been 15, so it stands to reason we would have had full driver’s licenses and the more I think about this, knowing my best ‘bud Roger was with us, he only had 2 bikes; an 80cc Yamaha Rotary Jet and graduated to a ’57 Triumph TR6. We all grew up in NE Cedar County Nebraska where, at that time, anything goes, just don’t get caught. Parked on Main Street, village of Wynot, Nebraska, we had come out of Newman’s Bar. Won’t go into the details, but what I will share is Les was looking for more, rpm’s that is and couldn’t find ‘em. Frankly, I’ve always been a bit disgusted by what Les did, but then I couldn’t do half the stuff Les did to start with. Hell, all three of us were stupid kids, but even that’s not an excuse for torturing any motorcycle the way Les did. Coming out of Newman’s Bar, the three of us are varying degrees of “lit.” in Les’s case, he was as boiled as an owl. Apparently we had started our engines, what I remember for certain is Les sitting on his Super Hawk, with as stupid a look as stupid is capable of looking, laughing, pointing with his index finger at the tachometer needle which was hovering at approximately 10,500 rpm, Les trying to “make it go” to 11,000 rpm. We exhorted Les to stop what he was doing, lest Les blow the Hawk’s engine up, but Les would have none of it. What seemed an eternity, whatever “spirits” possessed Les, some of them must have leaked out of his pores and we were on our way. Definitely left an impression on me in more ways than one. So much for “you meet the nicest people on a Honda.” In any event, that engine did not let go, so in my mind, the Super Hawk 305 engine is one heckuva engine. Attached is a pic of me around June 1969 on my ’67 BSA Lightning. Going by the lower fork tubes are chromed, I remember taking the forks apart which was during the Winter, so it must have been the Winter of 68-69, so I am thinking Dad bought the Lightning probably Spring of ’68, as by the end of September ‘69 I was the very proud new owner of a CB750. Anyway, there’s the story of Les and his white sale Super Hawk.

1967 BSA Lightning June 1969.jpg

[pem]

Thanks Steve for sharing that story. Sometimes I'm just amazed that we lived through some of the stupid **** we used to do. As I'm sure are a lot of other people on here. Thank goodness we didn't have camera phones back in the day!

One memory is riding my brand new HD Sprint and turning onto Main St. downtown on a hill. It had just rained so I thought I would spin the rear tire as I went around the corner. So I gave it a handful of throttle and down I went. I managed to climb on top of the tank and rode it spinning 360's down the middle of Main St. I'll never forget the look on a ladies face as I went flying by her.

Ah, youth!

[TechNoir]

Hi eric, I have been distracted by other stuff so missed this thread on your Honda. The bike is going to be absolutely awesome and I cant wait to see it progress and be completed. Its also good to see some non-American iron on here.

Regarding the engine install (this is a moot point now that you have done it but may be of use in future). I have used both brute force and ignorance to install engines and also the putting the engine on its side method that you ended up using. I did think it worth mentioning that if you look about half way down this thread then you will see a picture of another method which could be of use in future.



John

[Rubone]

I've had a few nice Honda projects over the years but they always seem to go away before I actually finish them. Something always seems to get in the way and someone wants them more than me. The last was a really nice CL72 (250 Scrambler) that I just couldn't seem to get to even though I had found every missing bit for it. But the new owner was thrilled so I guess that was fine.

Nice Job Eric.

[Jim]

I've had a few nice Honda projects over the years but they always seem to go away before I actually finish them. Something always seems to get in the way and someone wants them more than me. The last was a really nice CL72 (250 Scrambler) that I just couldn't seem to get to even though I had found every missing bit for it. But the new owner was thrilled so I guess that was fine.

Nice Job Eric.

Now if everyone felt like that, there would be more happy riders out there. Of course, we've all seen those bikes in barns, or Cars in Barns where the guy says... gonna fixer up someday. I have a cousin like that 3 miles from me that will NOT do anything with his 70 Charger. Oh well...

[exeric]

I spent the day cleaning, and test assembling oil pumps, clutches, and other Honda ephemera that I'm totally unfamiliar with. This has been such a fun, and educational project because it's all so different, but beautiful in it's own way. This Honda has so exceeded my hopes for a new experience, and I am now anxious to explore other bikes I shunned in the past. I still love antique American bikes and have years of work to do on the ones I own, but I am excited to know that there are other antique motorcycle worlds to explore. There will be more to follow, but I must thank everyone that has helped me, and shared their knowledge, and insights of Japanese motorcycles.