1971 Honda 175cc Cafe Build

dcbryan

New Member
Hey everybody, my first post here and my second motorcycle build project. My first, was this XS650 I built for myself last summer.

I started this project when a girl I know told me she wanted a bike. It didn't take much convincing before I found a Craigslist ad and was driving out with my dad's truck to pick up these two Honda 175s for $550.

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The blue one is a CL175 and the orange one is an SL175, both 1971. The major difference is the CL has a stamped frame and the SL has a standard all tube frame. The CL motor looked to be in better shape so I was planning (maybe still am) on swapping the engines. Originally I'd planned on building just one bike and using the other as a donor for parts. But I've since decided that it'd be best to have two running bikes. So after we finish the CL175 cafe project, we'll get the SL running and sell it to recoup some of them money we spent on the build.

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Stripping down the CL

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First thing I did was swap the forks and trees. I borrowed this XL125 (edit- actually XL175) from the junk yard and took the whole front end off.

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At this point my garage reached vintage-motorcycle-nirvana. My house mates weren't nearly as excited about this as I was. Pictured clockwise - 81 XS650, XL175, 80 CB750, 71 SL175, 71 CL175!!!

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Now that I don't have a cap style triple tree I could push the forks through and have more room to run these 31mm clipons, which we found here in town at Vicious Cycle.

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Next we headed back to the junk yard and started digging through their room full of gas tanks. Decided we liked the look of the center tank, which I swear is a cb160 tank. And yes, it's missing the knee pads, the gas cap and the petcock. But she had to have.

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Paid $20 for the tank, brought it home cut off the old brackets and welded on some new ones. Here's the future rider trying out her bike. I, being 6'3" look ridiculous on this tiny thing. Her on the other hand...pretty good fit, right?

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Next we stripped the paint off the tank.

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Got a seat built over at Glass From The Past. The fiarings aren't for me, thought it looked sweet though.

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Got the seat fitted on the frame after cutting off the rear loop and grinding down some old welds.

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The seat is now getting upholstered and I'm making good progress on rebuilding both engines.

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I'll keep dumping iphone pictures here as the build continues. And I am gonna have some questions here in the future, so anybody that's built 175s, leave me a comment.
 
Looks like a cool build. Those bikes are ROUGH! looks like you've got your work cut out for you.
 
spazzed said:
Where is this junkyard with a room full of $20 tanks?! Amazing!

Haha, if you're from Portland, I'll tell you. Otherwise it's my secret.

Here's proof that it does exist
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Looking good! Been following some of this already on instagram. I'm acheatham. I live in Portland, and I'd love to know where this motorcycle graveyard is. My CB550 needs a tank, or at least some inspiration to fix up the to terrible ones I've got.

Looking good! love the tank choice.
 
build is awesome, if i were you i would buy some more 20$ tanks and sell on ebay to fund more of this project. could turn some 20$ tanks into 80-100$ tanks just saying
 
The tank is a CL160 or CL175 sloper. BTW the clipons are upside down.

Everyone should have at least one cb160/175/200 in their lives.
 
Bookmark.

I am currently underway on my build on a 71 CB175. I thought mine was pretty crappy until I saw yours. ;D

Will start a new thread when I have something meaningful to post. ???

Here's a pic just before I started tearing it apart:

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Good luck with your build. ;)
 
Thanks for the support guys, glad to know there's more 175er's out there.

Latest update:
I got the seat back from the upholster, take a look:

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Also started on reassembling one of the motors. I had the cylinders honed, and got new rings (+.75). I filed the correct end gaps, put the rings on the pistons, put the pistons on the cranks. Then, while trying to slide the pistons into the cylinders, which according to the book has generous lead-in and does not require a ring compressor, I broke one of the new rings, FFfffuaaaakkk.


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Back to ebay to order more over priced, 30 year old, rings and wait another week to get this $&^#*@&() engine back together.

One other question, how many of you guys reuse the old wristpin circlips? My book says never do it. I've never seen anywhere selling replacement circlips though.

Please heap criticisms upon me.
 
teazer said:
The tank is a CL160 or CL175 sloper. BTW the clipons are upside down.

Everyone should have at least one cb160/175/200 in their lives.

Well thanks man. You sound like an expert, in everything. Can you tell me if this gas cap will fit that tank I have?

http://www.amazon.com/Honda-CB160-CL350-CB350-CB450/dp/B007SHO518/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1334939957&sr=8-2-fkmr1
 
Yip I'm on board, great looking build looking forward to the updates.
 
dcbryan said:
Well thanks man. You sound like an expert, in everything. Can you tell me if this gas cap will fit that tank I have?

I'm no Teazer, but that cap is listed for a K0 CL175 - and the 1968 tank you have is from the first year for the CL175's. So yes, it "should" work.
 
wristpin circlips = REPLACE ... seen re-use go real bad real quick ... cost of new circlips is a lot less than new barrel/piston/rings/whatever else goes sgfdgfnmbg
save money elsewhere
 
Thanks Rich. Circlips are a use once and throw away job. get a pack from your local Honda dealer.
 
Ah, glad I found this thread. Very glad I'm not the only one building up this bike. Thanks for the answer to the circlip use! ;D

Keep up the good work. I'm ready to just get mine back together, so I am reusing the rings with a quick dingleberry hone to cross hatch the cylinders before my engine goes back together. Maybe I take it out later and do a proper rebuild.

Nice seat too!
 
I got some circlips ordered, 65 cents each. Also a new set of rings are on their way. This time when installing the pistons in the cylinders, I'm gonna unclip from the connecting rods, slide each piston in one at a time into the block while it's upside down on the bench then reattach the pistons and block in piece. Should reduce my chances of breaking a ring, I'd hope.

I'm heading out to buy a smaller battery today. I need to fab up a battery/electronics tray that will be under the seat hump. No electric start on this bike, I'm guessing something like 4ah battery should be plenty? That's what I run on my xs650 and it does the job.

SeekingZero said:
Ah, glad I found this thread. Very glad I'm not the only one building up this bike. Thanks for the answer to the circlip use! ;D

Keep up the good work. I'm ready to just get mine back together, so I am reusing the rings with a quick dingleberry hone to cross hatch the cylinders before my engine goes back together. Maybe I take it out later and do a proper rebuild.

Nice seat too!

Yeah, my cylinders needed honing out too. Got any pictures of your build?
 
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