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Hey guys, I started this project log over on HT but to be honest it’s been a little too quiet over there lately so I figured I move it over here. This is my 1968 Honda CB160. I bought it around 5 years ago is pretty decent shape, just needed a tune up and a few random parts, but all in all a pretty good buy. It has been my default Vintage Days ride every year since I purchased it. That said, many of the parts are really starting to show their age so I’ve decided to strip it down and replace or refurbish anything that seems like it could affect the safety of the bike (bushings, bearings, brake shoes, etc.). This will not be a full restoration, more like a refresh. It’s a pretty honest example of a bike of this age and I think restoring it would be doing a disservice to the bike. I’ll also be rebuilding the original air filters.
Gotta love Hondas from that era. Looks like a CB77 behind it. I have built so many of those as restorations or race bikes, it's not funny. Have a CB160 cafe racer project on the go too.
Welcome to DTT.
Oh buddy she is a real sweetheart. I couldn't agree more w all your plans.
Check out marblesmotors.com for the Honda engine factory silver. I love that stuff.
There are several big brand "engine silvers" that turn golden brown after a while.
Ive used it on 2 already and going to use it on my current project.
Both are the same silver just different lighting/cameras.
teazer, you are correct, that is my 1967 CB77 in the background. The restoration on that one is nearly complete. Just waiting for warmer weather to paint the tank and the engine cover that goes on the top of the crankcase. I typically go out of my way to find all original bikes and maintain them that way but unfortunately the CB77 had already been painted a half dozen times and was in a rough state when I found it.
trek97 I'll check them out if I decide to repaint. I'm still on the fence. It's a slippery slope, once I start making things too pretty it highlights how bad other things look and before you know it I'm restoring the whole darn bike. I can't make it look too good because I still plan on slogging around Mid Ohio on it this summer.
And both are really late in the production life - alloy fork sliders are a giveaway.
If the motor has to come apart, maybe some bigger pistons and a cam might add a few horses. Back in the day, someone fitted CB77 pistons and bigger liners and that beast flew. Now it's easy to get larger bore low crown pistons and Megacycle do a really nice mild grind for those. Pushed our first small bore (52mm) Cb160 from 11hp to 20 hp at the rear wheel. Just putting that idea out into the universe....
You can also get the Honda "Cloud" silver from Honda implement dealers (lawn mowers, etc) and boat dealers. Amazing since the motorcycle shops don't carry it. A quick look today shows it available on Amazon and EBay.
I've had three 160s, a 66 CL, a 66 CB and a 67 CB. Late 60s "Cycle Guide" magazine did an article on the CB77 liner/piston mods.
Me too! The article was in the November 1969 issue. I remember it well! I had car/motorcycle accident in August of that year. I worked after school and on Saturdays at the local Honda shop. I had a cast on my leg and was relegated to doing parts. Sitting at the parts counter I opened the November issue of Cycle Guide and found the article. Make a 160 a 250! My little mind started churning and I looked up on the shelf behind me to see two std bore CB77 pistons. I hobbled out to the shop and there was a CB160 motor sitting under a bench. Armed with the article, the parts and the motor my next stop was a nearby Honda friendly machine shop. This was nothing any crazier than the other stuff we had done.
Seems to have happened to quite a few forums. I just hope they don't disappear completely, or get screwed up like honda305.com. That one is still online but something happened with all of it's links so Google searches that lead there tend to be dead-ends. There's a wealth of information scattered across forums like this.
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