Bentwrench
New Member
Hello! Long time lurker, finally getting around to posting a project.
I'm a Canadian from outside Toronto, been riding for 26 years or so, and been tearing down and fixing bikes for pretty much the same amount of time (shade tree mechanic only... no formal training.)
Not long after the covid crisis started up, a good friend of mine called me and said "hey, you know that old CB160 that you're always drooling over? Do you want it? It's all in boxes, and I need the space." So I said to my daughters (aged 7 and 10) "Hey girls, do you want to build a motorcycle with daddy? Just know that you will never ride this motorcycle..." They were both very excited over this possibility.
So the next weekend, we drove into Toronto, picked up a bunch of boxes, and brought them all home. It was a barn find 1968 CB160 that was ridden for one summer in 1998, then disassembled back into boxes. It's in remarkably good condition, except that it's missing a set of front forks (tubes and stanchions)
Most of the bikes I've worked on in the past were 80s Japanese bikes, and honestly it's refreshing how simple this little 68 is. So far we've reattached the motor (and learned how socket wrenches work) and reattached the rear shocks. My only two rules are this: ask questions, and touch everything.
I might need some help from you all for figuring out stuff like replacing rubber bushings, or fork seals (I don't think anyone's still making them.) And of course finding a set of replacement forks. Build thread to follow!
I'm a Canadian from outside Toronto, been riding for 26 years or so, and been tearing down and fixing bikes for pretty much the same amount of time (shade tree mechanic only... no formal training.)
Not long after the covid crisis started up, a good friend of mine called me and said "hey, you know that old CB160 that you're always drooling over? Do you want it? It's all in boxes, and I need the space." So I said to my daughters (aged 7 and 10) "Hey girls, do you want to build a motorcycle with daddy? Just know that you will never ride this motorcycle..." They were both very excited over this possibility.
So the next weekend, we drove into Toronto, picked up a bunch of boxes, and brought them all home. It was a barn find 1968 CB160 that was ridden for one summer in 1998, then disassembled back into boxes. It's in remarkably good condition, except that it's missing a set of front forks (tubes and stanchions)
Most of the bikes I've worked on in the past were 80s Japanese bikes, and honestly it's refreshing how simple this little 68 is. So far we've reattached the motor (and learned how socket wrenches work) and reattached the rear shocks. My only two rules are this: ask questions, and touch everything.
I might need some help from you all for figuring out stuff like replacing rubber bushings, or fork seals (I don't think anyone's still making them.) And of course finding a set of replacement forks. Build thread to follow!
