New to forums, restorations and kind-of new to motorcycles!

[Clark.1409]

I grew up in a home where my dad (and sometime I) worked on and rode only BMWs. He restored 1950s-1970s bikes much of my childhood. I sincerely regret not spending more time doing that with him because he just gave me a 1967 Honda Dream CA77.

It's pretty beat up, but not as bad as it could be. I want to restore it but I'm not really sure where to begin.


photo-10 by clark.1409, on Flickr

I started taking off things that I know I will want to replace (mufflers, seat, mirror) but I stopped there. The engine cranks but I dont want to try to start it because I'm sure the lines are simply shot to hell.

I think the first step would be to drop out all the old fluids, but honestly, I dont know.

Is there any experienced and/or generous soul that is willing and able to give a directionless guy a few (probably a lot) of pointers, tips and advice?
What should I do first? Is there a place where I can get some sort of checklist order for how to precede?

[conbs]

Start by adding your location. There may be someone close who will be able to come by and give help. Better yet, add your location and then call your Dad and ask him to help you.

I suggest your first order of business should be to get the bike started and ride it to see what issues there may be. Even if you have to reinstall the bits you took off. Does it smoke? Does the transmission shift okay? These are things you will want to know. You may not have to take the engine apart if it specs out. That would really help.

I strongly suggest you do not take the whole bike apart at this time. Get it started to see what you have. That will almost certainly present enough challenges. Next make a goal to get it roadworthy. It doesn't matter if it is ugly. Riding it will give you pleasure and motivation to keep fixing things. Replace parts as you get them and keep riding.

If you take the whole bike apart the task of putting it back together will almost certainly become overwhelming. It would be a shame to end up with a failed project of a bike your Dad gave you. BTW know that your Dad really wants to help you with the project. Take advantage of the time available to have him help you with it. You will treasure that time in the future.

You will also find a lot of help from this web site. The search function should become your friend and there are lots of knowledgable people who will share their experience with you. Best wishes on your new project.

[Clark.1409]

Location, Done!
Dad, not done. He lives in Ohio and, though I know he would love to move here to help, i dont think it's the best option at this time.

I like your thoughts about getting it running. This is what I'm thinking I need to do for that:
-replace fluids
-clean out fuel tank & replace lines
-replace brakes and brake lines
-clucth is frozen so replace the line (is that what would unfreeze it? or does that sound like a bigger problem with the transmission?)

Does that sound like a good to-do list? is there any order that you would do first? or anything that I'm missing?

[conbs]

Involve your Dad in whatever way he is able, even if just on the phone. If you have kids involve them, too.

Yes, change your oil.

Yes, clean the tank. If they are leaking, replace the fuel lines. They are odd sizes and what you can find locally may not fit exactly, just make sure you stop any leaks. Ohio Cycle has the correct sizes. How's your petcock? If you need one, RetroBikes in Washington has rebuild kit on ebay.

No brake "lines" Dream brakes are mechanical - and not the best. Brakes and suspension are the weak parts on these bikes. But, you can still have an awful lot of fun on one. I wouldn't replace the shoes until you ride it for a while to you see what you have.

No clutch lines either. Mechanical. Your plates are probably glued toegther from sitting. Another common problem with these bikes. It will usually break loose if you get it started and just ride it until it gets warmed up. Sometimes disassembly is required, but don't do it unless you really have to.

Does the battery hold a charge?

I strongly suggest you get Bill Silver's Dream Restore CD. You must have a parts manual as well (which comes on Bill's CD). You should also get busy with the "search" function on this website. It isn't great, but you can find a lot of info if you try different word combinations. Use "posts" in the lower left corner. If there is an issue with a Dream, someone has faced it before. Take advantage of this enormous resource. Sometimes you will find different opinions, but you can figure that out.

So, get to work on that bike. And let us know of your progress.

[raindriver]

You can have a lot of fun with this, or it could become a disaster, if you let it. Like conbs says, take little steps to see what you've got, and begin to get a sense of what you'd like the bike to become. If you start by ripping everything down, you risk creating a basket-case problem that seems too big to handle.

I got mine two years ago, and mostly I've followed that advice. My Dream looks pretty shabby, with a badly-done re-spray. But it is solid and now I can start dreaming about the big restoration to come.

There's a guy in Newfoundland who posted a You-tube video of a very detailed restoration of a Dream. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPlJ7zFcx6k The guy is really good. Doubt mine will ever be close to that standard...best wishes with yours!

[bloodweiser]

+1 on all the above.
One step at a time.
Get it running first.

You can try tying your clutch lever closed to free your plates.
Or if the lever won't budge either, disconnect it at the lever and lube it considerably.

The brakes are going to be not the best.
First step would be to disassemble, grease the pivot points, lube the cable,
and sand the drum and the shoes. That'll be good enough for awhile.

New: points, plugs, battery, rectifier, fluids, fuel lines + tires.
Grease every fitting you see.

Honestly, I think your bike looks great.
There's some serious rusty stuff, like your headlight ring, mirror and a couple of bolts,
but it looks to be in much better condition than mine when I got it.

Personally, I hate restores. They're only original once,
figure out how to clean up everything you have.
You'll learn more, do more, and spend less.
FWIW.