First off- a big thanks to everyone for sharing information and all the helpful advise I've found while searching through the forum posts...
I've been looking around for a solid bike for the last month or so and just picked up a 1962 CA77 here in NYC. The bike seems to be mostly original and in really nice overall shape. There are a few items that need attention but nothing major. I had a couple of questions as I am sorting through getting the bike road ready and figured I'd see if anyone here would be willing to help out as I've hit a few road blocks.
The key was broke off in the ignition in the on position. I was able to remove the broken portion of the key from the cylinder and brought both halves to a good locksmith in the neighborhood. 15 minutes and ten dollars later and I was back in business. The replacement key works perfectly but it's cut out of an odd blank quite different from the original. Does anyone know where I might be able to find one or two original key blanks for a fair price? I will post a photo of the broken key or key code as I think there are a few variations of blanks that were used.
The original handlebars are bent and I've had little luck finding a replacement. I picked up a set of flat bars off of a late 60's CB350 that look like they may work and wanted to know if it's possible to drill wiring holes and the throttle cut out on these- or- if anyone has a source of aftermarket bars that are fitted for a CA77. I found CB77 bars online but wasn't sure if these were interchangeable. If I can get the flat bars I currently have bars machined, will I need to find different clutch and throttle cables to accommodate the lower rise bars? Not that worried about deviating from the stock bars as it's easy enough to switch back at some future point. Just want something safer and more usable than the bent bars that are currently on the bike. Also- has anyone swapped out the throttle assembly with a different model or aftermarket one that avoids having to cut out the large opening for the stock CA77 throttle?
The battery cover seems to fit a bit on the tight side and does not seat properly. Looks like the old owner cut a portion of the metal to get it to fit but I'm not sure what his reasoning was. Could someone post a photo of the proper side cover for a 1962 CA77 and perhaps a close up of the battery and wiring beneath. The battery is currently held in place with elastic cords and I wanted to try and clean it up a bit. Was there a rubber battery hold down originally?
I posted a low res pic of the bike from when I picked it up last Friday. I'll add some better photos as soon as I get the bike back from the shop (basic tune up and inspection) on Tuesday.
Thanks again for all the help to date! This forum is a goldmine of information. I've already saved myself countless hours and headaches by looking through the info everyone was kind enough to share:)
David
1962 Honda Dream1962 Honda Dream
Last edited by DKB on Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Progress ReportSo it took a lot longer than I had hoped- but the payoff was well worth the wait. Stoked to have my bike up and running. Handlebars were replaced with CB750 low rise bars. It worked out fine with the stock cable lengths. Replaced front brake and clutch cable and installed new dimmer switch. New Bar end mirrors. New horn and wiring, cleaned up some old suspect wires and checked all connections. Replaced Spark Plugs, Points, Condenser, Oil. Upgraded to new Rectifier from Oregon Cycle. New foot peg rubbers, some general cleaning, and pulled the carb for cleaning and adjustment.
Had a helluva time trying to locate a short that kept popping fuses. Turned out to be some improperly routed wires behind the headlight that rubbed through and were making occasional contact. Seems to be resolved once the exposed area was taped up. It's funny how an 1/16th of an inch of exposed wire can bring everything to a halt. All in all, bike is running like a champ. I'm still having a slight problem with my plugs fouling after a few miles and am researching that issue now. I noticed a few threads on the same issue and am going to work through some of the advised steps. I suspect my jets may be a bit worn even though they look ok. The right plug is fouling worse than the left, which improved dramatically after the carb cleaning and float adjustment. I'm hoping it's not internal engine wear causing the problem on the right side.... Lastly, I noticed the charging system is having a tough time keeping the battery charged if I run with the lights on at city speeds. Rode out to Brooklyn last night after cruising around the city for a while and the bike cut out on the Manhattan Bridge. Not fun:) Easy enough to get started and on my way though. We'll see if the new rectifier helps any.
The bike's transferable registration says 1962 Honda CA77E. VIN/Frame # is CA77E1007296. I could be mistaken, but I believe it is a 62 with a few parts off a later year dream. The tank looks to be from a late model as there is a center seam and a slight gap between the tank and seat. Not sure about the side covers. The battery cover does not seat properly, suggesting it's also from a different bike. Still trying to find the proper side covers but reluctant to purchase anything online as I'm not positive which ones are correct. The Little Engine that Couldn'tIn other news- after a month of waiting on parts, working on the bike, and troubleshooting a few odd ball items, I got out on the road this weekend. Tons of fun while it lasted- which wasn't long. I was riding for about an hour or so and started to loose power while on the Belt Parkway. Made it to an exit safely but couldn't get going again. Left side seemed to be dead and not firing. I had a good battery, spark, and fuel. The timing and Valve Adjustments were just done the day prior. Figured it had to be internal damage and really bad news at this point....
My friend dropped by this morning and ran a compression test. Nothing at all on the left side. Zip. Bike still starts on the first kick and idles (although fast), but only runs on one cylinder. Not exactly the best news after all the time and energy we've put into the bike to date. I'd like to see this through without breaking the bank in the process and am back to part hunting and forming plan z. I located a complete CA77 engine on ebay that happened to be ending today and got it for 153.00 plus shipping. 6400 miles and looks to be quite clean and complete. Not sure if this was the best course of action, but figure it was worth a shot for the price. I don't have the skills or available money to take on a rebuild at this time and it seems swapping out the engine for a relatively low cost may be the path of least resistance. We'll see how it goes....
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