Bill's CB77 Retirement Project

[ZillahBill]

Here's a pic of where the project stands today. My wife says it is starting to look like a motorcycle. Major work done has been new fork seals, new wheel bearings front and rear, new brakes, new tires front and rear, a little painting and lots of cleaning up and polishing. I have started cleaning the tank. It was left with gas in it 50 years ago which turned into tar. What a mess. Started with four days of white vinegar and I am now on day 2 of a diluted solution of Works cleaner from Walmart. I am making progress. I should meet with the machinist is the next day or two and deliver the NOS pistons and rings. I am going to open the bottom of the crankcase and just take a peek. My wife is going to be gone on a trip the next few days so I can twist wrenches all day and night if I want. Ain't retirement grand!

[Geoff Hastings]

Looks a really nice project, one of the problems I have,also being retired, is knowing when to stop work. If the wife’s out I find myself working well into the night. Not a problem for me but the neighbours object to hearing my angle grinder. Talking of angle grinders, I recently had a near miss with mine, I was working on the floor holding a seat base with one hand and using the grinder with the other, unfortunately the disc grabbed and snatched the grinder out of my hand imbedding itself into my calf muscle. A trip to A&E and 12 stitches later I returned home thinking how serious that could have been especially as I was there alone. Be careful out there people.

[ZillahBill]

Geoff - I had a little catch in my heart when I read about your accident with the angle grinder. What an angry little tool. I too have learned to listen to that little voice that says, "You shouldn't be doing this. Something bad is about to happen." Learned it more than once I'm afraid. It sounded bad enough but I'm glad you weren't hurt worse. Progress on the project: Got the jugs and the head back and machinist says they are ready to go. I ordered some of the cylinder head washers from Partzilla. Not copper but I trust they will work OK. Finally broke down and bought a jug of Evaporust to see if will work. I put in a gallon and have been rotating the tank. I think it is working! Cleaned up and evaluated the handlebar controls. That little metal ball is a bugger to get back in and I wasn't real sure which side of the mechanism it fit. Now I'm researching options for heat shrinking the wire(s) from the controls. The original shrink wrapping, cables, etc., were beyond bad. Set aside the Scrambler handlebars that came with the bike and put on a pipe handlebar. I like that look better. Now that the motor parts are back that's what I'll tackle next. Any comments or advice is greatly appreciated.

[Geoff Hastings]

Hi Bill,
I don’t use shrink wrap up to the handlebars as once it’s shrunk it becomes quite stiff. I bought some excellent silver grey adhesive tape which five years later still looks good and is flexible. If you can find the flexible plastic tube they used originally then that is best but difficult to thread the wires through them. The small ball in the switch usually fits into the sliding plastic thumb control, it does have a small spring behind it so a bit of a fiddle to reassemble but achievable. I would still try and get the copper washers as they help with the oil tightness on the head, don’t forget they run oil up the cylinder stud so make sure you use domed nuts, you can anneal the original washers if you really can’t find replacements.

[Michael Stoic]

Holly molly, Geoff! That's a scary event. Glad you are on the other side of it! I've had some of those angle grinder leaps, but lucky so far.

Back to Bill's project: If the original washers are copper, I would be wary of using another metal because of different expansion rates.

[deuce_7]

... Cleaned up and evaluated the handlebar controls. That little metal ball is a bugger to get back in and I wasn't real sure which side of the mechanism it fit. Now I'm researching options for heat shrinking the wire(s) from the controls. The original shrink wrapping, cables, etc., were beyond bad. ... _________ Any comments or advice is greatly appreciated.

We offer a vintage Honda switch reconditioning service. Have posted this in other Honda 305 Forum threads when the subject comes up: https://www.ebay.com/itm/115808278042


Here's a pair of our CB77 switches:
RH: https://www.ebay.com/itm/115955697562
LH: https://www.ebay.com/itm/115798116641

Send a message if any questions about the service.

[ZillahBill]

I am waiting on some copper washers to come from China so I can put the top end back together. I put the original clutch basket back on the bike. I had purchased a 5 disk set and my bike uses the six disk. Not one adverse to throwing good money after bad I bought an inner clutch basket for what I think is the 5 disk setup and I may try this setup some time in the future. I made a new gasket for the instrument cluster out of some high density foam I had and it seems to work OK. I don't have much hope that the speedo/tach will work after setting outside for 40 odd years but that is for another day. Put on my new gas cap. Baby steps!