Pushrods? Pushrods in a CB77??? Maybe.

[kfsrq]

I have two CB77 projects.

Who am I? Just an old fart who has bought sixteen Hondas from 1963 to 2012.
I am an experienced CB77 rider, and I love and respect the Super Hawk. Yes, I do.
I visited Gene in Mio Michigan. He has put CB-350-IV engines into CB77 & CL77 frames.

I bought a consignment in 2005, via eBay, from a gent in Michigan.

The complete bike, which ran for a while, is a black 1965 CB77. Nothing special.
The closing link of the cam chain failed, so the cam chain collapsed in a puddle in the crankcase. I am engaged in rebuilding this, but I have encountered what Pirsig would call a gumption block, and I am temporarily stalled during reassembly of this bike.

The engineless bike, which was part of the deal, is nearly complete except no engine.
I have done nothing with this bike, but I am thinking that I might install a Chinese engine in it. The engine that occurs to me is a Lifan 250 cc single with pushrods. Yes, pushrods. Soichiro would be appalled, of course, but still, I am thinking about trying to install the engine in my CB77. After all, I am trying to please only myself, not Soichiro, not Pirsig, and not you.

Here is the engine:
http://www.lifanenginepartswholesale.co ... 10516.html

The sprocket is on the wrong side, so the rear brake would become double-trailing-shoe, unless I can devise a way to correct it. That does not worry me, but I wonder about some issues that matter more:

1. Does the engine physically fit in the space?
2. Can I fashion strong enough members to make the frame+engine approximately as strong as the stock frame+engine? (I am not really worried about this issue.)
3. Have I overlooked a fatal flaw?

If, perchance, someone else has trod this ground, please let me know of any pitfalls.
I am in no hurry to tackle this project, and I think I will soon summon the gumption to get the genuine CB77 together and running.

[jensey]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

I don't know if anybody did a reverse upgrade, meaning less power (but hopefully less weight), but you are free to do what you want to do.

Jensen

[kfsrq]

... I was going to say "dream", but that would misuse a noun that is cherished here.
So it's just an idea. I want to get my genuine CB77 running again first.

I like thinking about projects like this, imagining some of the hassles I can expect.

Here is one: the engine is described as a "dirt bike" engine, and I guess it has a low-wattage generator (I suppose it's an alternator), so would it support headlight and tail light? Well, it must maintain a battery, because it has electric start, so it must produce significant power. Nowadays I can use LED lighting in place of tungsten filaments, so I am not worried about power.

Thank you for the welcome. Many of the messages remind me of my
experiences riding a Dream and a couple of Super Hawks in the 1960s.

[bonjour]

Nothing wrong with the idea, but a lot of work.
Probably cheaper to just buy a normal C or CB engine and just plug and play.

Other wise, what are your plans with riding the Chinese engine ? How much do you want to ride it ?

I don't have experience with these engine's, but from what I have readed, a lot of different experience's with these engine's, some fail within a 100mile, others last a 1000+

Personally I wouldn't touch these engine's, yet.

I think it would be a better (and maybe cheaper) idea to buy a second hand Honda CB250 Single engine and put that in your CB77.
Because most Chinese engine's nowadays are just copies of Honda engine's. This one is no exeption. Just a Honda copie.

[kfsrq]

Merci, bonjour.

Your ideas have merit, but I have more confidence in the Chinese engine than you show.
I saw a Honda CT-70 with a bolt-in Lifan 125 engine, and it ran enthusiastically and well.

As I am in no hurry, I will look for an engine in which both you and I can have confidence.
I know a few folks who might have an engine for me, or might help me find one.

What will I do with the finished bike? I will ride it to nearby destinations. if it proves reliable, I will ride it across Florida, a distance of 200-300 kilometers, to visit friends and to ride with folks I have known for several years.

Perhaps I will ride it long distances, but I have two bikes that are better for long rides.

As you know, Florida is a popular spot for folks to visit during the winter. I like having a
bike that I can lend to visitors without worrying a lot about seeing expensive damage.
A CB-77 with a modest engine is not a very exciting machine, but it surely beats walking!