I have an old CL72 I’ve been holding on to for about 17 years. Frame serial # and the engine serial # number match and the bike is complete. I’m thinking about getting the old girl back on the road but I worried about a few things:
I’ve already found a lot of good information on this site. I think I just need to read on.
Exhaust- One of the pipes is in really bad shape. I thinking exhaust pipes are hard to find?
Gas tank pads - one of the gas tank pads is missing
Mirrors are missing- I don’t think this is a really big deal
Tires - going to need a new rear tire for sure no big deal right?
Sleeve and Pistons – going to need them, hard to find?
Tank emblems- shot I would like to have the version that says “250”, already sent Ray an email.
I’m also think eBay will be my other best friend, right?
My goal would be the restore the engine to its original state (250 not 305), re-chrome, re-paint, re-rubber as needed. I would re-work the mechanical systems as needed as well. Does anyone want to chime-in with a budget estimate, if I do most of the work.
The whole story:
The engine was seized up when was given the bike seventeen years ago. I had to pound the pistons free from the cylinder with a big hammer. I lived in LA at the time and the local salvage guy gave me a 305 cylinder and pistons. I still have two old 250 cylinders but I think I might need some sleeves and pistons.
Without doing any research I put 305 cylinder and pistons on the motor to get it going. I had to add a spacer under the cylinder to keep the pistons off of the head. And yes, I know this was not the right way to do it but at the time I had a bet with my roommate that I could get the bike running. He turned the bike down saying it would never run. I said I could get running. He said want to bet? And it was on!
The motorcycle was in bad shape. The gas tank (missing the cap) and the exhaust were both full of water, in fact the motorcycle had sat with water in the exhaust so long that the pipe had rusted through. I got around this by loading the tank with a bunch of nuts, bolts and gas to scrub it clean. The one pipe was a basket case so I put a sleeve around it as a “temporary fix”. The whole project was on a budget. I had to buy a new front tire but I think that was it. Well oil and gas as well. The carburetors needed a major cleaning as well. Plus I had to pick the ignition lock as the key was long gone. I was able to make a key that worked because the lock only had four tumblers and was easy figure out. I have sense lost this key! I got the bike running and collected on the bet. Steak dinner! Yum! It was all in good fun.
So now about twenty years later it’s time to do it right or move on. I started the engine every few years just to so it wouldn’t seize again but the last time I stared the engine was dicey. It has seized up and it took a little WD-40 and some patients to get her started. The motor runs poorly to say the least. For all I know it s running on one cylinder. Oh that remind me I had to buy new points at some point and I just picked up a battery as well the bike never had one. I was still using the old battery that held a charge for about five minutes. I think the lower end of the motor is in good shape it only has 12,332 mile on it. I’ve kept to oil clean and water free over the years.
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