I am seeking advice on how to get a CB77 running and/or restore it correctly. There is one photo attached for reference. I have set-up a Flickr account so people can see the bike and comment on specific detailed items if they have advice. The photos (32 in all) can be viewed at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hondacb77/ ... 162606404/
Here is the story behind the bike:
I recently took custody of a Honda CB77 that I believe to be a 1968 model. It has 7721 miles on it and has been in the family since about 1970 or so. My dad purchased the bike used around 1970 or 1971. He registered it in Massachusetts and garaged it when my mom go pregnant with me. I was born in 1972. It has remained garaged ever since (with the exception of a move from Massachusetts to my childhood home in Rhode Island). There is a photo of me sitting on it when I was about 5 years old (I hope to post this later).
The bike sat in the garage for my entire childhood and was never ridden. In college (about 1994), I grew curious about it and worked with a "shade tree" mechanic to get it to start. It did start and run with a little TLC and he got it to go up and down the street. The mufflers were begining to rot, so I took photos to the local (Rhode Island) Honda motorcycle dealer and spoke with a true Honda collector (whose name escapes me). He was very intrigued and advised me to order the mufflers if they were available and hang onto them. He found them using a dealer inventory computer system and I paid about $150 each to order them new. He stated they were the last remaining mufflers in the Honda inventory. One came from Oregon or Washington and another from a warehouse in Japan (or so he told me). Regrettably, my money & time got redirected as college ended, so the bike continued to sit in the garage.
In 2003, I relocated to North Carolina. My parents promised to keep the bike safe. About 3 weeks ago, I traveled to the Northeast on business and took my pick-up truck. I paid a visit to Mom & Dad and loaded up the bike. It now resides in my garage. My question is, what do I do now? I'd love to ride it (I've always wanted a motorcycle but never been able to get one), but it would seem like the work needed to get it running would probably justify a full restoration. I see similar bikes selling for $1000 to $2000. Can anyone tell me what a decent restoration might cost? Are there any shops in the Southeast US that I may want to consult with? I drive through Florence & Columbia, SC, Augusta, Columbus, & Atlanta, GA, and Birmingham, AL on a regular basis. I would not be too hard to take the bike for an evaluation if there is a nationally recognized shop in the region.
I'm open to suggestions about what to do with this bike. The family storyline is too interesting for me to sell it.
Advice on restoring CB77
Advice on restoring CB77
Last edited by Honda1968CB77 on Sat May 29, 2010 9:44 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Wow, definitely hang on to that if it's been in the family for that long. Plus, the mileage is pretty low.
As for restoration, as you can see by some of the logs on this forum and pictures of bikes, there are many levels of restoration. It seems the bike is in decent cosmetic shape. I'm by no means an expert and there might be some better info on the board from some of the more versed restoration gurus but here's my stab at it from owning motorcycles throughout my life. Start by buying a service manual and doing a complete tuneup on the bike to get it mechanically in shape. Fluids, lubrication, rust maintenance, and adjusting things here and there. Stuff like carb rebuilding, valve adjustment, brake job, chain tension check, and replacing the tires and tubes if necessary. After that, assuming there are no major mechanical problems, enjoy it for what it is this riding season. Especially if it's your first bike. Don't sweat the details on it until you get comfortable with it. Once the season is over and it starts getting cold enough to park the bike (if you're not a die hard), then start a restoration. This website is the best resource. Start by looking over other peoples restorations in the meantime to get ideas and see what the common problems are. That way, you have a better idea of which direction to go when it comes time for a restoration and you know what level or restored you're willing to take it to. I just picked my CB77 up a few weeks ago. It's not as nice as yours on the outside but it does run fairly well and i'm just enjoying doing that for the moment and buying parts slowly for a restoration this winter. Hope that helps. BTW, I'm west of Atlanta if you ever drive through.
Oh, and to answer your question as far as cost goes, it all depends on how much you want to do yourself and where you take it. I'm guessing if you had everything just tuned up if nothing was broken and had the parts painted and rechromed, about $3000 for outside labor if you take things apart yourself. The engine build is the tricky one b/c the variables are countless. If you want to do a full show room quality finish, then you're probably looking at starting at $5000 assuming nothing major is broken or parts need to be replaced and you do none of the work yourself.
EngineRemembering that I have never done any major mechanical work (such as disassembling an engine)....
One friend suggested to me that since the bike has only 7700 miles, there may be no need to tear down the engine and that I could probably have a running bike with some tuning, maintenance, fluid changes, and perhaps some carburetor cleaning. He told me the reason for disassembling and rebuilding an old engine is primarily due to loss of compression from the wear of the rings on the pistons. He stated that since the engine was made to run for thousands of miles beyond 7700, there is no reason to think that anything is mechanically wrong inside. Any thoughts? I'm somewhat confident I could handle plugs, air filters, gas tank treatment, fluid changes, etc. with a service manual and some guidance. Is there any risk of engine damage simply due to the age of the bike if I were to try and start it up?
Re: EngineThat's usually the best advice. If nothing is wrong, don't bother tearing into it. You'll realize after you get it running if something is not right inside. If the engine had oil in it the whole time, and was not stored outside, then chances are good everything inside is in good shape. I wouldn't try to start it up without a fresh fluid change first, just to get rid of the gunky stuff. After you do get it running, do another oil change in a hundred miles or so as any old oil that was gunked up would have broken loose hopefully in the new change. Nice Story.
If the motor is not seized up, change the oil, get a new battery, slide a piece of sandpaper between the points to clean them and if it like most old hondas it will start right up. If not, take the carbs off and clean one at a time. Take it apart and use a bunch of carb cleaner and a guitar string (E super slinky) to clean out all the little passages. Keep one all together for reference. HINT- before you take any screws out, turn them in all the way, counting how many turns, and record the number. When you put them back in screw them in all the way, then back out the number of turns you recorded. Get a workshop or owners manual so you have the specs. I am not mechanical at all, but cleaning a carb, setting valves and points is not rocket science and even I, who can't remember which way to turn the screw to loosen it, can do it. If the motor won't kick over, then you have a whole different can of worms. Rodney Langford, Amory Mississippi, has done some work for me and is a good guy. He is a retired Honda Dealer. He could do motor work if you need it. 662-315-0769.
You have a nice project there. You have all the parts, a new set of mufflers, and best of all it ran when you put it away. It all depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to make it look nice and ride it, you will probably pay the least. If you want a perfect show bike, you can spend as much as you wish for perfection.
If you do it yourself, you could get a nice clean rider for under $1,000 if you don't have to get into the motor. If you pay someone to do it, you just need to check around to see if you can find someone who will do it reasonable. If your going to pay someone to fix it so you can sell it, you won't get rich. But if you plan to keep it and ride it, don't worry so much about what it's worth to someone else. I say never try to justify a hobby, if you want it and you can afford it... do it! :) Gunner
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