Thread: 72 K1 rebuild

Hi,

I have my 72 torn down. The frame is at the powder coater, the chrome is at the chrome guy. Our Director of Maintenance at the flight department I fly for is willing to help me rebuild my engine. He rebuilds his own motorcycle/car engines. He knows what he's doing. It's been suggested that I go ahead and replace the head, cylinder and piston. Aftermarket parts are just about all I can find. Is there a source for the OEM parts I have mentioned or are aftermarket parts fine?. This is not going to be a concours bike, just a nicely done restoration to ride around the airport on.

I have collected quite a bit of parts for the project, New OEM handle bars, AM wiring harness, just a ton of stuff. I'm amazed at the number of small parts. I'm going to try and save most of them.

I also am looking for a tailight bracket for the 72. I can try and save mine, but it's pretty rusted.

I have a 69 frame and an 82 frame up next. I'd like to do the 69 original and make a sick pit bike from the 82. Anybody know where to get ape hangers made for the 82?

This has been a most helpful site.

Just got a tail light assembly from ebay!

Tony -- I use dratv & cyclepartsnation.com they have alot of the parts you are looking for . I like using genuine honda parts whenever possible - usually better quality .
If you do the ape hangers post it - I'd love to see it !!!
vrodsss

Unless there's something seriously wrong with the head casting, no reason why you can't rebuild it. So, as long as there aren't any cracks or the valve seats deeply recessed from multiple, ham-fisted regrinds...a pair of new valves and seals will set you back less than 50 bucks, for new OEM parts. Valve guide replacement is no biggie, either - especially if you're getting free labor. FYI, worn valve guides are not all that common.

Racerx is right, is there excessive wear or damage making you want to replace your head, piston and cylinder? I've taken some pretty ugly parts and cleaned/rebuilt them. I even had to dig piston rings out of the piston and scratch the carbon out of the groves. In the end it made a good running reliable engine. The more stuff you buy the more money you can't spend on other things. I want everything up to spec, but I salvage everything possible.

I'll do a survey when we get to the engine part of the project, then decide. It's been recommended to me just to replace the head, cylinder and piston as a matter of course. When we have it torn down, I'll decide. Thanks for the great advice.

While there are knockoff head assemblies out there on the cheap, there have been a number of issues with them. I've torn down a number of them since last summer and some of what I found was pretty disappointing. Normally, one does not expect to find partially machined rocker arm pivots, much less insufficient rocker arm side clearance. What led to those projects, in the first place, was an increasingly common symptom: excessive smoke.

Like I said, if your original head casting is in decent shape, you're talking about less than a C-note to get it ship-shape and ready for the next 37 years. A rebore + new piston kit or complete 88cc kit, new, both cost roughly the same. In any event, the difference between trying to do this project on the cheap and doing it right will probably come down to chump change. Altogether, it shouldn't take more than $350 worth of parts & machining to make your motor, literally, good as new. It could take less than $300, including the upper end as outlined.

Take Racer's wisdom, and my experience on the replacement head, redo your original and forget about the cheap chinese replacement crap. They don't cut it, compared to OEM Honda parts... That said, my original head for my HKO is going to the capable hands of Mr. RacerX @ Motor city Minitrails.

I accept RacerX's wisdom and will do the rebuild myself when I get to that part of the project. It's turning out that the engine is going to be the last item to do. I just dumped a buttload of money into another project, so I'm going to go with the parts I have on hand. I should be able to get it back on it's wheels and assembled, except for the engine, while I pay off my other project.