Thread: New Project - 72 CT70 K1

Man I've learned allot the last few days on this site.
I'm starting on this, it won't run now but I'm sure I'll get something going soon, I'm not looking for a "restore to original", just a trail bike for our farm/playground.
I have all the parts, some have been removed prior to this picture

Expect some questions in the future, Clymer and Honda shop manual are on the way.

Looks like a good project start!

Update: I hope it's not a bore to journal my experience here on this site, I have done similar things on other projects & web boards and have enjoyed reading other's "build-a-longs", I've found them quite educational especially when first delving into unknown territory - The web is an awesome tool.

I've spent some time cleaning her up, getting the cables sliding freely, cleaned the fuel tank and the carb, changed the oil, cleared the exhaust of wasp nests. Did some electrical checks, and generally looked her over to see what needs fixing while I wait for a new battery to arrive in the mail.

First off the kick start will not engage, I think I know what needs to be done (from searching here - help is welcome), but that will require engine removal and I'd really like to get her running first, I don't want parts spread out everywhere when I don't have a previously running cycle to encourage me. I plan to push start her.

No Spark, I cleaned and adjusted the points and did some continuity checks; I’m detecting a short somewhere. I think I’ll just buy new points and condenser, mine are in pretty rough shape

The throttle is sticking, after some searching here I used a heat gun to remove the grips and found that the cable holder deal is stripped out, the retainer screw is binding the grip. I’ll add this to my points order.

Got this stuff and installed the throttle parts first. I don’t have the amount of throttle travel as before, I messed around with it for a few days then emailed a resident expert here on pmt.com. After a few exchanges where I was walked though some diagnostics, I found that I had inadvertently screwed out the brass adjustment nut inside the rubber boot at the carburetor end, this limited the travel. The boot did not feel like something that should be removed from the carb top cap and that’s where the expert came in. I probably messed up the adjustment when I was lubricating the cable.

The handle bars are also bent to the point where they are touching, Dad and I went to gently spreading them with a couple pieces of heavy conduit, we got the job done with no harm, they're not perfect but from what I've heard very few are.
It'll work.

Some background:
In the late seventies, when I was old enough to join my Dad and his friends at deer camp, all his buddies had CT70’s for two main reasons: first, the cabin could only be accessed by walking (which is what we did) or with a serious 4WD vehicle. Only one member had a truck that could make it and that was if the ground conditions were good. And secondly, you could carry your bow with your left hand while you drove to your stand since there is no need for clutch hand. The bikes also got you from the parking area to the cabin.



I was allowed free use of the bikes during the downtime between morning and evening hunts, good thing they get good mileage. I fell in love with those bikes and have wanted one ever since.
We now own that piece of property with the original cabin that my Dad and his friends built and have also built our own log cabin in a separate location.



Story on the bike:
Barely trying, I found this bike on eBay; I bid as high as I was willing to go and went down to our cabin for five days. No electric there and the auction ended while I was gone. When I came home I was outbid by twice my amount – oh well.

A week later I received a second chance offer from eBay with a "buy it now" option for the amount of my original bid - $250. Reason being that the high bidder couldn’t come to terms with seller due to lack of title.

The bike has 6600 miles, surprisingly good chrome and paint, decent tires, and was reported to have been driven into the barn where it has been stored for 20 plus years, implying that it was running prior to storage.

New points installled and adjusted and the new condenser is in - I now have a nice strong blue spark. Put her in gear and push her off - RUM-RUM - and she's off to the races, good deal .

Major milestone with little real effort, I'll feel better now knowing that she runs as I start taking her apart. Even with the exhaust donut gone, it is quieter than I remembered.

Power seems good, the shifting seems a little rough and she runs a bit rough at max speed.
I think now is the time to look into the kick start issue and what ever else I might find inside there.

As mentioned before - all input is wecome.

sounds to me like you're doing it right: get it running, diagnose some stuff, then go make it go better!

Originally Posted by Dan'l Boone

Update: I hope it's not a bore to journal my experience here on this site

No bore whatsoever. I enjoy every bit of it... Keep it up.

Originally Posted by Havin' fun

No bore whatsoever. I enjoy every bit of it... Keep it up.

I'll second that. Keep on posting, I love reading about other peoples restorations, almost as much as riding/working on my own . Great stories, and pictures, thanks for sharing!