Honda CB160 Restoration Thread

I diassembled the carbs and petcock on the CB160 last night, and found the anticipated dried fuel residue. As is typical, one carb was full of the stuff, and the other was much cleaner. I soaked everything in carburetor cleaner, and it all cleaned up nicely.

I reassembled everything with the original gaskets, which appear to be serviceable for now. I will replace them all in the long term, but I want to get the bike running first, and see how the existing jets work at this altitude. I live at 7200 feet and most of my riding is much higher, so I often have to use smaller fuel jets and larger air jets to deal with the altitude. I'll order new gaskets and o-rings when I order the new jets. (I might do things differently if the carbs were difficult to get on and off, like on the four cylinder Hondas. The Cb160 carbs come off in a jiffy, though. This whole engine is so simple and accessible, working on it should be a breeze.

I ordered new tires (trials type, since I plan to use this bike mostly on forest roads and in the Red Desert.) Also picked up new tubes yesterday, and a new chain. The old sprockets look like they were hardly used at all, (with only 4000 miles, I guess they WERE barely used) but the chain was horribly rusty. I'm surprised I didn't break the chain while rocking the bike back and forth around the garage.

I'll pull the back wheel when I replace the chain, and check out the brake and bearing conditions. If the back is like the front, I will be thrilled.

It amuses me that so many motortcycles wind up being used for such short distances, then parked for decades. I've done several car restorations, and the mechanical parts on old cars are nearly always worn out. On so many old bikes, the internal mechanical parts are basically unworn. This looks like another bike that will be back on the road with litle more than a new chain and new cables, and a bit of cleaning.

Why do people abandon motorcycles with so few miles on them?

I remember from my CB 160, it doesn't have an oil filter as such, but rather a lube oil purifier (or LOP) as we called them onboard ship. It's a centrifugal oil purifier that IIRC is on the right side of the crankcase.

Digging deep into the memory banks, I want to say after you pull the cover, the centrifuge part has a lid held on by a central bolt. There are two tabs that I used to grab with pliers to pull the lid off and clean the sludge from the cannister walls. Don't break those tabs off. DAMHIK. But I can tell you that after one of them got broken off it was a bitch to get the lid off, and the motor had a little more vibration up around the redline of 10K rpm.

At the miles on that bike, it shouldn't have much in it unless it hasn't been cleaned following the break in period.... Uuhhh, you might want to add that to the list of things to check then.

Thanks for the heads-up Mark. I agree, the LOP should be on my list of things to clean before I try to fire up this bike. BTW, I'm a former U.S. Navy Engineman. I worked on engines with LOPs too!

Cool! Were you guys called "Snipes". That was the Coast Guard term for Engineers. Black greasy handprints were known as Snipe Prints. And since everything was painted white they show up better than on grey-hulls. But anyway, you'll know the routine then.

I made it as far as BM2 before getting kicked in the ass to go to OCS. Running boats at the world's busiest Search And Rescue (SAR) station at Miami Beach I earned the respect of the MKs that rode with me because in my knife holster I cut a slot for a 6" crescent wrench that came in real handy a time or two. And I wasn't afraid to use it when things went to shit.

My teenage daughter's boyfriend is looking seriously at a merchant marine career because his Dad is big into a ship repair company here. I did some online searches for some info to get him going in the right direction. All I could tell him was I wish I was a little younger to start another career

Yep, we were "snipes" in the Navy too. Never heard anyone refer to "snipe prints" but then, we were a rough lot. people may have made those jokes under their breath, for fear they might get a "snipe print" on their face!

I only made it to EN3, then got our and went to college. Now I'm a lawyer, and I only turn wrenches for fun.

I owned 2 CB160s, the first one was probably a 1965 because it had the same front fork to front axle attachment as your bike Cowboy.



The other 160 I rode had a sturdier attachment system with two bolts holding a cap to the bottom of the fork so I assume it was a 1968 or so.

Since then I bought another CB160 but I have not started the restoration project, it is missing a few parts.

Have fun and keep posting your pictures.


Carl

Carl,

I was surprised by the front axle attachment on this bike. Every other Honda I've owned has had the system you just described, with "caps" on the bottom of each fork leg that hold the axle on. The front axle on this one is much more difficult to remove.

It looks like the bike in your photo has a chrome fender on the front. Is that my imagination?

Yes my first CB160 had a chrome fender and I am quite sure it was a 1965 but it could have been a 1964. I am guessing; I bought it in 1966, used from somebody who could not pay his bike shop bill.

My first 160 had the same front fork attachemnt as yours, you can barely see it in the B&W picture I attached previously.

My friend owned a 150 Dream at the same time, the model with the stamped metal frame, the flared front fender, the funny little front suspension and also had square rear shocks.

After my friend sold his 150 he bought a newer CB160, that is the one with the 'Honda' front fork attachment the same as the CB160 I have in the basement now, I think mine is a a 1967; here is a picture:



I do not have any pictures of the 1968 that my friend owned and later sold to my brother. I rode it back and forth between Waterloo (University) and Toronto every weekend for 3 months (120 miles on the superslab round trip) we were getting our truck ready to drive to South America.

I think that the 1968 had a silver fender, the one I have in the basement certainly does:




I have many other bikes waiting for restoration, CB77, CL77, CB175, CB450, CL450, CB550 4 cyl, RM125. CR80, 125TNT and 250TNT CanAms, Husqvarna WR 125, I doubt I will get around to working on them soon, too much fun riding.

Also R90S, R1200C and DRZ400S in running condition.


Thank you for the memories,
Carl

Might be looking for one of those now that the 150 is finished(previous post). I'd give it a good home.

I learned to ride on a CB160 that belonged to one of my neighbors - many fond memories of that bike. My first bike was a CL77 305 Scrambler.

Here is the 1966 CB160 I resurrected last spring. I replaced the oil and tires, cleaned the carbs, set the points and rode it for a few weeks around the neighborhood while the seller searched for the title. It was never found so he bought it back from me per our arrangement. The bike was great fun to ride - I wish now I just kept it and tried to get around the title problem.

It was in better shape than I really knew at the time.

This is the classic Honda I am fooling around with now. 1982 C70 Passport with 19,500 miles on it! Still shifts well, burns no oil, and after some electrical work all the lights and charge system plus the usual fuel system root o rooting it runs like when Reagan was still chopping wood. I can see keeping this one a while. 100 mpg while getting milk and bagels. I guess I should post in over in Battle Scooters. Honda still had the new front fender and a chain case in the warehouse. That was the extent of parts needed plus some vigorous rust removal and spot painting.

It's amazing how long-lasting this design was. I have a 1964 Honda CT200 (the single-year model number for the first year trail 90) Mine is shown in the background of the photo below (missing its seat). Park the two together, and they would definitely look like siblings.

ddudelin, I have similar regrets about passing this CB350 on to a new owner last fall. It was an easy restoration, basically I rebuilt the carbs, cleaned up the electrical connectors, replaced the battery and a few cables, and gave it a new coat of (non-original color) paint. Then I rode the heck out of it all spring and summer.

Yes, the step-through Honda in various displacements is still being built today in Honda factories in some third world countries. More than 50 million 50, 70, and 90cc bikes like this have been built since 1958 along with very similar trail bikes with the step-through "girl's frame".

Sweet, same here. I bought this CB350K3 after the 160. I fixed it to running good in the spring and sold it summer. New tires, battery, tune-up kit and carb kits.

Read this article, I know a few of these guys and this looks fun!

http://www.soundrider.com/archive/organizations/honda_160_racing.htm

I spent some time in the garage this evening. I've now freed and lubricated all the old cables. They are all completely shot, of course, but I don't want to buy a lot of new parts until I have a better idea whether this bike will run for me. The old cables will allow me to test things without spending the money for new ones.

I also pulled the rear wheel off, and opened it up. The brakes were similar to the front: nearly new, with lots of life left in the shoes. Lots of rust on the drum as well, but that will rub off soon enough. The back has a fairly prominent groove in the drum, though, so after I detemine whether the bike will run, it will need resurfacing.

I put the rear wheel back together, and reinstalled it with a new chain. (I didn't mind this purchase: if the CB160 turns out to be a dud, I can use the new chain on my CT200.)

I also figured out why someone would park this bike with so few miles on it: they didn't! The speedometer cable was twisted in half, so the miles shown on the odometer are not accurate. I have no idea what the real mileage may be. I expect to find that the speedometer is frozen, so I'll be lubricating the movement before I try hooking it up with a new cable.

I also tried spinning the engine over with the starter, using jumper cables from a fresh battery. No action at all, so I'll be pulling the starter off to see what the problem is.

Sorry I didn't take my camera out to the garage tonight!

I decided to clean the centrifugal oil filter before trying to start the CB160. When I opened it up, I found that both tabs on the cover had been broken off. I tried tapping around the edge, and I can see movement, but it never moves enough to get a hold on the edge to pull it out. I've also tried turning the cover by tapping with a chisel against the remains of the tabs. So far, that cover doesn't want to come loose. Any ideas out there?