Honda CD175 1970

Honda CD175 1970
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June 7, 2008. This is my first web page after switching from Linux Redhat to Ubuntu, I am now using OpenOffice Writer to edit the web page.

This is a web page about my blue Honda CD175 (1970). To read more about this bike, check my links above

Are you ready for the summer after 4 years in mothballs? Year=2008 Odometer reading=4480 Actual miles=indeterminate

The fuel is 4 years old, with no stabilizer added. I basically did not do any storage procedure to Blue Lite except to drain the carburetor (I think). Both tires are almost flat and need pumping up. The almost new battery came from my red CD175. I dusted Blue Lite off, cranked it over. Got nothing until I pushed it down the driveway and it finally started near the bottom. I drove it around for a while, then drained the gas and refilled with new, changed the oil for 1.3 liters of mostly Mobil 1 10W-40 motorcycle oil and some other Mobil 1 oils.

June 7, 2008. 4531 miles
The odometer is misleading, as there is a new speedometer installed. The basic bike is 20,000 miles, engine unknown as it came from Junkers and was also rusted solid and exposed to the weather for years. Today I checked the timing and tweaked the cam chain. The acceleration felt weak at low rpm. One cylinder was firing ahead of the timing mark, the other was spot on. So I retarded the timing, now the advanced cylinder is spot on, but the other is between "F" and the "T" mark. I think it pulls better now, and I also tested it flat out up to 55 mph into the wind.

Too bad you cannot adjust both cylinders to fire at the F mark, but one of the simplifications of the CD175 is the single set of points and coil for two cylinders. It actually could use a new points cam to solve the problem.

July 27, 2008. 4671 miles
I was going to take Blue out for a ride on a nice sunny day, but it would not start easily, and would not idle even after it warmed up. So I returned home, dropped the float bowl and unscrewed the idle jet with my special custom made short screwdriver. Then I examined the jet with a reverse binocular, and could see some light, but very dim. I used a bit of thin stiff wire and ran it through. Much more light now, could see a round bright hole. The bike ran fine when I reinstalled the jet, so that was it, I guess. I have not looked that that jet for years, so it's probably been closing up for some time now.

August 2, 2010. 5405 miles
I have been out for several rides this year, including two to Port Dover, which is a 120 mile round trip. After the first Port Dover trip, I found the chain was almost seized, and I needed to oil it link by link, although I didn't need to adjust it. On the next trip it worked fine. I have not done a tune up lately, and I am finding it hard to start sometimes. Also, if I don't shut off the gas tap to park, I regularly get gasoline leakage. Otherwise I can't complain, I made it to Port Dover and back twice without a problem. I have put on over 700 miles, since my last journal update, mostly this year.

I am also noticing that the public interest in the CD175 is more than I'm used to. This year it seems everywhere I go with this bike, people come over to talk about it. Maybe just coincidence.

June 23, 2011. 5555 miles

I brought out Blue Lite for the first ride of the year last week. It started up and ran after a few kicks, but the fuel petcock was dripping enough to get my fingers wet and soak the engine. I tightened the screws near the lever, but no luck. So I drained most of the tank, which I had just filled up, and dismantled the petcock. The critical part is a round four-holed rubber grommet, called a “petcock gasket”. I guess it had deteriorated over the last forty years so it was no longer holding the fuel. Fuel was leaking around the tap lever, and now I could see it was also dripping through the pipe into the carburetor too, even when it was shut off.

I was told that Honda still carried the part, and also it was available from Sirius Consolidated. I decided to try a Sirius, supplier I have never tried before. I live right near Sirius, but everything must be ordered online. So I ordered online and specified “local pickup”. The gaskets were $7.50 U.S. each, and I ordered two. I also ordered a CD175 “Keyster Carb Kit” for $19.00, Link to Sirius Consolidated is http://www.siriusconinc.com

Two days later, I received an email that the parts were ready for pickup. The Keyster Carb Kit is in a box, marked “Made in Japan”. Unfortunately the carburetor repair kit does not have a float valve or seat, which are the parts I need most. So I have not installed any of the carburetor parts yet. I installed the petcock gasket, and now the petcock no longer leaks at the tap, or drips through the pipe when turned “off”.