My SL175 look alike project.

For whatever reason I never noticed this before, but you're using the earlier handlebar switches without the kill switch. They look good polished though I can't recall if my SL175K0 switches were polished or not, but pretty sure I recall it having a kill switch.
 
It's because it's a bitsa. The real SL175's had separate perches for the clutch and front brake levers. I'm using CL175 handlebars with CB175K4 switchgear, with their built in lever perches, also a CB174K4 wiring loom, without the kill circuit. K4 switch gear has the suicide lighting switch, ie Main Dip Off in one sweep.

I do actually have a spare CL175 right hand switch with the kill switch, but it's painted black. And it's just one more thing to go wrong, or comedians to play with, can't say I've ever been in a situation where I've needed a kill switch.
 
Good point, I'd forgotten about the separate lever perches. I do understand the unlikely need for a kill switch, I'm always thinking period-correctness in the details (which probably seems odd from someone who built such a contradiction of a 450)
 
First test ride today.

I think that in that video it was only running on one cylinder, left hand pipe cold after engine start today. A fresh plug in that side and it chimed in on both, responding to the throttle much better, sounded better too.

Only meant to go around the block, but it was running so well that I had an extended blast around the local lanes. It goes very well indeed, handles nicely, excellent brakes.

Obviously there are teething issues. Undergeared ( accounts for the lively acceleration ), engine screaming at 8k rpm at an indicated 60 mph in fifth. I kept feeling for that non existent 6th gear. 14t gearbox sprocket fitted, I think a 16t will be better for road use.

Pulling out from a side road onto a main road, I saw a party of adventure bikes go past. I pulled out to follow and was actually catching them when the engine started to stumble. Felt like fuel starvation, but when I pulled over to check I noticed that the choke mechanism had partially closed, opened this and all was well again. This happen a couple of more times on the ride back. Lever is either catching my leg, or more likely, responding to bumps in the road, as the mechanism is very free moving. I'll make a clip to hold it open.

Bike back in the garage now. Tomorrow, when it's cooled down, I'll go over all the fastenings, maybe adjust the chain, have a look at the plug colour etc. Idle speed once hot is over 2k rpm, so that needs looking at as well.

Overall, very positive, worth the long gestation period, I think I'm going to like this one !
 
To be honest, I wondered if it was running on both in the video, it sounded a bit flat to me but since I've not heard a stock SL175 exhaust in decades I wasn't completely sure. Good to hear it checks out well on a ride. Interesting about the choke, isn't there a staked nut on the lever shaft of the left carb that you could tighten a bit to see if it creates a little more friction to hold it still?
 
It's good that you noticed the choke mechanism. It's easy to take things like that for granted when you knew it was open at the start of your ride.

I sometimes want to choose new sprockets for my XL350 for the same reason. Probably will. Overall, sounds like a fun first jaunt aside from not catching the group of adventure bikes.

And my grammar lesson for the day: a group of adventure bikes is called a party. I hope a group of vintage Hondas merits a classier moniker.
 
Groups or party's, got to be better than gang.(y)

How about an assembly of Hondas ?

Regarding that sprocket, probably 15t will be better. I'll check the other two 175's tomorrow, remind myself what gearing I'm running on those. The SL is running a CB200 size chain, same as on the CL175K7.
 
Richard Pitman said:
Groups or party's, got to be better than gang.(y)

How about an assembly of Hondas ?

Regarding that sprocket, probably 15t will be better. I'll check the other two 175's tomorrow, remind myself what gearing I'm running on those. The SL is running a CB200 size chain, same as on the CL175K7.
Click to expand...

Assembly of Hondas sounds nice to me, although I was thinking of a thunder of Hondas myself. Maybe for thunder one needs an assembly of at least ten individual machines.
 
Richard Pitman said:
Groups or party's, got to be better than gang.(y)
Click to expand...

Yes, since the "gang" reference is what Honda so diligently tried to distance itself from in the '60s with their best ad campaign (you meet the nicest people...)

Agree that going up only 1 tooth on the front might be better. Rear sprocket the same size as the CB/CL?
 
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Went over it with the spanners yesterday, no problems found. Tom had it right about the choke mechanism, nipping the little nut up a bit has tightened up the movement so that lever stays in place now.

Rear sprocket is 35t, same as my CL, which has a 15t front, rather than this ones 14t front. 15t sprocket ordered.

Here's another startup video, hopefully sounds a bit healthier than the previous one.

(606) SL175 startup 3 - YouTube

And then I went off out another test ride, ran perfectly, although screaming the engine in top gear does get a bit wearing, although the low gearing is good fun on the back lanes, goes up through the gears much more eagerly than the other two 175's do. I also had to fit a mirror, I cannot stand riding without knowing what is behind me at all times.

It dropped some oil when I stopped for this photo. Can't decide if was just some excess chain oil, or a drip from the alternator cover.

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And another local folly, both 'eye catchers' on the horizon when viewed from Croome Court, a local National Trust property, photo to follow when I can find it on my phone.

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Glad that worked for the choke lever tension. Engine sounds properly responsive now, idle might not quite be completely synced but overall sounding much healthier. Hopefully the oil drip is chain lube or a minor seepage.
 
Changed the main jets from the 98's fitted to the correct 92 mains. Plugs were very sooty with the 98 mains.

15t sprocket still hasn't arrived. I have changed the gasket on the alternator cover, still need to change the O rings on the cover screws.

Went for a ride with my GoPro clone mounted in a chest rig. I've drilled holes in the clear waterproof cover, to let the sound in. This was a qualified success, OK up to about 40 mph when wind noise drowns everything else out. Here's a short clip@

(611) SL175pt1 - YouTube
 
Richard Pitman said:
Changed the main jets from the 98's fitted to the correct 92 mains. Plugs were very sooty with the 98 mains.

15t sprocket still hasn't arrived. I have changed the gasket on the alternator cover, still need to change the O rings on the cover screws.

Went for a ride with my GoPro clone mounted in a chest rig. I've drilled holes in the clear waterproof cover, to let the sound in. This was a qualified success, OK up to about 40 mph when wind noise drowns everything else out. Here's a short clip@

(611) SL175pt1 - YouTube
Click to expand...

Looks like great fun. Watching you drive on the left is a shock to my system, though!
 
Richard Pitman said:
Changed the main jets from the 98's fitted to the correct 92 mains. Plugs were very sooty with the 98 mains.

15t sprocket still hasn't arrived. I have changed the gasket on the alternator cover, still need to change the O rings on the cover screws.

Went for a ride with my GoPro clone mounted in a chest rig. I've drilled holes in the clear waterproof cover, to let the sound in. This was a qualified success, OK up to about 40 mph when wind noise drowns everything else out. Here's a short clip@

(611) SL175pt1 - YouTube
Click to expand...

I like it. Did you drill the holes in the front, sides or back of the case? I found that the open back case for my GoPro works better than being completely open but there's still wind noise after a certain speed. Turning 8000 around 60 mph is certainly up there with that 14 tooth front sprocket.
 
Having ridden my share of dirt bikes when I was much younger and jumped fair heights and distances for the heavy 4 stroke Hondas I always owned, it amazes me to no end what they can do on them today. My wife and I went to an indoor show at the Forum in Tampa about 10 years ago or so to watch motocross stunts and it was the first time I'd ever seen a backflip done live. Now they're doing double backflips and riders on 4 wheelers are doing backflips too. I felt lucky to land well back in the day, never dreamed of taking one hand or foot off the bike, much less my whole body for any length of time like they so casually do today.
 
Sorry, slightly off track, but in reference to the CRF mentioned above.
I was lucky enough a few years ago to go to Portugal three times on off road holidays.
Twice I road XR400s and for the last trip, I chose the CRF450X. I’d already read that it was a man’s bike….. I discovered I wasn’t a man and went back to the XR for the last day!
Oh, no issue at speed or shoving the back end out, but at anything below 10-20 mph on rough stuff, it was too fidgety. I found for loose rocks, stumps, awkward spaces, the XR was more forgiving.
 
What surprised me, and a person sitting near to us, was how relatively slow the bikes seemed to be moving when hitting the take off ramp. I was imagining a sort of Evel Knievel 100 yard run up, hitting the ramp at 90mph type of thing. Must be some clever physics involved, given how high and far the bikes were flying.
 
Part of it is suspension compression and the resulting release when the bike leaves the steeply curved ramp, and I learned from my former over-50 motocross champ friend that they also use the throttle against the rev limiter and/or tapping the brakes to change their angle in flight if the front end is too high or too low.
 
15 t front sprocket and new O rings on alternator cover screws fitted yesterday, hoping for test ride later today, other commitments permitting (SWMBO etc).

One observation - how on earth to do folks manage to use the SL175 kickstart ? Admitted, I'm a short arse, but it involves incredible contortions to get my foot up onto that high lever. I have no such problem with the CL and CB kick starts. Makes me wonder again about the use of the ratchet mechanism on the genuine SL engine, less prone to breakage if mishandled. Must be careful if so, with this CB engine I'm currently using.
 
50 mile ride in the heat yesterday. Still seems to go up through the gears very eagerly even with the 15t sprocket, now geared the same as my CL. Must be the weight difference. Imagine if I lost a couple of stone as well. :sad:

Occasional odd engine noises from down below, at one stage sounded like I'd just passed someone using a road drill. Pulled over for a listen, engine then sounded fine apart from a top end rattle which I put down to hot engine / thin oil.

But I'm now paranoid that the nut under the oil spinner has come loose, that I didn't get it tight enough when engine was out on the bench.

One other possible source of noise is the kick start mechanism, that lanky SL kick start lever getting pushed back behind my leg.
 
At least you could access the oil filter nut without too much work to check its tightness, unlike the 200 engine. I suppose it's because I'm 6"1" (185 cm) that I never found any issue with using the long SL kickstart lever, but I was also 15 years old then too. Smart of you to utilize the electric start engine since unlike the SL350K1/K2, Honda didn't cut off the casting for it on the 175 bottom end so it fits the frame appropriately.
 
Of course, the oil spinner nut was still tight, and the valve clearances still correct, although you have to remove the petrol tap filter bowl to get at the left inlet tappet cover. Interesting to see the black film inside the oil spinner already, it had been clean when fitted 115 miles ago, with fresh oil. Shows that it works, I suppose. Started from cold, the engine sounds fine.

However, I did track down one source of noise, the rubbing sound that I'd put down to the kick start. When I fitted the 15t sprocket, I took great care with chain tension and rear wheel alignment, or so I thought. I noticed today that the CB200 rear sprocket chain protector thing had been rubbing against the swingarm. I've now realigned the back wheel for clearance, still only a gnats whisker though. Comes of mixing and matching parts I suppose. For example, aftermarket sprocket studs and nuts fitted, loctite rather than metal locking tabs. I'd remove that chain guard dish, except that it acts as a spacer under the rear hub circlip on the CB200 hub.

zeUr0cJ.jpg


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Another decent ride yesterday, issue with the rear wheel resolved, no knocks or other odd noises from down below.

Until I became aware of a rattle somewhere behind me. Turned out that the aftermarket SL175 rear light lense was literally shaking itself apart. One fixing screw already gone, also one of the orange side reflectors had popped off, clear section for plate illumination just about hanging on. Looks like the four separate plastic parts were just stuck together with cyanoacrylate glue.

I know I referred to these rides as 'shakedown rides', looks like it was not far from the truth ..

I've made a temporary repair using my soldering iron to fuse the parts together, using side reflectors from headlight ears. DS 'high quality Japanese' aftermarket lense on the way.
 
Richard Pitman said:
Another decent ride yesterday, issue with the rear wheel resolved, no knocks or other odd noises from down below.

Until I became aware of a rattle somewhere behind me. Turned out that the aftermarket SL175 rear light lense was literally shaking itself apart. One fixing screw already gone, also one of the orange side reflectors had popped off, clear section for plate illumination just about hanging on. Looks like the four separate plastic parts were just stuck together with cyanoacrylate glue.

I know I referred to these rides as 'shakedown rides', looks like it was not far from the truth ..

I've made a temporary repair using my soldering iron to fuse the parts together, using side reflectors from headlight ears. DS 'high quality Japanese' aftermarket lense on the way.
Click to expand...

I'm not at all surprised by your experience with the aftermarket taillight lens. You may remember I had a similar problem with a "replica" assembly from Thailand

post #427

and my repair with 1/4" pop rivets didn't last either, it shook apart again so I went with a good used original Honda unit from an SL100 and added shoulder bolts and rubber grommets in the mount

post #452

Not the prettiest end result but durable and functional
 
Yes, the replica SL175 lamp assembly here really is a piece of junk. One of the wires in the bulb holder has just separated from the solder pad, and the wire used has hardly any conductors in it, so I'll resolder both wires with some decent thin wall cable.

HONDA REAR STOP TAIL LIGHT LAMP SL175, SL 175, SL-175, 1970 - 1971, All Years | eBay

Also that both threaded holes for the lense mounting screws are stripped, hardly surprising as the holes used are just in the thickness (thin ness !) of the lamp base, no meat to take a thread. I've found some rivnuts with the correct thread, so that solves that particular problem.

I've got an original huge Stanley rear lamp from a CL175 here, and the difference in build quality is staggering. Proper welded nuts for mounting screws etc.
 
David Silvers replacement lense arrived yesterday, and it is indeed high quality. Made in Japan, plastic twice the thickness of the cheapo part, nice and glossy.

At the same time, I ordered the rubber gasket that fits under the lense. DS don't stock these, but they raise a special order. I suspect that they get them direct from CMNSL, who did have this part in stock. If so, it seems quicker and cheaper to order via DS than direct from CMNSL, came in just one week.
 
The jury is out on this latest modification but here goes.

After a few hundred dry tarmac miles, the front of my engine was filthy. Hate to think what it would be like in rain or mud. Now, this SL175 is only ever going to be used as a road bike, so I've painted up and fitted a spare CG125 front fender that was rusting away in the back of the shed. I've yet to test ride it, but I expect at least another 5mph top speed, due to reduced drag ( only joking ). I have also correctly routed the brake and speedo cables since this photo was taken, before anyone mentions it. And I've just remembered, must fit a new split pin to the front brake linkage.

NnLX7tx.jpg
 
I must say that I completely understand your thinking, despite personally not caring for the look much. But at least it's a Honda fender and painted the proper color. I put a low chrome CL fender on my SL350K1 back in the day so I can't really be critical, it probably looked more out of place than a painted fender would have.

This is a horribly blurry screenshot from a short Super 8 movie clip of the bike after my father repainted it following a crash while dirt riding, from 1971

SL350K1.jpg
 
Actually, I did think about putting a chrome CL175 front fender on it, probably would have looked more appropriate ( shorter, better tyre clearance ) but it would have needed a couple of new mounting holes drilled in it.
 
More projects lined up for idle hands. I'm currently (no pun intended ) running an old CB174K4 wiring harness on my SL175, this works OK because it already has the wiring for the electric starter circuit, also turn signals.

I've just bought a used SL175 loom, to use as a template for making a new loom, with fresh thin wall cable and new connectors. I was quite surprised to find that the SL loom already has the wiring for turn signals, confirmed by checking the SL wiring diagram in the back of the FSM.

New loom will be altered to add starter solenoid circuit. Kill switch (black with white trace) wiring deleted. Charging circuit yellow and white wires merged at stator plug, yellow and white wires to switchgear deleted. Wiring for voltage regulator deleted. Wiring to combined reg rec rerouted to take in account new position of that unit, under battery box alongside starter solenoid.

Will give me something to do this winter, although I'm presently hiding inside the house, projected 40C this afternoon. Scorchio ....
 
Yes, I've noticed the heat wave you're going through, worse than some parts of the US has had lately. I would say we're used to ridiculous heat here in Florida, and the humidity makes it feel that way at times regardless, but we have not had any 100°+ F days here yet this summer (close though, a week or two ago it was 97). Stay safe and hydrated Richard.
 
Completing the transition from off roader to street bike.

Fitted some spare CB600 handlebars, quite comfortable to not be sat up in the wind like a sail. Cruises nicely at 60mph @ 7Krpm.

ENMyjhN.jpg
 
Back in the shed this morning, working on the electric start fitting to the SL175 bottom end, inspired by Rod Fryatt modification to his CD175.

I made up this tool, using my existing hole saw arbour, a new 46mm hole saw and a piece of 9mm diameter silver steel rod. I don't own a lathe, so to reduce the 9mm bar to fit in the 6mm pilot drill hole in the arbour, I spun the bar using my drill, whilst running my powerfile on the bar. Then cut the bar off using my angle grinder.

ffTdK4b.jpg


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vzr0LjO.jpg
 
I used a 44mm diameter hole saw to find the centre of the hole to be cut, then drilled it out to 9mm diameter. I have a scrap starter motor, and used the end cap of that in the same way the Rod described, except that I drilled through the end plate so that the 9mm guide rod could slide through.

BTW, I did plug up all the oilways before I started drilling ! Sharp new hole saw cut through in no time at all.

VjV59aR.jpg


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Job done. Drilled hole is slightly loose, so some Hondabond, or dare I say it, RTV, may be needed to keep the oil in. But, in the best tradition of the bodger, it'll do !

Whipped the rotor off with my rattle gun and a big bolt, then fitted the new rotor and starter clutch. Just waiting for the chain and small sprocket to arrive now. Will also need to make up a strater cable from some car jump leads.

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My goodness, thank you for all your kind words !

As I've said before, I'm standing on the shoulders of giants here, everything I've learnt has come from the experienced folks who post and answer the questions posed by relative newbies like myself. In this instance, I would not have dreamt of doing this had I not seen, read and thought about Rods post. Thanks also to Tom for suggesting the use of a smaller hole saw to find the centre point.
 
ballbearian said:
Beautiful. Could you put a tiny chamfer on outer edge and a thin Oring?
Click to expand...

It has crossed my mind. In fact, there is a gap of 1mm or so between the shoulder of the starter motor and the outside of the case that would easily take a suitable O ring. But then again, a good dollop od Hondabond or RTV would also work. The actual hole is well above the oil level in the alternator case, so any leakage is going to be minimal, I hope !
 
This may sound janky but I used teflon plumber's tape to mount a reservoir to a front brake that was a chronic leaker. It is still good after two years. New reservoirs were unavailable for '80 Suzuki GS750L.
 
Chain and sprocket arrived and fitted. However, there are a few issues.

Motor will only run if the two long screws are not fully tightened. My fault, I think, I decided to treat the planetary gears to a clean up and fresh grease. I scraped off the remains of a gasket, which in retrospect acts to take up some clearance. Without it, the motor end plate skews to one side when the screws are fully tightened, binding the shaft so that the motor cannot turn.

The small sprocket is binding against the outer cover when it is fitted. I will double check part numbers, as this is a CB250G5 part. All else fails, another job for the power file. In the photo, the little sprocket IS fully home on the motor output shaft, snug against the circlip at the top of the starter motor.

All this aside, provided that I don't fully tighten everything the starter spins the engine over very easily, at quite a pace, even with the plugs in. I'm just going to have to make a gasket and add a few shims here and there.

ZSc9g5E.jpg
 
Looks like the chain is tighter than they typically are as well, wonder if the small sprocket has the exact same number of teeth (same part number?)
 
Thanks, yes, just checked, different part number for the sprocket, chain is correct though. I'll count the teeth in a while.

This is my CL175 engine.

Looks like 13 teeth on both, but later sprocket is clearly thicker.
26PCa5P.jpg
 
Interesting. Seems to take up that small amount of slack that is showing in the picture of the CL175 engine. As long as it isn't too tight it will likely wear in a bit without causing trouble. Those sun gears in the starter can be troublesome getting centered even when the cover seems to go on properly, 1 tooth off and they drag.
 
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