Honda CA95 Indiana Spokes New Project

[Steverinomeiste]

Spokes, I'd love those handlebars. One of these days I've got to start givin' instead of just gettin' Here is a pic of my pathetic pile of CB160 parts, and a pic of the CA95 while I am doing your wiring test procedure for my headlight problem.

[Spokes]

No problem about the give & take. We have a great group of folks here. PM me with the address again and I will send out the bars. They are just hanging in the shed. I don't see a pile of CB parts...I see a bike waiting to happen.

[Larzfromarz]

I'm with Spokes... There is nothing wrong with assembling a bike from parts. I have a couple of Superhawks and a CL350 that are going together is the same way. You've got most of a bike already and likely you'll be surprised when it all comes together. The CB is a great bike and you'll do a great job and learn a lot too.

[Spokes]

Today I pulled the engine, wiring harness, cables, handlebars and controls. As rusty as this bike is, the wiring harness & wire connections are like new. The engine has never been apart. The dynamo is also like new. It is strange that the sheetmetal, fasteners, handlebars are really rusty. The internals are pristine.

Another strange blessing is the chrome tank panels. They are dent fee and polished up very nicely. I managed to remove the original handlebar grip. It too is very nice.

The Buco mirrors cleaned up, but the rust did a number on the chrome.

[ByTheLake]

Nice update - it's good to learn that the internals didn't rust like the body/frame.

I can't wait to learn how well the body cleans up, and how you'll fix the areas that are rusted thin or pitted deeply.

How is the carburetor? Any oxidation in the float bowl?

[Spokes]

The outside of the carb did show some oxidation and the slide was stuck. 30 minutes in my hot ultra-sonic bath with some industrial cleaner cleaned it up nicely and freed the slide. No damage. The bowl has some fuel varnish that came clean a well. I soaked the carb in Deep Creep penetrating oil for a night to loosen up the jets. I expect to rebuild and return the carb to service. The bike had the original carb tube and air filter.

The rear wheel and swing arm is wasted. I will be buying a swing arm (done) a battery cover and one shock (just for the chrome bottom) In a couple of weeks, once the replacement sheetmetal parts are delivered, the parts go to the sand blaster. The engine teardown will be soon. I figure Febuary for completion.

[Sam Green]

Damn Chip, the speed you're fixing these things up, soon there won't be any to fix.

[Jetblackchemist]

Done.

[Spokes]

Thanks guys, Here is a hint...there is a CA77 in the wings....The guy who sold me this Honda wants to give me a 305. So maybe another trip and a new spring project awaiting.

It does make a huge difference living in the warm south. If I was up north I would be done till May.

[ByTheLake]

Glad the carb is ok. Varnish is no biggie. I've had old carbs that, for whatever reason, accumulated severe aluminum oxide corrosion, like this CB175 carb below that I could not use. I'm not sure why some carbs can sit outdoors for decades and be fine, and others accumulate this severe corrosion.

[Larzfromarz]

Technically it would be the presence of an effective electrolyte, most likely water and not fuel. Remember fuel is lighter than water so water will accumulate at the lowest point as in the photo above. Water is more acidic than fuel and just fuel was left your are lucky enough to get varnish instead of corrosion. I'd also suspect the aluminum alloy is a low number making it porous and soft.

[Spokes]

The bike is broken down into parts. Unsalvagable parts like tires, rims, swing arm, rotted battery box and the like will be discarded. This bike came with a couple strange accessories. One was the odd saddlebag set up. The other was lights mounted on the front spokes. The pics below show what I mean.
The rotating contact that fits the hub.



The bulb mounts and wire on the spokes


A small thin wire ran up the inside of the forks and to a toggle switch which was connected to the hot lead for the head light.

About the corrosion. External is bad, internal like the bolt shafts were clean. The bike came apart very nicely. The frame at the battery location is very rusty but sound as far as I can tell. The small bracket that holds the bottom of the battery cover is rusted broken. I may save the frame and have the fab guys repair the little bracket. There is a small chance I may have to source a frame body, which is very easy. Also the Clutch and front brake cables are good as well as the brake shoes and hardware. I don't think the bike was ever greased as the original cream color grease is still visable. I have some OEM Japanese grease ready to lube the bike upon reassembly.

[ByTheLake]

I'm glad you posted the pictures, since I would have never expected the lights mounted on the spokes to look like that. I've never seen anything like that - do you think it was a period-piece accessory or a home made contraption? Are there 2 lights mounted 180 degrees apart, to offset any imbalance?

It's going to kill me to wait half a year for the video of you riding this thing at night, with your spoke lights blazing.

[Spokes]

There are 3 lights total. I have no idea or clue about the lights origin. The system is weak and I cannot promise that I can save it. I will try.

The saddlebag set up is also a mystery. The bar in back of the seat is actually a very old after market accessory. It was to be mounted to the fender. But the mount was modified and moved to the tail light body...which is a better mount then the fender. There's no manufacture's label on the bags or rack.

[ByTheLake]

From the picture it looks like there was also a hole drilled in the back fender? It's funny how old motorcycles accumulate "creative engineering" over the years.

I can find modern LED-based wheel lights on the market today, but I can't find any trace of the lights you have on your bike. Interesting find, Chip.