Tell me about the CD175

[Swim41]

I've been thinking for a while about getting a small engined, economical bike to use as a light tourer. Something for exploring the back lanes on lazy summer afternoons, or maybe for a modest trip abroad and pottering around the French countryside on.

The obvious choice would be a CG but good ones are not that cheap and to be honest they don't have much character, which is important as I'm going to spend a lot of time on it . However, I've got the chance to buy a 9000 mile CD175 for ?450. It's not showroom, but it's in very good overall condition for something made in 1978. And I love the look, traditional 70's UJM with a twin cylinder engine and twin exhausts. I've sat on it and it seems comfortable.

Has anyone had one? If so are they like to live with? What's the fuel consumption like? What's the cruising speed? And are they fun to ride? Seems a comparitively heavy bike with drum brakes which suggests an 'interesting' riding experience.

cheers
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Yamaha XJ600N

[Blau Zedong]

Very good little bikes. Good 6V electrics (and can be converted to 12V very easily). Simple reliable engine that will do run forever as long as you change the oil and clean the centrifugal oil filter. Single carb means almost CG levels of simplicity. They are super frugal and I have seen 80mph on one, so probably cruise at 65mph all day (4 speed box does make it hard in certain situation to maintain speed though). The suspension and brakes are pretty crap (the CD was a cheap commuter bike whereas the CB got twin carbs, 5 speed box, TLS front drum and a rev counter , electrical starting etc although it's ostensibly the same frame and cases). They make quite a memorable sound for a little 4 stroke, a really hollow drone at max load. Check that exhausts, mudguards and seat base are more metal than rust, everything else is fixable.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[jaxx]

I've no personal experience of the cd175, but I own a cd200, have done for the last 8months. It has provided me with a cheap daily commute to and from work etc. I do 150miles a week, rain or shine, or snow!
They're crackin little bikes, full of character, and easy to maintain, although mine had spent 3yrs in a garage before i bought it, and its still not seen a spanner... Just a liberal coating of WD-40 every now and then.
Mines a little slow, but I am the best part of 14st...
Fuel consumption is laughable, 90mpg is a reality!!!

All the best in your CD adventures!

[The Shaggy D.A.]

From the Bike Buyer's Bible :-

[twostroketit]

I had one for going to work on a few years ago.
The worst thing about them is the headlight,bouncing off banks at 30 mph on unlit roads because i couldn't see was an everyday occurence
The suspension is very bouncy like a pogo stick, but the brakes seemed ok.
my commute is about forty miles a day there and back and although the bike did good MPG the fuel tank is tiny, so i would have to fill up every couple or three days. This can get annoying when you've forgotten and gone past the garage and have to go back or run out.
On the plus side it always started first kick whatever the weather and i once saw just over 80 MPH on the speedo with a tail wind
I would have another one ,But only if it had 12 volts and a bigger petrol tank.
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sup up your beer and collect your fags

[NickD]

I had one as a hack in the mid 90's after I had my GSX nicked and the insurance skanked me, and if I'm honest I'd have another one tomorrow!

I was totally skint at the time, and other than the ?100 quid I bought it for it cost me nothing in the 10 months (including a brutal winter) I ran it, and that was with a 17 mile each way country commute with no car or public transport alternative.

It didn't go or stop quickly, but I found the engine lovely and smooth, the brakes were sufficient for how fast it was going, as was the handling. When winter was over I was holding the throttle to the stop all the time, mile after mile, and there was never a hint of trouble. It was comfy enough, with a riding postion along the lines of my mates old BSA..... You were sort of 'perched' on it, but it felt good.

Given that it was incapable of mad speed it was the first bike that I took to riding in an open face lid, a habit that still recurs to this day... even on the Blackbird from time to time!

It loved the way it slowed me down and made me look at the scenery (up until that point it'd been faster, faster, faster), I loved the way I knew it would never let me down, and more than anything I loved the way it looked.

When spring came around, and I'd saved a little money I fell back into the standard way of bigger, better, faster more, and gave the CD away to a mate.... surprisingly not much tattier for all the neglect it'd experienced at my hands. If only I new then what I knew now, as I still find myself looking on ebay now and then.

I'm tempted to say it's overpriced, but it does sound in tidy condition and there aren't many decent examples about. If I had ?450 kicking about I'd be on the phone myself!
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I was only doing what it said on my licence officer....
Tear along the dotted line!

[Blau Zedong]

I'll dig the article out if anyone gives a shit but as far as I remember the 12V conversion involved changing the battery and all the bulbs / horn. That's about it - for some reason the generator can be left as is. They are far better than the CD185 / 200 that followed, faster and better built. Certainly upto a few years ago spares availability was good, even exhausts were A/available, protip is that filling them with 2T oil before fitting them dramatically slows the rusting process so a new set would last for years.
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18:54:48 Rob Fzs: jews don't give away stuff for free

18:54:59 Rob Fzs: unless its their clothes/ hair/ golden teeth

[Swim41]

Thanks for the replys, appreciate the info.

Looking at the bike as it stands, I think that ?450 seems a fair price. Excluding the odd mega-bargain you don't get much of a bike these days for that and this one has tax and 10 months MOT. A CG in comparible condition would cost a bit more, plus it is a mate selling it and I know he wouldn't rip me off and sell me shagged bike. Likewise I wouldn't seek to rip him off by offering him too little for something I know he's spent a good few quid fettling.

Am getting the impression CD is a solid bike. I've never owned something 6v or with points ignition but I'm used to fiddling with 12v C90s (another small Honda) so hopefully it won't be too much of a learning curve.

That retro design and the old style "HM" Honda badges call to me. Reckon I'll go for it.
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Yamaha XJ600N

[Towton 1461]

My older brother got a used one of these back in the mid-70s. The
electrics caught fire on the first day he had it. But once they'd been
sorted out it served him well as a reliable hack for the 18 months 'til
he traded it in against Sunbeam Stiletto car.

I rode his CD few times and found it a ponderous and uninspiring
machine, even for those times.

So, if all you want is something to potter slowly along country
lanes with, then it's good for the job at ?450.

A few weeks ago I saw one these Hondas for sale at a dealers for just
under ?3k. So if you put a bit of work in on it you could be quids in. Good luck!
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[Polarbear]

[Swim41]