Project 20190912 Honda CD200 Benly 1980

[Comuk]

Hello fellow bikers,

I have acquired my second bike couple of days ago with the intention to convert it to a cafe racer. I bought it from a pic and it was obvious it has been subject to elements for a long time. Nevertheless, it hasnt been tampered with since 1990 when the current owner stopped riding. She was the 5th owner since 1984 and it is a 1980 bike. It changed hands now after 35 years. When I received the bike, it had a lot of dirt (more than rust) on it.
Behold, here she is with its full glory! I think a mouse must have mistaken the seat foam for a cheese so it is chewed in small pieces

https://i.ibb.co/N9xZPS9/5840729-F-9011-4-A42-B567-4765-C48830-F0.jpg

[Bhud]

Nice. What are your plans? Will you be keeping the front end?

While cafe racer isn't my preferred style, I'm all for modification. You look at that bike in its standard form and imagine it when it was new, and there you've got the real 80s staring back at you. A cheap runabout. Nothing you did earned medals on the sports field, you were never a champion this or that, so you're a beast of burden, your memories, opinions and perspectives on the past and present mean nothing because you're ordinary, so here's a huge luggage rack. It all works well, don't try to be something you're not, stay in your lane, etc. That's the real face of the 80s. Screw that. Whip out the angle grinder and have some fun with it. Looking forward to seeing what you make.

[yen_powell]

The first bike I ever ever rode circa 1981, in the night time, over a large park.My mate sits me on his Honda 200 custom thing and tells me to start the engine, pull the clutch lever in, push the gear lever down to put it in gear, open the throttle, let the clutch lever out and pick my feet up as it pulled away.

"What about stopping?" I said.

"Don't worry about that, get going do a big circle and I'll tell you as you go round me."

So I press the starter button, I pulls the clutch lever in, I clicks it into first gear, I opens the throttle and I picks my two feet up.

I fell over sideways with the bike on top of my leg, forgot to let the clutch lever out didn't I.

Managed it second time round and did a sort of wobbly 100 metre diameter circle with the poor sod chasing around to tell me how to stop.

edit..... CBT, buggers don't know they're born!
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[Sister Sledge]

Cafe racer? Was gonna drop the popcorn onto the page but I've never liked those bikes. Chop away!
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CCM 404 DS

[Easy-X]

Probably the same as my next project... are the wheels salvageable? what's the fuel tank like inside? All the rest is straight forward (if it isn't seized ofc!)
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[mentalboy]

/

[Comuk]

I have dismantled the rack, seat (took the foam and cover off), tank, battery, front light and instruments. It is OK underneath with some rust and all cables and ties are in perfect condition.

Battery is possible dead, I can see some residue on the plates. Do you think it is worth even topping up and charging?

Tank is rusty but that is expected. Some fuel inside but smells old

Engine turns with some compression with kick(didnt check the values yet).

The front forks seems a bit soft so probably blown.

The tyres split, anyway new ones are on order.

The wheels/spokes are rusty but didnt inspect much. I think I will start with wheels and forks.

Here are some pics for your inspection.

https://i.ibb.co/FBxvbjN/235-E134-D-3991-4495-B3-B1-FC5-F5-EC5-E5-D0.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/rvsXjLx/A235-A1-AF-26-EE-43-DF-8-CAB-E1661-CAB0-F34.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/8gdzmJb/D4370690-13-AE-4-B16-9220-8954-CC4-EFC26.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/Zdcd44D/1-D55-FE38-B5-B8-4251-A4-B7-B3920-D021-D32.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/pRYZnww/6-C9-E3280-359-F-4605-B17-F-B435-FA06-F6-E8.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/bzv4qGF/DBB8005-E-FBCD-4776-A755-FA218-FBBFB8-B.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/ZW42r6F/0-B015-A10-ABDF-4-D8-F-B9-F0-C7015-F806243.jpg

[Riejufixing]

[pepperami]

Don’t chop it up/customise it/ make it a cafe-racer.
It’s a nice little commuter bike, let it be that.

There are plenty of more suitable engines/bikes for cafe racer shite.


OR? You could start a customise/project and end up with a crap bike that nobody wants (hard to sell) , just look at the number of cafe-racers languishing on Thief-Bay.
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I am the sum total of my own existence, what went before makes me who I am now!

[Comuk]

Well, since all pieces are there, I am more inclined to restore it now but then I will need to start another project after this for a customised bike.

My dream is to build one like the below.

https://i.ibb.co/GQsSTd7/0517-ABC0-E6-C1-44-CA-B8-BA-8-AC4313-E87-F7.jpg

I think it is a cb550 or similar??

By the way, I am not a regular biker, this restoration is a hobby for me and I dont intend to ride the bike regularly so probably I will sell and start another one. I have no intention to make profit from it but if I get more funds for the next project, all the better.

[Bhud]

[Comuk]

lol you are absolutely right, I am a white collar guy that earns money with advisory rather than labour so yes I need this to balance my life.

However, I am certainly not an attention seeker and hate social media. I just value experience hence this thread. Nothing written here will deter me to complete this project, thats for sure.

[Sister Sledge]

I do admit to wanting something similar to this.
I'd love to have a smaller cc bike and leave it with all the patina and corrosion but make it fully road legal.

With regards just throwing the battery - what have you got to lose by trying a charge to it? 10p?? Give it a go and see what comes of it. I know I would.
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CCM 404 DS

[Comuk]

Well, a lot of people want to do this but they dont because they overthink what other people will say? I dont care. I am 43 and I am open that I am not a regular biker and a newbie wanting to learn. What is the problem with that? My two neighbours now admitted they would love to do same but ... there is always a but.

Anyway, I am off travelling abroad again and already looking forward to my ‘me’ time next weekend.

Plan so far:

- get some tools delivered during the week. There is a never ending list
- check some youtube videos how to recondition a battery
- decide if I want to recondition wheels and rewire new spokes myself or get someone to do it ( i enjoy engine, ignition etc work) more. Depends if I can find a reliable guy
- keep it as a commuter or turn into a custom bike. Not an urgent one
- start reconditioning forks

[Bhud]

I'm not saying every horse has to be a thoroughbred stallion, but just hear me out on this opinion. It's fine if anyone agrees or disagrees.

When I finished my restoration project this year I felt a tremendous sense of achievement, even though the jobs I carried out on the bike were (mostly) all things I'd done before on previous bikes. The feeling of going from a piece of junk that's completely inoperable, a garden rats' nest that had been neglected for years, to a fully working and properly sorted, relatively good-looking old-school bike was really something good. You will find that you need to do something about your wheels, brakes and frame, not just get it running.

The bike I restored had a luggage rack, too. Had.

Still got the bike, it's absolutely great and has no issues at all. But, at the end of the day, I am the only one who knows what work went into it. What irks me about a standard bike (any) is that people assume the worst of you, and they mostly reflect these attitudes back at you. Examples:

1) You need it (for work, to carry things around, etc.)
2) You're desperately poor or else you would have a newer bike (no, this is an old bike because I don't know how to work on modern bikes)
3) It's a "hack" (hate that word!)

Nobody gives you credit for your restoration project unless it's for one of the famous bikes of the 1970s. What I mean is, they won't look at your CD200 with MOT and think you restored that. At best, they'll think you're an old man too scared to ride anything bigger or faster. Unless, of course, you tell them that this is your project (as you've done here).

It works the other way around too. You upgraded the calipers on your R1? Oh, that's because you're such an awesome rider you can definitely use the difference in performance between the standard caliper and the aftermarket one. Things like that. Incorrect assumptions.

What I'm getting at is, the only guy who will really appreciate a restoration of a bike like that is always going to be the one in the mirror. I know people say this and that about Honda Benly, history, blablabla. But people say all sorts of things. So if you're going the restoration route don't think about selling it (selling a bike you restored properly is going to be a net loss, especially considering I think you'll probably to replace your front wheel, replace all your bearings, probably your shocks and swingarm, battery, maybe ignition system, etc.) Restoration is for if you love the bike. Otherwise, I would just treat it as a sandbox for acquiring the skills and experience you're after. In other words, change it to something else.

Take that CB550 "cafe" you posted. I look at it and I see a terrible bike. I don't think there's enough travel in the forks (which will harm braking power). There are no rearsets to go with the dropped handlebars (uncomfortable). There are velocity stacks and an open pipe (will cause issues with people in the current intolerant climate, and will be a nightmare to get the jetting right). The 4-into-1 will definitely scrape the ground long before the right footpeg. That headlight is cheap Ebay rubbish and will melt before it shows you anything 10 feet in front of you. There are no indicators, there's no rear brake light or number plate, etc. But it's obnoxious. Do you see a fat, comfortable pillion seat? No. Do you see a big luggage rack to carry that pizza/package to the City boy in his Porsche within the next 15 minutes? No. That's its real power.

That's why I would say, burn every effigy of goodness and normalcy. If the neighbours like it, something is wrong. Could it satisfy you? A good boy's bike? Who knows. I'll watch to see what you decide, because I'm itching to do another project but won't be doing one until next year.

[stinkwheel]

There is hope. It's a tubular simplex frame, not one of those pressed steel efforts which would have reached terminal levels of rot by now.

Pretty sure a benly has a self-exciting ignition. So the battery is irrelevant until you are looking at sorting out lights.

I'd be really tempted to see if it has a spark. Should make one when kicked over. Kill switch to on, ignition to on. Sparkplug out of the hole and resting on the cylinder head and give it a kick.

If it turns over and makes a spark, you probably have yourself a project.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Easy-X]

I always find the "old classics" like this much more interesting than some insanely over-chromed poser-piece.

Chatting to some fellas at Newlands Corner at the weekend and they pointed out their mate just pulling up: an old Triumph so heavily restored it was 10x newer and improved over a factory mint one.

Had he spent years restoring it? Fuck no! He'd paid £20,000 for it

Don't ever be that guy!

If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd still be tinkering with bikes and cars as before... I'd just buy a decent bike lift and more tools
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[chickenstrip]

[Bhud]

[Comuk]

[Comuk]

There are so many parts to get the gunk off, degrease etc. What is the cheapest and safest way to clean metal parts in a motorcycle?
I have apple cider vinegar that I will use for getting rust off.

Another question, some parts will wait months (like tank, chain etc) for their time to come for restoration. Shall i keep them in oil etc to stop rusting? What parts you recommend I dismantle now and preserve until later rather than keeping on the bike

[stinkwheel]

I use paraffin and a paintbrush for degreasing then rinse with a hose.

A spray over with WD40 will leave a slight and easily removed film if you're storing stuff indoors. Or the ubiquitous "oily rag".

Plain white vinegar or "non-brewed condiment" is generally cheaper than cider vinegar. Works well.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Comuk]

I need advice on wheels. There are 2 options:

1- get the original wheels restored.
2- buy comstar wheels (or new chinese wheels) and sell the original wheels

I am inclined to go for second option because I think option 1 will cost more and option 2 will look better in black.

Do you think spoke wheels are superior and I should go for option 1? Any issues you see with option 2 (fitment to my benly etc)? I want to go for cb250n wheels.

Thanks in advance

[stinkwheel]

If you want comstars, you'll need a full front end because they're disc brake and your bike is drum. Nowhere to bolt the caliper.

I'd strongly suggest you worry about that sort of shit after you've confirmed you have a working engine. People spend ages tarting up cosmetics only to find the motor is scrap.

Until you have all the rest of the bike working, the wheels are just something to park it on and make it easier to drag it in and out of the workshop.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Comuk]

Well, wheels are quite important not just cosmetics but I got your point. I am assuming the engine is ok and it will work. I disconnected the wires but not completely taken apart.

I put the battery from my cb125t2 but that is 6v 6a battery and this bike needs 6v 12a battery. I am not sure if that is the reason but I dont see any lights coming up yet. Still investigating