1969 Honda CB160 15k milestone

Lou, getting ready for a ride!

 

The ’69 CB160 just turned over 15k miles on the odometer, another motorbike milestone. 

Got this bike for $100 in 2009. Was trolling craigslist when it popped up. The ad had just been placed, I was at work (where things can be a little flexible if they need to be) and called right away. Rode straight home, borrowed Colby’s truck, stopped by the ATM, got to the guy’s house. I was the first one there, took a quick look at the bike, and paid the $100. This one had a title, too. It’d been sitting in the guy’s yard for a year or two, since he moved here from Washington. It was his grandfather’s bike, and had sat in a barn up there for a while. Remarkably, there wasn’t too much rust, and the rubber was in good shape (tank, etc., not the tires) as was the chrome. The original red paint was a little faded but looked super good. Loaded it up, and as we were signing the paperwork I asked how many calls he’d received. “At least 20 since I talked to you, but you’re the first to make it. How much is a bike like this worth, anyway?” Didn’t want to make him feel bad, so I told him if I could get it running it might be worth $200 or $300. At the time I knew that was way low, but I had no idea about the whole CB160/175 vintage racing scene in the Northwest and how it had driven up the value of these bikes. I just though it looked cool.

Brought it home, changed the plugs and points, new battery, and rebuilt the carbs, and it started on the first kick – ask Hoss, he was there! (Hoss also helped me unload it from the truck…). Next stop was figuring out what to do with it. I stripped it off unnecessary stuff, side covers, rear fender, handlebars, mirror, seat, etc. Sold all of that stuff for $350, so I am up on the deal already. Shaved some tabs (but was careful since I am didn’t paint or powder coat the frame – I just used a little touch up paint and left the weld marks). Repositioned the battery box and wiring, rigged up a café seat, and then bought new tubes and tire. The thing ran, but blew some smoke, and the stock exhaust had a few holes in it. I found some cool exhaust on craigslist in somewhere like Minneapolis for $20, with removable caps on the end. I also got the valves done (Short Block Charlie's in Tempe). Now the thing ran like a top. Final piece was having my buddy Brock (Dunlop Customs) fab up some rearsets using pieces from a CB400f set up.

Thing is a blast to ride, and will hit 65 if I peg it. I took it to the Love Cycles show a couple years back and it won best Japanese bike, despite the somewhat janky homemade seat. It helped a little that there were only about 5 or 6 Japanese bikes there. The charging system is a little weak, especially with the headlight on and a new rectifier, but if I keep the revs high it does OK and I can take it across Phoenix and back pretty easily. I just got a cheap café seat and cover ($65) and redid that – I still need to do a little sewing and mounting work, but it’s getting there.

15K on the odometer

With the original exhaust and working on fabbing the first try at the seat

This is what it looked like when I got it.

Here's the lovely wifey Meggers in a studio shot we did (thanks to Joe Hammeke!) -- based on the album cover "The Girl Most Likely" by Jeannie C. Riley (check here)

And getting some love at the Love Cycles show!