So I'm very new to this forum...and to motorcycle repair....and maintenance...or bikes larger than 125s...but I've gone out on a limb and brought a Honda CJ250T with the idea of restoring it and possibly doing a homemade cafe racer idea to it. Now I've done a quick search about CJ's (brought on a whim more than anything else, I must admit), and does anyone know how compatible CJ parts are with our Honda's? I know that it was a cheaper version of the CB350, so I'm hoping some parts will be flexible with some CB's. It's been standing in a dry garage since 1989 (thats five years before I even graced this planet with my presence!!) so it will need some work doing to it, but all the electronics appear to work and it starts first kick after the previous owner cleaned the carbs and put some fresh fuel into it. Anyway, I'll post some pictures up when I pick it up!
This should be a fine start to a long and enjoyable love affair with motorcycles. I am in Texas, USA, and my youngest child was born in 1991. Some of my grandkids were born before you. I started riding in 1966 and my longest stretch without a bike since has been 3 months. That should be a great bike, but it was never sold Stateside, so I have no specific advice for you.
Hello Valker! I've had a few 125's before now, its the first time that I've actually brought one to do up though, the main problem with trying to learn anything about bikes at the moment is I need the bike to get to work etc most days, so anything I do is limited to taking a few hours, as I can't afford to have it laid up and not in use. So I thought I'd indulge myself some instead!
The CB250 was a smaller-displacement version of the CB360, not the 350. Many CB, CJ, and CL 360 engine parts will interchange (although not all). Many more controls and lights will fit from nearly any Honda from the mid-'70s.
Thats what I wanted to hear!! Picked up yesterday, its in a more bruised state than I expected, but hey ho. First things first is the binded front brake, I've done some research about getting these apart, however, with no C clamp available to me, anyway know any quick fixes to get the pads apart before I take the caliper off next week when the haynes manual has arrived? Excited that its finally begun, I've just spent the past two days cleaning and making a list of jobs to do (which is long enough itself!)
Had a few in the cj,s inthe eighties, they were cheap enough to use as dispatch bikes in central london, watch em in the wet they slide from underneath you with no warning,,,,,if you want to make em accelerate quicker[ you will pay for this in top speed 90ish down to 80 on a private road,nudge nudge wink wink]1..change engine sprocket ,go down 2 teeth 2..change rear sprocket add 1 tooth 3..let it breathe ,ditch original air filter replace with k+n or something similar. hope this has been some help oh yeah check with haynes manual to see where max torque happens , no point revving it to the red line it wont make any difference
This would be my first port of call for parts as well as ebay of course! http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/CJ250T/ Good luck with the project! John