1972/3 Honda SL125 x 2 rebuild

[Laava]

Right so I started refurbishing my clocks. I have 6 but only need 4. 2 were pretty crusty so I used one as a guinea pig and soon worked out that a heat gun and a spoon type tyre lever were the best combo to peel back the plastic base of the shells. I am going to polish the clear plastic and just clean the shells as they are textured. Also the clock faces will get a clean, repaint the needle ends, lube the mechanisms and put them back together.
I could have bought new ones from thailand but would rather refurbish for authenticity reasons. This includes the odometer reading which is original for the mint bike at 24,000 odd km. A tutorial vid I watched on Youtube had the comment that the biggest mistake the rebuilder was making was not zero'ing the odometer. I don't agree, and a 50yr old machine should wear it's road toll with pride...etc.
Also polished the s/s clock bases.

[pete376403]

How do you get the chrome trim rings off the instruments without damaging them?

[Laava]

The trim rings are a support base only with a rubber cushion inside them. 2x 10 mm nuts and off they come. A lot of Nippon Denso gauges do have a s/s ring which is rolled around the shell halves and requires to be peeled off to release the gubbins.
If you have a hole in a piece of timber, like I have, to fully support the gauge then you can put a huge jubilee clip around the ring and then slowly, bit by bit, prise the ring up with an appropriate sized screwdriver etc. video on you tube if you search for it…

[Laava]

Right, so clocks back together, cleaned, new paint on the needle ends and a bit of headlight polish and Bobs your aunties husband.
They came up alright but are not perfect, pretty good for 50yrs old and original too so all good. Finally tracked down some bars in england that were close enough, drilled them for cable entry and put my restored, 50yr old switchgear on the bars with new levers, grips, perch's and mirrors. Have installed most of the wiring on both bikes. Still waiting for all my painted bodywork to show up…

[F5 Dave]

Lookin sharp. Upper Triple looks gleaming.

[MD]

How do you find the patience and determination to go to such amazing efforts! Ever picture you post gives me sentimental flashbacks to my teens. How much will you be asking for it when she's finished?

[Laava]

Lookin sharp. Upper Triple looks gleaming.

How do you find the patience and determination to go to such amazing efforts! Ever picture you post gives me sentimental flashbacks to my teens. How much will you be asking for it when she's finished?

Thanks guys for your comments. Yes I am being patient, only because I have 2 other bikes that I ride as well!
And yes, it will be interesting to see what they will be worth when done. I am thinking I will sell the roughy and keep the original one for now. Recently, one sold for $7500 on TM and was not road legal…

[Laava]

Right, so, stuck at home with the covid this week but all is not lost! Some of my paintwork showed up! 4 guards and 2 headlight buckets! Which means I can finally finish off my wiring and mount front headlight and tail light.
Not going to bother showing photos of Grandad at this stage as he is the shittier one of the 2.
I particularly like the way the wiring tucks inside the bars and I asked my painter mate to be respectful of the original markings on the headlight bucket as it is a 50yr old relic…
I am running a few extra earth wires as I recall from the past having issues with all sorts of things that required to be earthed to the frame

[Laava]

A couple more photos….

[F5 Dave]

Ooh you tease, its barely got any clothes on.

[husaberg]

A couple more photos….

Has that got a later cylinder on it?

[Laava]

Has that got a later cylinder on it?

Well spotted, both bikes have new cylinder, piston, gudgeon and ring sets from china! Only $70 delivered each!
I did consider reshaping the fins but it is still obvious from the LHS if you know what you are looking at. I have several barrels and heads and struggled to find one good enough to viably restore.

[husaberg]

Well spotted, both bikes have new cylinder, piston, gudgeon and ring sets from china! Only $70 delivered each!
I did consider reshaping the fins but it is still obvious from the LHS if you know what you are looking at. I have several barrels and heads and struggled to find one good enough to viably restore.

Don't worry not everyone's a rivet counter.
i wonder how many have the std pipes, was your refurbished or a new one?

[Laava]

Musket muffler. The muffler is mint but the header is a series of kinks...
The heat guard is original, rechromed.

[husaberg]

Musket muffler. The muffler is mint but the header is a series of kinks...
The heat guard is original, rechromed.

okay cool do they (musket) still exist. They were made to a price to be visually similar but material thickness wise they were likely more durable.
I remember a big stack of they upstairs at Whiting's.

How cool they are still in business
https://www.musketmufflers.com/colle...ffler-silencer