TL250 Honda rehab

[toulouse]

Here's my TL as it was when purchased. Frame has been powder-coated, and its a case of building up from here. I'm looking forward to spending some time this weekend to get to go over my bike properly and no doubt build up a list of the 1,001 things that will have to be done. When, not working today, I went and sourced a variety of allen-head bolts to replace the the bolts on the triple clamp. exhaust etc. I had no ideas stainless steel bolts were so expensive! I've got Hebo pegs on my 4Rt and are putting the OEM 4RT pegs onto the TL. Discovered I'll have to get out with a file and take about 1 or 2mm off the peg brackets so that they will fit. Will adapt the bike rather than the pegs so that I can change to aftermarket modern pegs if I want to later. The 4RT pegs are already double the width of the skinny 1976 pegs and move the rides weight backward as well.

New handlebars go on tomorrow and I've just ordered a forged alloy gear lever with a folding tip from a CR80 so that should slip straight on. New red front brake cable from Venhill has arrived along with a clutch lightener from Shedworks in the UK.

There are two or three holes in the exhaust and I've heard that a CT200 exhaust fits. However, standing and looking at the bike - as one does when any new member of the household arrives - I can't help but feel that the triangular exhaust is an integral part of the TL's identity. Here in NZ there is a firm that makes new pipes to TL125 specs, so I will investigate fitting one of those while keeping the original header pipe.

Surprises? Well the sprocket is not dished and there are no spacers between hub and sprocket, the chain is a 520 size not a 428 and it all lines up. So someone has put on a different rear wheel at some stage. Perhaps from an XL. I've also found a couple of welded on nuts (exhaust mounts) that weren't metric! Any earlier owner being lazy I suspect. Had the back pedal in my hand today and was aghast at the weight. Feels like it was built by a ship-builder! Another surprise, for get about the price of fuel. Fuel Lines are priced like Gold. 20cm of neoprene rubber was going to cost USD15!

All in all, I am thrilled to have another TL in my garage. I had one 20 odd years ago. It looks smaller now. It's still heavy , but looks lower than I remember. I still like the masculine full bodied look that they have where the motor fills ALL the available space under the tank.

 

 

Hi Ross,

 

I have a '75 TL250 that I've owned for the past three years.  It's had very little use apart form the last 3-4 months where I've been in 'training' for my first two Twinshock meetings. 

 

My question, where did you find someone in NZ to fabricate a new exhaust?  Mine is looking a little tired and has a couple of leaks and it would look a lot better if it was new.

 

Cheers

 

Bruce

 

 

Edited October 17, 2015 by toulouse

[ross brown]

Hi. Sorry. Didnt see your post or I would have responded earlier.

The exhaust is easy. A CT200 replacement bolts has the all important " fitbehind the shock" bend.. And then I needed a short custom length to connect the ct to the header piper as my triangular tl250 torque chamber had rusted through.

Musket mufflers in Nz supplied the CT200 exhaust. They make new pipes to fit old Hondas. The key things for me were that in the 1980s Honda went for larger volume pipes on the RTL to generate torque ( rather than short straight pipes for horse power). And the applies this tech to their 1980 CTs and XLs. So a CT 200 bolts on with a simple bracket, fits behind the shock, and has a large volume for torque just like a TL of the mid'70s. Perfect.

Ross

Edited December 10, 2015 by ross brown

[paulstatham]

Hi guys , man im having a really hard time trying to find a crankcase cover for my 1975 TL250 ,their like the proverbial hens teeth, ive got my old bike pulled down to the frame and starting to put bits back on but just cant find this part ,any ideas would be helpful, thanks enjoy your bikes