[Heybuck]

Originally Posted by dataway

gtospieg ... yep the clutch plates like to fasten themselves together after a few years in the shed. Easy fix, pull it apart, clean the plates, reassemble. Electrical can be more of a pain, specially if it's got street equipment on it.

1965GP, the CT90 or "Postie" as it's known down under is an outstanding bike, indestructible and they have gone way up in value also, specially the examples with the dual range gearbox. Had a 13 year run relatively unchanged so parts are still available. I think in Australia they have some kind of long distance race/ride for them ... they were used for year to deliver mail in rural areas.

They do indeed have an annual Postie Bike challenge down here. Couple of guys I know through the car club did it a few years ago and LOVED every inch of it.
Take a look here:
https://www.postiebikechallenge.org/

[Ponchy]

Originally Posted by JSchmitz

I have a 1972 Honda 70 Mini Trail. It was bought originally by my father-in-law. My wife and her siblings wore it out Lol. I need to do a top end rebuild on it at the very least. It has almost no compression. There are a ton of parts out there. I'm looking for some advice on what to buy or avoid. Not overly concerned with originality. Wouldn't mind a few more cubes of course.

That was the same engine Honda used in the C70 "Passport" 1979-1982 (?)
The Passport (not the SUV) was the Cub renamed for the American market in those years.
Anyway, I remember watching a video series on YT where a guy takes his Passport and upgrades it to 100cc's.
...same should apply to your Trail 70.

Here's part 1, I suggest watching the whole thing (I believe its a 4 part series) before you lift a wrench....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAtF0yaQIdw

[dataway]

If I'm not mistaken the Cub is the most produced vehicle in the world ... since 1958, in it's various forms they are at ... wait for it ... 100 million of them made.

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Ponchy

That was the same engine Honda used in the C70 "Passport" 1979-1982 (?)
The Passport (not the SUV) was the Cub renamed for the American market in those years.
Anyway, I remember watching a video series on YT where a guy takes his Passport and upgrades it to 100cc's.
...same should apply to your Trail 70.

Here's part 1, I suggest watching the whole thing (I believe its a 4 part series) before you lift a wrench....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAtF0yaQIdw

I will watch it. Thanks!

[Ponchy]

You're welcome. =)

[JSPONT]

They make 110cc kit, makes the bike pretty badd azzz!!

[Ponchy]

They also make a 110...!!!

[Rob in NH]

this is mine, have had it since it was brand new. It has been a fun bike, plan to restore it soon.

[dataway]

Originally Posted by Rob in NH

this is mine, have had it since it was brand new. It has been a fun bike, plan to restore it soon.

Wow! That was a good investment ... probably worth 4 x's what you paid for it.

[Ponchy]

Originally Posted by Rob in NH

this is mine, have had it since it was brand new. It has been a fun bike, plan to restore it soon.

Looks just like the Trail 70 my friend had when we were kids.
You're right. Fun bikes!

[JSchmitz]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Could it be a 73 model that was manufactured in 72 calendar year ?
I was 'thinking' the 72's still looked like B-mans 1970 model.
But its been a loooong loong time since those days.

Is it 3spd Auto or 4spd Clutch ?

Lots of kids in my neighborhood got Mini-Trail 50's and Trail 70's for Christmas in the early 70's.
My 72 Mini-Trail 50 was $300 Christmas of 71. Had just turned 8 y.o.

Wore out as hell when i finally sold it in 1981 for $50 - but still running.
Couldn't kill it

They have bore&stroke kits that put them well over 100cc
And nitrous kits too

I think you're right on the money about the year. The tag says 12/72. The serial number indicates that it's a '73.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by JSchmitz

I think you're right on the money about the year. The tag says 12/72. The serial number indicates that it's a '73.

I really thought so.
2 of my older friends in the neighborhood got new 1972 Trail 70's the same Christmas i got my 50. One was Blue just like Barts, the other was Red just like Robs.
Quite a few already had 1970 and 1971 models - and all had the same decal/color patterns.
Everybody either had Red or Blue.
Was a long time before i ever knew there were other colors too.

On the Automatics, you can hold the shifter down - or up - and it works like having a clutch ... so to speak ... in certain situations.

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by dataway

I had it bad for a while ... used to be I could not pass up bikes like this ... I would have gone to your houses and tried to buy any broken old Honda I could find.

1965gp ... I needed a parent like you ... when my Mom realized I had 9 motorcycles as an adult, and rode them every day, raced them for 16 years, made trails on the property for them ... she asked why so many ... and I told her because she wouldn't let me have one as a kid.

Why do I still have the GTO I bought graduation day? Because they didn't want me to buy a "fast car"

Parents be careful, what you don't let your child have might be worse than what you do let them have

The two bikes I have in the living room right now.

That sounds great, but admit to us how much more you value those two Border Collies. I got my first one in 1967, my last in 2005.

Beautiful dogs that you have there!

[Ponchy]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

I really thought so.
2 of my older friends in the neighborhood got new 1972 Trail 70's the same Christmas i got my 50. One was Blue just like Barts, the other was Red just like Robs.
Quite a few already had 1970 and 1971 models - and all had the same decal/color patterns.
Everybody either had Red or Blue.
Was a long time before i ever knew there were other colors too.

On the Automatics, you can hold the shifter down - or up - and it works like having a clutch ... so to speak ... in certain situations.

Isn't the tranny on the Trail series bikes the same as the Cub bikes?
The Cub/Passport used a semi-automatic clutch where you didn't have a clutch lever. You just selected a gear with your foot, gave it some gas and off you went.
Anytime you wanted to change gears, just get off the gas, shift and get back on the gas.
No clutch lever on the handlebar.


Ponchy

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by Ponchy

Isn't the tranny on the Trail series bikes the same as the Cub bikes?
The Cub/Passport used a semi-automatic clutch where you didn't have a clutch lever. You just selected a gear with your foot, gave it some gas and off you went.
Anytime you wanted to change gears, just get off the gas, shift and get back on the gas.
No clutch lever on the handlebar.


Ponchy

Maybe not the same.
Not familiar with cubs/passports.

No clutch lever naturally, but you don't ever have to left off the throttle to upshift or downshift. You can bang-shift them @ WOT
More like a Turbo 400 with a manual valve body, that you operate with your foot.

If you need more jolt between shifts for a 2nd or 3rd gear wheelie - you can hold the shifter down and let rpms build before slipping your toe off the shifter.
And hang on tight

If you need to roll crank one, select 2nd or 3rd and hold shifter down in process, get it rolling down hill and left the shifter release. Its like "popping a clutch".
Instead of roll cranking in 1st and going over the bars from engine braking inertia.

Lot of ways to use the feature once you know about it.

Z50, CT70 and the 3-wheel ATC 90's will all work that way.

A 1971 ATC 90 Balloon Tire 3-wheeler will make anything else you've ever ridden seem completely dull. My Grandpop bought 2 of them new.
4spd Auto with Low range/High range transfer case
Baddest mofo's on the planet

[dataway]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

That sounds great, but admit to us how much more you value those two Border Collies. I got my first one in 1967, my last in 2005.

Beautiful dogs that you have there!

Thank you, they are a handful but worth every minute. They fall somewhere between dog and human. We've had five over the years. Only moments ago they finished their morning wrestling match in the living room, and one is about 14 years old.

[JSchmitz]

I started tearing the bike down today. I've decided to resist my normal tendency to Hot Rod everything. Lol! I'm going to restore all of the parts to as close as original except the frame. I'll just polish it up. This is going to be fun!

[Ponchy]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Maybe not the same.
Not familiar with cubs/passports.

No clutch lever naturally, but you don't ever have to left off the throttle to upshift or downshift. You can bang-shift them @ WOT
More like a Turbo 400 with a manual valve body, that you operate with your foot.

If you need more jolt between shifts for a 2nd or 3rd gear wheelie - you can hold the shifter down and let rpms build before slipping your toe off the shifter.
And hang on tight

If you need to roll crank one, select 2nd or 3rd and hold shifter down in process, get it rolling down hill and left the shifter release. Its like "popping a clutch".
Instead of roll cranking in 1st and going over the bars from engine braking inertia.

Lot of ways to use the feature once you know about it.

Z50, CT70 and the 3-wheel ATC 90's will all work that way.

A 1971 ATC 90 Balloon Tire 3-wheeler will make anything else you've ever ridden seem completely dull. My Grandpop bought 2 of them new.
4spd Auto with Low range/High range transfer case
Baddest mofo's on the planet

...I'm thinking you could probably do that to a Cub, too...either way, semi-auto trans.
The dual range tranny was also available on the Trail 90/110.
8 speeds forward, 2 reverse.
I think the reduction was something like 1.86:1


Ponchy