Looky what I got me hands on!

[Ragingrob]

Out of the kindness of my heart, I relieved a mate's overloaded shed of a Honda Trail 90 (CT90), I'm just that nice

Has been sitting for about 5 years, ever since the chain snapped one day.

No idea of the age, maybe someone can tell from the pics?

So it's my little project, that should actually hopefully not take much work to get going!

So far I've washed out petrol tank, put new gas in, new spark plug, cleaned out carb... I've downloaded the full workshop manual and am trying to run through the troubleshooting as it's not firing at all, I don't think it's sparking whatsoever. I held the spark plug in the lead against the engine and kicked it over but got nothing.

Now, the battery is completely screwed, I've ordered a new one in for 20 bucks to come on monday... But I've heard that these should be able to run without a battery? Especially as I wont be running any lights or anything. Does anything know how this would work?

So things to do:

1) Get the fucker going. Need to diagnose why there ain't a spark, maybe a new battery could fix this and then hopefully it should be allllll good. What else would I need to check out maybe?

2) Get the damn chain on. The old chain snapped off clean, so there is nothing to tie the new chain onto and drag it through the front sprocket... How do I go about getting this new chain on lol? I think I've gotta get it cut to 104 links too.



I'll probably be looking to work on it again tomorrow, so if anyone wants to pop round with some much needed experience or just for a laugh, feel free! The biggie is getting the chain on, I have no idea how... I have access to an angle grinder up at the local shop to cut it when needed though.

And if it ain't gonna spark and start without a decent battery then I'll just wait till next week to look at that side of things.

Some quick pics for you pervs

[slofox]

Does the bike have ignition points?
Five years of disuse will have allowed the points (if it has points that is) to oxidise. Which will stop the spark. Get the points file out and give the points a good scrape. Reset gap etc and Robert's your Relative...

[Ragingrob]

Does the bike have ignition points?
Five years of disuse will have allowed the points (if it has points that is) to oxidise. Which will stop the spark. Get the points file out and give the points a good scrape. Reset gap etc and Robert's your Relative...

Are ignition points the same as contact breaker points? I had a quick look at the point gap, it all looked pretty clean, I don't have any feelers to measure the correct gap though. And then I was looking at the ignition timing to check but got confused lol

[slofox]

Are ignition points the same as contact breaker points? I had a quick look at the point gap, it all looked pretty clean, I don't have any feelers to measure the correct gap though. And then I was looking at the ignition timing to check but got confused lol

Yes - contact breaker points.
Looking at them won't show oxidation. The layer is clear. File them dude, file them. And go buy a feeler gauge - cheap but essential.

[Danae]

What a beast!!

[Ragingrob]

Yes - contact breaker points.
Looking at them won't show oxidation. The layer is clear. File them dude, file them. And go buy a feeler gauge - cheap but essential.

Sweet I'll give them a bit of a file if I can find something to file them with haha

[Ragingrob]

What a beast!!

Argh why do I get that from all the girls

[slofox]

Sweet I'll give them a bit of a file if I can find something to file them with haha

I usta have a feeler gauge that had a points file attached...

[rickstv]

looks very 1965ish to me

[Ragingrob]

looks very 1965ish to me

Sweet only twice as old as me! It's a Honda, it'll be going in no time I reckon

[motorbyclist]

dontcha just luuurve electrical problems

when my 198? XL125 magically stopped running one day it was the coils that went, giving dodgy power that gave the CDI a bit of a fizz. took a fair while to figure THAT one out haha

[motorbyclist]

if you look around the steering head/yoke you might see a plate showing the year of manufacture, otherwise an engine or chassis number might shed some more light

[vifferman]

You didn't say anything about the oil - did you change that?

If the ignition timing is off, you can reset it using a cigarette paper: stick it between the points, pull very gently on it, and when the timing mark on the flywheel is in the right place, it should slip out from between them.

To put the chain on, under the bolts on the countershaft cover. You'll need to whip that off anyway, in case there's crap under there that needs cleaning out. Then just poke the end of the new chain in and thread it around the countershaft sprocket. (If you tie a piece of string or thin wire - such as electrical wire - around it, that will make it easier to draw through.)

[Ragingrob]

if you look around the steering head/yoke you might see a plate showing the year of manufacture, otherwise an engine or chassis number might shed some more light

A quick search reveals... Nothing I do mean quick though, I'll have a proper look around tomorrow!

You didn't say anything about the oil - did you change that?

If the ignition timing is off, you can reset it using a cigarette paper: stick it between the points, pull very gently on it, and when the timing mark on the flywheel is in the right place, it should slip out from between them.

To put the chain on, under the bolts on the countershaft cover. You'll need to whip that off anyway, in case there's crap under there that needs cleaning out. Then just poke the end of the new chain in and thread it around the countershaft sprocket. (If you tie a piece of string or thin wire - such as electrical wire - around it, that will make it easier to draw through.)

Haven't changed oil as such, I've made sure there is plenty in it for the moment though. I plan on changing it when I know it at least goes, as it'll run on any old oil at the very least right?

Cheers for the chain advice. Is the contershaft cover the front sprocket cover? Shall I cut the cut to 104 links as google suggests, or thread the chain through and match the ends up to see how much I reckon I should cut?

I'm thinking with ignition timing etc I'd want a better eye watching over, ay Motorb!

[HungusMaximist]

As far as I know, they don't need a battery however I've got a ex nz postie CT110 and it's preferable you do put a battery in so that the current/load from the bike goes into the battery.

It will save your electrics.

Nice score btw bro!