Topic: Just picked up a cb200T

[mgbgt89]

The other day i got a cb200t, for free. It is fairly complete, very good shape, and only has 5K miles. It has probably the coolest tank i have ever seen. Very narrow, with a padded leather strip down the middle, and chrome trimming around the leather.

One thing it is missing, is the airbox. I have searched all over the place, and can't find one. Are these fairly rare bikes? I couldn't find hardly any parts at all on ebay for them. Are there any airboxes from other twins that would work? Am i better off finding some small pod filters and jetting for those.

[kenolds]

Glad you are excited about the 200T.  I am not sure of the differences between the "T" model and the plain old CB200, but I have a 1974 CB200.  It has two individual air filters that are each fairly elaborate and unavailable from Honda anymore.  I have been atempting to run mine with the original filters, but I think that I am going to have to come up with a better solution soon.  I asked about air filter alternatives on the Honda twins forum a while ago and have received no responses.  Parts do seem to be pretty scarce, but just be patient.  Every month or so someone will be parting out an entire bike on Ebay.  Let me know if you find some good air filter alternatives.
By the way...that is rubber on the tank - not leather.  How do I know?  A nylon bristle brush in a dremel tends to melt it rather than clean it. DOH!

Kenolds

[kirkn]

Here you go, pictures and everything:

http://www.hondatwins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1477

Kirk

[kenolds]

So what are you supposed to do if the rubber tubes that connect the air filter to the carbs are cracked?
One of mine is OK , but the other is damaged.  Also, I am a little concerned that the carb to head adapters are brittle and may crack easily.  Has anyone had to replace them with a homemade version?

Thanks
Kenolds

[mgbgt89]

I think the T model means it is a 75-76 and has a disk brake. I'm not sure of any other differences.

I plan on making a mild cafe out of it. I normally don't like cafe bikes, especially 750's, But the smaller model bikes i like a lot better. This cafe just looks right to me.

http://www.classichondarestoration.com/cafe_cb200t.php

I might just make my own airbox and use a more common airfilter. I don't really want to mess with jetting the carbs for pods, plus i don't know if they make pod filters small enough for these carbs.

[Laminar]

Here's my thread with quite a few pictures and some info:

Link


My airboxes were deteriorating, so I switched to pods.



The carb-to airbox rubbers were in good shape, but the carb-to-engine plastic parts had some cracking which caused poor running.

I put in main jets from a CL200 (#95 instead of #88 I think...) and with the pods and shorty mufflers it ran great.

[mgbgt89]

Wow.. very cool. That bike sounds pretty sweet! What size pods are those? I haven't been able to find ones small enough for this bike.

[Laminar]

Wow.. very cool. That bike sounds pretty sweet! What size pods are those? I haven't been able to find ones small enough for this bike.

That was over a year ago, so I don't remember exactly. But if you look closely, you can tell that you can't put the pod directly on the carb, as it would hit the frame, so I had to cut the carb-to-airbox rubbers off and attach the pods to those rubber bits. Another solution would be finding some radiator hose with the proper inside diameter to fit over the carb mouth and the proper bend to get around the frame, then get pods that fit around the outside of the radiator hose. If that makes sense.

[kenolds]

Why yes, it does make sense.  Good idea.  Since my carb to head manifolds are possibly bad, I may make a few flanged adapters and try the old heater hose trick there too.  I'll post pics after I get it all figured out - probably 6 months from now.

My 1974 CB200 does have the front cable operated disk brake.  I think they just changed the name to CB200T  in 1975 for some reason.

Kenolds

[tbpmusic]

 I asked about air filter alternatives on the Honda twins forum a while ago and have received no responses.  Parts do seem to be pretty scarce, but just be patient.  Every month or so someone will be parting out an entire bike on Ebay.  Let me know if you find some good air filter alternatives.
By the way...that is rubber on the tank - not leather.  How do I know?  A nylon bristle brush in a dremel tends to melt it rather than clean it. DOH!

Kenolds

I'm at HondaTwins, don't recall your post - maybe you went to HondaTwins.com by mistake - you need to go to HondaTwins.net.
On my CB200, I burned off the old paper elements and replaced with a strip of Uni foam (cheap).
Works great, but did have to rejet and fool with the needles.
No other filter-to carb rubber tube thingies will work, have to be from a CB200. Same with the carb-to-head manifolds. Some guys have used radiator hose.......

Here's mine - http://home.comcast.net/~tbpmusic/id55.htm

[kenolds]

I have been on the hondatwins.com forum.  Looks like I should switch or at least include the .net one instead.  Nice looking 200!  Mine looks exactly like yours (if yours was painted metallic brownish gold and left in a field to rot for 10 years). I put new plugs and new NGK 5k ohm plug caps in it last weekend.  I ran it for about 5 minutes and removed the plugs.  They were wet with black soot on them.  I think another good carb cleaning is in order before I begin blaming valve guides or other internal parts for my current poor running conditions.   

Kenolds

[tbpmusic]

I have been on the hondatwins.com forum.  Looks like I should switch or at least include the .net one instead.  Nice looking 200!  Mine looks exactly like yours (if yours was painted metallic brownish gold and left in a field to rot for 10 years). I put new plugs and new NGK 5k ohm plug caps in it last weekend.  I ran it for about 5 minutes and removed the plugs.  They were wet with black soot on them.  I think another good carb cleaning is in order before I begin blaming valve guides or other internal parts for my current poor running conditions.   

Kenolds

Trust me, mine was way worse than yours when I started - I didn't put any "before" photos on that web page.
What's your compression??

[kirkn]

 I asked about air filter alternatives on the Honda twins forum a while ago and have received no responses.  Parts do seem to be pretty scarce, but just be patient.  Every month or so someone will be parting out an entire bike on Ebay.  Let me know if you find some good air filter alternatives.
By the way...that is rubber on the tank - not leather.  How do I know?  A nylon bristle brush in a dremel tends to melt it rather than clean it. DOH!

Kenolds

I'm at HondaTwins, don't recall your post - maybe you went to HondaTwins.com by mistake - you need to go to HondaTwins.net.
On my CB200, I burned off the old paper elements and replaced with a strip of Uni foam (cheap).
Works great, but did have to rejet and fool with the needles.
No other filter-to carb rubber tube thingies will work, have to be from a CB200. Same with the carb-to-head manifolds. Some guys have used radiator hose.......

I never heard the bit about having to rejet and fool with the needles.  My CB200 still seems to be running rich after the foam filter mod, but it's jetted stock, both mains and pilots.  Which way did you have to go - leaner or richer?

[tbpmusic]

Kirk -

It depends on what's happening on your particular bike.
My 200 was actually lean at high rpm, but rich at low rpm after going to freer flowing air filters.
I could give it a bit of choke at high rpm and it ran better. But I was getting over-rich plug readings, and slobbery response at low rpm.
So I ended up going with a slightly bigger jet, but dropping the needles a notch. And it took numerous passes and plug readings to get it right.
I know, the whole thing seems pretty counter-intuitive until you think about it real hard.
The bigger (just from 88 to 90) jet helped at high rpm, because the slide/needle is pulled up pretty far. But at low rpm, dropping the needle a notch actually leaned it out a bit, because the needle is tapered and presents a larger cross section to the fuel flow at lower slide positions.
 
Actually, you're lucky to have adjustable needles - we don't have that luxury on a 450, for instance.
But then the very nature of a 450 carb makes changes to air filters (within extremes) pretty much a non-issue - if more air comes in the slide goes higher automatically, unlike carbs where the throttle cable actually pulls the slide up.

[mgbgt89]

Finally decided to put pictures up. Haven't worked on it yet, I want to get the 750 on the road first.

[CBJoe]

Looks good... especially for being FREE.  Joe

[CBJoe]

I'd definitely like to see a close up of that tank.  Not very familiar with the CB200's, but that tank does have nice lines.

[mgbgt89]

I'm at work right now, so no pictures of mine, but here's the exact same tank on ebay. Definitly a unique tank. Pretty cool i think.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300370784765&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

[mgbgt89]

Last night i bought a titled complete bike for 90 bucks. The frame is garbage. Don't know what happened to this bike but the neck is bent about 15 degrees to one side, the swingarm was welded to the passenger peg mounts, and the tube where the kickstand mounts was bent up about 4 inches. Stripped it for parts last night, boxed up and labeled. It had the original exhaust.. but it was pretty much destroyed.

I'll be selling a ton of cb200 parts in a few weeks once i figure out what i dont need.

[JBMorse]

About the carb to air filter rubbers: You may be able to use radiator hose, as tbpmusic mentioned.  On my dad's Royal Enfield, the rubber connecting the carb to the engine broke repeatedly, he bought two or three new replacements and they were just terrible quality, lasting only a few months.  But I did some searching and some guys on the Royal Enfield forums used a certain diameter radiator hose, and we did that with his and it works great.
Also, I suggest going to some vintage swap meets for parts.  The couple I went to over the summer had lots of small twins and parts.  Just a thought.
Good luck!  I really like the little twins and drooled over quite a few at the bike shows this summer, someday I'll have to get one.