new guy here with some questions

[alienroads]

That looks pretty nice! The condenser looks original and I KNOW I didn't take it off the top of the engine. I'm pretty sure the leads are the stock length so it must have been hanging out behind that split cover between the engine and frame. I might just make a bracket for it for now. Y'all are giving me lots of great ideas! Thanks!

[alienroads]

Hi again everyone! Quick update and a few more questions. Got the engine running. Adjusted the carb and she starts 1st or 2nd kick (don't have a battery yet) and idles and revs nice! YAY! Strange thing now is, the taillight and the low beam of the headlight don't work. I guess it could be coincidence because the high beam still works and the power for both high and low comes from the dimmer switch. I am getting power to the low beam wire so I'm pretty sure the filament is toast. Not looking forward to fixing that! The brake light works. One question is, is the taillight bulb something special? It looks like a standard 1157 bulb. Is there some trick to getting it out? I would like to try a known good bulb, but I can't get the old one out. It does not push in at all and will not turn either. Am I missing something? Not quite road worthy yet, need a tube for the rear tire, but getting closer! Thanx again all!

[ilikevelos]

As an alternative idea, I have had success using the original coil and grafting a new pair of wires to it with in line spark plug wire splices. I have used them with several original honda coils and have never had a problem. If originality is the point these can usually be located within the frame.

[ilikevelos]

Sorry. I am new ot the forum too so the last post was a response to a much earlier thread.

Re the 1157 bulbs, I have had a lot of problems with pattern bulbs that are somewhat larger than ge or honda 1157 bulbs. Some of them (chineseium) are too tight in the bulb housing and I have just been finding better bulbs. Really easy to break the tight ones trying to remove them.

[Tim Allman]

Back in the 70s I discovered that the bulbs that Honda sold were much longer lasting than the automotive 1157 that I could get at work for less money. I suspect that they were less susceptible to vibration damage. There was never a problem with the sizing of the base. They fit just as well and drew the same power.

I don't know what the current situation is with respect to what Honda now sells as I I just use 1157s. (There is no Honda motorcycle dealer where I live.) Note that you can use 1034 bulbs in a pinch but they are even less durable.

[Muddy]

Good on you for getting the bike running!

I'm getting older and get things wrong all the time, but I recall reading in a couple of different locations that these bikes should not be run without a battery as it blows the bulbs. I'm sure this sounds familiar to you. :-)

I know when I first got my C72, the battery was totally shot and the headlight and taillight were blown. I'm pretty confident someone had tried to run it with the battery disconnected (or left in but totally shot).

As you'd know, the taillight bulb has offset pins. Many inexperienced users subject the bulb to lots of abuse including forcing them into position in the wrong orientation. This could result in the difficulty removing it and/or it not working.

Keep going, you're very close.

[alienroads]

Thanks Muddy. I probably did blow them but I just couldn't resist hearing it run! With some of the hinky wiring I've found, somebody probably forced that bulb into the socket or put it in backwards. Or it could be the wrong bulb. Some Mercedes bulbs look like 1157s but the pins are offset a few degrees from each other on the circumference of the bulb. Not 180 degrees across. Guess I'll try to find a battery and an inner tube for the rear tire. And hopefully get my technology deficient self to learn how to post some pictures or a video.