Australian C78 Restoration - something a little different
Hi,
I see you want to use this bike as a daily rider / commuter bike. It may seem important to have more power or torque, but it's not, unless you're planning to do highway at long distances. I went trough this phase too, and I like you to consider the following information as I took the time to write down my experience's : The engine is very reliable, as long it is in good condition. extracting more power out of it will make the engine less reliable, that is not only subject to the dream, but in general. I did flow the head, put a CB77 carb on it, but the impact of the bigger carbs wasn't noticed until I changed the mufflers (for early stainless ones). Like I mentioned before, flowing the intake is worth every penny. Please keep in mind that you have to re-jet the carburetor, the CB77 carb alone is too lean. Bigger valves, smaller valves, it all doesn't give much more power, unless you want to turn it into a high revving bike, but that's almost impossible with a normal budget. Yes, the CL72 / 77 cams are a good and cheap swap, but again re-jetting will be necessary. The electrical system of the bike is much better then the CB72 / 77's and that's because the dreams have different rotors and different stator's. A good add-on is a modern rectifier. But, and there' always a but : I went for a dream as a rider, but I rarely use it as a rider, and that's not because the engine doesn't perform, but the reason is the rest of bike itself. The handling is not good, the steering isn't direct, the suspension (front and rear) is very comfy, but won't do it's job when going a little faster, actually, it's getting dangerous at high speeds. And when the engine is delivering more power, you think the bike is ready for the highway, but it's not. Then the brakes, the single leading shoe front brake is a good brake, as long you don't doing speeds above 30 / 40 miles an hour, but going any faster you have to use an anchor too stand still in a normal situation. Don't forget, because of the swing suspension on the front, the bike will lift up, and putting weight on the rear wheel, thus taking weight from the front wheel. Actually a good adjusted front brake can make the front wheel scream on tarmac (even with modern tires), but that says everything about the wrong geometry then about the way the front brake is functioning. The frame isn't any good too, it wobbles and moves around while riding it, and sometimes you wonder if you don't have a soft or flat tire. I know it seems negative, but that's not. This bike is not up too modern traffic and modern cars. If a car in front of you is hitting the brakes, and you are braking too, you see the gap between your bike and the car getting smaller and smaller until the moment that even air is not fitting in between. I don't know how buzzy the traffic in your era is, but I live in the Netherlands, and here the traffic is heavy. It doesn't mean I don't take the bike out for long trips, but only on Sunday's on twisty roads and nice weather. I really like it's looks, a very classic bike, and a real head turner. I tuned the engine a little and it is in very good shape, it's doing almost 100 miles an hour (no, that's not a yoke), but it is really scary with those 16 inch wheels, the "seeking for direction" front wheel, the rear suspension looking for travel, the frame that bends in all kind of directions, etc. Really, it's one of my favorites, very comfy and very relaxing, but not for daily use (at least not in the Netherlands). It would be as you swap the dream front fork for a CB77 fork, put some Hagons on the frame at the rear, and weld some extra material in the frame for that extra rigidity. But without the dream forks it isn't a dream anymore, so, many years ago, I decided to take my CB72 as a daily rider, but I had my scary moments also on this bike, but never felt it as out of control, but the dream was sometimes, Jensen assembly of Japanese motorcycles requires great peace of mind (Pirsig)
HONDA did that with the CYP77 and I suspect some CPM77 engines. ...........lm
Thanks for the tips, Jensen... There are ways to improve the handling, though - stiffer front springs can be fitted front & rear, and I am currently experimenting with putting a better damper unit into the rear shock covers. Remember, these bikes were designed for the average 65kg Japanese, not your average 90kg westerner..... Leading link front suspension can actually be a good thing....
I don't "commute" on a freeway - my work run is 15-20mins at 60-80kph, and flows reasonably well at the times I drive, perfect for a Dream. What counts in modern traffic is acceleration. Braking is an issue, and if it become a problem, I can look at fitting a CB72 front brake - already have some sitting here. I'm currently riding a 1968 CL175 scrambler to work occasionaly, and the extra power & torque would be nice, although I reckon the scrambler will handle better...... Rob.
Rob are ya planning on attending the Phillips Island races Sept. 3-5?.
I'll be there. I plan on meeting George in Sydney as I change planes. ...........lm
I'd love to, Ed, but I'll be skiing with the family at Falls Creek.... I always seem to miss the Island classic due to conflicting dates...... Pity, it would be great to meet you. Hope you have a great visit, the island is a great place, I have access to a house near the track & visit regularly.
Rob.
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