C95 in New Zealand

[Foamy]

Hi All
I thought I would post some pics of my Benly that I bought about 3-4 years ago in New Zealand. These bikes are pretty rare here, far more likely to see CD175's for sale occasionally when it comes to the mid-sized 60's Hondas.

The bike was a runner and all road legal when purchased, I dismantled it about 1 year ago after doing a total rebuild on a 1971 C50 and a 1963 C102 with the intent of making this the next steadily worked on project .............then the baby came ........and soon another

The first time I rode it I had a guy running out of his house arms waving wildly to stop me in the street, he had owned one in the 60's and had not seen another for decades and couldn't believe it when he looked out of his window and saw me stopped outside his home to check the bike over.

Restoration-wise I see it as pretty simple, my C102 was a wreck so the C95 is not only all there but is a runner also.

I started gathering parts about two years ago for the build, I found an NOS speedo, 2 perfect NOS mufflers (the older flat sided version which I think look pretty cool) and two NOS mirrors. Also a few non-original parts that are easy to get away with like light lenses etc from Thailand.

The only real mechanical issue that I will be looking for when the engine and g/box are dismantled is the fact that when I changed gear it lacked a positive 'click' identity for each gear, I could easily with too much pressure (really no effort at all) click through several gears - so in other words the shift lever felt soft and mushy and each gears 'spot' seemed pretty undefined through the lever, but the gears (the actual cogs) drive functions once selected were positive, they did what they are meant to do and would not jump out. Besides this the usual rings and valves will be an obvious job while apart also.

At first I thought the gear shift lever itself was unoriginal but since have noticed identical levers on a few C95's in pictures.

I am not sure of the year - it is registered here as a 1960 but I suspect it may be later.

I'll let you know when I actually get on to it soon, first stop for frame and all painted tinware etc will be the blasters.

Thanks to you all for the interesting chat and great technical info that goes on here.

Steve

[VegeKev]

Hey Foamy,

Sweet looking original from across the ditch!....that doesn't look like it needs anything done to it ....lucky finding the flat exhausts!

Interesting that it has the high-bars as the ones in Oz have the pressed low-bars.....though saying that the clutch cable appears short, so maybe used to be low-bar? My girl didn't have any bars at all when I took over, and with the exorbitant price for the low-bars , she now has high bars as well.

Mine (61,C92) had the same pressed steel gear shift which I've replaced with a smart looking cast alloy one off a CA160....still heel and toe

You should be able to work out the year from your frame number....or even better the tag on your wiring harness if its original.

Cheers,
Kev.

[Spokes]

It's always nice to see these bikes in far away countries.

BTW, I happen to have a right hand side flat muffler from a 1963 CA95. No baffle and a small out of sight hole that can be fixed with epoxy.

The chrome is nice, some acid etched lines and a small dent.

Just hanging in the shed waiting for the right home. If interested PM me.

[Foamy]

Hey Kev

Photos show her a little bit better than in reality.
She is in good condition but becoming a bit loose here and there so I figured why not do it now before something breaks or falls off, shes a tiny bit rattley and smokey. Also I think they are a good looking bike and after doing every nut and bolt restorations on the smaller Honda 50's I thought about how amazing an immaculate C95 would look with new paint, new chrome and seat recovered etc.

I have already blasted and painted the hubs, rechromed the original rims, fitted new spokes and new tires so in a way I got truly started before I slowed down. But its my favourite bike so there is no way she will sit in pieces forever.

Interesting on the handlebars, what I can tell you is that I found a whole lot of soldered joins in the loom at the point where the clamp holds the bars. Maybe the loom was extended here but the wires were all the correct colours still? A guy here told me this was common on C95's with the high bars - previous owners decide they would look cool with the bars angled back more so they would loosen the clamp and pull them back not realising that they have basically sheared off the wires between the bars and the clamp. Then they do up the clamp and this seals the deal - the wires are all cut clean through with the pressure applied.

I'll take down the frame number and have a look because it would be nice to know the correct year.
One thing that I have never been able to find is the lower half of the chain-case, you can see in the pic that this is missing.

It is pretty cool to see these bikes all over the world, I made friends with the owner of a local Thai restaurant here and he knew C95's well. He said they are considered a good working bike in Thailand and would often have a tow-ball if in rural towns or on farms to tow a trailer - a true working bike he meant, not just for commuting on.

Steve

[Larzfromarz]

Nicely done and fine example. It is good to see it so complete. You'll have fine time....

[Sam Green]

It is a later model than 60 (perhaps 62 onwards) Kev, the early bikes that came into the UK all had flat pressed bars, flat silencers, sticky forward down pipes and different side panels on the tank.
Also, the motor breathed through a rotory breather on top of the gearbox and the frame pressing was a little different.
One thing I did notice though, the Aus model is the same as the Canadian bikes.
Different rear light assembly, clutch cable enters the motor in a different place and the cam end covers are different, I'm supprised no one spotted all the differences.

Sam.

[Foamy]

I'll get the frame and engine number, you are probably on the money Sam because I remember the previous owner saying he suspected it was a 63. I have a feeling the bars are genuine and as they came here. A friend has a similar bike but rougher ready to restore and it has identical bars. He searched long and hard for flat bars and in the end found some and had to pay a premium for them.

[Sam Green]

Just a thought when looking for pressed steel flat bars, you also need the parts that are underneath them to mount them on.

Sam.

[Foamy]

Exactly mate, another reason not to change besides the fact that they are hard enough to find. Also having ridden the bike a good bit before pulling it apart I found the current bars very cruisy and comfortable allowing a nice sit-up riding position.

I'll get them re-chromed and leave them on there. I like them and besides like I mentioned I am pretty sure they are original.

Steve

[VegeKev]

As well as the mounting bits and pieces don't forget that the light/horn and blinker/starter switches....they are shaped to fit up against the flat steel bars!

[Foamy]

All the more reason to stay with the mini ape-hangers

[Foamy]

I dismantled the frame today to the point where I have only the forks attached to it, only went this far because I could not get the large nut on the top of the fork neck loose despite a socket, bar and some good shocking with a nice sized hammer - is this nut usually so tight or has mine just been overtightened? No signs of corrosion either, looks nice and clean and you would expect it to pop loose with one good smack on the bar. Will have to take it to work and get a flame on it next.

Have to admire how clean and simple the bike was design-wise to pull down, just like a C100 or C50 but with more room internally for parts which made it even easier.

I will take a picture of the rear guard (looking down on it) and get some feedback if possible off you guys because to me it looks like it has spread not far behind where this guard is welded to the frame, also there are two splits just as I have seen on my C102 that I restored. I want to know if the rear guard on these bikes is consistent witdh-wise all the way through the arch because mine swells a bit around the location of the rear blinkers then narrows again towards the end?

Steve