I Was Thinking...

[BSJ]

if I had a Honda CT110 frame, forks and seat, I could find the rest of the bits here in LOS without much trouble.

[NeverSure]

Those are great bikes. I had one many years ago but it was the 90cc version. Could you also find the transmission/transfer case with the high-low range? Those will still bring up to $1,000 US or even a bit more in real good condition even though 40 years old. Those have a bullet proof 4 cycle engine but they don't get the fuel economy of the newer injected engines. The good news is there isn't anything on it that you can't diagnose and fix yourself. I like the big tires and wheels and the strong frame and shocks. Early on they were called the Honda Trail. I think top speed in low range was about 20kmh, and in high range about 70.

Good luck!

Edit: Here's one with only 1500km on it and like new. The guy wants $3,000 US for it, but no takers.

Link

Here is more like it with older ones.

Link

Edited December 17, 2012 by NeverSure

[BSJ]

Hi Neversure, That first one has an extra fuel tank fitted. I have never seen one like that in Oz. They are really frugal on fuel....I can't see a reason to have it.

[NeverSure]

These were originally used for hunting, camping, and general utility. People would take them into the woods for days or weeks. The high range would get you there on the highway, and the low range was great for trails. The US is huge with vast undeveloped areas and I think having plenty of fuel would be good. Jeeps usually have spare 5 gallon "Jeep cans" of gas on them, and even brackets to hold them.

These bikes are very strong. They have stiff frames and strong coil over shocks and big tires and wheels for their weight. They can carry quite the load, and with the low range gearing they have the power to do it. In low range the gas mileage isn't all that great. I would say the more gas on board the better.

I packed a whole cleaned and skinned mule deer out on one in one trip on my 90, with the deer tied on top of my camping gear. I suspect the deer carcass weighed more than 100 pounds. I'll bet I had 250 pounds of cargo on that bike and it still had plenty of power on the trails due to that very low gearing.

I think they would be a wonderful bike in LOS. In the US they gave way to more powerful scrambler type bikes that sit high for clearance over rocks and logs, and have more highway speed. But the old ones are still popular with a lot of people and I think anything under $1000 US is actually a bargain considering what new bikes cost. These bikes can't be compared to a new scooter as is popular in LOS. They are from a different planet, for a different purpose. IIRC my 90 had a top speed of 55 mph or 88 kph.

[VocalNeal]

One could even built using a modern 125 engine or use side mounted large carb. ,race cam, big valve head. etc.

For registration purposes it would be easier to use a Thai donor bike then "modify" it.

[BSJ]

I just want one for on the farm up country. We have a road legal Smash for longer trips. If it wasn't for the cost of getting a new one on the ground here I'd buy one and get it sent over. But the idea is to post the frame, fuel tank, rear carrier, seat and forks in a box while having family bring over wiring harness, headlamp, front fender, carby, triple clamps and sundry small bits in suitcase. The original gearbox/engine unit, if to expensive to bring over, would be replaced by a local 4 speed/110 and a bigger size rear cog. Local wheels and tyres would do the trick.

I should have though of it earlier!

[NeverSure]

Up to you, as they say.

I would want that engine/tranny/transfer case more than anything else. It's the high/low range that would be handy. Those things, like a 4x4 pickup with high/low, can really grind it out in low range, and then go into high range and go right down the road.

How much could it really cost to import one if you bought it for not more than 30,000 baht in the US, and had it shipped? Even if you couldn't get a green book or license, if you could just get it to the farm and take your chances running to a village, it would be an awesome machine.

I told you how much weight I packed on one, and that was on a trail coming out of the mountains. In low gear/low range it will really pull. I wouldn't be at all afraid of the earlier 90cc. They were great machines and you can fix anything. No electronics or FI. They are heavy duty and strong and not to be compared at all to a new scooter. Like a Jeep, they were built to work hard and to go off road. Look at the big wheels and big knobby tires.

You may have me convinced that I need one, LOL. I'm positive that my 90 did 55 mph (88 kmh) all day long. The fuel economy isn't as good as a newer scooter because they are heavy, strong, and no FI, but I never ran it enough on the highway to say exactly. It was still good enough, like maybe 75 mpg instead of 100 on a scooter.

[VocalNeal]

BSJ,

I assume you know that you can buy a modified "off-road" Wave. I've seen them around Pattaya, not in BKK though.

[VocalNeal]

Thinking again. I believe that used motorcycle parts are "verbotten" now so you may have problems with your plan. Easier to just ship the whole bike and pay the duty rather than risk confiscation.

Another thought while I was driving, what about modifying a Sachs Madass? If knobbly tires can be found, there might be room for a rack and a single seat? Ok it wouldn't be a classic but...

[NeverSure]

The thing about those Honda "Trails" is that like a jeep, they were designed and built from the ground up for a purpose, and were built tough for it. The frames are strong. The engines are designed to build power at lower RPMs for good torque. The transmission and transfer case are strong, and of course they have that built in super low range to shift into. They have strong wheels and big knobby tires. They have a strong suspension. The parts are still available to put new seals in the forks and shocks, and then put new oil in them.

It's a package that was hard to beat. They weren't the faster lifted dirt bikes which weren't designed to be a packing animal. They weren't designed to be real fast or to jump over logs. They were designed to be able to carry loads off road. Many US ranchers ran fence lines with them because they could carry a roll of fence wire and tools, and get through rough terrain, and run dependably in that environment all day. I've seen two bales of hay stacked on one of them, going across rough terrain.

It's the whole package that is good, and tuned together to work right for a purpose.

[VocalNeal]

The thing about those Honda "Trails" is that like a jeep, they were designed and built from the ground up for a purpose, and were built tough for it. The frames are strong. The engines are designed to build power at lower RPMs for good torque. The transmission and transfer case are strong, and of course they have that built in super low range to shift into. They have strong wheels and big knobby tires. They have a strong suspension. The parts are still available to put new seals in the forks and shocks, and then put new oil in them.

It's a package that was hard to beat. They weren't the faster lifted dirt bikes which weren't designed to be a packing animal. They weren't designed to be real fast or to jump over logs. They were designed to be able to carry loads off road. Many US ranchers ran fence lines with them because they could carry a roll of fence wire and tools, and get through rough terrain, and run dependably in that environment all day. I've seen two bales of hay stacked on one of them, going across rough terrain.

It's the whole package that is good, and tuned together to work right for a purpose.

I can understand that, although have never seen one. The main point is that they are not here, so either problems or money or both ensue when trying to get one here. For a simple farm runabout it hardly seems worth the bother. If I already had one overseas then I may feel differently or if I needed a hobby project.