HONDA TL 250 Bials 1975 Project

Part 2: Rebuilding

In google i found at ebay parts auctioned for Honda TL 250. About 4000 units were sold to US (and Australia). Some bikes are dismantled and the pieces auctioned at ebay, even whole very nice looking TL 250. Pitty I'm living in Europe, shipping must be over than 1000$ plus administration at customs etc.

bjracing.com in USA were selling new parts for Honda TL250 like cables, sprokets, airfilter, brake shoes, Falcon shocks, fork sealings, etc..

I made a list with the needed parts and recognised, that I could get most of them, but it would cost another 2000$. On the other hand, the bike would come with the paper needed to immatriculate it legally for Switzerland. Furthermore, I was fascinated by the fact, that Sammy Miller had developped the bike. I saw one superb looking prototype with a tuned Miller Highboy frame at his museum and looked again in his brochure and in the internet.

Sammy Miller on Highboy TL 250 prototype electric ignition

I was already a proud owner of a Bultaco M49 from 1968, developped by Miller, so there was the successor...

At the forum from www.trialscentral.com I noticed under "Honda" some remarks about TL250. I mailed to Doug Hunter from Canada, who was competing several years without problems on a TL 250 at AHRAM trials. He praised the strong engine, which should deliver more power than a later TLR 250. Now Doug is riding an Ariel HT5 and its rebuilt project is very interesting to read (http://members.shaw.ca/rjohns/ariel/hunter.htm).

Jean Caillou from France, owner of a Lejeune Honda RTL 360, Whaley Honda RTL 305, TL250 also described in an email the engine to be more powerful than a TLR 250 or TLR200, but heavier, more a Pre65 like to ride.

Conclusion: Engine should have power, is proven, althoug some kilos heavier than my Bultaco M49 (97 kg). Furthermore, it is more rare than a Tiger Cub, Ariel, etc, cause I did not meet one at AFATA nor at other result lists on mainland Europe.

On Easter Saturday, I went to Peter and bought the thing. He gave me a box with parts and the immatricualtion license. The key to lock the front and the frame shield were missing.

Easter gift...March 2005	4 valve engine
Tank repaired	frame nicely  powdercoated in red

I ordered in April at BJRacing in USA new parts and won some biddings in ebay like both engine side covers, a fork with jokes(the ones on were dry and rusty, the stem welded), a saddle, a new set of seals for an XL250, a front wheel from a TL125. For a nice tank, a kicker lever and a silencer I was overbet, those went over 250$ each. Let's first buy the missing parts.

TL250 with parts: Kit for a big child...	from far, everything looks nice...

Whatever I took apart, a rusted or brocken thing came up. After many hours of fiddling, cleaning, fitting the big moment of the first ride in front of my house came! 5 kicks and the 4stroke was alive. Let it warm up, clutch, 1st gear, plopp, exstincted. Kick, kick, nothing. Shoot..It was too premature, because the carb and tank had not been cleaned yet. So, take them apart and clean everything. Many sandy stuff in the tank and carb, so better to fit a gasoline filter. Next day with a new plug. Kick..it's alive, 1st gear, pulls nicely, like a truck in first 3 gears, although it does not rev easily. Fork is hard despite new automatic fluid oil. Clutch is very heavy, maybe I have to fit lighter springs or change the neadle bearings at the lever or  make the lever bigger.

The Falcon shocks seemed very nice, lot of movements and soft, better than my Bultaco..

There is more work ahead till my first trial, but a feeling is there.

The target is coming nearer:

3rd August 2005

Part 3: Almost finished