The Classy, Rare, and Beautifully Made Honda CL-160 Scrambler
Motorcycles & ATVs
Motorcycles
The gorgeous CL-160 was the looker in Honda’s CL range and an all-around great machine. This one recently for sale on eBay is in close to mint, restored condition.
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Fully Restored
The Honda CL-160 was only built for a short period, so examples like this one are well worth pointing out. This one comes with a clean Arizona title. The seller says a previous owner restored it some 10 years ago.
It’s a beautiful example of a famously good-looking motorcycle. The raft of photos does a fine job of showcasing the bike’s condition. Only when you zoom in tightly on some of the images do the odd minor blemishes reveal themselves, like the tiny area of white paint missing from the left-side Honda tank badge. Read on to see how eBay can help with that and the other minor issues.
Walking the Walk, Talking the Talk
Although directly based on the CB-160, the CL-160 established a distinctive street-scrambler look that Honda largely retained throughout its range for the next 10 years or so. By fitting different bars, seat, fuel tank, and, of course, that upswept exhaust, Honda also managed to build a bike roundly considered to be better looking than its larger-capacity siblings.
First available to the North American market in mid-1966 and priced at around $550, the handsome little Honda was a hit. The CL’s 160-cc motor was (almost) all-aluminum with a hemispherical cylinder head design and two parallel cylinders.
Strangely, for the time, the cylinders ran side-by-side but fired 180 degrees apart. This kept vibration down and made for a wondrously smooth engine that got smoother the higher it revved. And rev it did, with a lofty 10,000-rpm limit. It was another fine motor from Japan with a remarkable three rollers and one ball bearing supporting the crank. Very, very sturdy.
The Full Package
The CL-160 was the full package, with front fork and rear arm upgrades over the CB-160 and large drum brakes for a 160-cc machine.
Cycleworld - opens in new window or tab. magazine said in a contemporary test:
Predictably, the CL-160 is superbly finished. Casting finish, machining, welding, plating, buffing, paint, and seat finish are excellent… [It] starts easily, runs smoothly, accelerates crisply, handles confidently, brakes authoritatively, looks great, and doesn’t cost an arm or a leg. It does all of the things that it is supposed to do so well that it would be really drab—if it weren't so much fun to ride.
Couple of Small Jobs
As clearly mentioned in the Honda CL-160's listing, there are some small jobs to do. eBay can help.
First up is the inoperative speedo. This tested and inspected item - opens in new window or tab. should do the trick. Correct replacement exhaust? Right here - opens in new window or tab., as are a pair of correct genuine Honda tank badges - opens in new window or tab. and genuine fork seals - opens in new window or tab.. Top that all off with some fuel tank cleaner - opens in new window or tab., and your CL-160 should be tip-top.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.