My Background:
During restorations I started to accrue used bikes that I could use for parts etc. At the peak I had about 29 V65's in storage, total owned as of this writing is about 50.
Current Time: Water Pumps
So, with restorations, parts were hard to find and expensive, many of my customers were not overly concerned about the cost so much as a reliable vintage V65. It was then I started looking at the possibility of overhauling parts that were not really meant to be. The water pump was 1st on my list, so with a small CNC mill & lathe I cut one length wise to see how it was assembled. This was the start of an overhaul process that was reliable and repeatable as far as tolerances etc. I have now overhauled about 280 pumps, for customers literally all over the world. As time went on, I started buying other model water pumps and doing the same process, which to date included over 30 various models of Honda's.
I then decided to create a kit for those that wanted to do their own overhaul, it includes a detailed instruction PDF file with color photos. This required me to make a special tool to remove the old impeller without applying heat to it, which I discovered that when you heat the impeller, it is such a soft metal that it loses its interference fit with the bearing shaft. I put this in red because when heated, the impeller failed every time I ran a pump on my lathe. Pictures of one running on my lathe is with my pumps and kits for sale.
Current Time: Petcocks, O-rings & Sabre Odometer Rubber Covers
I then turned to other things that were impossible to get, the Sabre odometer reset rubber cover always annoyed me as it often was the only other thing on a restoration, besides the mileage, that would give it away as being older. So, I took about 6 of them in various stages of decay and came up with dimensions and a CAD drawing. I then searched for a company that could make them, which I found. They CNC machined a mold, about $700, and then made them for me, they came out perfect and can be replaced with out removing the instrument cluster/cover.
The Honda petcocks became no longer available and I did the very same thing with both the large valve on the Magna and Sabre and the small valve on the Sabre. Which after doing more testing fit other models. Also, I have put o-ring kits together for water pumps, Carburetors, and other sealing items.
So I hope I have helped the Honda Vintage V4 group of enthusiasts to keep their bikes on the road, to me the V65’s are a classic design that still to this day has a fantastic style and look, not to mention what happens when to turn the throttle.
So, if you are like me and love vintage bikes, please feel free to email me if you have a component that I can maybe help you with. I will do some research and see if we can find a solution.
Taz (Carl)
Peoria, AZ
Site: AZV65.com
Email: Cookventures2022@gmail.com
Phone: 602-796-7076
