Honda ATC 70 Rebuild

[jorjen]

Brings me back to the day my dad brought home a 1969 Honda Z-50.  Loved it!  I was 7.  I really wanted a CT-70 or XL-70.  It would be many years before we traded up to a Suzuki DM 100.  I still would love to own a prime example of a 4sp CT-70 my favorite minibike of all time.  They sell for big dollars, maybe I can get one that needs some work.  I remember the 3 wheelers you had to shift your body to make them turn.  There was a forum member here that was into the CT-70's but I forget his handle (chicagopete)?, he had a CT-70 as his avatar. 

 

Good luck with your rebuild!

I had a CT-70 in that kind of gold/burnt orange color when I was a kid and my riding buddy at the time had a red and white SL-70. Loved the SL-70! Sweet lookin' little bike. Then I started lusting after the Honda Elsinore 125. Never snagged one though.

[Travis In Austin]

Like I said before, they should have been banned because of the fixed rear axle. Try and start from a dead stop on a steep hill and you are on your back in a millisecond.

I don't see how this aspect is any different than any other four wheeler or dirt bike that has suspension and is of a similar size. We have a little Honda 50 and I don't see how it wouldn't do the exact same thing that you say. The 3-wheeler may be taller which could contribute but I don't see how the suspension would fix this issue.

The suspension was a major issue because there were internal memos (all in the public record now) where a consulting engineer said it needed 3 things to be safer, active suspension instead of balloon tires, a rear differential, better foot pegs, and rear wheel protection so if your foot slipped off foot peg it would not end up in the rear wheels.

The other issue was memos about the warnings in the owners manual about going up hills, weight shifting, etc.

Of course there was a memo from Honda saying that the changes would be too expensive, and the warnings would hurt the image they were seeking to portray to the public.

In defending these cases we were faced with a lot of twists and turns as more memos began to surface.

The bigger problem was the 110, I believe that was the model, much more torque, much faster, and parents were putting kids on them like they were tricycles. On a flat surface, no turning they are absolutely fine. It required a lot more training and supervision of kids than most parents were aware of.

For 99 percent of people they were just fine, but like I said before, they were very unforgiving.

Travis

[Dankimus]

That thing is sweet lookin' Max, great job! 

 

My first motorcycle was a 3 wheeler.  Pops bought a new 200x and a 200m for the family back in '84.  I have so many great memories spending vacations riding in places like Pismo Beach.  Yeah, the things were dangerous, I had my share of wrecks, but I could ride ANYTHING after learning on those death traps. 

[JJkizak]

 

 

Like I said before, they should have been banned because of the fixed rear axle. Try and start from a dead stop on a steep hill and you are on your back in a millisecond.

I don't see how this aspect is any different than any other four wheeler or dirt bike that has suspension and is of a similar size. We have a little Honda 50 and I don't see how it wouldn't do the exact same thing that you say. The 3-wheeler may be taller which could contribute but I don't see how the suspension would fix this issue.

The suspension was a major issue because there were internal memos (all in the public record now) where a consulting engineer said it needed 3 things to be safer, active suspension instead of balloon tires, a rear differential, better foot pegs, and rear wheel protection so if your foot slipped off foot peg it would not end up in the rear wheels.

The other issue was memos about the warnings in the owners manual about going up hills, weight shifting, etc.

Of course there was a memo from Honda saying that the changes would be too expensive, and the warnings would hurt the image they were seeking to portray to the public.

In defending these cases we were faced with a lot of twists and turns as more memos began to surface.

The bigger problem was the 110, I believe that was the model, much more torque, much faster, and parents were putting kids on them like they were tricycles. On a flat surface, no turning they are absolutely fine. It required a lot more training and supervision of kids than most parents were aware of.

For 99 percent of people they were just fine, but like I said before, they were very unforgiving.

Travis

 

 

I failed to mention that my experience was with a ATC-90 not a 70. When I had to start from a dead stop on a hill I had to shift my weight forward to the point of my head touching the front wheel fender and that would sort of work if you could feather the throttle. My lower back still hurts 40 years later but I really can't blame it fully to that.

JJK

[Max2]

Thanks for all the comments and concern with little mans safety.  3 wheelers are definitely not as stable as a four wheeler, but you figure that out pretty quick the first time you turn the steering wheel.  I have lost a few friends from four wheelers in my lifetime. I just want my son to start early and learn that you can have fun, but there are limits to everything and I'm counting on a little road rash along the way to instill this.  I sure as heck don't want him sheltered as the kids that I grew up with like this were the ones that got really hurt.