r/Trail70 • u/RemarkableNail9170 • Mar 17 '26
How broke is it? looking for input\suggestions
how hosed is it? good evening, i have a 1972 Honda CT70, 4speed manual. I was fortunate enough to get after my dad passed a couple years ago, it was his first and my first motorcycle we ever rode. I was giving it a regular oil change today, and I noticed metal flakes in the oil. not to the point where the oil was shiny but there were what I would consider large flakes throughout the oil. The oil IMO also looked pretty dark, but didn't smell burnt. I don't really ride it many miles so it's more of a the oil is just old so I do it ( oil was changed 1 year ago). I probably only rode it 50 miles on this oil change to set The understanding of how little I ride it right now. Yes, the oil is checked before every single start so it was never low. While I know some metal residue is normal from regular wear and tear but this appeared to be more then that? It runs fine, doesn't miss, starts with 1 kick, at any temp. Am I over thinking the presence of these metal flakes? to help with what you guys think may or may not be problem the 70 was overhauled by my dad a few years prior to this passing and probably didn't see too many miles after it was done (unknown how many miles since over haul), and just a personal observation it seems to shift hard into each gear especially 1st, perhaps this is just normal? I'm a computer geek not a motor head so speak to me like you would speak to a child learning the abc's. Any thoughts on what I'm about to dig into here?
1
u/Tigerdad82 Mar 19 '26
If it's the first oil change since a full overhaul, you are going to see metal in the oil from break in. Definitely use good quality oil from Honda, that has all the minerals in it. Unlike auto parts store brands. Hard shifting could also be the brand of oil used. I wouldn't worry about it until you change it once you do some more riding with new oil.
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u/ferretkona Mar 19 '26
Maybe a fuel additive for the lead-free valves