Info on '72 CT-70 Auto

Dennis McDonaugh

Dennis McDonaugh

Member
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I'm looking at the bike and while I understand the basic info about it, I don't know how they operate. How do you ride it?

I see it has a shift lever, but it doesn't appear to have a clutch lever. What's the lever for and when do you use it?

There is a cable attached to the rear brake, It looks like it attaches to the left handle bar lever, but what's it for? Is it like a hand brake because its an auto?
 
hrc200x

hrc200x

Active Member
Left handle bar lever is rear brakes, use that or the foot brake, right handle bar lever front brake. No hand clutch, clutch automatically disengages as you push down or up the left foot lever. Just let off the gas completely between shifts.
 
OLD CT

OLD CT

Well-Known Member
It has a 3 speed auto gear box. The shifter when pressed down and held, acts as the clutch. It will be able to just sit and idle in any gear. The gear pattern is 3 down. The left handlebar lever is another way to use the rear brake although it isn't as strong/effective as using the pedal.
This bike is perfect for a beginner that never learned how to ride using a real manual clutch.
 
Dennis McDonaugh

Dennis McDonaugh

Member
hrc200x said:
Left handle bar lever is rear brakes, use that or the foot brake, right handle bar lever front brake. No hand clutch, clutch automatically disengages as you push down or up the left foot lever. Just let off the gas completely between shifts.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Does it have a neutral? Or, is it always in one gear?
 
Dennis McDonaugh

Dennis McDonaugh

Member
Sorry to be so dense. The auto part is the clutch and not the shifting? Neutral at the top and 1,2,3 down? So if you are stopped and in neutral, you push down on the gear shift and it goes into first and you hold your foot down until you're ready to take off then release? Then you let off the throttle and push down again to go in to second and so on and so on?
 
Dennis McDonaugh

Dennis McDonaugh

Member
I guess it'd help if it was running so I could try it out. I won't have new fuel lines until Tuesday. This pandemic thing makes it hard to get parts because you can't just run down to the local MC shop.
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
It is a little bit strange to have two rear break options but that's how they came from Honda! The exception is the 1971 HK1 which did have the 4-speed lever clutch and that was a the typical left hand location. Btw:The neutral pilot light indicator will illuminate 'green' on the speedometer when this 3-speed automatic is in neutral,that's how it usually works when a good 6v battery is installed.

Here some vendors that you can have parts shipped to you!.----> DRATV.com CHP & https://chpmotorsports.com/

Welcome to lilHonda. :)
 
hrc200x

hrc200x

Active Member
You shouldnt hold down on the shifter when shifting between gears or out of neutral. From N push down and let up, give it gas when you want to go. you can come to a stop in 3rd gear if you want and bike it idle. If you do that it will be a little hard to get back into N or 1st and might need to rock the bike back and forth.
 
6

69ST

Well-Known Member
hrc200x said:
You shouldnt hold down on the shifter when shifting between gears or out of neutral. From N push down and let up, give it gas when you want to go. you can come to a stop in 3rd gear if you want and bike it idle. If you do that it will be a little hard to get back into N or 1st and might need to rock the bike back and forth.
Click to expand...
This looks like a typo. Actually, you should hold the shifter, momentarily, when changing gears or going from neutral to first gear.

The semiautomatic clutch is just a mechanical clutch, once under way. At low rpm, it's a centrifugal clutch; that's why you can idle in gear. When the shifter lever is depressed, in either direction, the clutch is disengaged the same as if you were squeezing a hand lever....via an integrated cam plate assembly. Most riders just snap the shifter, on gear changes...making virtually clutchless shifts, then wondering why the bike lurches. Learn how to modulate shift lever release + throttle aplication and you'll soon be able to execute silky-smooth shifts...same as if you had a fully manual clutch and hand lever.
 
hrc200x

hrc200x

Active Member
Post #6 was asking if the shifter was to be held down until rider was ready to start moving. Was trying to tell him to not hold it down.
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
On my 1991 CT70, the first gear is all the way down, then 2 uP. But if you go all the way down and are in 1st and you push down it will disengage the clutch and you can rev the engine (like your in neutral) let pressure off it and it goes in first at a higher RPM, it will pop a wheelie and could flip on you. You can do the same going from 2 - 3rd gear and feather rpm's to that gear. Hard to explain but natural to learn.
Revving it out in 1st gear is something to do if you get bogged out in the mud! I wish i would have tried that last year when i hit the muddy trail by bogging out...:red70:
 
hrc200x

hrc200x

Active Member
No problem, trying to type from a phone and probably didn't go into depth enough on the proper way to shift. Basically shift it like a manual clutch bike just don't pull any levers on the handle bars.

Adam does your 91 have Neutral between 1st and 2nd?
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
hrc200x said:
Adam does your 91 have Neutral between 1st and 2nd?
Click to expand...
Yes, it takes a bit of getting use-to shifting past neutral to hit 2nd gear but with practice its better now, my 91' only has 425 miles on it but seems to shift easier as i go along.:coffee: which reminds me, I need to clean & check my oil spinner...
 
Adam-NLV

Adam-NLV

Well-Known Member
oops LOl..Correction , Your right hrc200 it is all down to hit neutral, I had that incorrect!:cool: Not sure what bike i was thinkin of..maybe my old cm200.o_O but i don't have a fever!
 
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OLD CT

OLD CT

Well-Known Member
A easy explanation would have been I have a ''3 up'' transmission, Adam. My 1982 CT70 also has a 3 up transmission. Older models like a K1 are 3 down.
 
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hrc200x

hrc200x

Active Member
'75 mighty green was the first year of 3 up transmission. Were the DAX 1 down 2 up manual clutch? Don't forget the rotating trannys where you could go from 4th to 1st with one click.
 
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