Honda TL250 survivor w/condenser issues?

HeadedOut

HeadedOut

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Nov 19, 2022
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Always got to have the "found it" story right?
IMG 0406

A friend of mine was asking me questions about some motorcycles and how to chop them up and make a bobber. He said they were his dads original bikes from 1976! When I finally got over there, he was half way through tearing down a 76 Honda CB550four Super Sport, and a TL250 was next. After talking with him and telling him how special these bikes were, and to NOT destroy them, his dad said he wanted me to have them because I saw how special they were. So for $150 I bought them from his dad! lol I did help the kid find some bikes to tear apart and just like I thought, he lost interest and the old Kawasaki sits at his house today...

Anyhow, I had this TL250 since 2012 and finally have some time to pull it and start working on it. After some fiddling with the points, and putting them back on the correct way, the bike fired up! I changed the oil, fixed some gaskets, cleaned the very clean carb, and took it out of the shop to ride it. But heres my problem, it will only stay running for one minute. I have read across some other forums that the condenser may be the issue but the threads just drop off and nobody replies. Have any of you guys had issues with condensers on older bikes? What are the symptoms that you get from a bad condenser?
 
Last edited:
Vikes79

Vikes79

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Always got to have the "found it" story right?
View attachment 427722
A friend of mine was asking me questions about some motorcycles and how to chop them up and make a bobber. He said they were his dads original bikes from 1976! When I finally got over there, he was half way through tearing down a 76 Honda CB550four Super Sport, and a TL250 was next. After talking with him and telling him how special these bikes were, and to NOT destroy them, his dad said he wanted me to have them because I saw how special they were. So for $150 I bought them from his dad! lol I did help the kid find some bikes to tear apart and just like I thought, he lost interest and the old Kawasaki sits at his house today...

Anyhow, I had this TL250 since 2012 and finally have some time to pull it and start working on it. After some fiddling with the points, and putting them back on the correct way, the bike fired up! I changed the oil, fixed some gaskets, cleaned the very clean carb, and took it out of the shop to ride it. But heres my problem, it will only stay running for one minute. I have read across some other forums that the condenser may be the issue but the threads just drop off and nobody replies. Have any of you guys had issues with condensers on older bikes? What are the symptoms that you get from a bad condenser?
I can’t say on older bikes, but I’ve seen it on older tractors I’ve restored / resurrected. Runs great for a few seconds to a min and then goes to crap.

 
Rayger143

Rayger143

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Always got to have the "found it" story right?
View attachment 427722
A friend of mine was asking me questions about some motorcycles and how to chop them up and make a bobber. He said they were his dads original bikes from 1976! When I finally got over there, he was half way through tearing down a 76 Honda CB550four Super Sport, and a TL250 was next. After talking with him and telling him how special these bikes were, and to NOT destroy them, his dad said he wanted me to have them because I saw how special they were. So for $150 I bought them from his dad! lol I did help the kid find some bikes to tear apart and just like I thought, he lost interest and the old Kawasaki sits at his house today...

Anyhow, I had this TL250 since 2012 and finally have some time to pull it and start working on it. After some fiddling with the points, and putting them back on the correct way, the bike fired up! I changed the oil, fixed some gaskets, cleaned the very clean carb, and took it out of the shop to ride it. But heres my problem, it will only stay running for one minute. I have read across some other forums that the condenser may be the issue but the threads just drop off and nobody replies. Have any of you guys had issues with condensers on older bikes? What are the symptoms that you get from a bad condenser?
Cool bike. I had an old Hodaka years ago that did that. I replaced the points and condenser and it solved the problem.

 

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