AIR-COOLED 161CC PARALLEL TWIN, FOUR SPEED, 16.5BHP, 71MPH, 282LB (128KG), 18IN WHEELS

This particular street scrambler is a real rarity, because the one-year-only CL160 was replaced with the electric-start CL160D (in reality a CB160 with a dealer-fitted CL kit) in 1967.

The lively, twin-carburettor engine was no different to the sports CB160 in terms of performance, sharing its 16.5bhp power output. And the chassis was identical too, with just the tank, seat, exhaust and handlebars as the points of difference between the two. But if the CL160 was similar to its roadster cousin, the CB, it was very different to the CB72 that launched the CL dynasty. The CL160 crankshaft is a 360° item with the pistons rising and falling together – and the 160 is a much smoother unit than the 250. It also sported conventional ‘insert’ type valve

d h lkllih machined valve seats used on the 250 and 305 twins. American magazine Cycle World reckoned that the CL160 had better handling than the bigger CL twins and managed to wring 71mph out of the little twin on a standing quarter-mile run. In reality, that’s probably top wha for the CL – but it was still not bad for 160cc mount back in 1966. The four-speed gearbox means high revs in each gear are needed to get the most from the engine – peak power comes in at a heady 10,000rpm. But th 7in twin-leading-shoe brakes work very well on the relatively lightweight 160 and, despite its scrambler pretensions, a good number of CL160S have been converted for road racing on the AHRMA circuit in the United States. Running one would present no more problems than a CB160 – as long as the exhaust, tank and seat are present and correct – but finding one in the UK

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