Ignition Contact Points | Honda CB175 / CL175 / SL175 / CB200 / CL200
Pitted, corroded points are why a lot of 175s and 200s won't hold a timing setting. Points are a wear item — the contact faces burn, the gap drifts, and the spark goes with it. A bike that has been sitting for years often needs a fresh set. These are replacements for both the styles Honda fitted.
Why You Need This
The points open and close to fire the ignition coil. As the faces pit, the gap drifts and your timing walks away from wherever you set it. Let it drift too wide and the bike gets hard to start. Worn, pitted contacts cost you power too.
The CB175 and CB200 run a single set of points. The 360-degree crank brings both pistons up together, so one point assembly fires both plugs and one set is the whole job. That is worth knowing if you have worked on a CB350 or CB360 before — those use a left and a right set on a 180-degree crank.
Which Style Do I Need?
Honda sourced points from two manufacturers and fitted both concurrently, so the set you need depends on the plate already on your bike — not on the year. Pull the points cover and look at what is in there:
- Nippon-Denso (and the Toyo clone you will see referenced in some microfiche): the larger of the two, with a big rocker. The plate carries two protruding posts for timing and two cutouts on its edge, so its outline is not a perfect circle.
- Hitachi: physically smaller, with a smaller rocker and a little eccentric adjustment screw on the side that opens and closes the gap for you. Most points have no such feature — you wedge them with a screwdriver instead. The Hitachi plate is completely round with no edge indentions, and has an elongated hole for the cam adjustment screw.
Neither style is better than the other and neither is an upgrade. This is purely a matter of matching what is already bolted to your engine. Select your style from the options above.
Specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|
| Replaces OEM Parts | 30202-107-004, 30202-107-154, 30202-216-004, 30202-216-005 |
| Fits Models | CB175 K0 / K3–K7 (1968–1973), CL175 K0 / K3–K7 (1968–1973), SL175 K0–K1 (1970–1972), CB200 K0 (1973–1974), CB200T (1975–1976), CL200 (1974) |
| Point Gap | 0.012–0.016" (0.3–0.4 mm) |
| Sold As | Sold individually — select your point style (Nippon-Denso or Hitachi) |
Note: Honda fitted both styles during the same production years, so you cannot pick by year alone. Check the plate before you order.
Installation
Difficulty: Intermediate
Tools needed: Feeler gauge, test light, 17 mm wrench, screwdriver
- Set the point gap before you set the timing. Timing set against a wrong gap will not hold.
- Rotate the generator rotor counterclockwise with a 17 mm wrench until the rubbing block sits on the high point of the cam. The advance cam on this family has two lobes, so there are two high spots roughly half a turn apart.
- Set the gap to 0.012–0.016" with a feeler gauge. We set ours toward the tight end of that range.
- Clean lightly pitted contacts by folding a strip of sandpaper and working it between the faces. Points that are badly burnt should be dressed flat so the faces meet squarely, then washed clean of grit.
- Put a dab of grease on the points cam where the rubbing block rides, and lubricate the rocker on its shaft.
- Static-time with a test light. Clip it to the head of the mounting bolt only — not the plate, not the spring — then loosen the plate and rotate it until the light changes exactly as the F mark on the rotor meets the index mark. Re-check through a full revolution.
- Before you close it up, check that the advance mechanism behind the plate swings freely and that the advancer pin is not worn.
Kill the power between adjustments. With the ignition and kill switch on, the coil is energized and sitting there heating up while you work.
Our CB175 / CB200 ignition timing video covers the whole job on this family — telling the two styles apart, setting the gap, and static-timing with a test light. Timing is the last of the four tune-up steps, after the oil change, the cam chain, and the valves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which points style does my bike use?
Pull the points cover and look at the plate. The Nippon-Denso set is the larger one, with a big rocker, and its plate has two posts and two cutouts on the edge. The Hitachi set is smaller, has a small eccentric adjustment screw on the side, and sits on a completely round plate with an elongated hole for that screw. Honda used both across the same years, so the plate on your bike is the only reliable guide.
What is the contact point gap?
0.012–0.016" (0.3–0.4 mm), measured with the rubbing block on the high point of the cam. Do not confuse this with the spark plug gap — that is a different and larger measurement, and setting your points to a plug-gap figure will put your timing well out.
Do I need one set or two?
One. The 175 and 200 fire both cylinders from a single set of points, so one assembly does the whole engine. The CB350 and CB360 twins are the ones that need two.
How often do points need replacing?
Inspect and re-set the gap every 1,500 miles as part of a normal tune-up, and plan on replacing the points around 6,000 miles. Points that have sat for years often need replacing regardless of mileage — corrosion on the faces can make it impossible to time the bike correctly.
My test light will not go out when the points open. What is wrong?
Check where the clip is sitting. It has to contact the head of the mounting bolt only — not the plate, and not the spring.
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Last updated: July 2026
