Went to a birthday party Friday night - music was furnished by Rory Book and the Volumes. The above clip is from their website but the band had a drummer on Friday also - much better live than the video would lead you to believe. They were billed as a country band but they played a bit of everything, all of which had a country feel but with some rockabilly and jazz mixed in. I thoroughly enjoyed the band and the party - first time in a couple of years since I've been out other than to boxing matches.
I picked up a couple of free motorcycles yesterday - actually worth less than I paid for them.
Top photo is a '74 Honda 450 last ridden in '75. Bottom photo is a Honda Trail 90. The license plate says 1970 but I'm not sure what year the bike is.
The story on both of these is they were at the house of a guy I worked with about 50 years ago. He lives fairly close to me but his son lives in Arizona. Dad's 94 and the bikes needed to get out of the garage. The son knows me from back in the day, so said come and get them. I had no idea what kind of shape they were in and if they belonged to anyone else, I would have just turned around and come home without them. Even though they were garage kept, they're both super rough.
The 450 is all there and the owner said it ran when it was parked - famous last words. I've got no reason to doubt this guy but after 50 years, it will take more than a battery and a fresh tank of gas to run again. It turns over, which is a good sign but the seat has been chewed up by mice and I've got no idea what happened to the rear tire. I was talking the bike up to the grandson who came along to help Surly and I load them up. I'd be willing to under-right the cost of parts. If he didn't mind a whole lot of rusty chrome, it could probably be made street-able for $500.
The 90, on the other hand, is a prime candidate for the scrap yard. Something must have been wrong with it when it was parked, because the head pipe and muffler and a couple other parts are off of it. I think we found all the parts, however.
Both of these gems were deposited in the rental space so I won't be tempted to fiddle with either of them. After I get the Sportster and the trials bike operational, I might consider fiddling with one of them. It would be better to work on a couple others I've had for a much longer time, plus I need to get some more done on the jitney.
6 comments:
if nothing else, the 450 motor could be displayed on custom table stand, as a display motor. https://d3h6k4kfl8m9p0.cloudfront.net/stories/rI-sQVOqXwEp-D16YqnO8g.jpg
I love that Trail 90.
I don't need anything else to trip over or dust. While you wouldn't know that from the fact that I drug these two junkers home, I'm actually trying to streamline the operation by getting rid of some things. Going along with that theme, if you're anywhere close to NW Indiana, I'd be willing to send that 90 your way for exactly what I paid for it. Maybe even buy your lunch.
thanks for your generosity and lunch offer. I live 2000 miles away from you in NW Montana. if I lived 10 miles away I would be pulling into your drive with tie downs before you could finished reading this. the CL450 is going to be a never ending money pit. what happens is it starts to get nice so you keep making it nicer and nicer till it's done got out of whack with the money/work/time value syndrome. then you make excuses to yourself why it is was good thing do.
I hate motorcycles!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG2LI1hb35U
Lack of title notwithstanding, I think the 90 has potential. I dig it. Not sure why, but I dig it. The 450 would make a good scrambler custom project. Coop's got his eye on it.
I have the tool kit for the 450, btw. It was in the back seat.
Marshall: I did some cycling in Montana a few years back but it was on a pedal bike, not a motor bike. Lolo Pass would have been a lot easier with a motor. After we hit Missoula my buddy flew home and I caught a bus to Whitefish. Stayed there a couple of days and then caught the train home. Beautiful country out that way.
Surly: You've got a key to the storage space. Anytime you want to take either one of those little darlings home, go right ahead. As for Cooper, I'd be willing to help with the expenses.
I live in Polson, between the Missoula and the Whitefish.
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