Topic: Were you or were you not a member here before you got your SOHC4 Honda?

[veloracermike]

I avoided M/C websites like the plague.  I wanted another bike so bad and visiting anything other than the SuperBike Planet and MotoGP websites to keep abreast of racing news made my heart sick.  I have to thank Cafe Racer TV for getting my wife to start to want another bike in the family again.  She actually was the one to suggest getting another bike and I jumped on the idea before she could change her mind    I started out looking for an XS650 but here in TX the XS prices are stupid high.  Then the 350F I bought came along and I bought it and I found this place soon after.

[TwoTired]

I got my 74 CB550 in 1975 (crashed and tumbled by PO, 1500 miles on the clock).  A month after the deal, with a bare frame rebuild, it was again street-able which I rode until 2001.  Other SOHC4's found me, none were running.  I joined the mailing list when started in 1994, as member #11.
I resisted the greenspun website as the mail list was auto delivered, whereas the new-fangled web browser required more active involvement than simply having messages waiting for me each morning in my mail program.  I didn't participate in greenspun much, as there was lots of repetition compared to the mail list discussions.  The mail list was mostly among educated academics interlinked by the ARPANET, rather than anyone who could push a button on a mouse from a Windows machine.   The Web site forum(s) ultimately proved more popular than the mail list, so I eventually switched over to the existing forum to share what little knowledge I've accumulated.  It's just as well, my mailer would have long overflowed with all the unfiltered web site traffic, and I would have been forced to unsubscribe in that case.

I guess regardless of which forum or discussion list referred, I was an owner before being a member.

Cheers,

[Greggo]

Became a member while researching the bike my dad was giving me for free 

[Terry in Australia]

Terry,did you go for the exact color of the early sandcast blue green on the k2? I like how the gold stripe flows with the colors and if you do not mind, I think i will use it for the color of my powder coat now that i see how well the colors flow... Do you have a color code for the stripe?

G'Day mate, I "eye-matched" the paint as best as I could to the original K2 candy blue, it looks a lot lighter in that pic than it does in real life, with candy being so reflective when the sun hits it. The stripe is the standard K2 decal kit from David Silver Spares in England. Cheers, Terry.

[SHELLFISH]

I bought the blue 1976 550F new.
I just picked up the brown 1976 550K two years ago.
I've only been a member for two years.

I actually found the site when I was researching for the 550 K.

[faux fiddy]

Had a 350f given to me as part of a garage clean up. Seized pistons, started googling for information and joined. Life, other priorities and laziness has brought this project to a hault inches away from starting and running down the road.



Collected another three wheeled junk one on a journey down to Texas, offered here on the forum, I called "the Darwinizer".  Got a couple hundred in transportation before I touched it with a wrench.



http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=53119.0

The frame is passed on with the tri-z parts but I may go back to retrieve it for a cafe project with similar build #'s.  Started puing it's motor apart two nights ago and measuring it. No machining needed, just need to heat up the pistons, free the rings, new headgasket and rebuild all the fuel systems, and it is likely a very useable motor. Better than having it kicked around on the garage floor.

Bike number three was a parts bike found on Craigslist, most the "good parts bike stuff" was taken- ignition, tank , side covers, fork ears, seat, carbs absent  but for those exceptions a mostly complete bike ,  with seized motor, wheels and crusty 4-4 exhaust to perhaps pattern a redux after. I call it 'the four wheeler' as I use an old lawnmower deck so I can  move it around singlehanded. Frame and motor and wheels, cracked triple clamp and disassembled, gathering parts enough to build it, too.

The Christmas poo is the fourth 350f, way crusty and missing parts but again mostly complete, and with bonus yamaha tank.  Found the original tank in the bike garden with weeds growing out of the inside and evidence of critter habitat inside.
Looks better already with the original blue tank and a seat with a cover on it. Still it's far away from streetable.




A  '71 500 four came home at the same time as the Christmas Poo, seized up and can't even move the gear shift lever. I have a line on a 550 motor I hope to transplant.

After the first 350, the forum has  inspired me to scour the country side and collect junk and tinker with it, 80% comes from trips  south of the Red River, but as far as riding it's still twins and singles.

[bjatwood]

No I wasn't....

[seanbarney41]

nope, bought my cb750 in 2008, never had a computer until 2010 ...hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

[Terry in Australia]

hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

Ha ha, well having owned both "marques" over the years mate, I'd recommend buying the cell phone instead, unless you're talking about modern Ducati's and Laverda's? Cheers, Terry.

[Tews19]

nope, bought my cb750 in 2008, never had a computer until 2010 ...hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

I have a family member who doesnt have a cell phone either. he isnt that old either, 50 i think. maybe 45. But he hates using hsi wives too. Not sure why.

[seanbarney41]

hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

Ha ha, well having owned both "marques" over the years mate, I'd recommend buying the cell phone instead, unless you're talking about modern Ducati's and Laverda's? Cheers, Terry.

yeah, I've heard they are finicky #$%*es but it may be a little harder to chuck 'em out into the street with all the other non-functioning digital gizmos I've had over the years

[seanbarney41]

nope, bought my cb750 in 2008, never had a computer until 2010 ...hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

I have a family member who doesnt have a cell phone either. he isnt that old either, 50 i think. maybe 45. But he hates using hsi wives too. Not sure why.

I'm 40...what is hsi wives?

[CoachDoc]

I was an owner for 37 years before I became a member. I bought my 550 in 1974, but it languished in my garage for the last 17 years before an emptying nest gave me the time to restore it this year. For years I did my owm work on my bikes, relying on shop manuals and Chilton's. Some years ago I found the Steve Saunders Goldwing Facts Forum, which really helped me with my GW due to the complexity of that bike. When I started the 550 restoration, I searched for a 550 Honda site, and that search led me here. This site helped me immensely getting my old steed roadworthy again. Now my 550 runs like it did when it was new, so it both looks and feels like a 2 year old machine. Now thishas become my favorite site. I like the variety of ages and perspectives here, and the fact that so many share my passion for this era of motorcycling.

[Terry in Australia]

hopefully I will own a Laverda or a Duc 900ss before I buy a cell phone

Ha ha, well having owned both "marques" over the years mate, I'd recommend buying the cell phone instead, unless you're talking about modern Ducati's and Laverda's? Cheers, Terry.

yeah, I've heard they are finicky #$%*es but it may be a little harder to chuck 'em out into the street with all the other non-functioning digital gizmos I've had over the years

Ha ha, no worries mate, as long as you're not expecting the same reliability and longevity that you're currently experiencing with your CB750, you won't be too disappointed.

The older Laverda's were built better than the older Dukes, but both are guaranteed to leave you stranded on the side of the road occasionally.

On a good day, when all the planets align, either bike is a joy to own and a thrill to ride. For me though, it was just those other 364 days a year that I felt like the dealer had kicked me in the balls............    

[Terry in Australia]

Collected another three wheeled junk one on a journey down to Texas, offered here on the forum, I called "the Darwinizer".  Got a couple hundred in transportation before I touched it with a wrench.

I love that 3 wheeler mate, what a great idea! I've seen a CB750 based ATV but thought it was a bit heavy, but a 350F powered ATV would be great fun, methinks? Cheers, Terry.

[K5owner]

I joined after I had my 750. Hasn't been that long. Great place to see other bikes and talk with other enthusiast.
I got my 75' K5 from a friend years ago (10+ yrs). He was going to use the motor in a D Sports Racer (SCCA, mid 70's). I looked at the bike/parts and thought it was too good to part out. I found him a motor, he went racing, the bike & parts sat in the barn til about 2 1/2 yrs ago.

[ofreen]

I bought my 750F long before Al Gore invented the World Wide Waste of time.  I got on the old mailing list back in the '90s when we first got online.  Like TT, I preferred the list over the old forum, but when Glenn cooked this version up, it became clear this was where the action was.

[heffay]

I wasn't around for the Greenspun board and bought my 350f right before the forum took shape... by the time I was looking around on the internet for SOHC info, the forum was up and I joined.  I had a really low forum member number, #58 if I remember correctly, but I went crazy and deleted my account... now that I'm back, I'm in the 20 somethin' thousands. 

[Blasbo]

I found the forum the day after I got my K7 googling for info on stuck engines. I've been here ever since.

[lone*X]

Yea, I guess If you already posted in the Original Owners thread that pretty much exempts you from this one.

[Really?]

I like that.  It looks to work out just right from looking at it!

[Really?]

Battle Scarred Galactica:





SO SAY WE ALL!!!!

[Harsh]

I certainly wasn't a member prior to owning my 750.  As a matter of fact a buddy of mine bought one about 7 or 8 years ago.  It was in very poor condition.  I thought to myself what a hunk of junk.  At the time I just couldn't see the beauty hiding.  You see up until 10 years ago I never rode on the street.  I was strictly an off road rider although my Dad rode both street and dirt and would often take me for rides on his 70's Triumph.  About two years ago I started really getting into the older bikes and realized the diamond (in the rough) my buddy had.  So I started searching for one.  Low and behold my neighbor across the street had one sitting in his backyard just rusting away.  He wouldn't sell it to me no matter what I offered or how much I begged.  Then about 4 months ago he moved and didn't have the room for it.  He knew how much I wanted it so he GAVE it to me.  So here I am.

[ThomasD883]

I had started bike first, 81 CB650c, ran into a bit of hassle with tuning the cv carbs down to a low idle. I actually read for months before joining, seemed right. Since then i've lusted over big bore 750's , learned to love the lil I-4 motors ( 350f 400 etc ) and gained a healthy respect for the aussies. You guys are all right . BTW happy new years, dont drive drunk a cab ride is cheaper than the fines .

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Thomas, and I agree with your drink-driving sentiments, I'm visiting Brian (Bear) in the spinal unit of the Austin Hospital today, and his ward is full of car and bike crash victims. Last week's visit was my first to this facility,  and for me it was a horrifying experience seeing all the poor buggers who's lives have changed so terribly. Cheers, Terry.