So I dropped off the 73 750 that I was repairing last week, the 750 came off the trailer and the '66 305 went on it and it headed home with me. I always loved the style of those bikes. I know where 2 of them are and have been playing the game with both owners, but haven't been able to make the deal stick. Long story short, I 've never ridden one before. And I gots to know.
The 305 gets unstrapped at my house and it's time to take it for a short spin. OMG, how can anything so pretty ride that sh1tty? Back end has some travel on the shocks and it feels like it's pumping the rider up and down softly,the front end is a bit more rigid and your hands feel every bump with those hard plastic grips,those tiny tires transfer every road imperfection to the already mentioned parts....not what I expected at all.... then there is all that horsepower...oh my, where? Top speed around 60, divide that by 4 speeds then again by the two small tires , add 10 for extra miles an hour that you would like to have and that leaves you with the actual safe speed these things should be driven at, approx 17.5 miles an hour....even so, you can still look cool on one at 17.5mph. I think that I will have to reconsider a purchase of one of these machines, it's gonna have to be really cheap, cause it'll never be ridden. Maybe get both, can always use bookends.
This '66 was a flood bike too, found what I expected in the motor, silt in the bottom case almost clogged crusty filter that didn't want to come apart.... good stuff. Took the oil pump out , flushed and scrubbed with brushes and flushed with kerosene. Brush and flush, brush and flush. the top end looked okay, no caking. All clean now.
Went to put it back together and lost a special washer that goes behind the non throwaway type oil filter... looked for hours with a flashlight on hands and knees...cleaned the shop, still didn't find it, got an the computer to by an ebay unit when it occurred to me , the only place I hadn't looked for it was in the case, and there it was hiding behind a chain tentioner spring. lucky I had the case off and was cleaning up the clutch area , wouldn't have seen it otherwise.
Lots more to clean up here before it goes back home. This machine , is an old school challenge, unlike the 750 that I couldn't wait to finish so I could ride it, only because with the ca77 I don't believe the ride is actually worth the work. But they are pretty.
