Topic: Oh boy, I'm in trouble now...

[csendker]

My wife is going to kill me.  I went out for lunch and came back with another bike.  Ok, well I just paid for it, I haven't actually picked it up yet.  I saw this on e-buy, realized it was local and started to drool.  It was listed twice with no bids either time, so I got the guy's phone number, stopped by and the rest is history.  It's a bit rougher in person than the picture shows, but it's a veritable twin (no pun intended) to my gold CB175 and this one comes with the registration (no titles back in '70) so I have a glimmer of hope in getting it by the DMV.  Now I just have to figure out where to store my growing collection; maybe in the shed where I'll be residing when my wife finds out...

[Cowboy]

I'm going to be in trouble this weekend too. I placed a wanted ad on Craigslist, looking for old Hondas, mostly just to see what turns up. I had one major demand, that the bikes have titles. I had hoped to find a basketcase with a good title, so I could use the frame to swap in the running gear from a good-running, but untitled cl450.

Well, no basket cases turned up, instead, I'm planning to go take a look at two very nice CB350s whose owners responded to my ad.  Both in the $500 range, which one would YOU bring home? Both last ridden about two years back, the nice shiny gold one needs some minor welding and clutch work, the red one needs a battery and carb cleaning.







So which would you pick, knowing you will be in trouble with your wife for adding to the list:

1968 Volvo needs a paint job, so it can be reassembled and get out of the garage
1953 MG TD that needs a new top, and a general cleanup/shineup
1969 Austin America needs upholstery, and to be flung around icy corners with reckless abandon
1978 Fiat Spider that needs upholstery so it can be sold to finance all the other projects
1978 Fiat X1/9 that needs an alternator and a paint job
1979 Ford F350 that needs . . . to pull the 1993 horsetrailer to the sandblaster to be stripped down for paint
1964 Honda CT200 that needs to be completely stripped down for paint, and renewal of all rubber.
1978 Honda CB550 that needs to have a slight engine knock tracked down
1972 Honda CL350 that needs a new frame, with a title
1967 Chang Jiang cj750/sidecar that needs  . . . Nothing! At least one of them is finished!

So what's tha big deal if I add a CB350 Twin cafe project to the list. I don't ask HER to turn the wrenches!

[andy750]

Id take the gold one! Very cool 

cheers
Andy

[ProTeal55]

Id take the gold one! Very cool 

cheers
Andy

I 2nd that...

[csendker]

3rd on the gold one.  Sounds like it has a few more issues and I hate to go on aesthetics alone, but the red one just sorta looks plain.

[nickjtc]

Assuming you have the capability to do the fettling (or know someone who does) I fourth the motion on the gold one. It's more 'original'.

My friend  had a 250 that was identical (HUR38L where are you now?). That was a great bike, so the 350 should be even better.

I used to think the Honda must have had a LOT of that paint colour since they painted most of their range in it in those days.

[SteveD CB500F]

I like the older shape.

Vote RED.

[Cowboy]

Sorry to hijack your thread, csendker!

Tell your wife you bought the new bike for HER!

Better yet, point out my list of projects, and show her that yours could be MUCH worse!

[csendker]

It's not really been hijacked, we're both in trouble with more bike projects!    I probably wouldn't have gotten this one if it wasn't the same as my current one.  And, my daughter (the only one in the family who shows ANY interest in my obsession) wanted me to turn it 'blue' anyway as I have a nice blue CL tank to replace the rusty gold one it came with.  Two bikes about 7,600 serial numbers apart...

[upperlake04]

My wife is going to kill me. 

So Csendker - how are things around the house tonight?

[burmashave]

I vote for the gold one, too.  Unless....unless the red one will blend in better, thereby possibly avoiding all notice at all.

[Cowboy]

Personally, I plan to build a cafe-look bike out of which ever one I buy, so I don't care as much how they look now. Either one would likely receive a repaint. I've been growing more and more enamoured with the "project SLim" bike that ProTeal has been building, and that one is driving my vision for this project. I've even gone so far as to buy a cb450 tank for the cafe project.

That gold bike does look sweet, though, doesn't it?  I understand that photo is a couple years old, though, so It may not look so good now. We'll know tomorrow!

[750goes]

Buy both of them you know you want to......

If your are in trouble may as well make it worthwhile spending time in the doghouse or outhouse...

[Cowboy]

750goes, you are an evil, bad, bad influence!   (what a great idea, I'd have NEVER thought of buying them both.  I didn't already measure the truck bed to see if they'll fit, honest I didn't!)

So just so my rationale is clear to everyone,  . . .

I've been talking about this "gas miser" bike broject, and trying to come up with just the right bike to build it with. Well what better solution, since the whole idea is to learn just how much you can improve gas mileage over stock, than to buy two identical bikes!  One cafe racer, stripped down, looking the business, and ridden without regard to fuel efficiency. (or traffic laws, or common sense)  The other bike gets stripped down, and then rebuilt with a full fairing, leaner jetting, smaller sprocket, and harder, narrower tires. Drive it like grandma, then we can really figure out how much all those mods increase the mileage, right?

Well, right . . .  ?  Aw c'mon, be a sport.

[750goes]

Let us know who wins - the wife or the bikes............

[toycollector10]

I had that gold one in the 250cc size when I was a boy.

I thrashed and thrashed it. I red-lined it at least 3 times a day for about 5 years. Indestructible. Reliable. Pretty too.



That's me in the bottom pic, my brother in the top pic. I was 20 something.....

[csendker]

So Csendker - how are things around the house tonight?

Sorry for the delayed response, it took a while hooking up the internet out here in the shed.   

I've been talking about this "gas miser" bike broject, and trying to come up with just the right bike to build it with. Well what better solution, since the whole idea is to learn just how much you can improve gas mileage over stock, than to buy two identical bikes!  One cafe racer, stripped down, looking the business, and ridden without regard to fuel efficiency. (or traffic laws, or common sense)  The other bike gets stripped down, and then rebuilt with a full fairing, leaner jetting, smaller sprocket, and harder, narrower tires. Drive it like grandma, then we can really figure out how much all those mods increase the mileage, right?

Hey, I can do the same thing now!  Actually, I just want to get one of these up & running and enjoy the (hopefully) 80 mpg or so I expect I can bet.  Besides, they really look like a lot of fun to drive, I'd probably push it harder than I'd ever go on my 550.  And then I could do some serious backlogged work on the 550 that I won't start without a second scoot to bomb around on.   Then again, my spare set of 022A carbs did just come in two days ago...

[grumburg]

I'm going to be in trouble this weekend too. I placed a wanted ad on Craigslist, looking for old Hondas, mostly just to see what turns up. I had one major demand, that the bikes have titles. I had hoped to find a basketcase with a good title, so I could use the frame to swap in the running gear from a good-running, but untitled cl450.

Well, no basket cases turned up, instead, I'm planning to go take a look at two very nice CB350s whose owners responded to my ad.  Both in the $500 range, which one would YOU bring home? Both last ridden about two years back, the nice shiny gold one needs some minor welding and clutch work, the red one needs a battery and carb cleaning.







So which would you pick, knowing you will be in trouble with your wife for adding to the list:

1968 Volvo needs a paint job, so it can be reassembled and get out of the garage
1953 MG TD that needs a new top, and a general cleanup/shineup
1969 Austin America needs upholstery, and to be flung around icy corners with reckless abandon
1978 Fiat Spider that needs upholstery so it can be sold to finance all the other projects
1978 Fiat X1/9 that needs an alternator and a paint job
1979 Ford F350 that needs . . . to pull the 1993 horsetrailer to the sandblaster to be stripped down for paint
1964 Honda CT200 that needs to be completely stripped down for paint, and renewal of all rubber.
1978 Honda CB550 that needs to have a slight engine knock tracked down
1972 Honda CL350 that needs a new frame, with a title
1967 Chang Jiang cj750/sidecar that needs  . . . Nothing! At least one of them is finished!

So what's tha big deal if I add a CB350 Twin cafe project to the list. I don't ask HER to turn the wrenches!

Cowboy, you are a very, very sick man.

[dagersh]

You know, people come you guys for advice, and you are all doing hoime a HUGE disservice!  I am ashamed of you all.........

BY 'EM BOTH!!!!!!!!!

Gersh

[grumburg]

You know, people come you guys for advice, and you are all doing hoime a HUGE disservice!  I am ashamed of you all.........

BY 'EM BOTH!!!!!!!!!

Gersh

Who better to diagnose an illness than someone who has the same affliction?

[bill440cars]

You know, people come you guys for advice, and you are all doing hoime a HUGE disservice!  I am ashamed of you all.........

BY 'EM BOTH!!!!!!!!!

Gersh

Who better to diagnose an illness than someone who has the same affliction?

           Isn't that why we're all here?? 

                                                  Later on, Bill

[Cowboy]

Well, I bought the red CB350 today, but did not get a chance to see the gold one.  I was very favorably impressed when I saw the red one in the flesh. It had been dismantled and spruced up in the recent past, with fresh paint on the frame, and on the red parts. It has very fresh-looking pod filters on it, and just generally looks like it is ready to go for a spin. Because it has been sitting for a year, I was not surprised when it did not start right up.  The gas in the carbs smelled vile. I've got it home, and I'll try some fresh gas and a fresh battery tomorrow.

Here's a link to the pics I took when I unloaded it: http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/waterlaw99/Motorcycles/CB350/

[medic09]

You still need the other one.  Valid research requires a control to measure the variable against.  The wife will just know that sounds intelligent.

'course, intelligent isn't always the same as smart; but that's another issue...

Bike looks pretty darn good, BTW.

[Cowboy]

No, intelligent and smart are not necessarily the same thing. Buying this beautiful bike the instant I saw it was smart. Storing it at my rental garage, instead of at home, at least until I can justify a new project by selling an old one, was intelligent.

I haven't given up the idea of buying the gold bike too. If I do so, you can bet it will get left at the rental for a while too!

[bill440cars]

            Yeah, nice buy there cowboy and LOL with the wife guy.   Been there, done that.
          By the way, you are quite the smarty being Smart AND intelligent. IAM impressed.    

                                                            Later on, Bill