Topic: The 2021 "Run what you brung" ride thread. What bike are you riding today?

[Terry in Australia]

First of all, Happy New year to everyone here! Due to Covid-19, 2020 was a fairly miserable year all round, and for countries like Oz where we had various lockdowns of differing levels of severity, instead of being able to ride all year round, my rides were stopped completely for around 6 months, and if it wasn't for the bike projects I started (and in a couple of cases, actually finished, more or less) I'm sure I would have lost my mind. I did manage to get some good rides in though, and as more of my 2020 project bikes move toward completion, I'm looking forwards to lots of rides in 2021.

Like a lot of guys here, I own more than just my CB750's. I have a Triumph, 2 Harleys, a BSA, a BMW, 2 Honda RC51's, a Yamaha FJR1300, a Kawasaki Z1-B 900 (1100cc Moriwaki) KZ1000 (1428cc Arias big block) a Honda VTR1000F, 5 CB750's (2 in pieces) a Yamaha XS650, Royal Enfield 650 "Continental GT", (well, those last 2 are my youngest son's bikes, but they live in my garage) a Honda VFR750, and even a CX500. Oh, and I almost forgot, another recent purchase, a Honda CL90, because it's cute, and I bought it from the guy who's owned it since 1967.

Now there are forums for just about any bike ever made on the interwebs, but this has been my favourite site since I joined way back in the Greenspun days, back in the last century. I've got lots of friends here, and I like sharing my rides with like minded souls. I'm sure some of you guys with bikes other than SOHC4's would like to share your rides as well, so I thought, why not start a ride thread, for ALL bikes? It doesn't matter if you ride a scooter or a sportsbike, a Cafe Racer or a Chopper, if it's got 2 wheels (or even three for Trike guys) you're all welcome, and I for one will enjoy reading your riding adventures, and looking at your pics.

There's no minimum distance requirements either. As we get older and our joints start locking up, sometimes a short ride is all we can muster. That's fine, it should always be about the journey, and not so much the destination. I'll try to do at least 100 miles on my CB750's so I can post in Frank's "21 rides in 2021" SOHC4-only thread, but sometimes weather, mechanical failure, time constraints or even Covid-19 restrictions will make a minimum distance ride impossible. That doesn't matter, as long as we're getting out on our bikes and riding, then that's what's important.

I'm supposed to be driving to my 92 year old mother's place, 200 miles away on Sunday, but I'm thinking that I'd really like to ride my Yamaha FJR1300, so I think I'll drive over to the self storage place where the Yamaha currently resides, park the car and jump on the bike, and do 400 miles over 2 separate days (I'm staying until Tuesday) and post them here. I understand that apart from Oz and New Zealand, most members here are in the middle of winter, but that's OK, as your part of the world starts to thaw, jump on whatever bike you're riding (including SOHC4's) and post your rides here. All bikes are welcome, and I'll look forward to reading about your adventures!          

[simon#42]

great idea i look forward to a time i can contribute .

[ekpent]

 Should fill up with many pages. Like you Terry I have some other brands I like to ride. My 'loop' that I like to ride a lot in the evenings etc. usually works out to about 80 miles so will be fun to play a little when we get our riding back in the north. Ride safe you lucky bastards till we can join the party !! 

[Kelly E]

Cool, Terry we have ten different bikes at the moment with seven of them ready to ride right now. Two on the verge of being ready. One still needs a ground up and an 04' FJR that's ready to ride coming in the near future. It is great fun to ride a variety of bikes especially on the same day. We are just working on bikes and waiting for it to warm up so we can get back out there again. We have two big trips already planned for this year plus our usual short trips. I'm ready now.

[Alan F.]

Thanks Terry, can't have too many threads to follow!

I'll most likely be finishing up one of my smaller Hondas first, since I've already got tires for it.

I think finding tires this year will be a tall hurdle.

[Don R]

 Not sure where I'm going but my first venture out will be on my workhorse 78 gl1000. It's got a fairing and lowers. I'm sure it will be cool out.

[Stev-o]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

[Terry in Australia]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

That is sweet, where did you find that beauty Steve? What is the parts availability situation for Black Bombers? Looks like you need a new seat, or at least foam and a cover, do Yamiya do 450 stuff? I won’t ask how much you paid for it, because it’ll probably just make me cry......

[ofreen]

I'll contribute to both threads, I reckon.

[Alan F.]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

Nice Bomber Steve, 4-speed?  Show it off on: www.vintagehondatwins.com

You'll see lots of familiar members there.

[Stev-o]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

That is sweet, where did you find that beauty Steve? What is the parts availability situation for Black Bombers? Looks like you need a new seat, or at least foam and a cover, do Yamiya do 450 stuff? I won’t ask how much you paid for it, because it’ll probably just make me cry......

Hey Terry.... ran into an ol' buddy last month and we started talkin' bikes.  Happened to mention that I always wanted a 450 and he said he had one for sale, cheap! Finally made it out to his shop, it ran good so I took it home.  They won't be any re-pop parts going on this as it's all original. 

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

Nice Bomber Steve, 4-speed?  Show it off on http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,123002.0.html

You'll see lots of familiar members there.

Thx Alan...going there now to sign up!

[Terry in Australia]

It looks fantastic Steve, and yep, if you can keep it 100% original, even better!

[Tim2005]

Great to see the CB450, I'd really like to try one myself but they are pretty rare and expensive here in the UK, especially the early ones. It would be good to be able to compare it with the CB400F

As for my current rides, well it has recently moved into a semi-lockdown here still so very little is going on (and it is only just above freezing too) but I'm still taking my CB400F to work every day, such a great bike to ride. Until lockdown I had been getting out for a weekend ride too, on my Seeley CB750 when the roads were dry/salt-free, and otherwise on my most recent project bike, a Kawasaki ZX12R A1. Perfect for those cold damp slippery winter roads!

Over the last few years I've done a few more modern 90s-ish bikes as projects, partly as the SOHC4s are so expensive to buy and do now, and partly because I've a bit run out of ideas for SOHC4 projects. I still like to do a project every year or two, and so when the 12R came up locally at a good price I thought I'd give it a try. It needed mostly the usual things- cosmetics, brake & suspension overhauls, some (tricky) electrics and so on. One really nice thing about these 90s bikes is that secondhand parts are often available at decent prices. As for riding experience- well it is entirely different to any SOHC4. It's actually entirely different to any other bike I can think of. It's not just fast, that's quite an understatement.  It handles, stops etc perfectly well too, it is a bit of a big lump on the back roads, and you do need to keep a very close eye on the speedo everywhere. Highly recommended, so long as you have some self restraint.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah Tim, I laugh when I think that I bought a mint 1997 VFR750 for $2200, whereas you'd have to spend 5 times that much now for a "cooking model" CB750K1-6 in similar condition nowadays.

Thursday VFR750 ride 31 Dec 2020 8 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr


If I wasn't building bikes like my recent K0 build from parts I've been collecting over the years, I'd have to pay $20K (plus) for a clean rideable one here.

K0 Wednesday 30 Dec 2020 6 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Even my ratty F2 that I bought for cheap with a stuck engine and missing lots of important parts would be a $5K plus bike if I was to sell it now, as a good runner like it is now.

F2 K0 Saturday 28 Nov 2020 2 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

My Yamaha FJR1300 was another bargain, I bought it in 2016 with 227,000 Km (142,000 miles) on the odometer, he was a teacher at a Christian school 50 miles from his home and rode the bike back and forwards 6 days a week (Sunday School/Church) for 10 years, and decided that as it was using a litre of oil every 1000 miles that the engine must be worn out, so put it on Ebay, but didn't get a bid due to the mileage, so I made him an offer ($2000, 500 more than the auction start price) and we did the deal. He was meticulous with servicing, only used genuine Yamaha spares, even Yamaha brand oil. I did an oil and filter change with an Australian brand oil recommended by FJR Forum members and it doesn't use any oil at all now, and it's done another 5000 miles since I bought it.

FJR1300 RESURRECTION RIDE 20 JUN 2020 5 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

I've got to finish the builds on my 2 Kawasaki's this year, and rebuild an engine for my K2 bitsa, that has had more engines since I built it in 2017 than Imelda Marcos had shoes, (Hmmnnn, I wonder if a GPZ1100 engine will fit in a K2 frame? I've got one spare.....)and then I'll think about replacing the crank in my 1973 Harley Iron Head Sportster. I do see lots of late 80's and 90's bikes going cheap though, so who knows? the "collection" might grow by one or two in 2021........

[Alan F.]

One or Two 

[Old Moe Toe]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

What year model is that one Stevo?
I saw this one at my local pub yesterday and the owner said it was a 1967 model and it was a Japanese imported one. It had individual tach and speedo gauges not the headlight bucket type ones yours has. Unfortunately his jacket is covering them in the picture.

[goodtryer]

'65 model 450 for sale in south Texas: $2500

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/mcy/d/odem-1965-honda-cb450-black-bomber/7255333914.html

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As for riding, I'm just alternating my 550 & 750. Don't have the large stables of bike y'all got.

[34barab]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

It was a work of art new.  Looks pretty original.  Good luck with the project.

[Stev-o]

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   Just picked it up the other day and gave it a test ride today.

What year model is that one Stevo?

Hey Moe...it's a '67 K0.

'65 model 450 for sale in south Texas: $2500

https://sanantonio.craigslist.org/mcy/d/odem-1965-honda-cb450-black-bomber/7255333914.html

Calling him! Thx

Rode the "Most Impressive" CB450 today!   

It was a work of art new.  Looks pretty original.  Good luck with the project.

Yes, nearly all original but not a project!  They are only original once...

[Tim2005]

Hey Terry they all look good value, and that Yam is barely run in at that mileage, those motors can go on forever.  Yes these sort of bikes are great value, here's the 12R, I paid £1500 for it,  I've seen people pay that for a stock CB400F exhaust. I then had to spend about £300 on it to get it all sorted, so it is incredible value, amazing performance, as fast as anything on the roads in this area for under £2k. Though maybe it is not as good a bike overall as the GSXR I did another year ( more about that another day).

One other factor in favour of trying other bikes- I find it's really interesting learning about them, it's a whole new experience discovering how they work & how everything goes together.

[jaguar]

Funny to hear you all talk about the value and how the 90s/00s are such hot deals.

Could not agree more!

Used to have a large storage unit filled with SOHC bikes and parts.  When the prices really took off I sold them to fund a garage full of Nortons.  Those all went away to buy my first house.  Now filling up with Italian exotics.

[jaguar]

Honestly these are the bikes I have a childhood connection with.
Graduated high school in the early 2000s

[Terry in Australia]

Nice Tim! I get confused with Kawasaki models, over here we had the ZZR1100 (I started to restore one with a buggared crank but swapped it with Spotty for his stalled K7 project) then we had a ZZR1200 (I think) and now the ZX14 is the performance king, I think it's just a tad more powerful than the Hayabusa? I could be wrong though, I  haven't owned either.

The FJR1300 is brilliant, 147 BHP and goes around corners pretty well, and as heavy as it looks, it only weighs 20 pounds more than a CB750A, so no way as heavy as my Triumph Rocket III. I wouldn't mind buying another quick bike from the 90's but it needs to be 25 years old so I can put it on a cheap club permit "red plate", as full registration is very expensive here.

[Terry in Australia]

Funny to hear you all talk about the value and how the 90s/00s are such hot deals.

Could not agree more!

Used to have a large storage unit filled with SOHC bikes and parts.  When the prices really took off I sold them to fund a garage full of Nortons.  Those all went away to buy my first house.  Now filling up with Italian exotics.

Those are some sexy Italians Jag! Over here older Italian bikes are stupid money, but Aprilia's and later model Ducati's (especially Monsters) are fairly cheap. Bimota's only came here in small numbers, so you don't see them often, my friend John has a Bimota DB1, which is worth a lot of dough here.

Back in the 80's when I was posted to Brisbane I could have bought a couple of Bimota's cheap, a HB1 and an SB1 in "well used" condition, cheap, but back then they hadn't reached their "Star" status that they have now, and I wasn't all that interested. Instead I bought a bevel drive Ducati 900SS, which was a mechanical nightmare. I should have bought the Bimota's, they had the best of both worlds, Italian style and handling, brakes etc, with Japanese reliability.

[jaguar]

So far they have been a joy to own.
The SB8R had sat for many years, so needed a decent going over.  Nothing overly crazy.