When I was in my mid 20’s in the early 2010’s I bought a ‘73 CB500 kind of on a whim. The previous owner had already done the cafe racer thing, and it didn’t run, but it’s what I was looking for. I got it running and rode that thing all over the Sierra Nevada mountains. I didn’t care if the headgasket spurted me with hot oil occasionally, if the exhaust was too loud, 4th gear skipped, or the front shocks were blown. It was fun cruising through the backroads
But I hit some hard times and sold it to a friend for a song, then later he sold it off and left the state, I moved, and I assumed it was gone forever. Jump forward to last year, and I find a friend has it sitting in his garage in my home town, and he’s willing to sell it to me for what he bought it for.
Long story short, ten years after selling the bike I should never have sold, I’ve got it back in my possession.
Now that I’m older I’m excited to fix all the known issues, and improve the gremlins I’m sure are hiding. I dont think you get something like this back often. There’s that expression “don’t loan out anything you aren’t willing to get back”, I feel like it’s even more rare if you purposely sell it. Haha
To save having to search my old posts, I’ll share a photo of it from years ago, and the night I got it back
I’ve got a Delkevic 4-1 on the way, and a few maintance bits. I know I’ll need to rejet it for the elevation I’m at now.
But until it gets running. I’m going to have some fun making stuff for it. I’ve been experimenting with mold making and carbon fiber. I thought carbon kevlar sidepods might break up the all black bike a bit, so I made some, hopefully follow up posts are more mechanical and less dress up
