Topic: Hobbyist, Side Business, or pure pleasure! Need help with an article I'm writing

[mikedialect]

Hello all!

I seek assistance with your knowledge, experience and thoughts in general. I am writing an article for my Sociology class. It is a class called Office Space (yes- like the movie- the professor is great) and it's central themes are the sociological make up of the working world we find our selves in at the present time. I have a term paper that I plan on writing about the Vintage Motorcycle world- more specifically the Vintage Honda World we all love. I'm sure this sort of thing has popped up here before. So and so wants to write something about how great and wonderful motorcycles are and how you all should help write the damn thing for them, well, that's not what I'm looking for here. What I am looking for is specific information about your participation in the Vintage Honda Community. I know that there are very, very few people who frequent these boards that work on these bikes for a living. I have read over time that a large number were service techs at one point some folks even worked for Honda. I know that asking this I could receive nothing but dead, hot air, but I'm hoping that by sharing how we all got into this hobby, life, career, insanity that we can not only have a good time sharing, but also help out a young buck who wants to share your stories with the upper echelon of my Institution.

Does it sound like bs yet? Well, it might, but I really feel that when I'm here reading, participating and learning from all of your projects that I'm not just the crazy guy who has three engines torn apart in my dining room... I'm not alone in that (although I know a lot of you have much better workspaces )

So, the meat of my question....

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

Why these 70's Honda's?

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?


Please feel free to share any stories along those lines, answer just the above questions, etc. I am trying to write this article about the world surrounding these bikes. The inter workings of such an individual mode of transportation that spawns such a large social network. Also, how the once amazing 'first superbike' went from showroom -> to forgotten -> to a valuable collectible. So, please feel free to share. I have read many of your stories on here and I have appreciated the chance to do so.

thanks!


amended question!

If anyone would also like to comment on how they feel in regards to the community they found when discovering this site or motorcycling in general. How has that experience shaped your appreciation of working on or being a part of a community at large?

[Hope]

How were you introduced into motorcycling?
My dad got 2 mini bikes, one for me and one for my sister.  I used to ride every spare moment that I could.   I cut ruts, popped wheelies, nearly rode until the wheels fell off.... or I grew out of it, (too big for a mini-bike) then wanted a bike for my 1st car.  Dad said, "4 wheels or no wheels."  It would be destined that I could not have a bike until I was 18, and ballsy enough to challenge my mother on my decision to have a bike.  Well, here I am umteen years later, still riding.  (a true lady never reveals her age).

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?
Yes, I love my old bike.  My bike is pure pleasure... except when I start working on it, and things don't go as planned...  like problems were bigger than originally thought, or parts not available.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?
I guess I am a hobbyist, even though my bike is my passion.  I love riding, and I love my bike.  I only ebay parts that I know I will never ever use or need again.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?
No

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?
No.  Sometimes I lend a hand, but never make money.

Why these 70's Honda's?
The parts are pretty common and easy to come by, they are simple machines.  They are not too complex to work on.  Most of the time when I break something, I feel like I can fix it myself.  I like the attention it gets when I ride in town.  I call my bike an old fart magnet.  It draws old farts who are now Harley riders to come tell me about how they used to have an old 750 or 550 years ago, and it looked "just like mine, except it had...."  I'm driving history, which is part of the reason why I like the bike.  The other part is because I ride my dad's old bike and he passed away in 98.  Keeping his bike on the road is a rolling memorial of him.  Reminds me of our rides together.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?
I have 2. 1 1975 550 K (dad's old bike - Cassandra).  1 1976 550F (Project Jasper - Cafe Racer).  Jasper is torn down right now and in the process of the transforming to be a Cafe Racer.  No problem tearing Jasper down.  Cassandra, on the other hand, for sentimental reasons, I don't plan to tear her down being dad's old ride and all.  Sometimes I wonder though if it would really make dad proud to see his old 550 stripped to the frame and completely totally overhauled into a custom 550 (not cafe).  Sometimes I am tempted, but sometimes I am sentimental.  Time will tell what Cassandra's destiny is.  I sometimes crave a 750... oooh, I 750 with no sentimental attachment, I'd certainly strip down to the frame and build a hellatious 750 cafe racer.

That's it.  That's all I got.

BTW, my major is sociology.  I have 15 more classes to go.

[medic09]

Well, I would certainly rather procrastinate on the paper that I'm writing for the College of Nursing, so I'll help out!    In turn, you have to give me usable info on the effect on patient outcomes of flight medical crew configurations. 

I was introduced to motorcycling in high school.  I rode friends' bikes, and hankered after one of my own, but never bought one.  For nearly thirty years I did not ride.  I got back on a bike when I discovered that an elderly family friend had a bike of the sort I wanted as a youngster - a '75 Triumph Trident.  It has yet to be rebuilt.  I needed another bike to ride in the meantime, so I had a medium sized Yamaha, then got my thoroughly-enjoyed 750Four.

Old bikes are a pleasure interest for me, and regular transportation as well.  About 9 months out of the year (except for when snow and ice prevent riding) a motorbike is my regular transportation.  I only drive a car occasionally to do large errands like buying animal feed.

I am a utilitarian rider, and hobbiest.

I have never worked in a bike shop, nor do I expect to.

Why a 70s Honda?  I like the sense of history, especially the SOHC Hondas which really changed motorcycling history forever.  The bikes are well engineered and reliable, so I can use them for regular transportation.  I think it is kind of cool to ride an older, classic bike (though I do have a modern one, as well).  I like being able to work on the bike, and I find newer bikes much harder to work on.  Finally, these bikes are from the years I was a teenager.  These are among the bikes I wanted back then.

I have two running bikes, and a project bike.  My wife has a bike, as well.  I don't know if I'll pick up another old bike at some point, but it is certainly possible.  When all my machines are running well, I might pick up a project if the right one comes along.  I don't necessarily plan on it, though.

Good luck with the paper!

[mikedialect]

great responses Hope and Medic! Thanks! Keep em' coming

[Bob Wessner]

For what it might be worth in your endeavours..

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

Left the service in late '68 and had always had an interest in trying one. My first bike was a '68 CB350 twin, purchased in '70. I really enjoyed it, but it was way too small for me, but a great starter bike. In '72 or '73 I bought a 750 K0, simply because it seemed it would be a better fit, physically. Really enjoyed it. Rode it through '82 including what I thought were a couple of longer rides from Mich. to N.Y. (Montauk Pt eventually) and one trip down to the Blue Ridge Mtns. It never let me down.

In '82 I put it up for the winter in the back corner of the garage, normal routine. Then some things (life ) got in the way, work related mostly, and one thing led to another and I never rode it again until three years ago when I retired. I made it one of my projects to see if I could get it back on the road.

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

I'd have to say yes, but could find myself interested in other brands as well as long as they were vintage. Modern bikes do little for me.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

A little of all three perhaps, but mainly a hobbiest, though the hoarding part might be just hoarding and not for sale.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

Never worked in the motorcycle business as evidenced by the many questions I asked here while trying to get the 750 back on the road.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

No.

Why these 70's Honda's?

Primarily because it was the '70's at the time and the Honda was the talk of the town at the time.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

Besides the 750, there is a 550 in the garage in about the same state as the 750 after 22 years in storage. I hope to get to it some time.

Will we get to read the final product?

[Raul CB750K1]

I bet you will get a lot of responses mikedialect.


Did I ever say in this forum that I'm conviced that people love to talk about themselves? 

[Glenn Stauffer]

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

A friend wanted to get rid of his CB550 and I was looking for a new interest.  $250 later, I had a motorcycle and started scouring the internet for information on the bike so I could fix the leaky head gasket.

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

Yes.  Well, pleasure and therapy and, because of this group, something of an obligation.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

Purely a hobbiest.  It is all I have time for these days.  My restoration projects are idled.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

No.  Never even had the faintest interest in the motorcycle business before that fateful day when the 550 came my way.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

No; unless running the sohc4.net website counts as work. :-)

Why these 70's Honda's?

Because it is the first bike I owned.  My interest continued largely because of this community of owners.  I also have a Yamaha RD400, but never connected with a group of like-minded individuals there - though I like that bike, I never developed the attachment that I have for my 550's and my '75 750.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

4.  I don't have a strong desire for more bikes, though I would never pass up a good example of one of the other SOHC/4 models and have some interest in a few models from other makes.  But, to keep family harmony, I'll have to squirrel them away in a storage area someplace... :-)

[mikedialect]

again, awesome responses


If anyone would also like to comment on how they feel in regards to the community they found when discovering this site or motorcycling in general. How has that experience shaped your appreciation of working on or being a part of a community at large?



Thanks for the comments so far

[mattcb350f]

Hi mikedialect, I figured I might offer a different perspective since I'm new to SOHC/4's. I've taken one course in college called Introduction to Sociology, wrote a paper on human interaction at the Wal-mart checkout lines. I like your paper a lot better!

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

I was introduced to motorcycling through my older brother (older by six years) who had a Honda 80 to ride around when he was young. As a younger brother, I of course wanted to do what he was doing, and when I was old enough he gave me the bike (with dad's permission). This also brings me to the fixing side of the story since it was a wreck by that time I had to piece it back together and more or less restore it before I could ride it...So I actually fixed a bike before I rode it.

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

The CB350F I bought three months ago is, yes. also cheap transportation to college  

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

I guess I would consider myself a restorer, since streetable motorcycles are new to me. I've previously restored several 40's and 50's farm tractors, (grew up on family farm) 1970's Ski-doo snowmobiles, and a few dirtbikes. I am also hoarding parts from nearly all projects but with little interest in selling them.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

No. although I have worked on many of my friends bikes for beer.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

No.

Why these 70's Honda's?

Early this year, I began researching various bikes because I planned to restore one this winter. Sounds too well planned, I know but it's true. I focused on Honda since I already knew the brand well. When I looked at price, the 70's Honda's seemed to be fairly cheap given the overall value of the bike, especially the fours. I didn't like the 80's models and newer than that was out of my price range and I wanted to restore a bike as well as ride it.
The other brands I thought were a good option but I've always liked the Honda product and appreciated the engineering that goes into them.
I decided that I wanted a 70's four cylinder Honda and when I saw a 350F for sale I grabed it.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

I have one SOHC/4. plan to buy a larger one in a year or two but I'll likely stick with a 70's Honda model.
I also have two other Honda singles and two Husqvarna 400 enduros. officially five bikes in total

Good luck with the paper, Matt.

[UnCrash]

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

When I was 11 I began begging my dad for a minibike.  He said that he would pay half.  I saved up lawn mowing money and bought a Rupp Black Widow with a 5 horse Tecumseh engine in it.  I rode it till the engine burned up.  I treated it more like a dirtbike than I should 

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

They're a pleasure, a chore, a diversion, a hobby, and something that gnaws at my mind.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

Nope

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

I've never sold anything to do with motorcycling for a profit.

Why these 70's Honda's?

I've owned 3 Honda cars, one a 91 Civic had 215K miles on it when my wife and I sold it.  Original clutch, and most everything else except the radiator, shocks, tires, brakes and mufflers.  I'm sold on Honda.  When looking for a bike after a 10 year hiatus from riding, I happened to see a 78 750F locally advertised in Craigslist.  I snapped it up for $400 without hearing it turn over. I'm another $400 in, and 2,500 miles later I can't get the grin off my face.

Cheap, easy to fix, fun to ride, customize anyway you like motorcycles.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

Today I just bought a CB 750K from a fellow member for $200 with a spare engine.  Both need head gaskets so I'll do the 15k K6 motor up this winter and cafe the K in black and burgundy.

[754]

#1 I just always remember wanting to have a motorcycle, got my first one at 16 yrs.. did not drive a car or even know how till I was 21!!

#2 Pleasure, most of the time.. pain..some of the time..been in plaster for a year at a time! Transportation a lot of the time, but it can be more pain than pleasure when it gets below freezing..( sorta nice pain!)
 
#3 Hobbiest mostly or enthusiast I prefer..(not much on restoring, more using them) I have hoarded parts for over 25 years.. sold some..

#4 Had my own parts store selling accessories.and a bit of repairs.. Then a Machine shop with a lot of motorcycle oriented work & manufacturing bike related parts.

#5 Still involved making parts and repairs etc.. less than previous years.

#6 Grew up with these bikes, always had one or more.. they work for me and my needs..

#7 A few bikes together, more in parts, other bikes to, more in the past. Will I get more.. OH YEAH!!!

[matchanu]

Topic: Hobbiest, Side Business, or pure pleasure! Need help with an article I'm writing 

LOL!

You do realize the the term "Hobbiest" is used by guys who employ prostitutes?

 

[mikedialect]

Topic: Hobbiest, Side Business, or pure pleasure! Need help with an article I'm writing 

LOL!

You do realize the the term "Hobbiest" is used by guys who employ prostitutes?

 

I misspelled that one, indeed!

[333]

#1  At 11 or 12 a neighbor got a CT70 that we rode all over the neighborhood.  At 19, I bought my first street bike (CB450K4)to become one of those "highly paid"(yea right) motorcycle couriers.  That lasted about a month when I realized that Washington D.C. was no place for an inexperienced rider.  I didn't give up riding(my Northern Virginia suburb was much safer), and 30 years later I'm still riding.

#2  Most of the time a pleasure.  After all, they are 35 years old!

#3  In 1985 my wife was reading the want ads and asked me if I recognized a phone number.  I did.  It was the local M/C dealer looking for sales help in the accessory dept.  I worked there and in the parts dept. for 14 years total.

#4  Not so much.  Most riders I currently know have new bikes which I don't care too much about.  I am a pack rat, so selling stuff is out of the question.

#5  It's when it all started, but also the riding position.  I don't like my feet out in front of me(cruisers), I don't like riding bent over like a dog sh!tting razor blades(sport bikes) and a bum leg keeps me away from the full dressers.

#6  2.  CB350F and a CT70 K0.  I will do more as soon as my wife lets me.

[Hope]

again, awesome responses


If anyone would also like to comment on how they feel in regards to the community they found when discovering this site or motorcycling in general. How has that experience shaped your appreciation of working on or being a part of a community at large?



Thanks for the comments so far

I felt very fortunate to find the SOHC web site.  Back in '01 and '02, I really struggled trying to get my bike on the road.  I didn't have the funds to have pretty much everything on the bike fixed at a shop, so I turned to the SOHC forum and asked tons of questions.  Within a few months, the bike was on the road with very little out of pocket money and a lot of my labor and advice from my SOHC family.  I cannot recall any time that I had a question that could not be answered on the forum.

My bike is still in running condition 5 yrs later after the bike's resurrection, largely in part because of the advise offered here on the forum.  So, it would be safe for you to assume that I feel strongly about this forum and that I heavily rely on the forum for advice when it comes to my bike.  I have referred many others to this forum when they have questions about SOHCs or need parts or advice.  I feel I am fortunate to be part of this SOHC community.

As far as how I feel about being part of the motorcycle community, well, it depends on how the community is being depicted at that given time.  When I see sport bikes weaving in and out of congestion at speeds way higher than they should, or cutting people off, or sharing lanes with 4 wheel automobiles, I am perturbed to be part of the community.  I believe that car and truck drivers frown upon those dangerous biker practices, and generalize every biker.  I hate when people are generalized, but at the same time I know that many people look at me as if I was one of the dangerous drivers. 

As part of the motorcycle community, I feel that it is my responsibility to continue my motorcycle safety riding education and practice skills.  I took the basic and advanced motorcycle safety courses, and plan to take the advanced course every 2 or 3 years, just to stay on top of my game.  Every motorcyclist knows that you cannot win in the event that you collide with a car - my personal goal is to keep it from happening in the first place.

Outside of motorcycle safety issues, and the generalization of bikers, I believe the community as a whole has comradary and usually help each other out in times of need.  Bikers get together and have fundraiser poker runs for those less fortunate, or in crisis, or for any good cause for riders and non-riders.  When I see the biker community come together for a good cause, I am able to put aside my dislikes concerning how we are all generalized and that we have issues with biker safety. 

[mikedialect]

awesome stuff so far!

I really appreciate this everyone

[BobbyR]

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

I had two Howie and Eddie who had bought some used bikes. I came across a 250cc Ducati cheap and joined them in the fun. We rode the wheels off those bikes. Both of them went in the service and my turn was coming up quickly. Howie was killed in action. When I and the Eddie got back, we picked up where we left off. We decided we should actually get licenses this time. We had a lot of time on our hands since jobs were scarce and we also had some readjusting to do. When we finally got jobs, riding kinda slipped away from us.
A few years later we were at a party at Eddie's when he showed me a bike he bought. My wife turned to Eddie's wife and said "how could you let Eddie get a bike, now Bobby will get one, aren't you afraid you will lose him" Eddie's wife is a neighborhood girl from Jersey city and said "honey, these guys are getting close to 40 and the midlife crisis is coming. If I lose him to some bimbo, I only get half. If I lose him on the Bike, I get it all."
The next week my wife saw a KZ440 on a lawn for sale, she told me to go look at it. I have been suspicious about her motives ever since. 

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

It is total pleasure. Weather and distances make it impractical to ride to work every day. That may change if gas goes up to $4.00 next summer. When I ride, the world comes into better focus. On the bike I am 20 years old again.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

Hobbyist and restorer out of necessity.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

No

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

I sold a rectifier for a KZ440 once on ebay.

Why these 70's Honda's?

A guy offered me a Honda he parked after one year of riding. His friend was killed on a ride they went on together. It had 6K miles. It had been parked for over 20 years. It was cheap, I wanted a bigger bike, and I liked the look of it. 

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

I just sold the KZ in July. I will run the CB until I stop riding, it is all I will ever really need.

I enjoy this Forum. When I first joined it was on greenspun and a very crude but useful tool. It was all about fixing the bikes, and it helped my do so. In fact Glenn answered my first question. The Forum has evolved into a community. It has taken people that are widely seperated by geography and never would never have met each other and brought them together. Yes, there are arguements, but when you have 4,000 people it is bound to happen. Best source motorcycle info on the www.

[Bob Wessner]

"honey, these guys are getting close to 40 and the midlife crisis is coming. If I lose him to some bimbo, I only get half. If I lose him on the Bike, I get it all."

 

[Rocking-M]

Hello all!



How were you introduced into motorcycling?

A fellow who got me into weight lifting when I was a teen had a 72 750 K and I liked it a lot.
Another fellow nearby had a 71 750 K1 that was for sell. I got it.
Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

Yep, pretty much. Sure brings back great memories of the 70's. The wife and I dated
on the K1.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

Restorer/customoizer

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

Nope.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

Sell a few parts occasionally.

Why these 70's Honda's?

It's what I started with, so they hold a warm spot in my memories.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

1 Honda 750F2 (the Ducati is a modern bike


Please feel free to share any stories along those lines, answer just the above questions, etc. I am trying to write this article about the world surrounding these bikes. The inter workings of such an individual mode of transportation that spawns such a large social network. Also, how the once amazing 'first superbike' went from showroom -> to forgotten -> to a valuable collectible. So, please feel free to share. I have read many of your stories on here and I have appreciated the chance to do so.

I don't think these first "superbikes" were ever forgotten. When I picked mine up I met the seller in parking lot at a gas station.
While we were transferring the bike from one truck to another a fellow drove up and said, that's the bike that started it all.

thanks!


amended question!

If anyone would also like to comment on how they feel in regards to the community they found when discovering this site or motorcycling in general. How has that experience shaped your appreciation of working on or being a part of a community at large?

This is one great community of SOHCer's this bunch might be the best out there as far as
motorcycle communities go!

[mikedialect]

IF anyone else has anything to add I would appreciate it. I should be getting this done soon

[mattcb350f]

If anyone would also like to comment on how they feel in regards to the community they found when discovering this site or motorcycling in general. How has that experience shaped your appreciation of working on or being a part of a community at large?

When I came across this forum I really had no interest in it until I had bought my bike. Once I had bought my SOHC4 I returned to the site for some general info and where to buy parts. I joined and got sort of drawn into the whole thing. I found that we all have the same issues with our bikes and life in general and now I find myself looking forward to logging on and checking in on whats going on in the community.

I think the official reason we're here is of course becuase we all have a single overhead cam four Honda. The reason we stay, and the forum is so popular is because all the members have at least that one thing in common with each other which opens the dialogue and grows from there; the open forum being the best example.

There is a lot of camaraderie among the vintage Honda community. As of yet, I have not met anyone or communicated with anyone on the forum who I didn't enjoy talking to or reading their comments. Sure, with such a large community there are bound to be folks who dont see eye to eye, but even when there are differences, we can all agree on one thing; the love of motorcycling and our vintage Honda's.
 
 Matt.

[ekim98]

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

 At the age of 14 I bought a (home made) minibike. No lights so I just rode it in the alley. Next year at 15 I could ride a street legal bike so I got a Honda 50 Cub. I wanted a 165cc Harley single but my dad said no. Then I got a cb 90and just kept going from there.

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

 Yes and no. There a pleasure because there easy to work on and the actual price on mine made it easier for me to buy and keep costs down - didn't really work tho.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

 I'm a hobbiest, but not a restorer. I want a "cafe" style bike now. All my other bikes were stock.  I've got a few parts that I plan on trying to sell as a donation for the web site.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?
 
 No  But I did make an extended swing arm for a friend's Honda 125 dirt bike he raced. It was 2" longer than stock and when it was finished it only weighed 4 ounces more than a custom made magnesium swing arm.He said it worked great, even said he could sell them if the price was right. I said no. Took me 2 weeks staying over at work to do it. He was a mechanic for the local Honda dealer and he put a set of 4 into 2 exhaust and kept my cb550 tuned up for me.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

 No.

Why these 70's Honda's?

 My first bike was a 1965 Honda and I really wanted a cb 305 Superhawk, but I couldn't find one that I was willing to pay the price for!!

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?
 
 Just my cb750k as of now. but I heard of a 350four that's suppose to be for sale cheap! But info is slow coming back now.

[mark]

Okay, here's my 2 cents.....

How were you introduced into motorcycling?

A buddy had an old Yamaha 125. He let me ride it and nothing got broken - but it was close a few times. It was a few more years before my garage got bikes and the driveway got cars.

Are these old bikes a pure pleasure thing for you?

Pretty much.... except for buying parts.. and the other usual hassles of old machinery.

Would you consider yourself a hobbiest, restorer, or the crazy guy hoarding parts to sell on ebay/here?

I think hobbyist/restorer fits.

Did you ever work in the motorcycle business?

No.

Do you currently work in the business, ie: side jobs, selling parts, ebaying parts?

No.

Why these 70's Honda's?

It was available and I had the $$$... I've had old Hondas before, so it was familiar. It could have been a different relic, I suppose. I don't do 'new'. Another T350 would have been cool, but then I'd miss out on all this fun with calipers and cam chains and starter motors and such.

How many bikes do you have and will you fix/restore more in the future?

I have the 550 and another for parts. More? Sure... Why not... What the heck.

Forum thoughts...

I can honestly say that I've never seen anything like it. Intelligent people sharing knowledge - what a novel concept!


Happy trails.