Hi all. Like many other forums I have learned volumes from (vintage commercial espresso machines are my other major hobby/obsession), this community has lit a fire under my newfound interest in vintage bikes.
Although I sit at a desk all day (commercial insurance broker), I have always been mechanically inclined, with two engineering grandfathers, I probably should have gone down that path. I have an inclination to learn about everything i put my hands on. I have ridden dirt bikes and other desert vehicles, but only recently was exposed to the world of working on and riding streetbikes.
I've got two close friends that each have 70's Hondas, one a '71 CL175 that's been restored to stock perfection, and another friend with a '72? CB350 twin that has some mild cafe mods. I was able to participate in some beer-fueled wrenching on both bikes, as well as (sober) rides of each after projects were complete. The sad news is that those friends are both moving away at the end of the month, and I'll have to (read: good news) acquire my own toy to breakdown, make my own, rebuild, and of course, RIDE.
I've got a space set aside in the garage for the new baby, and I've been spending HOURS each night reading and rereading the impressive content on this site (uhh, inspiration thread? overwhelming!). Even more importantly though, I've been slowly warming up my wife to the idea of taking over the garage (can't even fit one car) for a man-project. She seems somewhat receptive, we'll see when the bike moves in.
I've been scouring craigslist for a bargain in So. Cal, and have had some promising leads, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. Almost bought a '77 CB750 F2 from a really nice bike fabricator, but it had 55k miles, had been sitting outside for a year (siezed cables, drive chain, rust abound), and I decided, probably isn't the right bike to start off with. At $650 though for a 750 with a turning motor, the price was probably right. I think I'd like to start with a decently running stock bike, then do a full teardown after enjoying it on the road for a bit. The good news is that every season is riding season down here, so I'm not limited in that respect.
Bottom line, I can't wait to build up my post count. Hopefully they won't be stupid questions, I'm fairly adept at the search function thankfully. Ultimately I'd like to share my rebuild experience with all of you and future members and be able to offer advice to those facing the same problems I did. It goes without saying, that if anyone has a neglected complete bike that they've been meaning to get started, I'd be happy to be the guy to do so! PM me! Wish me luck!
