Topic: Why Did You Buy Your 1st Honda?

[shark]

I didn't buy my first Honda, my mom gave it to me.

Spring 1995, out of nowhere, my Dad bought the bike for $500.00. Came with a gawd awful 70's style open face bright red metallic helmet(with snap on visor) that was so fugly, I wish I kept it.

Taught himself to ride and had a blast. He had so much fun that my Mom (who was incredibly pissed about him buying a bike) lightened up and bought him a better looking helmet 

January 1996 he died.

Never had any interest in bikes, but now my Mom owns a bike and we didn't know what to do with it.

WTF. On a whim I said " Ma, gimme the bike".

And so it began, I learned how to ride and repair motorcycles all in one shot.

Despite being incredibly frustrating, It has been a blast.

Still got it-- 1976 CB750F.

Mom's always asking how the bike is.

[CrankyOldGuy]

Back in the late 60's almost everyone at high school had a motorcycle.  Most were Honda 50's and a few Yamaha twin-jet 100's.  Of course there were a some Triumph and BSA 500's and 650's, and one Honda CB450.

I was always intrigued with the Honda CB450 - beautiful sound and clean - no oil like the British bikes.

In the spring of 70 I purchased a CB450 for $1295 CDN.  That spring the CB750K0's started to appear and they caught my eye.  In April 71 I purchased my CB750K1 for $1995 CDN; $1202 with the CB450 tradein.  My K1 still resides in my garage 40 years late .  Never had the urge to sell it.  Its simple to maintain even for me.  Note: we have been through a couple of major accidents together but that's another story!! 

Harry O. 

[madmtnmotors]

I was 23 years old (way back in 1986), with my $900 tax return burnin a hole in my pocket. My daily driver was a beat up, 15 yr-old pontiac, and found a deal on an 8-year old Honda CB750K8 for $850.00. The pontiac is long gone but I'm still riding the same Honda.

[onagd]

I was 16yrs old, still at school and was riding bikes belonging to friends. Had been saving the pennies for some time as I badly wanted a bike. Apart from Dad, who was always telling stories of his days on AJS/BSA/Triumph motorcycles, a work mate of his came around home on a brand new gold colour 500/4 and said "take it for a ride if you like". Well I didnt need telling twice so went for a gentle half hour cruise around the local area and have been hooked ever since.
First bike I bought was a new orange tanked 1975 Honda XL175 as the trail bike was what all the mates had, and have been a Honda man every since. (Would love to find a nice XL175 again) 

[72 yellow]

I learned to ride on a friends CB77 Superhawk in 1966.  Due to the death of my cousin on his motorcycle by a drunk driver, I was forbidden to own one.  In 1970, I was all set to go to Chicago to Nickey Chevrolet to buy a 427 Nova SS.  A friend showed up on his new 1969 BSA Lightning (which I ended up buying a few years later).  Took me for a ride and no way was I going to buy a car.  Since I was now 21, I went to Anderson Sales and Service
 in Bloomfield Hills, MI and looked around.  At the time they sold Honda, Suzuki, Triumph, BSA, Norton and Moto Guzzi.  For the sum of $1,102.00, I drove home a new CB450.  Over the next few years, I also purchased my 75 CB550 and 78 CB750F from them.   

[Holubs]

Our father forbid my older brothers and I from owning or even riding a motorcycle, someone had given him a white knuckle ride that scared the crap out of him!

My 3 older brothers all bought bikes as soon as they left home.  After my Dad passed away I bought my 1976 CB750F totaled from my brother's insurance company in 1980.  He had laid it down and wedged a tree between the motor and front wheel.  Fixed it and rode it for 10 years.  Sold it to a different brother when I had young kids, then 20 years later I drug it back home from a shed on his farm where it had been sitting for 15 years after it quit running.  Took over a year to get it running and safe to ride again.

Now I am starting to build a second F1 from parts I have bought.  When that one is done I am thinking about driving that and restoring the original F1, if I can find the parts.

Holubs

[cb750f-2010656]

I was working for a door company that had put in a showroom right next to a towing company.  I sat in an International box truck just high enough to see over the fence and other wrecked vehicles to behold a 1976 CB750F.  I walked over and asked to see it.  I really didn't know anything about Hondas.  I'd been riding Yamahas for a few years (1982 XJ550 first bike, then a 1981 XS1100 Venturer, which was a BEAST!!!).  Something told me that this bike was worth something.  I asked how much, they said "no title".  I said "I don't give a $#!t".  "$50."  I paid for it then and came back in Dad's truck.  I just was gonna part it out.  But, the 1100's health was waining, and I really liked the way the 750 looked.

So I traded the 1100 to a motorcycle salvage yard for all the hard parts I needed to fix it.  It had been t-boned and every corner of this thing had at least a scrape.  Then I spent about $300 on other small stuff like tires, cables, filters, oil, tune-up kit, etc.  It took FOREVER to get it running.  It had hit so hard on the alt cover that it bound the starter reduction gear somehow.  Everytime it would pop off the motor would lock up.  I had to back it up a few degrees to free it up.  I had already replaced the cover because there was a peice missing out of it.  So I took the reduction gear out and kicked the hell out of it for an hour and then OH such beautiful music.  Smoked for 30 minutes then never did again.

I rode it to the local independent motrcycle repair shop to show my friends Tony and Bubba.  Tony says "That bike look familiar to you, Bubba?"  Bubba says "That's Schiz Adam's bike!"

They told me about this guy named Nick Adams who kiled some guys and went to prison and nearly died on this thing the just before I bought it, saying "If he knew you had his bike blah blah blah.....  I said "Well, he can't have it back!"  Tony said "Well if he pulls a gun and shoots pull yours and shoot twice!"  No problem, hell my .38 STAYS loaded with hollow points!  But it never came to that.  I met him at a local Wal-Mart and he said if he dies, it won't be on a bike and he'd get me the title.  Then he died of a heroin overdose, so no title.

To say this thing is a rat bike would be a real compliment, but it has NEVER left me walking like the Yamahas and the one Suzuki and Kawasaki I have owned.  Always starts on the first kick, too.  So I have been a Honda man ever since.

[mark]

Figured I couldn't go too far wrong for ten bucks. (barely running CT70)

[zzpete]

In 1974 I had 2 bikes. A 1958 Harley (Panhead) and a 1973 XS650 Yamaha. A friend of mine got drunk at a party and let me drive his 1970 CB750 to my house so I could lock it up in my garage. Sunday morning while he was sleeping it off, I took it out for a 50 mile joy ride. The next week I sold the Yamaha and bought a Valley Green 1971 CB750. One ride and I was hooked. Well 2 rides!! 

[Duanob]

A friend of mine got drunk at a party and let me drive his 1970 CB750 to my house so I could lock it up in my garage. Sunday morning while he was sleeping it off, I took it out for a 50 mile joy ride.

Remind me never to pass out at your house!  I love that story.

[jahmic]

Great thread...my story isn't as interesting as anyone else, but here it goes:

My first car back in 97 was an 84 Honda Accord...the car had 180k on it and was a reliable mule.  The car I learned to drive on prior to that was a 1982 Accord...my dad logged 364k on the Odometer before it eventually started running on 2 pistons.  He logged another 1k running the car like that til he could afford to buy a new car. 

Then...back in 2001, I picked up a 97 Accord coupe.  I owned that car til 2007 (when it was stolen) and never had to do anything to that car other than change the timing belt once, and your basic maintenance.  Anyone see the reliability trend yet?

When I started riding, I started on Yamahas...that was in 2004.  I had a 97 600r, and eventually an 03 R1.  The R1 was well maintained, but the 600r gave me NOTHING but headaches.  I had to tear into the engine eventually and rebuild it from the bottom up.  I was going to turn it into a track bike, but decided I was tired of wrenching on that bike.  So, I picked up a 2003 600rr (in 2005), did a basic tune up, stripped it down, modded the hell out of it, and raced the PISS out of that bike for over a year and only had to change the fluids and pads.  I was sold on Honda's reliability by then.  Sadly, I had to give up racing, sell all my bikes, and move cross country for a job opportunity.

Fast forward to 1 month ago...and after 4 years off a bike, it was clear which vintage bike badge I'd be wearing.  Ended up picking up a 1978 CB750F after researching a few different options.  I knew it'd be a challenge, but the styling and history of the bike had me sold.  Hopefully I can get her running this weekend, and prove once again that:

 nothing's made quite like a Honda.

[crackerbat]

Cause my Kawi got hit by a car.

No, seriously.

[BeSeeingYou]

Nothing mystical or teary eyed about it.   I decided that I needed another bike for long road trips that vibrated less than my beloved old XS650 that I have owned for 32 years.  I had three bikes on my list, a Suzuki GS1000, a Yamaha XS750 triple, or a Honda CB750F.  I found a sweet deal on a mint Honda first so I went with it.    I would have been just as happy with my other choices if I had found one of them in similar shape.

[DJ_AX]

It told me to!

Kid rode it to work one day (his dads)
ratty as hell... it whispered to me "help".

So I kept bugging the kid... and sure enough a couple of months and $200 later. 

[Greggo]

The first Honda I bought is my '65 CA95 Benly 150.  It's my third bike, and I bought it because I wanted an old Honda, it was cheap, and I thought it looked cool.  I still do.

[japscrap]

Greggo, I traded a mini bike for one like in your pic when I was 10 yrs old,been hooked on Hondas ever since,mine was a 90 cc.

[coldwave007]

Last year when I turned 25 I suddenly got the motorcycle itch.  Just BAM!  I have to ride one!!!  So about 2 weeks later I got 1972 100cc Yamaha LT-2.  Rode it every night on dirt for a couple of months and decided I wanted to actually try for a license.  Watched craigslist for something decently priced and eventually this 1972 Honda CB350 shows up, the guy wanting $900, runs, clean title.  My Dad and I swung by to look at it, turned out it was a friend of my Mom's from work (sweet, I can trust this guy)!  He said it had good compression, carbs been gone through, etc, and it had been freshly painted!  I was like "SCORE!!!" so I talked him down to $850 and rode it home.

And that's when I learned to never believe a PO!!

I sold the 350 this spring and have been riding my CB650 since then.

[Ichiban 4]

I guess I've divulged my "geezerness" to most forum members by now..so..what the hey..

I started riding before Honda's were in the U.S...I think..mid 1950's.  All we could get our hands on then..were used bikes..old Harley's..Indians..and occasional British basket case bikes.  Cost was the main limitation..for me anyway.

I rode all sorts of "motorbike" types before that..mainly Whizzers..an occasional Sears moped..et al.  About that time..the Honda cubs were introduced. Such an improvement on the former motorbike genre'..and affordable too.  That was the start of my appreciation for Honda's quality..affordability..and engineering.  Remember saying then..that if Honda ever made a larger displacement bike..like the British bikes I graduated to..I'd be the first to want to try them out.  That was the late 50's..early 60's.

When Honda came out with the "Nanahan" 750 in '68..I thought "this is what I'd been waiting for" (and especially since riding an Ariel Square Four previously..one of my favorite bikes).  I spent 6 years in the Navy..with no bikes of my own..hence the time lag.  However..I ended up getting a Honda 175 twin for price reasons (and the fact that I was a starving college student on the G.I Bill).  That was just too small for my needs..or tastes..so traded up to a 450 twin..which surprised the H out of me performance wise..and rode like some of the British twins I rode before the Navy.  That was the early '70's.

Basically..I never looked back to either American or British bikes again for my own rides..as I felt the combination of engineering prowess and affordability were superior with Honda's in all respects.

I got my present 550 K in about 2000..in fulfillment of a desire I had to own a classic Honda Four.  Guess I would have got a 750..if I found a cherry one..but this 550 came along that had only 5000 miles on it..and was basically in mint condition..so figured that a 550 would suit me fine.

Even though the bike..and engineering are over 33 years old now..for me it still represents a significant jump in bike development..that I can still appreciate that Honda accomplished..even back then.  It's also nostalgic as H for me to ride..as it's just like the Honda's I rode..when they were new in the late 60's through 70's.

I only ride for recreational purposes anymore..and nostalgia..but it gets my aging juices a-flowing to do so..which I really enjoy.

Al / Ichi