Author Topic: Hush with regret sells "Blondie" (Read 1765 times)

Hush · « **on:** December 08, 2011, 02:49:14 AM »

Well I got Godzilla delivered on Blondie and that was a satisfying thing but I discovered something a bit unnerving on the return journey. The Police version of the 1979 CB650Z Honda was built for around town with the occasional jaunt up the expressway chasing a Humber 80 or speeding Cortina, it was never designed for long trips or touring, the screen and the panniers combine to give the bike more lift than an America's Cup keel boat. After battling cross winds that did not seem to bother my companions on their Honda VT750 and Harley 1200, I was crossing a long bridge only a few miles from home and the wind took me from one side to the other! I'm not that religious but me and the big fellah had a few words about mortality and I made it across in one piece. I've had a ball restoring and riding Blondie, there is something unique about riding a patrol bike (must be cos I had 8 confirmed buyers to my for sale advert) and if I could find a CB750P I'd do it all again. I could have stripped her down and removed all the Police gear off her and made it a safer ride but that would have removed Blondie's special character. She is going to a good home, the guy is a collector who has a CB750 K5 as a daily rider so he can't be all bad. Hopefully he won't be on this forum moaning about the PO who owned the bike before him.

I'm looking for a cruiser that eats highway miles and that Jaffa can jump on the back of, I've just about settled on a cherry 2006 Suzuki Boulovard S83 1400cc. Also I'm still hunting for that eluisive CB400f that my son spotted in Hastings, I have enough room (just) in my shed to hide it from her indoors.

I'll still be on here as SOHC4 has become part of my daily must check-outs and I'll be following Godzilla's progress as he finishes his NZ leg and hits the Aussies.

The restorers and rebuilders of these 30 plus year old Hondas are very special people who see a problem and find a solution, or ask a Hell of a lot of questions until they get an answer.

So keep the shiny side up and get wrenching, those old SOHC4's won't fix themselves.

....Hush.

madmtnmotors · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2011, 03:32:38 AM »

Good luck on your quest for another SOHC. Looking forward to the project thread on that one. Glad to hear that Blondie went to a fellow enthusiast and not a "cafe artist"! Happy you were able to help with the relay, it has been a hoot from the start.

Continue to ride safe!

Stev-o · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:24:38 AM »

Can totally understand, hope you find that 400F!

mick7504 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:48:08 AM »

You've done well Hush, and there'll be another Honda 4 sooner or later.
They stay in your blood mate.

It's an addictive habit that needs no counselling.

Mick

Really? · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2011, 07:15:04 AM »

Wow, sad to see her go. Just don't kick yourself later.

scunny · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2011, 08:55:51 AM »

say it's not so Rick. as well as the fat bike you are buying, get another 650 without all that gear, they are a great wee bike.

dave500 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 08, 2011, 11:35:12 AM »

no way,,is it a joke hush?there is a 750p in just bikes at the moment,its in aus though.

Hush · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2011, 12:15:08 PM »

Dam Aussies have all the good bikes! Riding season is here and I don't trust Blondie to get me where I want to go at the speed and safety I need so it wasn't that hard a decision guys. Can't promise not to have the odd bike in rebuild in my shed but I really need a reliable daily rider that can skip out of town on fine weekends without tossing me into oncoming traffic.

We still have Jaffa's 1982 Suzi 400 so still in the classic brigade.

wedoo2 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 08, 2011, 01:18:12 PM »

I get it Hush. I really enjoy working on the old bikes, making them pretty again. But I gotta have something reliable and modern. Therefore a V-Star 1100. Rebuilt the carbs, with pods and a great set of Cobras. Mustang seat and some great bags. It's loud and fast and does not break down all of the time.

Got a great bike and a great project. Life is good. Except it is cold.

scottly · « **Reply #9 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:08:51 PM »

NOOO!

Seriously, stay in touch Hush; we don't care what you are riding.

Trav-i · « **Reply #10 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:51:58 PM »

Well you gotta do what cha gotta do. I'm in a similar boat, I have three bikes and a car kind of a lop sided situation. Plus I really don't have a place to keep them either, so the 750 chop and the CL350 will be getting sold soon. I've had fun building the chop, and quasi restoring the CL but the fact is they're worth more to me in money the physical presence. I'm looking to buy a house soon so the money will be well spent. Oh, and there will be more Honda's to come I love these old bikes!

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #11 on:** December 08, 2011, 05:57:28 PM »

Do yourself a favor Rick, go ride the bikes you are looking at in the wind mate, they all get blown around. It will be sad to see Blondie go....

Stev-o · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2011, 06:19:27 PM »

Sounds like Blondie is already gone?

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2011, 06:21:01 PM »

Well Hush, even without an SOHC, you have to hang-out here into the future, we'd miss you too much

...... stay in touch, bet you'll fall for another SOHC soon

BeSeeingYou · « **Reply #14 on:** December 08, 2011, 07:43:47 PM »

We know how much you loved that bike but if it doesn't fit your needs passing it on to someone who cares is the right thing to do. One has to think though.......if you had eaten a few more cheeseburgers could you have held your lane better?

See you in the abandoned thread.

Gordon · « **Reply #15 on:** December 08, 2011, 08:37:25 PM »

I'm sad to see her go, but I'm glad you feel she's going to a good home. Keep her in your avatar, though, or I won't know who I'm talking to.

Hush · « **Reply #16 on:** December 09, 2011, 12:01:40 AM »

At nearly $600 a year road registration per bike over 601cc a man can only have so many, damn our rotten money grabbing tax fiddling government!

dave500 · « **Reply #17 on:** December 09, 2011, 12:13:16 AM »

do you get the "solo" or single seat rego concession over there hush,mines about 230 per year,our rules state a seat no longer than 500mm and no rear pegs,i deleted the pegs but have the full seat on.

strynboen · « **Reply #18 on:** December 09, 2011, 04:55:00 AM »

good luck finding a better bike...but i think its you..not the bike have problems...are you 100% you are into bikes now..try boats old cars bicykels..horses..
dont bay a new bike before you have desidet it vell...it vaste of money..if it vents same vay.. as the old honda

Stev-o · « **Reply #19 on:** December 09, 2011, 05:10:12 AM »

Good idea, buy a horse!

Hush · « **Reply #20 on:** December 09, 2011, 11:15:55 AM »

They eat too much grass!

No Dave we get no concession for only having a solo seat nor a discount for being a 30 year old machine nor anything for a blameless driving/riding record!
Hi Strynboen, yeah I just found my old 650 wasn't Cruise friendly, I cannot keep up with my mates bikes so I'm slowing them down on rides, apparently 50/60mph was acceptable in 1979 but in 2011 it don't keep up with traffic.

I still have 2 bikes in my shed and I'm sure I'll add another this week so yeah still a biker just slightly disillusioned with my 650's performance at highway speed, it was OK when I rode on my own and set my own pace but with others I'm like an anchor ha ha. At the core of this is the fact that the PZ model was designed specifically for Police use and was quickly removed from service when they discovered that the addition of panniers and the screen affected the handling so drastically. As Scunny said, the road version is a totally different beast which handles very well.

Spanner 1 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 09, 2011, 04:38:36 PM »

Wow Hush !... that $600 a year for registration is arse

...
Here's my numbers;
Registration per bike, per year = $79.00
Insurance per year ( 2 x riders and 2 x bikes ) = $186.00 ... I know we are spoiled here compared to Europe/Oz/ N.Z. etc.

Blueridgerunner · « **Reply #22 on:** December 09, 2011, 05:08:28 PM »

Insurance here is $30 and registration $23. Tax is $20. Sorry guys

Stev-o · « **Reply #23 on:** December 09, 2011, 06:49:05 PM »

Annually: Insurance...$41, registration...$30...and no tax.

heffay · « **Reply #24 on:** December 09, 2011, 07:31:43 PM »

During my infamous years when I was young and dumb... wait, not much has changed.

I was known to have said...

"See ya later, copper!" (name the movie)

... it just seems fitting here.

ofreen · « **Reply #25 on:** December 09, 2011, 10:47:17 PM »

I can't blame you. Riding that thing must have been like riding around on the Pillsbury Doughboy.

$600 a year for registration? Yikes. It would be interesting to hear the justification for that.

dave500 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 09, 2011, 11:27:27 PM »

the 600 bucks must include impersonating a police officer?

Hush · « **Reply #27 on:** December 10, 2011, 02:20:18 AM »

I think about $30 is registration fees and the rest is ACC (accident compensation commision) which is a no fault system so even tourists are covered by it but they hit us riders too hard especially the older bikes simply because of our CC rating instead on the kilowatt rating which would make more sense. Unfortunately the Labour party that was going to do something about reversing this criminal taxation did not get into parliament last week so it won't change.

Normally bike insurance is abour $600 a year too but a fellow rider at work tipped me off to an insurance group named PROTECTA which is actually American based and for comprehensive insurance it only costs half that! I just got a quote for a $9000 bike at $27 a month, in NZ that is seriously cheap insurance.

News:

Author Topic: Hush with regret sells "Blondie" (Read 1765 times)