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Vintage Bikes

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tshelfer said:
Brad suggested I post a couple of pictures of my '79 Honda CB650. I bought this bike a couple of years ago as a cheap way to get back into riding, after a 20-year hiatus.

I took a chance & bought the bike not in running condition, & without a title.
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I did the same thing with a '72 750. Bonded title was brutal - I've sworn never to buy a bike without a title again. Anyway, had the bike running a couple weeks later. Sold it after a few months and almost broke even.
 
Simmons1 said:
I have no clue to be honest. I only ride it a few hundred miles a year now if that. It used to get ridden a lot including commuting 90 miles a day round trip to college and then work in the summers in central NY where I grew up. The odometer currently on it reads 20K, but the 20 years it was Eddie Lawson Replica Green I used the complete Front Ends off my old 1974 and 1975 for varying periods of time.

I have had H2 750's since my senior year in High School. My 1972 has a few parts from my old 74, and 75 on it, also it has mid 80's front and rear ends off a KZ650 along with a host of other custom parts and non H2 parts including the Buell fly screen. It is not very original or stock anymore nor is it a show bike. If I had to take a swag I would guess that the parts that are still from 1972 have about 40K on them.
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I may have prepped that bike when new, depending on which dealer it came from. I worked at Burdick Kawasaki in that time period. Had to change out the frames on several of them that were shipped in (still in the crate) with bent frames.

Here's my vintage mutt- a 1978 GS1000E/ GS1000S replica, sort-of. Based this bike around an old Motorcyclist magazine project bike article. This was taken at an earlier stage of the build. It now has Ohlins shocks and needs a top end rebuild. The Weisco 1085's are ready to drop in. Unfortunately have to pull the motor to split the cases again to replace the main seal behind the ignition.
 

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theDoktor said:
I may have prepped that bike when new, depending on which dealer it came from. I worked at Burdick Kawasaki in that time period. Had to change out the frames on several of them that were shipped in (still in the crate) with bent frames.

Here's my vintage mutt- a 1978 GS1000E/ GS1000S replica, sort-of. Based this bike around an old Motorcyclist magazine project bike article. This was taken at an earlier stage of the build. It now has Ohlins shocks and needs a top end rebuild. The Weisco 1085's are ready to drop in. Unfortunately have to pull the motor to split the cases again to replace the main seal behind the ignition.
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Nice bike!

I have a real GS1000s home in the garage that I need to do some TLC on to able to start riding it again.
 
Here're before and afters of my '62 CB77...got it in '63 when I was 19 (see avatar pic). It went into shed around '75, finally hauled it out and resurrected it starting summer of '08.

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33 years of dust by jleewebb, on Flickr

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in the shed by jleewebb, on Flickr

After a little cleanup:

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rt side by jleewebb, on Flickr

A year later:

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new bike proud papa by jleewebb, on Flickr

At Harvest Classic in '09:

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ol' Blue at the show by jleewebb, on Flickr

Recent shot courtesy of m38a1...again, compare to avatar photo...

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me and my cb in 11 color by jleewebb, on Flickr

Lots more pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/290691...ickr.com/photos/29069113@N02/with/5837031406/

if you've got time to waste. Thanks for lookin' --Lee
 
Wow Lee just the way I like to find them and you had it along. Great bike and looks great too. Who did your restoration?
 
So you've owned that little Honda since '63? Pretty amazing. And you got to make a barn find in you own barn. Every time I look at this thread I ask myself why I sold the CB650. Oh yeah - those 40 or so maintenance items I didn't want to fund.
 
tshelfer said:
So you've owned that little Honda since '63? Pretty amazing. And you got to make a barn find in you own barn. Every time I look at this thread I ask myself why I sold the CB650. Oh yeah - those 40 or so maintenance items I didn't want to fund.
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I just don't don't think about it....and hide it from you know who.
 
B.Wade said:
Wow Lee just the way I like to find them and you had it along. Great bike and looks great too. Who did your restoration?
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I took it completely apart, except for engine teardown, myself. An elderly 305enthusiast in Kerrville rebuilt engine, transmission, starter, carbs, etc for me and provided a lot of needed parts and advice...he let me use his sandblaster so I did that part, a friend here in Austin painted the parts for me, then I put it back together like a big model airplane kit. Lots of fun, makes me feel 19 again when I ride it.

here's a link to short riding video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EN9C-5pOZ5M

and an earlier one of first ride after I got it put back together:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT3l_NoZkIU

thanks for lookin' --Lee
 
it was too expensive to locate and purchase restoration parts so it ended up to my taste. wat better than the look of stock in my opinion!
 
travler said:
it was too expensive to locate and purchase restoration parts so it ended up to my taste. wat better than the look of stock in my opinion!
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That's the age old question. Some people say stock is better and other people say that's a been there, done that bore. I think everyone should do what pleases them and maximize the bike for its intended purpose.

Its hard to improve the reliability of most Japanese bikes because they seem to have been designed to be throwaways, but you can make the Brit bikes perform better and be more reliable.
 
Nice bobber! The GS850 has always been a sweet ride, but the shaft drive limits chassis mods. What kind of pipe & muffler is that?
 
With my BMW waiting for parts I've been knocking around on my old Triumph. The clutch was dragging a bit since it has been sitting up, so I decided to take the bike apart and get a few things done. Today I'm finishing the wiring for the new turn signals. They are smaller, brighter and don't look like oranges on chrome stalks. I've also replaced a number of screws with hex heads. Eventually I'll have the whole bike done with hex heads. Finally I'll get in and adjust the clutch. Tomorrow I may rebuild the Amal and get it inspected. I've been riding it since '78 without a sticker and I expect they will catch me eventually.
 
mac performance pipe and muffler, about half the price of nearest competitor (budget, remember?)
 
1975 Yamaha XS650Street tracker, 1976 Yamaha XS650 Flat tracker, Suzuki GT750 Water Buffalo, 1986 Yamaha Venture with California friendship II sidecar. Working on a 1974 MT250 right now will post pics soon.
 

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Here is the pic of the 1986 Yamaha Venture with California friendship II sidecar
 

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Very cool. I have always loved the 70s-80s Yamaha 650 series. I fell in love with the 650 Electric while stationed in Germany, & thought it was possibly the most beautiful bike that ever came out of Japan. If I ever again own a vintage bike for the sheer joy of it, that'll be the one.
 
Thanks, I am a fan of the old Xs650s myself.
 

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I "finished" my '83 GL650 Cafe a few weeks ago. Quotes refer to the fact the stator is bad and the engine needs to come back out (the bike was piece when I got it, so I didn't realize I had that particular problem). Will get it done after I catch up on a few homeowner chores that I've let stack up in order to finish the bike.




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Re: Vintage Bikes- Mac exhaust on GS850 Bobber

That Mac exhaust sure looks different from mine! Granted, I've got a black chrome 4-2-1. My muffler section is the more traditional tapered megaphone similar to the V&H. Sure wish I had been able to find a Yoshimura exhaust back when I built this bike, but I've been happy with the Mac.:mrgreen:
 
bmcdonau said:
That's the age old question. Some people say stock is better and other people say that's a been there, done that bore. I think everyone should do what pleases them and maximize the bike for its intended purpose.
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Unless it is art; like a chopper....

[/QUOTE=bmcdonau;895780] Its hard to improve the reliability of most Japanese bikes because they seem to have been designed to be throwaways, but you can make the Brit bikes perform better and be more reliable.[/QUOTE]

Perform almost as good as the Japanese bikes? Maybe.....and almost as reliable....again maybe......There was a ZRX at Ron's fish fry with 150,000 miles on it, nothing but maintenance and a cam change. Love them "disposable" Jap bikes....:sun:
 
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