an@hou2h.UUCP (A.NGUYEN) (02/15/84)
I bought a '74 in '81 for $700 (at least $100 too much I think). The bike had 3600 miles on it. For a year it was my only means of transportation. I rode about 50 miles a day to and from school. I went thru a large number of turn signal lenses and clutch or brake levers, mostly because of my own lack of experience, but at least twice from people trying to squeeze into or out of a parking spot next to mine (AAAAAAAAARRRGH !!!). Yes the bike did leak oil around the base and head gaskets the whole time I had it, but the leaks never got really bad so I just check the oil every now and then and that's that. The thing vibrated like a pig in heat any where above 51-52 hundred rpm. I had quite a few nuts and bolts losening themselves. (Hey I couldn't afford Loc-Tite OK ?) The stock coils burned out around 7-8 thousand miles so I got a pair of Accel coils and hose-clamped them to the front downtube. Starting suddenly became much easier! When I finally moved up to my present bike, I parked the old Honda in a friend's basement. One day his bike was in the shop, so he borrowed mine to go for a ride. After a long cruise at high speed, the pivot bolt for the right inlet rocker arm losened itself, squirted oil all over Bill's leg and the engine died. I sold it as is for $150. The bike had 12000 miles on it. If I were to be back in school, impoverished, and in need of transportation again, I would not hesitate to do it all over again !!! The first one is always unique ! Au Nguyen