Posts
3447
Joined
8/26/2006
Location
CA
US
Edited Date/Time
7/14/2021 2:58pm
Figured I'd start a thread as a search didn't find any.
So what have you got?
I just picked up a sweet '74 RD350 (6-speed). Thing is a little rocket when you get on the throttle. I'm about maxed out for garage space as I already had a '68 Triumph and a '67 Honda S90. Plus the trusty YZ250 of course.
BTW - anyone got a solution for making a slippery seat a bit grippier? (No, I'm not about to lay down a bunch of friction tape either and I want to keep the stock seat look)
So what have you got?
I just picked up a sweet '74 RD350 (6-speed). Thing is a little rocket when you get on the throttle. I'm about maxed out for garage space as I already had a '68 Triumph and a '67 Honda S90. Plus the trusty YZ250 of course.
BTW - anyone got a solution for making a slippery seat a bit grippier? (No, I'm not about to lay down a bunch of friction tape either and I want to keep the stock seat look)
Super RD looks fantastic!!
I figure there must be some product that won't ruin the leather / vinyl seat cover but still make it less slippery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4KZkLxBVg0&ab_channel=ViewsfromtheManC…
https://gloveglu.com/collections/revive/products/gloveglu-goalkeeper-fo…
The Shop
The CB550 is mine. The rest are pics from the local Coffee & Cars meet on Saturday mornings. It’s always a good time talking to the folks there.
I like that 'Black Bomber' too ... aka the original Honda 450!
Nice score!👍
This one needed a bit of luck as when I contacted the seller another guy already had put down a deposit. I stayed in touch with the seller every week for a month and a half as the buyer was out of town and the seller was an old-school ex pro moto wrench. We would trade moto stories from back in the day.
I was dead set on a '74 (Yami only made them for three years with '73 = red, '74 = purple, '75 = orange). The seller mentioned he also was prepping a '75 for sale so I suggested he contact the buyer to see if he might want the '75 and then the '74 could become available.
Not sure whether the seller ever contacted the guy about the '75 and I sort of gave up and starting searching again. Was kinda bummed because the '74 had been totally rebuilt - full motor, chassis, suspension, pipes, wheels, new tires, etc. and I trusted the guy's wrenching skills. Seemed unlikely to find one like that again.
Out of the blue, I got a text to contact the seller. The buyer was back in town said something like his truck had blown up and he didn't have the coin for the bike now. The '74 was mine if I wanted it.
The moto gods were with me!!
I flew in to Seattle, rented a nightmarish U-Haul box van, picked up the bike and did white line fever for a day and a half back to LA. (Sincerely hope to never do a drive like that again in this lifetime)
What a fun bike! Can't wait to hit the canyons on it.
So you are able to get a plate for it in SoCal?
Man that is one of the things I miss the most about SoCal--the Mountain Canyon rides.
Awesomeness!
From the looks of your garage, life has been good!
I had an RZ350 back in the mid-eighties and sold it for $1500 in 1988 and thought I did OK. What a mistake!
How about an old Norton. Maybe a Vincent?
Or maybe a holy grail Brough Superior!
Pit Row
But that bike was at the forefront of the mid 60s Japanese invasion and the huge growth of street motorcycles in this country. Honda had their ad campaign going "You meet the nicest people on a Honda" and it seemed like overnight they were everywhere. I can still remember watching my friend's mom trying to ride hers and while trying to turn around she rode it straight into a neighbor's front door. Good times!
Truth be told that bike is as much fun to ride as my other bikes. And not a bad investment as they are being snapped up and getting expensive to find a clean one.
My older brother brought this one up last month. That right side shifter looks challenging. He collects vintage bikes. Gave me the CB550 last spring.
I have a 73 RD that I rebuilt from boxes and a 99% complete 74 parts bike! Love a 2T street bike!
The '73 got the raised tank emblems. I was a little surprised at how low these bikes sit. Makes for good carving of the turns.
Does yours suffer from 'SSS' ? (slippery seat syndrome)
Good looking '73 in the Houston area if anyone is interested.
Post a reply to: Vintage street bikes