Category Archives: Motorcycle Classics

Motorcycle Classics: Turning Beaters into Betties

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From Motorcycle Classics Magazine… my latest article.

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I met a young woman this week who had ridden her thumper from Arizona to Canada, and back down to the Bay Area. Her bike had started leaking gasoline from the carburetor, but being on the road and having few tools, took it into a shop. They charged her $250 to replace a single needle on the single carb, which probably took about 10 minutes and the same amount of money to replace. And it didn’t even solve her problem – it was probably nothing more than a stuck float. If that doesn’t sound like highway robbery, I don’t know what does. There are plenty of great, fair mechanics out there, so if you’re one of them, please don’t take this personally. Just saying…

Maintaining or even customizing a motorcycle doesn’t have to cost a fortune or be an “expensive hobby.” Having a set of tools is the only potentially expensive hurdle, but that brings me back to my first article .

We have a number of project bikes at Re-Cycle, the co-op garage where I work on my bikes. All of these projects were either free on Craigslist, donated to the garage by local bikers, or picked up for dirt-cheap. Search “project” in your local motorcycle listings and you’ll see what I mean. It’s amazing how many decent bikes are abandoned or sold, and just sat around for too long, needing little to get running again.

Mostly 80s model Hondas, Yamahas and Kawasakis, Re-Cycle bikes are given new life and sometimes, completely new identities. When you’re dealing with a bike that doesn’t hold much value in it’s original form anyway, you have all the freedom in the world to get creative. Some make great bobbers, rat bikes, cafes, faux flat track racers, anything you can come up with. Be open-minded.

Liza, the founder of Re-Cycle, generally estimates that it will cost about $300-500 getting a beater bike back on the road. That’s new tires, a new battery, a little paint and other various purchases. Just be wary of back registration fees. If the bike is current, or out of the system, you’re good to go. And check that it at least turns over. If it does, a little problem solving will have it running with relative ease.

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Here’s a prime example: A girlfriend of mine adopted a 1980 Kawasaki LTD400 that had been dubbed “Rusty Kitty.” She had been ignored for a long time, was completely rusted out, and wouldn’t start. And let’s be honest – she wasn’t the prettiest bike on the block to begin with. But she had a world of potential. Turns out, a simple carburetor cleaning and rebuilding the starter (which is quite simple even for the average Joe) had her running like a gem. A wire wheel and heavy cleaning removed much of the rust and grime. And for the bikes’ lack of style – well – that was simple enough.

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My friend chopped the seat pan and rear fender, added a bobber seat, funky retro tail light and some flat black paint, and what was once an ugly Betty is now turning into a sweet little bobber. It’s taken several weekends of work, but it didn’t cost more than hours spent, the can of spray paint, tires and a new battery. Not bad at all.

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Other current projects at the garage include Schwinny, a 1981 Honda CB900C; Hank, a 1982 Yamaha Maxim 750; Trip, a 1979 Yamaha XS 750; and Scooter, a 1981 Honda CB400T. And of course there’s Rat, a 1979 Honda CB750 rat bike that’s tons of fun to ride. We have a slew of ideas for these bikes, and have gotten inspiration from other classics, searching the Internet for bikes of the same model that have been customized, or just by staring and thinking up fun ideas. If you’re on a budget, it’s absolutely possible to create a great bike on a dime with a little imagination and wherewithal. You might not love what the bike looks like to begin with, but you can make it into almost anything you want. So just go for it.

My Bonneville restoration isn’t going to be cheap – let’s face it. I’m at terms with the fact that I’ll put a reasonable amount of cash into this particular project along the way. Doing a complete re-build on a classic British bike is just going to cost more. But by staying creative and doing the work myself rather than farming tasks out, I’ll significantly reduce my financial investment. It just means I need to invest more time – but that’s where all the fun is. Knowing that I made this bike myself will be priceless. In the meantime, I’ll also be keeping my eye out for beaters with potential.

Motorcycle Classics – Give the Gift of Restoration

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Motorcycle Classics Magazine invited me to contribute some content to their site, which is such a huge honor!

My first piece is now live…. check it out :-)

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Editor’s Introduction:
As many classic bike fans can tell you, when it comes to learning about wrenching on your own bike, there’s an ocean of experience out there to swim in. Our little corner of the universe is rich with people who have learned everything you could ever want to know about keeping your 1971 Honda CB750 or 1955 Harley-Davidson Hummer on the road. And while we all benefit immensely from the wisdom of practiced hands, there’s much to learn from the neophyte restorer, the person just launching their person discovery of classic bike ownership. Jenn Lankford has just started her own voyage down this path, and when she alerted us to her blog at http://www.bonneville-experiment.com/ we knew we wanted to share her experience restoring a 1972 Triumph T120V Bonneville with the rest of the old bike community. Jenn’s restoration is still very much in the early stages, and as she moves along she’s going to share her successes and travails as she takes her Triumph from a box of bits to finished, running machine. There’s much to learn following Jenn’s jump into the vintage bike hobby, so read along and enjoy. – Richard Backus, Editor-in-Chief, Motorcycle Classics.

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If you love classic bikes and want to see them on the road for years to come, do us all a favor and pass on your wisdom. Please.

I was raised on vintage British bikes as a kid, but didn’t have a bike of my own until a couple of years ago when I picked up a 1974 Honda CL360, just to have something to quell my need to ride and be able to putt around town. When I ran into some wiring trouble last year, I was at a loss. I knew it was simple but I didn’t know what to do, and certainly didn’t want to pay a mechanic labor prices knowing that the cost to fix it would be more than the worth of the bike itself. But to my surprise, I found a co-op motorcycle shop in my area called Re-Cycle, where you can learn how to fix your bike yourself. For free. It was a dream come true, and in only a few Sundays I had her running as good as new again, by my own hand. As a newbie to the wrenching world the satisfaction of riding my bike away after fixing her myself was absolutely exhilarating and kicked off the best addiction of my life so far.
Now, I’m beginning the restoration (or “custovation” as I like to call it) of a 1972 Triumph T120V, which my Triumph enthusiast father gave me as a basket case last month. I took the plunge and accepted. With no mechanical background besides Sundays at Re-Cycle (and ignoring Dad in the garage as a kid), but with the confidence I’ve gained over the last few months of wrenching, I’m committed and determined to build this bike from the ground up, to the finest condition possible.

None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for other motorcycle lovers passing the love of restoration down to me.
A powder-coated frame and probably 85 percent of a complete bike, my first restoration has a mind of her own and already has taken over my every thought. After hours upon hours of polishing the wheels and hubs, rebuilding and polishing the front brake, making makeshift tools for removing parts that no real tool has been made for, I’m ready to take on lacing my own spokes. The plan is to get the rolling chassis together first. Wheels finished, forks rebuilt, and all put on the frame. In the meantime, I’m looking for various engine parts so the engine can be rebuilt. Patience is a must. I’m learning that disassembly, cleaning and polishing can take far longer than the actual assembly of any part, but the elbow grease I put into everything now will make a major impact on the finished product…despite how anxious I am to start seeing this Bonneville resurrected.

Despite its complexity, I’ve learned that motorcycle restoration really isn’t all that complicated. It’s a lesson in taking huge problems and breaking them down to the most simple sub-problems. After all, even the most lofty goals in life can be achieved by putting one foot in front of the other, taking one step at a time, and stepping away for a moment when things get frustrating. There’s always a solution. No other hobby has ever been more obviously metaphorical for life or personal growth than building a motorcycle. I expect to break down in tears when she finally starts and I get her on the road.

If you’re a motorcycle enthusiast and you want these bikes to stay on the road for years to come, you might consider opening your garage to someone with a classic bike that won’t run, but has an interest in learning.  There are plenty of people out there (and bikes rotting in backyards and garages) that would love the opportunity to experience this process.