Okay, so recently I got this crazy idea stuck in my head – restoring an old Honda motorcycle. I’m talking old, like ‘dusty-barn-find’ old. Here’s the whole messy story.
It all started when my uncle mentioned he had this “thing” sitting in his garage for, oh, I don’t know, maybe 30 years? Said it was a Honda motorcycle, something he bought back in the day and never really got around to fixing up. Curiosity got the better of me, so I drove out to his place to take a look.
Man, what a sight! It was buried under a pile of old tires, garden tools, and what looked like a deceased Christmas tree. After some digging (and a lot of sneezing), we finally unearthed it. A Honda, alright. Pretty sure it was a early model, judging by the looks of it. Covered in rust, the tires were flat, and the seat was ripped, but… something about it just screamed “potential!”
I talked my uncle into selling it to me for basically nothing (a six-pack of beer, I think). Loading that thing onto my truck was a challenge. It was heavy and awkward, and I’m pretty sure the suspension on my truck groaned the whole way home.
First things first, I gave it a good wash. I mean good. Power washer, degreaser, the whole nine yards. Peeling away layers of grime revealed a surprisingly intact frame. That was a good sign.
Next came the inventory. I started taking everything apart, piece by piece, labeling each part and taking pictures of how it all went together. Trust me, this is crucial. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a box of random parts and no idea where they go.
The engine was a beast. Totally seized up. I soaked it in penetrating oil for days, and eventually, with a lot of elbow grease and some gentle persuasion with a rubber mallet, I managed to get it apart. Everything was coated in gunk and corrosion, but thankfully, most of the parts seemed salvageable.
I spent weeks cleaning and polishing everything. Wire brushes, sandpaper, rust remover – you name it, I used it. I even invested in a small bead blaster for the really stubborn rust spots. It was tedious work, but seeing those parts slowly come back to life was incredibly satisfying.
Finding replacement parts was another adventure. This thing was so old that parts were either discontinued or ridiculously expensive. I scoured eBay, online forums, and local motorcycle junkyards. Scrounging up all those missing bits and pieces, felt like I was on a treasure hunt.
The reassembly was like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Referencing my photos and notes, I slowly put everything back together. New gaskets, new bearings, new tires, new cables – the works. It took ages, and there were moments when I thought I’d never get it running again.
Finally, the moment of truth. I filled the tank with fresh gas, hooked up a new battery, and hit the starter button. Nothing. Cranking, cranking, cranking… still nothing.
I checked the spark plugs, the fuel lines, the ignition timing. Everything seemed to be in order. Frustrated, I almost gave up. But then, I remembered reading something about these old Hondas being finicky about the choke.
I pulled the choke all the way out, hit the starter again, and… vroom! It sputtered, coughed, and then roared to life! The sound was incredible – a throaty rumble that shook the whole garage.
It wasn’t perfect. It still needed some fine-tuning, and the paint job was far from showroom condition. But it was running! I took it for a spin around the block, and it felt amazing. It was like stepping back in time.
This project was a real labor of love. It took months of hard work, countless hours of research, and a whole lot of patience. But seeing that old Honda come back to life was one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. Now, it’s not just a motorcycle – it’s a piece of history, and a testament to the power of perseverance. And yeah, I’m already thinking about what to restore next!
