'81C in a barn, down the holler......

[motogrady]

The ad read, " 3 Hondas, a 354, a 754 and a 9004.  $1,500 takes all 3."

Took a bit to compute, looked at the phone number and realized he was right in the area
we're planning a street ride in late July.  Great area for riding.  Out there.  Pretty much just
ravines and mountain ridges.

Well, what the heck, it's a nice day, screw work, let's go.

Out the door the bike starts right up.
Battery has a fresh charge, tank is full, new oil and filter are in.

Yeah baby.

A quick look down before it goes in gear and........

[motogrady]

I know the gasket went in right when the oil filter went in.
Even tho I used the old one. (the new one was like half the thickness).

Shut it down, looked under the motor, no leak.

Started it up, with it running, oil poured out of the oil cooler at the brass fitting
on the motor.  Hose clamp was loose.  Funny, cause that's a new hose, maybe a year old.
It's right over a header pipe, maybe it's the heat wearing on it.  
Anyway, cut an inch off to get clean hose for the hoseclamp, reinstalled, checked the oil level
and gave it a shot again.







It's maybe 1pm, not a cloud in the sky, we're off to see the wizard.

[motogrady]

Out on the road, it's down the Aurora Valley to Rt 50.
Donna want's to see some old barns, so that's something to look for.

[seestheday]

$1,500 for a Cb 350 four, a 750 four (SOHC?  DOHC?) and a DOHC 900 is a great deal if they're anywhere close to running.  At least where I am that would be.

[motogrady]

Well Seez, he said they were all early 80's bikes.
Was thinking, I got the CV carbs figured out, heck,
I know the twincams way better than I do the sohc
I'm thinkin like you, one nice one for 5 might be a deal.

The Tucker County Tour was on, 56 miles, with what I was told had 2 big climbs in it.
Guy told me avg time was 3 hrs to complete.





Leaving Aurora, I'm heading to a place called St. George.

[motogrady]

over a few ridges and down a few ravines, we come into the back side
of St. George, Parsons, WVA.





I get a signal so I call the guy with the bikes.
I'm 20 minutes away he says.

[motogrady]

"Make a right when you go over the bridge,
take your first left,
there's a new sporting good store on the corner,
go right at the sharp turn 1/2 mile from there,
stay straight for maybe 7 miles,
take the fork down the gravel road right just when you pass the big waterfall,
you won't get signal so don't bother to call just go maybe a football field
then go right where the road splits into 3,
I'm at the bottom on the left."

Yikes.

[motogrady]

Well, we run into the bicycle guys at the bridge,
the lead pack held traffic for 5 minutes.
Last I saw them was 10, maybe 15 miles ago.

They go by, and it's off to find a sporting goods store.





Stopped in and talked to the guy.
He bought some land, is building small cabins to rent
or give some time to returning vets that want to get away for a bit.

[motogrady]

Off again, time to pay attention, I find the waterfall
and head back into the woods.
Way back into the woods.
Like the guy said, nobody gettin a signal back in here.

And like the guy said, at the end of the road, down in a little holler,
is his little piece of paradise.

Pics, I kept the camera in the bag till I got to know Tom.
People can be funny.

But he's cool, out back we go to the 350.
He thinks this is the best out of the bunch.
I'm not interested, and we move on.

[Hoosier Daddy]

The suspense is KILLLIN ME!
That little 350 Four was only made two years, and quite desirable to Collectors / Cafe Racers alike. If it has tins in decent shape, you could sell it for more than the price he's askin for all 3!
(see the last bike listed in my sig line.)  

[TOOLS1]

"I'm not interested, and we move on. "
WHAT? You IDIOT.
I just sold one of those in rough shape, for $1,150.00. And I did not even want to sell it.
TOOLS

[motogrady]

$1,150 eh?

Send me a grand and it's yours, he's still got it.
No spark on 2 of the cylinders, but good title.

And sorry 'bout dragging this out, it;s the holiday and all....

anyways, to the back barn, under a tarp with a wheelbarrow sitting on top of it,

[motogrady]

[motogrady]

My heart started beating right away.

I came because I thought a 900 would be, well, something.

I've always wanted to find a basket and cafe something.
And here were what looked like prime suspects.
But the more I looked at it, the more the 750 looked better.
The story was he got it from a guy that owed him money,
all 3 of them.
That the guy had put a bunch of stuff on it, had dropped it
after only 2 thousand miles, bought the stuff to get it back together
but never did, he just got the 900 and forgot about the 750.

The 900, to me, looked like a beast.
Some kind of 10 speed trannie, crazy carbs, I dunno, my bike is a lot for me,
what the heck am I gonna do with that?
Part it out maybe, but that's about it for me.

So, I offered 400.  He didn't like it, but went for it.
I called a friend with a trailer, told me he'd be there in an hour,
and poof.......







Home and in the garage, I kinda stripped off the extra stuff already.
A low hrs bike for sure, no wear on the shifter or peg rubber,
no oil showing anywhere, oil itself looks like honey.

Now, the 64,000 dollar question.

What to do with it.

[Manual]

Moto you are definitely a hardcore mechanic in comparison to me to take that hog on. I got a little squeamish when I saw that bare rotor and the carbs sitting off without them having been plugged.

It looks like a custom model but it is definitely a DOHC with that seat. I think the DOHC builds that I have seen that look sharp are ones with custom paint schemes and a single rider seat. I don't think the DOHC lines lend themselves well to the cafe look, but more to updated/original look.

I am fighting myself with this question on my bike but it is moot until I get the charging issue sorted, btu judging by that rotor being exposed you will likely have some of that fun too. I can't wait to see your build take off.

Would you mind telling me what style of handlebar you are using on your current ride? I like mine but I don't like sitting up so straight and I dont want to go as drastic as clubmans.

[TOOLS1]

You took the WRONG bike home. Especially if you want a cool cafe bike. The 900 Custom is going to be hard to cafe, and is not a very desirable bike. They can't give them away here in Kansas City.
TOOLS

[motogrady]

I tell you Manuel, I thought about this place before I got moving in anything.
Sure, when Tools got that sohc last week or so and realized the crank is shot,
the carbs that Cdicool found on his ride, the items you've had, I was kinda
like, why?  Why bother.

I could prob sell off the wheels, front end, tank, seat and frame, and have a spare motor
for my SS for free.

I wanted to go off like Hoosier D, cafe city, but really don't have time or wherewithall
for a big one like that.
Thought I did, but that little voice of reason is yelling at me.
But it's still a doable thing......

But I'm leaning on a kinda mild chopper.

I know, I never thought I'd go in that direction.
But, the bike has good oem paint,
It's the factory version of a chopper, imo, for that year.
I'm thinking something like the later Sportsters,
lean, flat black mostly, a single Bates style seat.
Long and low.

HD and that look us big around here.
Being a twin cam, it'll eat most Sportsters alive.
It would be the cheapest build.

[cdaiscool]

The carbs that I found on my ride? Curious as to what you mean by that...

Ehh, you took the bike you wanted home, and that's all that matters. But if you end up taking the cams out of the 900 and need a buyer, well, I know a guy that may have an '81 K that is getting a top end rebuild this upcoming winter anyways...

Damn top end gasket leaking.

[shinyribs]

cdaiscool wrote

 

You took the bike you wanted home, and that's all that matters.

 Well said Craig.


Of course....you could always go back and snag the 350. Sell for a profit and use it to fund the 900 build

[TOOLS1]

"I'm thinking something like the later Sportsters,
lean, flat black mostly, a single Bates style seat.
Long and low. "
That's a long way from a cafe.
TOOLS