Family Portraits

Unusual to have all 3 bikes out, so took the opportunity to snap some family photos.

Roxy: First Pictures

S90: A Tangled Web

The headlight had a weird screw with a "figure 8" slot.  Didn't know quite what to make of that, but decided to reslot it with the Dremel now, ask questions later.

I popped open the headlight cover, looked at the mess of wires, and then closed it back up.  A project for another day.

The Workshop

S90: In Progress

Spent a little time just cleaning the big rust spots on wheels, fender, and muffler.  Nothing like brightwork that is actually bright.

S90: New Seat!

The old seat was basically just rust held together by more rust.  No salvaging that one; it had to go.  Bought a new one off eBay for $100 delivered and it looks great.  It was a very tight fit against the tank, though.  At first I thought I had a seat from a different year that wouldn't fit at all (and perhaps it is the wrong year), but if you push it hard against the tank you can just barely get the bolts to line up and drop in.  Never take fit for granted on these old bikes!  Bolts and mounting points may look identical in a picture, but you need to confirm measurements to be sure.

I was happy as a clam seeing the new seat mounted, but I quickly realized that it's almost too pretty to leave on the bike right now.  The bike routinely gets sprayed with WD40, there's grease and oil going all over the place, and the seat is still sitting on a very rusty frame.

And so I learn a good lesson about the restoration process.  It makes sense to do things in a certain order sometimes.  As much as I wanted to replace the old tattered seat, mounting the new one on there is probably a bit premature.  It's almost like putting down new carpet while you're still building the house.

But still... I'll be damned if she doesn't look good in her new leathers.

Super 90: Barn Find!

Saw this listed on a Friday, and after a couple phone calls and a verbal handshake, it was delivered on the back of a vintage pickup truck the following afternoon.  Beautifully rusted out, seat in tatters, probably a mouse nest or two somewhere inside the frame.  But the worse it looks now, the more satisfying the restoration, right?

The carb isn't actually missing; in true barn find tradition, it came in a coffee can!

CM91: Work in Progress

Just a couple shots of the bike in its current state.  Carb and battery are out, oil and gas are drained, seat's off and engine's been Gunked (twice).

Is it just me or does the bike have a much nicer profile without that giant sofa cushion seat on top?

CM91: The Sacrificial Lamb

Poor old '69 Honda CM91.  She's lived a long, hard life only to end up as the Rookie Wrench's very first project bike.  She'll soon be disassembled and rebuilt by a guy who has never disassembled or rebuilt anything in his life.  Ever.

If only someone had been quicker on Craigslist, maybe she could have become someone's Sunday morning ride, or joined a garage full of other vintage Hondas.  Maybe she could have even been restored and added to the some Honda Thumper museum.  But alas, the Rookie Wrench got her and now she'll be donating her body to mechanical science, getting torn up and torn down, just so the Rookie Wrench can actually see what a piston looks like.

Hats off to you, brave Honda!  Maybe we'll see you again on the other side...