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Message started by MMRanch on 12/26/17 at 21:34:54

Title: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by MMRanch on 12/26/17 at 21:34:54

Seem like I could never see the future soon enough !

So , when I was 16 years old and dreaming of a 650 bonnie , mom entered a raffle at the Honda shop. Well , she won Step-Through 50cc Honda. Being the smart woman that she was , she used it for trade-in and got one of these for my 16 birthday present.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1963-Other-Makes-honda/122877858560?hash=item1c9c175300:g:t9IAAOSw~HBaQCQM&vxp=mtr

:o
probably saved my life ... if I'd gotten the Bonnie , I sure I wouldn't be here today !

I ran that machine to death ... at about 14,000 miles the main shaft in the transmission busted and locked up the rear tire at about 45mph. I could have fixed it but I found a deal on a Yamaha twin-jet 100 about that time , so the Honda was forgot about .
But look at the price on that 65cc Honda now !

Mine was a 1968 model , but the same bike and color.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by jcstokes on 12/26/17 at 23:00:45

It's hard to re create the past, if you brought this one, it may satisfy your nostalgia, which in reality, is looking at the past through rose coloured spectacles. I wonder how it's braking and I'm assuming two stroke mixing would feel today. If our wonderous little Savages/LS60'S/S40's are butt rivetters, how would that feel after a long ride, if you wanted to attempt a long ride. By the way, you don't know of any 1974 Jawa Model 634 350's around?

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by MMRanch on 12/26/17 at 23:21:05

Oh no , I could never bring myself to pay $2500.oo for a 45mph cruiser. I have thought about a Suzuki 200 VanVan or Dual-Sport (DR.200).
The Honda 65 was four stroke based on the Honda 50cc , The Chinese have perfected that motor all the way up to a 125cc and put it on a lot of their stuff.
What did you do with your first bike after you were done with it ?

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by jcstokes on 12/27/17 at 00:44:01

My Jawa was totaled after two smashes within a year. Didn't ride again for 27 years.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 12/27/17 at 04:53:28

My first bike was a new 1973 Suzuki TS-50 Galcho. I'd love to find one in great condition but when I find em, they're typically in the $2,000-$3,000 range. Not happening.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by piedmontbuckeye on 12/27/17 at 05:22:15

5D4F5D4F42515E5358100 wrote:

If I remember correctly, both Honda 50cc's were pushrod engines. And so was the 90cc model. The "Super 90" as I recall was an overhead cam, and the 65cc was also an overhead cam, not a version of the 50cc.

Check out 50cc at:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=k0wu85bl&id=7998F06EF289D5C86C8729B138926C94F3F32C68&thid=OIP.k0wu85blYDuFjoKZr6syUQHaFj&mediaurl=http%3a%2f%2ftenwheel.com%2fimgs%2fa%2fa%2fw%2fd%2fc%2f1967_honda_c110_50cc_vintage_running_bike_1_lgw.jpg&exph=480&expw=640&q=honda+50cc+motorcycle&simid=608009604078176865&selectedIndex=0&ajaxhist=0

notice that there is no overhead cam.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by MMRanch on 12/27/17 at 06:52:54

That jawa 350 is a nice looking bike ... light , powerful , nice to look at !

My 65cc was OHC , I've had two of the Chinese variants : a 100cc bike (4 speed) , and a 110cc four wheeler (R+3) . The Chinese versions were better than the Honda version ! Bullet proof - both of them. :)

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by jcstokes on 12/27/17 at 17:46:03

Yes, it was good to ride and I enjoyed it. One night a rotating Morris Oxford took me off it and I still have the scar, and the brake pedal that went into my foot. A year later a woman braked hard to avoid a dog and the back of her car slid into me. So end of Jawa.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by piedmontbuckeye on 12/28/17 at 04:54:27

746674666B78777A71390 wrote:

Beautiful bike! Back when they were real motorcycles. Wish all mfgs. still made this style!

Mine was a Honda Superhawk 305cc!

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by buster6315 on 12/29/17 at 08:31:44

My father had a 350 Jawa Californian, 1964 I think. The shift lever doubled as the kick-start & once moving you could shift w/o pulling in the clutch lever. Piss-poor brakes.

Title: Re: Why didn't I save that "First Bike"
Post by jcstokes on 12/31/17 at 01:01:25

Yes Buster, the kick start worked as the gear lever on mine, brakes, weeellll? Engine always lost a cylinder in the wet, carried a can of CRC or WD40 strapped to the carrier, instant fix. I still have my first car.