Sometimes you search nationwide for a new project…either a car or a bike that hasn’t been trashed by previous owners, isn’t a rust bucket, all original parts, clean title, etc….and you find nothing for months and months and then…something turns up in your own backyard. That’s exactly what happened recently.
I had been searching for an 80’s to early 90’s BMW airhead for nearly a year. After too many fruitless chases to mention and email exchanges with flaky owners who advertise on Facebook, I gave up for the time being, figuring that sooner or later, something would turn up. Several did, but as always with vintage BMW’s, most owners ask top dollar for their bikes. This is great if you’re going to hold on to it for many years, but not so great if you need to sell within a couple years. As all vintage collectors know, you never get your initial investment back, unless you buy under the current prevailing prices (I check with Mecum, Barrett-Jackson and Hagerty, among others). So, I decided to move on and find something else until the right airhead comes along.
While checking the listings on our local FB page, a 1997 Honda V-twin turned up. Original owner, less than 10,000 all original miles, basically mint condition. You don’t find many original owner bikes these days, much less a ‘97 with fewer than 10K on the odometer. It now sits in my garage. It doesn’t need much, other than fluid changes, some cable adjustments and other minor service issues. Not my usual project, for sure, but I have to admit, it sure is nice not to have to start at the very beginning with a stripped-down frame. I’ll post some pictures later. It should be a fun bike to ride locally…low seat position, good handling, great brakes and a smooth engine/transmission.