'65 Superhawk restoration: part 2
August 2, 2006
The bike is mostly still in the same condition in which I bought it. It doesn't start, but the motor is not seized. Its original low slung exhaust pipes are not attached, have no baffling, and are pretty banged up. The seat needs to be re-upholstered or replaced. The bike has a little bit of rust and the chrome is pitted.
There has been very little progress in the last three years. I bought it in August 2003 and three weeks later I took a train from New York, where I live, to DC to take possesion of it and move it to a mechanic in Newington, Virginia, just south of DC. The mech, Paul, is a very nice guy who really knows about bikes. We talked for a while and he seemed very enthusiastic about the project. He told me that Honda had a long history of building quality machines with great attention to detail. He showed me his 100th Anniversary edition Harley Davidson Fat-Boy(?) that he had modified. He didn't particulary want to talk dollars, which made me a little uneasy.
I called him about a month later and it sounded like not much progress had been made. He said the carbs needed work or replacement, but that he was sure we "had a runner" -- not to worry. We both recommited to the project. I called him again a few months later and not much had progressed. We both re-recommited to the project. This cycle repeated over the next couple of years with my calls getting exponentially more infrequent. My brother-in-law Brian, who lives in DC, took over talking to Paul to spare me the long distance charges.
In the Fall of 2005, we all agreed that it was best to take the bike to another shop. Paul was very cool about the whole thing and I have no bad feelings toward him. I think everybody has the experience of having a cared-for project that is perpetually on the back burner.
Paul had moved his shop twice in the interim and he had faithfully moved the bike along with it and taken excellent care of it. Brian found a shop that would take the bike, but not until after their busy Summer season. A friend of his, Andrew, agreed to keep the bike in his backyard until then.
In August of 2005, Brian, who is sans car, rented a Zipcar so we could rendevous at Paul's new shop in Springfield, Virginia, just south of DC. We hired a fancy flatbed wrecker to move the bike to Andrew's backyard in DC. As you can see, the costs of this little venture are mounting: two round trip train tickets, a U-Haul van rental, a Zipcar rental (paid by Brian), a wrecker, and a tarp. I'd estimate the damage at around $1000 at this point.
Paul didn't ask for any money (and I didn't offer!). I did sent him a bottle of Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon.
Brian's friend kept the bike until February of this year. That's when I took another train trip, rented a U-Haul pickup truck, Brian rented another Zipcar (to take us to the U-Haul), and we hauled the bike from DC to the new bike shop in Fairfax.
Since then, I've talked to the shop once and Brian has a few times. They say they have finally gotten all the parts they need to get it running. They just need to find some time to work on it.
Next in news:EditThere has been very little progress in the last three years. I bought it in August 2003 and three weeks later I took a train from New York, where I live, to DC to take possesion of it and move it to a mechanic in Newington, Virginia, just south of DC. The mech, Paul, is a very nice guy who really knows about bikes. We talked for a while and he seemed very enthusiastic about the project. He told me that Honda had a long history of building quality machines with great attention to detail. He showed me his 100th Anniversary edition Harley Davidson Fat-Boy(?) that he had modified. He didn't particulary want to talk dollars, which made me a little uneasy.
I called him about a month later and it sounded like not much progress had been made. He said the carbs needed work or replacement, but that he was sure we "had a runner" -- not to worry. We both recommited to the project. I called him again a few months later and not much had progressed. We both re-recommited to the project. This cycle repeated over the next couple of years with my calls getting exponentially more infrequent. My brother-in-law Brian, who lives in DC, took over talking to Paul to spare me the long distance charges.
In the Fall of 2005, we all agreed that it was best to take the bike to another shop. Paul was very cool about the whole thing and I have no bad feelings toward him. I think everybody has the experience of having a cared-for project that is perpetually on the back burner.
Paul had moved his shop twice in the interim and he had faithfully moved the bike along with it and taken excellent care of it. Brian found a shop that would take the bike, but not until after their busy Summer season. A friend of his, Andrew, agreed to keep the bike in his backyard until then.
In August of 2005, Brian, who is sans car, rented a Zipcar so we could rendevous at Paul's new shop in Springfield, Virginia, just south of DC. We hired a fancy flatbed wrecker to move the bike to Andrew's backyard in DC. As you can see, the costs of this little venture are mounting: two round trip train tickets, a U-Haul van rental, a Zipcar rental (paid by Brian), a wrecker, and a tarp. I'd estimate the damage at around $1000 at this point.
Paul didn't ask for any money (and I didn't offer!). I did sent him a bottle of Blanton's Single Barrel Bourbon.
Brian's friend kept the bike until February of this year. That's when I took another train trip, rented a U-Haul pickup truck, Brian rented another Zipcar (to take us to the U-Haul), and we hauled the bike from DC to the new bike shop in Fairfax.
Since then, I've talked to the shop once and Brian has a few times. They say they have finally gotten all the parts they need to get it running. They just need to find some time to work on it.
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