Meet Ronda the Honda, picked her up from near Rugby today. Should keep me busy. 1973 Honda CB250 K3 Last run 1999. Looks better in the pictures than it actually is. Going to put a new battery on over the week end and see if anything works. Then it's a total strip down and rebuild.
Somewhere in between I guess. I'd been looking for imported cb450's but they seem to have dried up. Then CB550's (imported) which were going for £1600 - £1800 ! Decided to go for a twin as I didn't want to have to buy four of everything. This 250 came up, nice and light, right colour, paid a bit too much but tons less than a CB450/550 would have cost so I'm happy. Isn't really about the money though, just the interest.
Keep to standard. I'm not into cafe racers at all. I'd just like to see it nicely painted in gold and some nice shiny metal. I think the gold is one of Honda's all time best colours.
Just picked up the frame and swinging arm this morning from Triple-S Coating in Bingley £130. Even the wife is mighty impressed. She still goes beserk though when I suggest bringing it in the house. She thinks I'm winding her up. Anyway, here's some pics :-
Looks like a good job on the frame. Hope the rest of it maintains that standard, I'll watch this with interest, I love these picure rich restoration threads, keep them coming,please! Curly
Yes I thought it was good value too and I'm really chuffed with the frame but it's a lot to live up to. I've not done much lately as my garage has been like a fridge even with the fan heater on. Currently working on the forks and looking for a local (if possible) painter to do the tank, side panels, headlamp and fork shrouds. I originally intended to plough some money in and get it done quick but I've decided to do it more gradually and take my time. Or more to the point it will "seem" cheaper that way !
Not see one of those in a long long time, nice little project, looking forward to seeing the end result.
Been a bit lazy lately and been up to Bonnie Scotland but came across these pics I took earlier. The back wheel is very rusty inside but sound in structure so I'm just going to clean up for now and re-use. I believe it's called Patina ? The front forks work well so new oil and a clean and I'll spray with some of that silver paint that will also do the engine.
Are the fork legs painted as standard? If not, then it would be worth buying a cheap polishing mop kit and some wet and dry paper in in various grits. I paint stripped an ali ZXR frame and swingarm and polished it and it came up like a mirror. Didn't take too long either, and even the leg on the right looks only lightly corroded.
Yes they are painted, same stuff as the engine. It's available from David Silver Spares. I did think I'd just polish the forks and engine up at first but then changed my mind thinking a coat of paint would keep looking good for longer.
Well I'm deeply ashamed to say I've done pretty much cock all to this bike so far and I'm shocked to realise i've had it three and a half years now. However, the tank, side panels, fork shrouds and headlamp shell are with a top professional at the moment being painted and I have restarted cleaning bits up. I've bought some better gear now so things should progress better. I've just cleaned the kickstart up this afternoon. Here is a before and after picture. For you young whippersnappers a "kickstart" is a lever with a foldaway footpeg with which we used to start our motorcycles int th'olden days. I also polished up the right side downpipe, they are battered and bruised but i'm going to use them. I believe it's called patina. As you can see from the left pipe on the right i've left the left for now and it's had a hard life as has the right, right ?
Same lever. Solid metal so it polishes up. My biggest problem are the mudguards which are chrome and are really really bad.
