The ’67 Honda 305cc CL77 Scrambler I've mentioned here before is basically a complete bike, running well and all that, but I haven’t finished the project yet because I haven’t been able to source a local painter to take care of getting the tank done. Closest one that showed some promise was about 40 miles away, a friend of a friend (I trust), but just a little far to go. This is the same friend, whose different friend recovered two Connie seats for me @$70-$80 a pop. I’m sure his painter friend would do a good job too, but again, a little far to travel.
Fast forward to yesterday.
I was up in the garage loft, hanging out a window pulling down a bedraggled US Flag that I’m about to replace, when someone starts calling out to me from below. A neighbor from a street over that I hadn’t met before, stopped by to ask if I was still working on bikes. Seems that several other gear heads in the neighborhood had told him that I had a shop and was a good bike mechanic. He saw the garage going up a number of years ago, but never came by to introduce himself. He does a little work on the side himself, but he’s a /body work/paint person. Seeing cars come and go, I knew something was going on at his place, but assumed mechanical stuff like I was doing. Nah! Just bodywork.
Seems as tho’ he’s a fan of Kawasaki bikes too and has three tucked away at his place, one of which (a KZ900 LTD) he wants to get running. Seems as tho’ a friend rebuilt the carbs a number of years ago (5?) but the bike has never had gas put back in it and started.
I explained the situation why I closed up shop, but in the background my head is thinking that we might be able to work out a deal. Back when I was at the bike shop in Lynchburg (VA) in the early 70’s, I worked on a gazillion of that bike’s family from the day they first came out in ‘73. He seems content to take care of my paint job with no commitment on my end to get the bike running. Think I’ll run over to his place and take a look at the bikes, ewe-aah at what he has, and try to get some idea of what I might be facing should I jump on the KZ to try and get it going.
In the interim, after I was done chatting with my neighbor, I get an email note from a local biker friend looking for some oysters. Seems as tho’ I have become the purveyor of oysters for some of the local biking community, and I need to rustle up 15 doz, or so, for a Thanksgiving delivery. I have a local source and just hope he can accommodate that big of an order. (I called, and he can).
Ain't no rest once you open your big mouth, eh?
Fast forward to yesterday.
I was up in the garage loft, hanging out a window pulling down a bedraggled US Flag that I’m about to replace, when someone starts calling out to me from below. A neighbor from a street over that I hadn’t met before, stopped by to ask if I was still working on bikes. Seems that several other gear heads in the neighborhood had told him that I had a shop and was a good bike mechanic. He saw the garage going up a number of years ago, but never came by to introduce himself. He does a little work on the side himself, but he’s a /body work/paint person. Seeing cars come and go, I knew something was going on at his place, but assumed mechanical stuff like I was doing. Nah! Just bodywork.
Seems as tho’ he’s a fan of Kawasaki bikes too and has three tucked away at his place, one of which (a KZ900 LTD) he wants to get running. Seems as tho’ a friend rebuilt the carbs a number of years ago (5?) but the bike has never had gas put back in it and started.
I explained the situation why I closed up shop, but in the background my head is thinking that we might be able to work out a deal. Back when I was at the bike shop in Lynchburg (VA) in the early 70’s, I worked on a gazillion of that bike’s family from the day they first came out in ‘73. He seems content to take care of my paint job with no commitment on my end to get the bike running. Think I’ll run over to his place and take a look at the bikes, ewe-aah at what he has, and try to get some idea of what I might be facing should I jump on the KZ to try and get it going.
In the interim, after I was done chatting with my neighbor, I get an email note from a local biker friend looking for some oysters. Seems as tho’ I have become the purveyor of oysters for some of the local biking community, and I need to rustle up 15 doz, or so, for a Thanksgiving delivery. I have a local source and just hope he can accommodate that big of an order. (I called, and he can).
Ain't no rest once you open your big mouth, eh?
