Scuba's not the only one with a little bike :)

Discussion in 'Bike Chat' started by Stevep, Mar 9, 2016.

  1. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    So I was having a chat with a mate of mine and he told me about a bike that his uncle wanted shot of.
    Turns out it's a 1980 Honda Express.:oops:
    And he only wants £30 for it.:eek:
    Now, he's had it from new, so it's only one owner, but he stopped using it and went to a car instead.
    He parked it up in his garage before the road tax ran out in...............AUGUST 1984.
    And it's been there ever since, dry stored.
    What he did do however, is he drained all the petrol out of it. He used it in the lawnmower instead.
    So the inside of the tank is fine:D
    I said yeah I'll have that off him; for £30 its worth a punt.

    Well, I picked it up today.
    He has both the ignition keys, the old old style registration document, the original service book and users manual. And he gave me the Haynes manual for it as well.
    So out we troops to the garage, I looked at the clocks for the mileage............1,504 miles.
    From new.
    It rolls well, brakes aren't sticking at all, they work properly. Tyres are a little flat and cracked but for 36 years old what do you expect.
    And it's all complete and original and in remarkable condition for it's age considering how long it's been parked up.
    There are a few minor scabby bits on the wheel rims, and it needs a good clean and polish, but I'm damn sure I could put fresh fuel straight into this and it'll go.
    Here's a few pics:

    IMG_20160309_133341.jpg IMG_20160309_133346.jpg IMG_20160309_133358.jpg IMG_20160309_133405.jpg IMG_20160309_133414.jpg IMG_20160309_174117.jpg IMG_20160309_175726.jpg IMG_20160309_175748.jpg IMG_20160309_175809.jpg

    And I can't believe how much he was paying for insurance:

    IMG_20160309_175837.jpg

    So now I have the bike here, the thing is, what to do with it.
    Most of you already know what I can do, but I don't think this will apply to this bike.
    The paintwork just needs a good going over, so no respray required there, I'll have a look at polishing the chrome first, I'm pretty sure it'll come up good, before making the final decision on it.
    Obviously new tyres are in order, but at £17 each, you'd be a muppet not to. The rear shock needs looking at, can't seem to find out if they were chrome as new or painted.
    The white bits............old english white..............they have a few chips and stains in them, so they might get done, and then the engine.
    To keep original authenticity, I really should just give it a good clean, but to do that I really need to have it out and on the bench.
    And we all know what happens when I put an engine on the bench!:rolleyes:

    So, opinions please.
     
    Mark Emerson Trentham likes this.
  2. Mark Emerson Trentham

    Mark Emerson Trentham Well Known Member. Staff Member

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    8,552
    Rides:
    NSC110/ ET2.
    Keep it 100% original,your dealing with a part of motorcycling history.:).
    Jealous by the way.:):).
     
    Stevep likes this.
  3. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    Yeah, I know.
    Tried looking at dvla for info on how many are left. If the info is correct, very very very few.
     
  4. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    AHA! Just discovered that the rear shock can be dismantled.:D
     
  5. Mark Emerson Trentham

    Mark Emerson Trentham Well Known Member. Staff Member

    Messages:
    8,552
    Rides:
    NSC110/ ET2.
    Be interesting to see how many Maxi's/ Camino's /catalogue Tomo's?,are still about as well.:).
     
  6. scubabiker

    scubabiker NITROJUNKIE

    Messages:
    7,321
    keep hold of that for a few years, that gonna be worth a fortune in about 5 years... trust me....
    was it those that had the funny kick start where you sort of wind it up, then when you pull in/let off the brake, it releases it? i seem to recall they have a gearbox of sorts too? 2 speed?
     
  7. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    5,895
    You're right, it does have that funny kick-start setup. Caught me out for about 30 seconds until I remembered.
    This is the single speed gearbox, and manual choke lever, plus it has points, no 'modern' cdi ignition on this. It's the NC50E model. What makes you think it'll be worth a fortune then? I know they are getting rarer but so are a lot of bikes.
     
  8. scubabiker

    scubabiker NITROJUNKIE

    Messages:
    7,321
    camper van people like them. 2 strokes wont be around in a few years and people will be all nostalgic about these little bikes and post rounds and all that sort of sentimental crap, the price of little old hondas is skyrocketing right now, with the cub scene exploding the way it is, other hondas will follow the trend. plus the tax disk will be worth something too, being as they dont exist anymore.
    honestly, shine it up and get it in storage, you will thank me later!
     
  9. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    5,895
    I had a thought today that it might be worth a call to dvla, just to see if they can give me accurate information on the amount of bikes left registered in the uk. Would ask about the RS100 as well, because when I tried to check on that, it came up as 0 (zero)
     
  10. scubabiker

    scubabiker NITROJUNKIE

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    7,321
    i know of at least 1 express, in swansea. and i seem to recall someone there i knew had an rsx100 whats the difference between them?
     
  11. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    RXS had twin clocks, different side panels, different shaped tank, was 12volt, mines 6volt.
     
  12. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    5,895
    Oops:rolleyes:

    IMG_20160312_125145.jpg IMG_20160312_125154.jpg
    It just fell out.....................honest:p
     
  13. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    Oh joy:mad: me dremmels just gone phutphut bang!
    And it was going so well.

    IMG_20160312_150144.jpg IMG_20160312_150144.jpg IMG_20160312_150110.jpg
     
  14. scubabiker

    scubabiker NITROJUNKIE

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    7,321
    whats that on the back of the casing?
     
  15. scootzmadness

    scootzmadness Left the forum.

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    None.
    IIRC its a breather pipe.
     
    Stevep likes this.
  16. scootzmadness

    scootzmadness Left the forum.

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    why dya think im hoarding visions + melodies :)
     
    scubabiker likes this.
  17. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    Correct, and thank god for Machinemart. It'll do for now.

    IMG_20160312_174725.jpg
     
  18. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

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    5,895
    Oh well, that's a choice made for me.................
    New gasket set on the way, gonna need it now.

    IMG_20160313_122636.jpg
     
  19. scubabiker

    scubabiker NITROJUNKIE

    Messages:
    7,321
    got the new gaskets yet?
     
  20. Stevep

    Stevep Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    5,895
    Yeah, got them a couple of weeks ago.
    But decided due to the 4 day bank holiday last week, that I'd get the rear patio down instead.
    Nearly friggin' killed me. I can't do stuff like that any more, my back just won't have it. Still haven't finished it either, got 9 more slabs to put down.
    Also managed to pick up a case of the severe LURGI these last 4 days, talk about being hit by a bus!
    Told work not to expect to see me until a week on monday.
     

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