DS Museum

[Trigger]

Funny you should mention silver lines Oddjob. I got a tank in black from a guy down in Hampshire some years ago with silver-ish lines. He bought the bike new in 1972 but, his Honda dealer could not supply him one in candy gold so, he took a black one and bought the gold tank and panels (at trade price). He had the black tank in his loft since basically day one and I bought it off him.
 

[AshimotoK0]

Sorry but as you know the 500 is my jam (as the kids would say) and that's a poor example of one. As Graham says seat cover is repro, the rear dampers are aftermarket, I'm not 100% sure on this and could be wrong but I always remembered the tank stripes as being white on them all and those look silver, could be wrong though as they do kinda make sense. Seat is a poor fit, chrome stripe no longer lines up with the tank chrome, unless of course DS left the seat slightly up for some reason.

Considering the amount of spares DS is supposed to have you'd have thought they'd have replaced all the polished casings for originals. Nothing against polished I may add but if your doing a museum you want it to look as standard as possible, like the British Museum have a T Rex with a chicken bone for a front leg, just doesn't look right.

Thing is that a friend of mine offered to loan him his genuine 1971 K0 500 (candy  green) that he bought when he worked in Florida  and shipped back with him when he moved back to the UK and then restored with Genuine pipes etc but he was told that the two models he offered to loan (a red 1968 fully restored CB250SS as well) were 'already covered'. As I said though Ken, the bikes I photo'd only represent a small number and there are some minters in there ( like a CB450K0 bomber and a 450D street/desert scrambler). I personally think it's well worth a visit as Suffolk is a lovely un-spoilt part of Britain ....you could be back in the 50's. The guy running the museum Roger Etcell told me they are not aiming for concourse exhibits just good examples.

There's a USA spec 400/4 F2 in there that I am convinced is not the correct candy Antares Red but man does the colour look good. Or did the US get a different shade at the end (it's the one with single front mudguard stay), possibly with fuel flap panel, not chrome flip-cap.

[Nurse Julie]

Yes Ash, Suffolk is a stunning part of the country and well worth a visit anytime. The thing with this collection of bikes, by the little I have seen from your photo's, some are most certainly not 'good examples' and IMHO I think some of the bikes, or the way they have been presented let the brand down somewhat. We all have bikes sitting at home that may not be 100% 'original' or concourse and it would have been nice to see a collection of Classic Honda's that are the 'best' examples outside Japan.

[hairygit]

Oddjob, how can you say a CB72 is ugly, THEN say if you had the money you'd buy a CBX550? Now they were seriously ugly, those awful enclosed discs, that were more trouble than they were worth, then there's the paintjob, general styling, and those wheels, styling lifted from a 125 superdream!

[Johnwebley]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

[AshimotoK0]

I bought a CB72 in 1975 and sold it the same summer (doubled my money from £32.50 to £65  )  My GF hated it said she had a 'nasty feeling ' about it and begged me to get rid . Seemed very dated even then so I am kind of with your way of thinking Ken (Oddjob) Same with the CB160 I had  seemed very dated compared with my Cd175A sloper.   This is what my CD125 is going to end up like and I think its  a stunning little bike (same frame and engine as the SS125 & candy frame parts you mention Ken)

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[Nurse Julie]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

Sounds like a good idea. I wonder if we qualify as a 'Club' to get FOC entry? (The amount of money we have all spent with DSS over the years, I think we part own it anyway) 😃😃😃

[AshimotoK0]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

Sounds like a good idea. I wonder if we qualify as a 'Club' to get FOC entry? (The amount of money we have all spent with DSS over the years, I think we part own it anyway) 😃😃😃

give him a break Julie  Pretty sure as SOHC members and a group of a few,  you will all get in for nowt, as we say round here!

[Nurse Julie]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

Sounds like a good idea. I wonder if we qualify as a 'Club' to get FOC entry? (The amount of money we have all spent with DSS over the years, I think we part own it anyway) 😃😃😃

give him a break Julie  Pretty sure as SOHC members and a group of a few,  you will all get in for nowt, as we say round here!

Say that again when you meet me Friday Ash, standing in front of you with the rolling pin in my hand 😃😃😃 Nothing personal against the chap, I have never met him.

[mike the bike]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

Count me in for that

[AshimotoK0]

suggestion,is it worth organizing a weekend visit,

  B & B for those that need it? 

  maybe a sunday visit and saturday BBQ at a local pub ??

Sounds like a good idea. I wonder if we qualify as a 'Club' to get FOC entry? (The amount of money we have all spent with DSS over the years, I think we part own it anyway) 😃😃😃

give him a break Julie  Pretty sure as SOHC members and a group of a few,  you will all get in for nowt, as we say round here!

Say that again when you meet me Friday Ash, standing in front of you with the rolling pin in my hand 😃😃😃 Nothing personal against the chap, I have never met him.

Bloomin 'eck your'e worrying me now... hope that rolling pin is the plastic variety and not made of ASH 

[Seabeowner]

Saw the mention of the SS125 in the threads above and thought I would post a pic of my SS125. At the time I was only in love with it for 6 months and traded it for a Tiger 90. It's blue like the one in DS museum. Paid £189 (got £25 for my C110) for it when still 16 and rode it straight down to Dover as I remember. They say kid's grow up younger these days. I don't think so.
And I've never been to Suffolk, but feel a trip coming on.

[flatfour]

I had two new CB500/4's in the 1970's (1973 & 1974). Both were black with silver lines on the tank. I don't know if they're still around now (DCJ 75L & WFH 140M).

[Johnwebley]

I had two new CB500/4's in the 1970's (1973 & 1974). Both were black with silver lines on the tank. I don't know if they're still around now (DCJ 75L & WFH 140M).

 interesting .  the first DCJ plate is .was a Herefordshire plate,local dealer was Mead & Tomkinson,


  last taxed 1984

 

[flatfour]

John, thanks for that. DCJ was purchased through Mead and Tompkinson, WFH only a few months later due to a misdemeanour by a dealer whilst on road test (they replaced the bike free of charge to me, having broken an agreement that they would not road test it after performing the first service if roads were wet - they did and fell off!).

WFH was found by me at (I think it was called Fraser's) of Gloucester. The bikes were in short supply at the time and the dealer who did the damage had said that if I could find a bike, he would have it transferred to his stock for sale to me. In fairness, he was as good as his word.

Damage to DCJ was, if I remember correctly, confined to exhausts and a few minor marks on one side. It was repaired and kept by the dealer who damaged it as his personal transport for some time, and then sold as used.

All a very long time ago now, of course. In those days I lived in the area, as my brother and mother still do.