Honda-SOHC
General => New Member Introductions => Topic started by: McCabe-Thiele (Ted) on August 09, 2020, 04:29:11 PM
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I've been a biker a biker on & off since I was a teeneger owning an NSU Quickly when I was 16 years old back in 1964 owning a variety of British & Japanese bikes until 2009 when I sold my Yamaha XJ900F.
As a teenager I rebuilt an Ariel Golden Arrow and tinkered with my Honda 250 Dream and Super Dream (1964) so I gave up 2 wheels until a few months ago when I bought a Honda CB400F2 registered in early 1978 as a none runner for the last 13 years at least.
Just starting the Honda CB 400 four restoration project to give me stuff to do and think about during lock down and my full retirement.
I will no doubt be asking some daft questions as I re-learn my lost skills.
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No such thing as daft questions, look in alladins cave for workshop manual and parts books.
Welcome to here and listen to Nurse Julie!!
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Welcome, I'm pleased you have found us. It sounds like a great project and I will enjoy seeing the progress updates. Enjoy.
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Welcome to the forum, lots of knowledge here. Looks like we have followed similar paths in motorcycle life, in 1964 at the age of 16 my first transport was a 1950's Mobylette, which involved pedaling uphill, followed by a unreliable Tiger Sports Cub then a Honda CB72, and a variety British and Japanese bikes
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I had a Raleigh Runabout - they were faster...
... except when it rained and the belt drive slipped.
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I had a Raleigh Runabout - they were faster...
... except when it rained and the belt drive slipped.
Show off ::) yes mine slipped in the wet too, i think the Raleigh was based on the Mobylette.
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Identical except for the badge.
I also had to pedal up the hills.
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Those were the days, I used to start my mobylette by striking the magneto with my foot
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Welcome and enjoy the forum. Good to see a positive from the lockdown (getting a 400 Four that is)
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Welcome, plenty of us old retired gits on here
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Okay I will own up after a couple of NSU Quickly's I went to the Dark Side having owned a raft of "Scooters" this is the list I may have missed a couple out.
1) Capri 70.
2) Capri 80.
3) Viscount Prior 200 (Electric Start)
4) Maico Letta 250 electric start, floor gear change etc it was an A plate from 1963 I think. Can't post a photo of the Maico as we lost most of our pre-digital photos when we had a serious house fire caused by a neighbours firework.
When I sold the Maico Letta in 1965 I bought my first propper 2 wheeler - A Triumph 21 "102 ETF" then I was hooked on motor cycles.
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Okay I will own up after a couple of NSU Quickly's I went to the Dark Side having owned a raft of "Scooters" this is the list I may have missed a couple out.
1) Capri 70.
2) Capri 80.
3) Viscount Prior 200 (Electric Start)
4) Maico Letta 250 electric start, floor gear change etc it was an A plate from 1963 I think. Can't post a photo of the Maico as we lost most of our pre-digital photos when we had a serious house fir caused by a neighbours firework.
When I sold the Maico Letta in 1965 I bought my first propper 2 wheeler - A Triumph 21 "102 ETF" then I was hooked on motor cycles.
Wow a Maicoletta, i used to lust after them,still do, the superbike of the scooter world.
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Welcome, plenty of us old retired gits on here
another retired old git.
welcome.
the past few years we have had a get together at the Crich tramway museum,
but this year it has been cancelled,
plenty of time till next year,
welcome tothe fun forum
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Maico havehistoric significance to Honda in the UK .. i.e 'Hondis' 1st UK Honda distributor. Look at this advert from Honda in 1959 and their reply to Maico in the UK... who became 'Hondis'
[attachimg=1][attachimg=2]
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That letter from Honda is an amazing piece of history.
There is a back story to me buying the Maico Letta from a Garage named "Sportarama" circa 1965/66 in Chesterfield it was part of the Brocklehurst Group in Derbyshire. Sportarama had an old sports car mounted on a pole outside the garage they sold sports cars and used motor cycles. I bought an Aerial Square Four with a Chair attached for about £50. Part way home I realised the Aerial was a scary ride especially on bends so I returned to Sportarama, they would refund me if I spent £75 or more on another bike. I spotted the Maico Letta and shelled out £80 for it. I sold it privately about a year later for £120. I saw it a few weeks later for sale at Palins Motor Cycles for £140 - I think they were Maico agents as most motor cycle dealers back then sold several makes of new bikes.
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That’s a very interesting piece of Honda history! Thanks for sharing.