Honda-SOHC

If you lot are gonna drag up our 'high flying' aircraft pasts.......I worked on the RHS Wing Assembly on the Twin Otter at De Havilland Canada at Downsview CFB in Toronto around 1976/7 ish. We had an unfortunate incident when two Twin Otters were delivered to Vancouver but managed to collide whilst taxiing on the runway.....damaging the RH wing on one and the RH Wing on the other (AKA Sod's Law) ! The Customer advised that if he didn't get one serviceable aircraft within a couple of weeks,  he'd cancel the order for them both.

Our dopey Foreman (Marion) decided to change the four man team (working in pairs most of the time) to an eight man team so that we could produce a RH Wing in two weeks rather than four weeks, but after the first morning it was clear we were simply getting in each others way and we didn't have enough of the special tools we needed. Being young and daft (and English) I challenged Marion and said his plan was pants and we should work longer or treble shifts, work weekends and work a nightshift as we were just going nowhere. He was insistent and said his plan was sound as it took four men two weeks to build a wing so it would take eight men two weeks to build a wing QED ! I just laughed and said why didn't he assign thirty two men to the wing and we'd finish it the day before we started it ?

Marion - being a dour Polish bloke devoid of any humour and little personality - failed to see the funny side of it and awarded me a Written Warning for insubordination - not that I cared a jot as I was 27 and I was about to ride my Suzuki GT500 6,000 miles across Canada and the USA the very next week and soon after, I was heading home to sunny Mancunia on Sea !

Just a couple of 'old uns' from today in Wray Green (near Preston/ Blackpool). The 125 is a 'D Reg and the 175 is a 'K Reg'. At least that what I think they are (tiddlers are not my thing). They looked much better kept than some of the rusty old Brit tubs next to them !

The event is also on this Sunday.........hopefully the rain will keep off as a lot of Exhibitors seem to be camping overnight.

Lytham WWII Weekend......25 Pounder , Limber and Morris Commercial Quad.

Makes a change from smelly old bikes (for smelly old artillery bits and bobs). Got out on my bike today as it's 6 weeks since my Hernia Operation, and as I just live down the road....why not. My dear old Mum bought me one of these sets when I was a nipper.........who'd have thought I'd grow up to serve as a TA Gunner for 15 years. Certainly not me when I was a raggedy arsed kid !

Great turnout with loads of Families and plenty of locals dressing up in their 1940's gear in the lovely sunshine....and I saw more Sergeants parading in their uniform than the British Army has ever had in it's ranks ! LOL.

All this stuff about New Bikes got me jealous (almost). Having sold on the 74 CB500 Four I bought to run around on this summer which turned out to have an engine problem - think Ringo drumming on a stack of tin cans, I sold it on E Bay to a very nice bloke in Pontefract. He had a splendid old Kawasaki Z650 and a lovely Triumph Stag, so I was very happy it went to a good home and no doubt he'll make a nice restoration of it. Hopefully, he'll join this great Forum so we might see the bike in the future. I hope so.

After unloading it from the trailer we started it up and it ran like a sewing machine....."I thought you said it has an engine problem" ! he said...."It does....I have been dead straight that it probably needs a new Cam Chain and Tensioners".   I could have cried !!!!! It ran perfectly.....but the deal was done so I moved on.

I'm now the proud owner of a 2007 CB600F.......one mature owner (who kept it in his bedroom) with 1200 miles on it. Lovely bike and just what I wanted after my Hernia Op two weeks ago. Nice and light, easy to shift around in my garden/ garage and with brilliant steering when on the move. A bit buzzy compared to what I'm used to, but bags of ooomph and very happy with the little steed (especially the low mileage as it's like it just left the Honda Showroom).

My Hernia Op went well so just behaving myself while I get better, then I'll hopefully start on some of my other bike projects again, and catch up on all the jobs around the house that the Hernia has stopped me from doing in the last year. I might even get my 1970 Bonneville on the road after importing it as a wreck in 2008 ! Watch this space.

Thanks to those of you who enquired over my health recently......much appreciated. There are some real stars on this Forum.....you know who you are, and I hope I have been as good a friend to you as you have been to me.

Mmmmm very nice job Dave.......I assumed it was a Pre Unit Engine........but it's a later one. Is it a 650 or 750 and what year ? Looks like a T140.......the breather pipe is a whopperoonie innit ! I have never seen one placed at the front of the engine.

I love the Tank........there's something about blo*dy big ally Tanks and the Triton (and Norton or Triumph) decals to give the impression of speed and grace !

Looks like a Degens Swing Arm so the bend swinging should be rather tasty !

Anyway....thanks for sharing....hope you enjoy riding it - before your back, wrists and elbows give up the ghost ! LOL. Well done fella, it's a credit to you.

Unusual - and very tidy bike......glad you are enjoying it. A crusty old Neighbour of mine mentioned that he has a Honda 500 Single in his Garage....I think it's a GB500.....but I'm not 100%. Twin exhaust pipes coming out from the single cylinder (I think).

He's never going to finish it or ride it (he's an old git like me but even olderer and even crustier - if that's possible), so if any sohc Member fancies buying his bike please let me know and I'll ask him about selling it.

The bike is complete (I believe), but will need recommissioning as it's been standing for years. He used to run Sunrise Graphics....so some of you may already know him.....John Kenworthy......he may be a crusty but he's also 'canny' so don't mess him about.

I must point out that I have no personal or financial interest in this......it's just a shame for an old Honda not to be used, and we would all like to see another Honda put back on the road.

Let me know if you are interested.

My Son in Law owns a Garage which specialises in Fleet Maintenance and up market German Cars.......he's a smart bloke and he's really into Engine Management Systems....he thrives on problems in this field and just loves taking on and solving the difficult jobs that the Main Dealers can't or won't take on because their hourly rates just won't justify what they would need to charge their Customers - for something which should never have been a problem in the first place ! Some Owners have so many major problems that they vow never to buy another BMW, Merc, Audi or Porsche ever again ! It's sometimes that bad.....but I suppose when you have paid 50K + for a swanky car, the very least you expect it to do is to start first time, every time and to run reliably !

He's getting more into Servicing EV's as his bread and butter line is Fleet Cars and Vans, but he just shakes his head when he talks about the cheapness and ease of Hydrogen Powered Vehicles........he's convinced it's just a conspiracy to deliberately hold back the development of Hydrogen Powered Vehicles as there is a lot more money to be made (screwed) out of EV's.

My Neighbour is a TUI Pilot.......as things improved after the Lockdown and he started Flying again regularly (before things started to get busy again with passenger flights), he was flying Freight to USA.....TUI had taken the seats out of a lot of their Aircraft as Freight was becoming the norm.....and the only thing paying the bills.

I don't know whether things have changed or if TUI are still flying Freight....rather than peeps.