Skyliner70cc
Active Member
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- Joined
- Nov 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,338
Yep, rode motorcycles for 20 years before I got my 1st MB.
First cycle was a 150 cc Vespa Scooter. It was a great machine but the darn clutch cable snapped every couple of months. To shift gears you rotated the left handlebar grip.
Second bike was a 1981 Honda 400 Hawk with 2 speed hondamatic transmission. It has no clutch and had a torque convertor and 2 speeds. Tranny was not automatic, you still had to use the shift kick lever. It was slow and the engine screamed at 70mph but was a fun and easy bike tor ide.
Third bike was a blue 1984 Nighthawk 700s. A bike truly ahead of its time with hydraulic lifters, shaft drive, 6 speed tranny, gear shift indicator, and other features that were uncommon. I sold this bike 20 years later when I got married...she didn't want me riding.
4th bike was a read 1985 Nighthawk 70ss that I bought for 200 dollars from a classified ad newspaper. It was supposed to be a parts bike for my blue 700s and the owner said the engine was seized. My kid brother and I drove almost 200 miles to buy it and load it back home. After I haggled the sller down to 200 dollars and got title in hand, I tried to troubleshoot the bike. The engine would not crank or push start and it truly felt seized up. The engine oil smelled like gas and my brother and I looked at each other and bust out in a big grin. We ran down to the local automotive store and picked up some oil and in front of the previous owner, pulled the spark plugs and let the starter spin the engine to de-flood the engine. The cylidners were completely hydrolocked with fuel and after deflooding it, a quick oil change got it fired up. I rode this parts bike home with no problems. A 20 dollar fuel petcock later and it was as good as new. This bike had less than 3000 miles on it when we purchased it. It stayed in our family for almost 25 years and I restored it to new condition just before I got married. Like the blue 700s, it got sold too.
MB's have been an alternative to motorcycles that my wife tolerates. I love tinkering and building these things and they keep my satisifed with riding on two wheels.
First cycle was a 150 cc Vespa Scooter. It was a great machine but the darn clutch cable snapped every couple of months. To shift gears you rotated the left handlebar grip.
Second bike was a 1981 Honda 400 Hawk with 2 speed hondamatic transmission. It has no clutch and had a torque convertor and 2 speeds. Tranny was not automatic, you still had to use the shift kick lever. It was slow and the engine screamed at 70mph but was a fun and easy bike tor ide.
Third bike was a blue 1984 Nighthawk 700s. A bike truly ahead of its time with hydraulic lifters, shaft drive, 6 speed tranny, gear shift indicator, and other features that were uncommon. I sold this bike 20 years later when I got married...she didn't want me riding.
4th bike was a read 1985 Nighthawk 70ss that I bought for 200 dollars from a classified ad newspaper. It was supposed to be a parts bike for my blue 700s and the owner said the engine was seized. My kid brother and I drove almost 200 miles to buy it and load it back home. After I haggled the sller down to 200 dollars and got title in hand, I tried to troubleshoot the bike. The engine would not crank or push start and it truly felt seized up. The engine oil smelled like gas and my brother and I looked at each other and bust out in a big grin. We ran down to the local automotive store and picked up some oil and in front of the previous owner, pulled the spark plugs and let the starter spin the engine to de-flood the engine. The cylidners were completely hydrolocked with fuel and after deflooding it, a quick oil change got it fired up. I rode this parts bike home with no problems. A 20 dollar fuel petcock later and it was as good as new. This bike had less than 3000 miles on it when we purchased it. It stayed in our family for almost 25 years and I restored it to new condition just before I got married. Like the blue 700s, it got sold too.
MB's have been an alternative to motorcycles that my wife tolerates. I love tinkering and building these things and they keep my satisifed with riding on two wheels.
