I Have A Dream... (literally)

Discuss anything about other motorcycles, accessories, riding gear and other motorcycle related topics.

Moderators: Whiskerfish, ascot, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Lucien Harpress
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4077
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Michigan

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#31

Post by Lucien Harpress »

I've got a couple neat-ish things coming down the pipeline. Nothing I can specify yet (because there's always the chance I messed up and bought the wrong thing), but hopefully it's pretty cool. In no real order:

- In the process of stripping down my parts bike I noticed that the ignition switch and fork lock is a matched set- something that isn't true on the bike I'm keeping. I've got a key coming for that, and depending on quality those might be getting swapped over.

-I decided to snag some parts I'm not going to need any time soon, but they only come up sporadically, and I figured they were worth jumping on. A bit spendy, but they were always going to be.

- Finally, I've got something shipping from overseas that, if I can make it work, will be REAL special. Like, "GL1200 grab bar, I never expected to ever even SEE one of these" rare. Again, I'm not 100% sure it will work until I physically have it, but if it does I landed a heck of a score.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
User avatar
desertrefugee
SUPER BIKER!!!!
SUPER BIKER!!!!
Posts: 3947
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:33 pm
Location: Chandler, AZ, USA

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#32

Post by desertrefugee »

Again, you tease.

:-?
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
User avatar
wingrider
SUPER BIKER!!!!
SUPER BIKER!!!!
Posts: 3724
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 12:15 pm
Location: Maple Lake, MN USA

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#33

Post by wingrider »

I agree….😁
2002 1800 Wing
2001 Valkyrie Interstate
1978 1200 EFI Wing with Motorvation Coupe Royale sidecar
1977 1200 Wing cafe/bobber project
1974 Suzuki GT550
User avatar
sunnbobb
Facebook Admin
Facebook Admin
Posts: 21272
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:09 pm
My Album: http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/sunnbobb/
Location: LaConner, WA

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#34

Post by sunnbobb »

The first bike I ever rode on a freeway.. :)
I found the end of the internet

---- Bradshaw Bikes custom polishing for your wing. Visit us on facebook!

1978 Learning Experience
1980 County Road Hauler "Brain Damage"
1978 Cafe Custom Gl1000 "Vyper"
1977 Bulldog Inspired "Vaincre"
1981 Street Fighter GL1100 "No Quarter"
1983 Supercharged Street Drag "Anubis" (in worx)
1983 gl1100 mint restoration "Kristen"
1985 Aspencade..pondering.
User avatar
Lucien Harpress
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4077
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Michigan

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#35

Post by Lucien Harpress »

desertrefugee wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 3:52 pm Again, you tease.

:-?
Could be worse. You could be sitting at home every day obsessively checking tracking numbers... :lol:
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
User avatar
flyin900
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:50 pm
Location: Canada

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#36

Post by flyin900 »

GL1200 grab bar, I never expected to ever even SEE one of these" rare.

I have one hanging in the rafters. I do also have the matching bike. lolol

Sounds like your moving along with the project and I look forward to the new parts or bike. crossy.gif
Last edited by flyin900 on Mon Apr 25, 2022 10:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Current Bikes:

1966 CL77 - Honda 305cc - Dual purpose - "Gentleman's Scrambler" was a period moniker.
1967 CL175K0 - Low production number with #802 engine serial- winter 2019/2020 full restoration.
1972 CB350F - Baby Four with low mileage - Cosmetic refresh to the next level 2021/2022.
1978 CB550K - Very original bike with only 7499 Km. from new - light cleanup and refresh done.
1983 CB1100F - Canadian model - DOHC Supersport in pristine low kilometre condition from new.
1984 GL1200 - Standard model in showroom condition - two owner bike from new.
1984 CX650E - Restored summer 2017 - a rare Eurosport model - excellent one owner bike.
User avatar
Lucien Harpress
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4077
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Michigan

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#37

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Still waiting on that overseas package, but I did receive a pretty neat package to tide me over for a bit. BEHOLD: The most pointless piece of trim on any Honda, ever! :lol:

Image

Image

The most these do is cover up the small area under the carbs and behind the engine, a space that... doesn't have much in it to begin with. Even better, in order to make oil changes easier (I'm guessing?), only the right side is actually screwed down, with a single screw. The left side is held on by a spring-loaded quarter-turn knob. Great for quick removal- less so for staying on at road speed.

Image

Again, I'm not going to need these until pretty much the very end, but while they do come up from time to time, they're never a guarantee, and while I still paid too much for them, it was slightly (and I mean VERY slightly) less than the going average. So I figured I may as well snag them while I had the chance.

Image

Image
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
User avatar
desertrefugee
SUPER BIKER!!!!
SUPER BIKER!!!!
Posts: 3947
Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:33 pm
Location: Chandler, AZ, USA

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#38

Post by desertrefugee »

A factory piece that's supposed to be there? Then you're forgiven for springing for them.

I suppose there wasn't a huge aftermarket yet developed for early Hondas...

(They actually look really nice in place.)
Last edited by desertrefugee on Tue Apr 26, 2022 2:45 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It's about learning to ride in the rain.
User avatar
flyin900
Gold Member
Gold Member
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:50 pm
Location: Canada

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#39

Post by flyin900 »

Hey it’s the jewellery that makes everything fit and function. They look in good shape overall and will clean up well. The scrambler motor has a trap door over the top engine area to fill in that cavity in the top case. The same type of lockdown spring knob affair.
Current Bikes:

1966 CL77 - Honda 305cc - Dual purpose - "Gentleman's Scrambler" was a period moniker.
1967 CL175K0 - Low production number with #802 engine serial- winter 2019/2020 full restoration.
1972 CB350F - Baby Four with low mileage - Cosmetic refresh to the next level 2021/2022.
1978 CB550K - Very original bike with only 7499 Km. from new - light cleanup and refresh done.
1983 CB1100F - Canadian model - DOHC Supersport in pristine low kilometre condition from new.
1984 GL1200 - Standard model in showroom condition - two owner bike from new.
1984 CX650E - Restored summer 2017 - a rare Eurosport model - excellent one owner bike.
Shadowjack
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 11:07 am

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#40

Post by Shadowjack »

Part of the styling. Goes with the flared fenders and square headlight.
User avatar
Lucien Harpress
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4077
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Michigan

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#41

Post by Lucien Harpress »

Yeah, I guess "most pointless" is a bit harsh. I think maybe it's their function vs. the current going rate for how much they cost. I paid less than usual, but it wasn't by much, and WAY more than I probably should for two pieces of aluminum. Still, I'll be honest- much as I gripe about it, I was getting a set of these eventually regardless. :lol:

I was, however, completely unaware of the trap-door trim piece that got used on the Scrambler, and well... that's kinda hilarious. I mean, I get it. But still.

As for actual Dream progress, not much. Lots of planning, not much action yet. My overseas package just hit the USA today, so that should arrive in a couple days. I'm most likely getting a fresh wiring harness- new ones are quite affordable, and I don't feel like fighting with 50 year old wires every time I want to do something. I may have found a workable set of replacement handlebars very close to the stock size and layout (with the throttle slide cutout). And hopefully the paint practice on my GL1000 gas tank will get me ready for when I eventually repaint the Dream.

(I haven't settled on a color yet, but I'm leaning toward black with a red seat. Second choice would be red with a black seat, mostly because I already have two black bikes, but black bikes with whitewalls just look SO nice. Ah well. That's a future problem.)
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
Shadowjack
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 11:07 am

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#42

Post by Shadowjack »

That "trap door" was just a lid to cover up the wiring and drain tubing in the top engine casing valley on the tube-frame bikes. Used on the CBs as well. Same purpose as the aluminum covers on the Dreams: esthetics.
My 63 Dream was blue with a black seat. I painted it that metallic avocado green that Mopars had for 1969, with a white seat. Not sure I'd do that today.
User avatar
Lucien Harpress
Honored Life Member
Honored Life Member
Posts: 4077
Joined: Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:41 am
Location: Michigan

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#43

Post by Lucien Harpress »

I've noticed Honda seems to really like their trim pieces. Not sure if it's exclusive to that company only at that time, but it still makes me chuckle.

Back on more Dream-related news, I had a couple of neat things show up in the mail today. First off, something probably a bit dull, but very necessary:

Image

It didn't come with a title, and I had to do some Michigan-exclusive SOS shenanigans I wasn't sure was going to work, but here we are. One less thing to worry about.

The next goody requires a bit of explanation. So, Dreams initially came with turn signals. But none of the US exports versions had them. Way I read, the rear pair were too close together to qualify for US traffic laws at the time, so Honda just left them off. Now, they were still set up for them- the front handlebars were drilled for the wires and the rear fender supports just had blanking plates added that said "Honda" on them.

Now, I'm a fan of the quirky and offbeat, and while having a Dream is nice, having a Dream with these turn signals is even better. And it also saves me from learning hand signals that most drivers have no idea what they mean. Thankfully, stock pattern turn signal kits are readily available. Problem is, the actual switch controls for the right handlebars are essentially unobtainable- they were overseas only, and stopped production decades ago.

Or so I thought.

Image

I managed to snag these from an eBay seller from Thailand and, full honesty, I'm fairly certain these are a reproduction. But that said, apart from minor differences from other stock parts (phillips screws instead of slotted, the lettering is a bit sloppy), it's about as close to the OEM parts as I can figure. Or at least compared to the picture in the parts diagram- again, I have NEVER seen an authentic one of these in the wild.

Image

Again, wiring turn signals is the LAST thing I need to be worrying about, but I never in a million years thought I would get period-correct equipment to do it. So a minor thing only I will really appreciate how special it is, but then again, I don't exactly do what I do to impress other people. Mostly. :lol:

EDIT: Yeah, this is most definitely a reproduction. That being said, it looks accurate, and some of the sorta-loosey-goosey switches I was able to tighten up a bit by replacing certain parts with OEM originals from my spare sets. And as an added bonus, the starter button now says "Tek" (or "Tec"- I genuinely can't tell) like it's supposed to. :lol:
Last edited by Lucien Harpress on Sun May 01, 2022 5:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.
1997 Valkyrie- Light Cutomization, but Too Busy Riding
1980 KZ1300- Bike's Haunted
1976 GL1000 (Yellow)- It Runs (Poorly) and Doesn't Leak (Mostly)
1974 Velosolex 3800- Better Than Walking
1972 CB750- Broke the Chain And Ate the Motor
1969 CT90- The Most Fun You Can Have on 90ccs.
1965 CA77 Dream- Needs a Full Teardown, but Complete

All advice I give is only valid until an expert corrects me.
User avatar
Whiskerfish
President
President
Posts: 36852
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 9:34 pm
My Album: http://www.ngwclub.com/gallery/v/wingmans/whiskerfish/
Location: Norfolk Va

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#44

Post by Whiskerfish »

Very cool!
"Agreement is not a requirement for Respect" CDR Michael Smith USN (Ret) 2017
"The book is wrong, this whole Conclusion is Fallacious" River Tam
2008 GL1800 IIIA "TH3DOG"
1975/6/7/8/9 Arthur Fulmer Dressed Road bike
1975 Naked Noisy and Nasty in town bike
and a whole garage full of possibilities!!

Psst. oh and by the way CHANGE YOUR BELTS!!!!
Shadowjack
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 654
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 11:07 am

Re: I Have A Dream... (literally)

#45

Post by Shadowjack »

For a reproduction, it's nice they used OEM wire colors.
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “General Motorcycle Forum”