A '75 followed me home today

[ziggydog]

Was just wondering, why can't the PO apply for a duplicate title? Pretty simple in OH.

[gvstenst]

Poor guy and you really needed another one enjoy

[Easter]

Amazing that there are still 35+ year old bikes out there in that nice of condition and with that low mileage. Lucky you got to it before it sat another ten years under a ragged old tarp with gas in the tank! I think Ziggydog is on to something. It would be worth paying him for his trouble to apply for the lost title.

[brokentoe]

Great find! Lucky enough to find a low serial number? Keep us posted.

GL1-10075XX
mfg 4/75
Is that a low number?

The paint is in excellent condition.
Couple of questions for you '75 guru's...

The pin-stripping on the "gastank" covers overlaps at the ends by the seat, very carefully cut to match the angles. Is that original?
My '78's and '79's have the Honda badge in the front under the headlight. Did '75 come with one?
Did "Hondaline" make any luggage racks for these bikes? I didn't see any markings but this one is very good for an after-market one. Turn signal mounts and all.

Beautiful bike. Followed you home all the way from New Jersey. Awesome. I'm far from a guru, but I don't believe the 75's came with the Honda badge in the front under the headlight.
Seems odd to me, but I don't recall the 75's having a problem with the face of the gauges cracking like the odometer pictured there. I thought that was later on, but in any case that can be fixed. Your bike has a lot of the difficult to find pieces. You are very fortunate and it should be a real beauty when you finish with it.

[OhioBill]

No Honda plate on 75s

[Fred Camper]

Bike looks to be very unmolested, great find. Seems like a great find.

[mcgovern61]

I agree with contacting the PO (if you can). NJ does allow the original owner to get a duplicate title.

[wog]

The bike is still in the original purchaser's name from back in 1975. He moved from New Jersey to Florida sometime in the past and brought the bike down.
The previous owner got the bike from him, but never was able to get a title as he has passed away. In August of last year, they filed an "Application for duplicate certificate of ownership" through the New Jersey DMV and got the response below.

Also pictured is the original owner's ID card which I think is pretty cool.

[wog]

Here's what New Jersey's website has for "Non-conventional vehicles"...

A non-conventional vehicle is one that is not primarily used for transporting people or property and is only incidentally operated or moved over public roads.

The following is a list of non-conventional vehicles that must be registered but are exempt from titling:
Trailers & Semi-Trailers (Under 2,500 lbs.)
Bogies
Farm tractors (Under 1,500 lbs.)
Snowmobiles and ATVs
Boat trailers (Under 2,500 lbs.)
Folding Tent (pop-up) Trailers.
Mobile construction field offices
Jet Skis
Non-conventional vehicles exempt from titling and registration:
Ditch diggers
Finishing machine
Road construction equipment
Motor spreaders
Motorized wheelchairs
Bituminous mixers
Loaders
Farm equipment (under 1,500 lbs)
Ditchers
All industrial equipment
Level graders
Go-carts
Road rollers
Gas buggies
Scarifiers
Golf carts
Earth movers
Grooming machine (Ski-slope grooming)
Commercial or hauling trailers that weigh less than 2,500 lbs. (must be registered, but not titled)

I'll be calling the Florida DMV this week to see if anything can be done.
I've also sent Roncar a PM to maybe purchase a '75 frame from him. I'll be stripping the bike down to the frame anyway to be blasted and powdercosted, so that's probably the way I'll go.

[wog]

I bought a frame from Roncar. Maybe pick it up in the next few weeks.
So the teardown begins.
The only major rust seems to be the simple items, crash bars, mirrors, muffler, and certainly the inside of the tank. Maybe one of these days I'll buy a bike that has had the tank kept full. Florida weather doesn't do well with bare metal. I had a couple of tanks de-rusted and Red Coated that haven't been install yet, so one of those will be used. They're from a '78 and a '79, I hope they'll fit this '75.

For the picture lovers out there...
Comments with each pic.

[wog]

More pics, let me know if it's too many.

[ericheath]

I think they were blue as your photo, but an expert will be along soon.

[roncar]

OEM were blue on 75's and in good original condition are sought after.

[roncar]

More pics, let me know if it's too many.

Too many pics? What's that?

You might want to set up an album in the gallery for easier access later.

I had a couple of tanks de-rusted and Red Coated that haven't been install yet, so one of those will be used. They're from a '78 and a '79, I hope they'll fit this '75.

They will fit fine.

[polkadot]

Not sure what you had to give for the bike, but you have a really good find there. Can NOT have too many pics! The decal on the tank was in fact brown. Is your fuel gauge black or green? Keep us posted.