The Pony and her kickstand

Welding tubes for the kickstand.

Z shot.

You are so needy sometimes.

I think she knows I am leaving her soon.

Decent lean.

Honda 1975 XL350

  I bought this bike in St. Louis a few weekends ago but had other things to work on.

This weekend I decided I needed to at least start it.....

After a day of disappointment I finally decided to open up the points cover.....

Rusty points!

As you can tell by this picture, it was rusted shut basically.

This is the IV stand setup for...kind of hard to tell.

Old plastic tank for an IV bag and this run off the magneto.

Just happened to have new points and condenser laying around that fit this thing.  

After I gapped the points, it started first kick and sounded good....

Now I just have to wait to see if Ardcore can make a jackshaft for me...

if not, this thing is getting cleaned up and tuned I will have one more bike to sell in the spring...

1975 Honda XL350

I took a 9 hour drive adventure to a suburb of St. Louis and back for another 1975 XL350 with a better engine.  The ice pellets from last night RUINED people.  I saw at least 50 semi trucks in the ditch ranging from stuck to upside down to jackknifed and wrapped around bridge legs.  One truck had reams of printer paper in it and it was scattered everywhere.  I hope everyone made it out safe.  On my way back the crews had only pulled about 25% of them out, some looked like they had given up.

 Welcome to Illinois.  The state that is hard to spell correctly.

 This is hard to see but there was a giant ketchup factory on the left.  I had never heard of the brand though.  Big 'ole bottle.

I couldn't ask anyone to ride along this time.  9 hours is bad enough but combine it with the weather and me babbling the whole time about whatever random thing comes to mind and you have a not so pleasurable experience.  Here is a list of the albums I listened to below on the paper.  Bands-->Mouse on mars, The Notwist, DAT Politics, The Clues, Arcade Fire, Neon Neon, Of Montreal, White lies, Simian Mobile Disco, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Nouvelle vague........  

Thanks for keeping me company.

Signing my life away

I once read that part of growing up was realizing that you can't do everything.  It was in a Japanese book and things that you need to come to terms with during your 30's.  I don't know how much I believe this but when it comes to making welding look good and getting it all lined up the way it needs to be, I think should I leave this up to professionals, especially since it's my けつ on the line.......

www.ardcorechoppers.com

www.ardcorechoppers.blogspot.com

 This is basically what has been ordered. 

1974 Honda XL350 Engine Removal

I don't mind taking engines out of frames......especially if they are just twin or single cylinder guys...

I do however mind when the redneck bastards I get bikes like this from think its okay to use non-metric bolts and nuts.  Spend a little time and get the OEM bolts for 50 cents......

I guess I am expecting too much and of course, I am the one who bought it knowing this would be the case.  

I had already started to tear stuff off...carb, air box, whatever.

Clean frame.  Nothing looks bent or re-welded.  Not like I am going to reuse anything but maybe the cables on this thing anyway.

Vroom Vroom?  Not for a while.  I am going to put in the stock 350 cylinder and piston, get a valve job done and put new side covers on the engine.  I might have to get a new head too......one that doesn't have fins that have been beat with a hammer.......

197? XL350

Dear Terre Haute Indiana,
     I have now had one good experience in your city.  Thank you.

197? Honda XL350 with a big bore kit.  

Was raced back in the day then sat in a barn for 30 years.  

At least that is what "Willie" said.  Nice guy.  

Might have to de-bore the cylinder and swap you, Mr. XL350 engine.  

I am losing it.  School starts up again tomorrow.  

Time to flip that switch....time to go back to normal person land.  It's hard and it gets harder every time I have to do it.  Mr. Tim knows.  

Where are we moving T.J.?  

Arizona?  Paris?  Tokyo?

My soon to be married, old bandmate and skate friend who is crazier than he looks and can fix your eyes something fierce brought over his 1980 CX500 carbs.  One of the main jets had decided to commit suicide right out into the float bowl.  Silly thing.  Hopefully it runs better now!  Good luck getting those back on, Mr. Eric.