A CC bike? Don’t expect it to happen too often, but when was the last time you saw one with such a late seventies paint scheme on the tank? I just couldn’t resist. In the extreme unlikelihood that I should find a mid-sixties Bridgestone 90 (my first bike; don’t laugh) or a Yamaha 305 (my second and last), you’ll have to suffer through them too, if you’re not into old bikes. The odds are against it.
As a driver with a motocycle endorsement, and a 150cc scooter in the garage to save gas on nice days… let me just say; “SWEET!”
I’m pretty sure that tank’s from a 76 RD 400C
Yeah, I had a 1979 ‘Special II’ 400 and it had an erzatz Harley teardrop style gas tank. I’m guessing that a regular Special (which is what that appears to be) came with the same style gas tank. The buckhorn bars and stepped seat kind of give it away, too.
By all means, bring on the vintage bikes. I’ve been geeking out of a ’70s brown Honda CB500 twin that somebody’s been riding to my office lately. Totally unremarkable bike, but it’s immaculate and I find it very cool that someone would keep a bike like that up down here in Harleyland.
I consider browsing the motorcycle ads of eBay and other online listings to be even more dangerous than doing the same in the automotive section. Bikes are so cheap I might not be able to contain myself.
1981 XS400. I have the same bike, restored. The drum brakes are just about useless, I replace them with disk wheels. the tank is flat out incorrect, it is from an earlier model. The step seat shows it to be a special 2 model. I kept my freshly repoked wheels so if I sell I can get more money for it. Something about spokes and drums makes these bikes popular.
Too bad he’s running the crappo MAC exhaust, i found a perfect original set and not only are they better sounding I get better midrange power too. These are tough little monsters that get 60+ MPG and still do the ton.
Thanks for the clarification. I’m not an expert, but there was a seeming disconnect between the eighties cruiser-ish look of the rest of the bike and that distinctly seventies tank.
Paul, I’m not one to plug my own wares at your expense… but this hit my sweet spot!
Why… is he known as “The StromBlogger”?
The StromBlogger Blog
And… I too have owned some bikes with interesting paint schemes:
1982 Honda CX500 Turbo
That explains the name. I’ve been wondering…too polite to ask about a person’s handle 🙂
The CX500 is a very interesting bike; I already shot one once, for a future CC, because of it being a pushrod engine. Everyone assumes that pushrod engines can’t rev!
Nice bike (Honda), and I can’t wait to see the V Strom. I’ll have to google it right now.
“The StromBlogger Blog” and “1982 Honda CX500 Turbo” in my post above are hyperlinks to my blog and the CX500 Turbo respectively.