$8,500
Seattle, Washington
Category
-
Engine
-
Posted Over 1 Month
Offering for sale my beautiful unmolested, unrestored 1970 Honda CL450K3 Scrambler motorcycle in OEM Candy Sapphire Blue livery. The bike shows a very low 1559 original miles at present and looks and runs as a bike of this vintage and mileage should. The bike was purchased from the estate of the original owner in 2008 and arrived at my home showing just 1410 miles. It had languished in a garage near Bakersfield, CA for almost 40 years where the climate and conditions of storage were nearly ideal. I set about getting the bike back on it's feet replacing the front fork boots and seals and servicing the suspension. At that time, brakes and wheel bearings were inspected and lubricated. The engine was fully serviced, (oil changed and filter cleaned, cam chain tensioned, valve clearances set, points set, ignition timing set, carbs cleaned, kitted, balanced and idle drop performed) and new OEM air filters installed along with a new Yuasa battery. The bike was on it's original tires at that time, the tread and general condition giving me no reason to doubt the veracity of the mileage on the clock. The bike was then sold to a famous collector whose name now appears on the clear California Title. As he was purchasing the bike to ride on an upcoming event, new Dunlop K-70's, (along with new tubes and rim bands) were fitted to the bike. The tires are stock 3.25-19 front and a one-size-over 4.00-18 rear. At that time, the 3.50-18 K-70 copy Kendas were not available but I'd have gone with the Dunlops in either case as the bike has the size and power to accommodate this tire and the stock 3.50 looks puny to my eye. The original Dunlop tires are still available should the next owner wish to simply display the bike in original condition. Their tread is good and they showed no weather checking when last in my possession but they were very dry and hard as you might expect. The bike is in excellent original condition, this is not to say that it is "perfect". The 44 years that have passed since it left the factory gates have been kind to it but it does show signs of the passage of time. There are areas of minimal compromise to the clear-coated engine and front fork lowers' surfaces; some small nicks and scratches to the paint on the side covers and headlight bucket. The bucket itself shows some small cracks, (not, however in the usual 1 o'clock area associated with the locating tab) which could be repaired and reinforced from the inside. The chrome shows very little conditional issues for a bike of this age, the cadmium spokes are still in great shape. I replaced the grips and operator foot peg rubbers with new factory parts. The clock faces are clear, the colors vivid. The seat is soft and supple, still stuffed with it's original red foam, the passenger grab strap shows no broken stitching. The chrome buttons show some light pitting. The bike runs fantastic, starting easily with the button or kicker and settling into the lumpy 1200 RPM idle associated with this high performance, 180-degree crank twin. The engine picks up revs effortlessly, pulling strong through all 5 gears. All electrical systems function as designed and all switchgear operates smoothly. Suspension and brakes perform on par with all the other CL450's I've owned 'though the front cushions are less clunky on rebound than those found on the K1's and K2's. The seat is flat and comfortable, the 320-code 'bars high and broad, ('not my favorites but correct and original to the bike.) Riding the bike is a joy to experience; the sound from the single muffler exhaust, (on throttle akin to the tearing of heavy canvas), the engine vibration, (this is an un-counterbalanced, 180-degree, big-bore vertical twin) the narrowness of the machine and the crudity of it's period suspension and brakes take you back in time. In summation, the bike is something of a time capsule. I've seen, (and judged) many restored bikes and while they are often very pretty, (more so than they were new) modern clear coat paint jobs, (often with far too much "flake") mirror-polished alloy surfaces and re-chromed fenders, wheels and spokes look wrong to me. These bikes and I were young together, I've grown up around them, first wanting them and now, having owned and worked on a sizable number I am more and more impressed with the survivors. The Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi suits this bike perfectly, the flaws manifesting the perfection. For the Western mind I would quote a phrase heard often around the garages of those who work on old machines, it's an old saw but it's true, "They're only original once." If you're interested in owning this bike, please call me on (206) 200-7014.
