Bob Miller bought
this bike new, in 1969, and he's still riding it.
Vintage Japanese motorcycles get their day in the sun at Museum
Story and photos by
Bill Kresnak
When Bob Miller of Pickerington, Ohio, heard about the Motorcycle
Hall of Fame Museum's first Japanese Motorcycle Saturday, he made plans
to be there.
When the day arrived, June 3, he hopped on his 1969 Honda 350 and
rode down to the Museum under a perfectly blue summer sky to check out
other vintage machines, vendors, and maybe even take in some seminars on
brake and carb rebuilding, barn-fresh appraisals, and more.
Miller said he bought the bike new in 1969 and still rides it. He
keeps it clean, he says, by keeping it in the garage and not riding in
the rain.
Another rider who showed up on classic Japanese machine was Marcus
Swan, who bought his 1966 Honda 305 Dream at a garage sale two years
ago.
"They didn't know what they had," said Swan, who bought it because he
had a similar bike many years ago.
Swan cleaned it up, chromed the drum brake housings and engine cases,
and now enjoys riding it.
If you missed the fun of Japanese Motorcycle Saturday, you still have
two more chances this summer to enjoy the Museum's Classic Saturdays.
Catch British and European Motorcycle Weekend on June 9-10 and
Custom
and Cruiser Culture Saturday on August 19.
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Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum Executive Director Mark Mederski
goes over the finer points of an early Honda Gold Wing. |
The bike gathering the most "oohs" and "aahs?" This RC161 raced
at Daytona and was the "featured bike" at the event. |
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How-to seminars were an important part of the event. Here, Pete
Boody, president of the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club,
explains the fine art of rebuilding brakes. |
Marcus Swan beams aboard his 1966 Honda 305 Dream. He found it
at a garage sale and turned it into this beauty. |
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Guy Sacchetti, director of operations for Iron Pony Motorsports,
was on hand to offer motorcycle gear for sale and talk bikes. |
Terry McCandish (left), of Lee's Motorcycle Accessories, was one
of several vendors who took part. |
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There were an awful lot of very clean bikes in the bike show,
including this Honda 400 Four. |
The dirt crowd wasn't left out of the show. When's the last time
you saw a Suzuki RL250, a production trials bike? |
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Unusual and seldom seen: A Yamaha RD125 two-stroke streetbike. |
Back in the day, people did make choppers out of Japanese bikes.
Here's an example of a chopped Yamaha that appears to be a daily
rider. |
© 2006, Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum
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