[Pawing]

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After 1 ½ years of searching for parts/accessories, painting, engine issues and putting it all together my 79 is almost finished. Painted and installed the Vetter lowers today and finding the correct ones for the Windjammer IV that were in decent shape was difficult but I did it. Towards the end of summer last year the Wing developed a miss on the right rear cylinder or so I thought. It turned out to be both rear cylinders and then I found out that the points were replaced with an electronic ignition module. I am finally getting use to the weight, funny how a simple rotating the handlebars forward helps and the old gal runs like a raped ape again.

 

[peterbilt]

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snazzy looks like your hard work is payin off for the better

 

[exavid]

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Looks great!:claps::claps::claps:Lots of satisfaction in getting an old 'Wing back in shape. There's just something special about these older bikes, many times I wish I'd been able to hang on to one mine.

 

[zimmerleemark]

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great work. that's the best part of bikes. getting it the way you want it then riding the rewards of your labor.

ride safe.



mark:waving:

 

[Pawing]

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To be honest I was surprized with the acceleration when I first bought it and even more so that it is running like it should. All that plastic with it's hardware is kinda heavy so it wallows in tight bends. I can still touch down the crash bars if I get a little carried away. I like the older pre mid 80's rides and I still want that Honda CL 450, SL350, V65 Sabre or any of the Honda F's for a future project.

 

[BrianInPA]

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Looks nice. What kind of bags and truck do you have?

 

[Pawing]

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Brianinpa wrote:

Looks nice. What kind of bags and truck do you have?

Bags I have no idea but the trunk is KG. The bag mount was modified by the previous owner.

 

[FeButter]

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I have built race bikes from scratch and done a complete (no 2 parts left untouched) restoration of an 850 Commando. The biggest problem is the empty feeling when you realize that you are done. Seeing the finished product and wallowing in the praise from others is amazingly satisfying but there is also a downside.

No more anxiously waiting for the UPS truck. No more opening packages like it's Christmas. No more little victories when some segment comes together or an idea you had turns out to actually work.

You need to start another project.


Nice job by the way!!

 

[Pawing]

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FeButter wrote:

You need to start another project.


Nice job by the way!!

Thanks FeButter and you are right in that it is a sort of a let down when finished. I will start looking for a new project this winter when prices come down. I will keep the 79 and will be looking for a second lighter ride for local trips.

 

[JerryH]

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Nice bike and nice job. As a vintage vehicle enthusiast, and a believer that new vehicles are truly evil (all that electronic crap you know), I just love it when someone gets an old vehicle back on the road, especially when it looks as good as yours. I am not a believer in todays "throwaway" society, I think things should last practically forever.

In have one 40 year old car, one 50 year old car, the newest car I have ever owned was a '77. I have newer bikes, but none of them have electronics except the Goldwing LTD, and I now wished I had bought a carbed model.

 

[pcfix_3]

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Looks great. I want an older one to restore, but I have to fix my 86 toyota pickup first. one project at a time.

 

[Pawing]

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Restoring the older bike is very satisfying project with many rewards when completed. New parts available are becoming few and far between so you have to look into used. I am just a shade tree mechanic that knew jack squat about the older Wings so I had to find people that work or know about older Rice Rides. I am very lucky to have a Honda dealership in my area that has a mechanic on staff that only deals with the older bikes. Honda Bob was telling me about his trip to Florida on his CB450, when I picked up my 79 at the dealership from being serviced. It makes you feel great when the dealer gives you a “that a boy” about your bike. Older riders will give you a nod or wave when passing like when my wife and I were on a picnic that we took the Wing and an older rider on a old BMW rode by beeped, raised his fist into the air and then turned around to talk awhile about bringing older scoots back to life. I guess the typical comments start with “what year is your Wing?” I have no identification emblems other than the Honda emblems on the tank shelter. The older crowd or experienced understands the passion or in my case the obsession involved with restoring a 32 year old bike. I will be looking into finding another project soon and I have been recently thinking of doing a 70’s something 2-stroke 2-3 cylinder street bike if I can not find the bikes I have mentioned previously. An Yamaha RD350-400, Suzuki 500 Titan, 750Steam Kettleor any of the Kawasaki Widowmakers would be really cool.