Trail 70 for Christmas
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Vol. 33, No. 6 December 2012 • $5 THE Trail 70 for Christmas Years 1977 201 2 •INS Events blowoutIDE: issue! Check out the inaugural West Coast Rally, Barber Vintage Festival, White Rose show, Meet at the Ace, 49th Parallel show and Kaizen museum exhibit high- lights! • All this plus classifieds, tool tips and more! OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE VINTAGE JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE CLUB OF NORTH AMERICA, INC. THE IN MEMORIAM 06 VJMC Past President Stuart Covington Remembering a passion- ate Honda man. COVER STORY 28 The 40-Year Overhaul Reviving the best Christmas gift she ever got. FEATURES 12 Wild fire claims prized bikes 36 CB400F project, part two Collector recounts initial joy of the hunt What to do with the leftovers? 18 Project bike becomes so much 40 Show report 24th VJMC White Rose, Pa., show more Restored bike accepted for Kaizen exhibit 42 Ride report VJMs ride to ‘All Clubs Show’ 22 West Coast Rally marks milestone 46 Show report VJMC inaugural event celebrates 35 years ‘Meet at the Ace’ at LeMay Museum 32 Record-setting Barber show 48 Show report VJMC display welcomes thousands to VJMs on the 49th Parallel vintage festival DEPARTMENTS 04 President’s letter 10 Tool tips 08 Letters, events 50 Classifieds On the cover Libby Langston restored the 1974 Honda Trail 70 she received for Christmas so many years ago. December 2012 www.vjmc.org 3 PRESIDENT’S LETTER THE VJMC magazine December 2012 Vol. 33, No. 6 Member engagement President t’s a fantastic time to be President Over that weekend, I interviewed Tom Kolenko of the VJMC. I am surrounded two field rep candidates with lots 770-427-4820 [email protected] by the hardest working board, of new ideas and motorcycle pas- I Editor field reps and crew of volunteers. sion. Please welcome Sean Carrigan Recently, I had the privilege of Brendan Dooley (Northern Kentucky and Cincin- [email protected] attending an amazing West Coast nati) and Max Samfield (Houston) National Rally, our club’s first Art Director as our newest field reps who will Rhonda Cousin VJMC member-dedicated rally fill key membership needs in their in California. regions in the years ahead. Ideas, Classified ads Gary Gadd This event only happened be- enthusiasm, and a passion for vin- 817-284-8195 cause of the focused efforts of Bob tage bikes goes a long way as a ate member fun. [email protected] Leonard and Jack Stein over the I regret I won’t make it to the field rep, but it’s service to others Display Ad Director/VP previous eight months. Operating that builds the membership base Winter Haven Rally as I’m coor- Gordon East out of Arizona, these two organiz- and keeps our members engaged. dinating the VJMC’s International 864-944-8687 [email protected] ers made many trips to Solvang to Check if you meet the field rep Motorcycle Show display booth scout out sites, museums, rides and qualifications on our VJMC.org in Atlanta that weekend. The IMS West Coast Rep Volunteer Needed meet with local members. They and get involved. people provided the VJMC with traveled to the El Camino swap Most promising for this senior free display space at most of their Mountain States Rep meet two weeks earlier to promote was the presence of young blood 13 show locations for their 2012- Volunteer Needed the Rally. I thank them for their at Barber. Regalia Queen Melody ’13 tour. Check the events sched- Central States Rep tireless efforts for making this Adams’ granddaughter, Bryan ule on the website for details on Volunteer Needed rally happen. how to get involved in the show Northeast Rep One of the big side benefits of THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST locations. Volunteer Needed attending this rally was the op- As this year ends, the VJMC ACTIVE EVENT YEAR IN OUR Southeast Rep portunity to meet members from Board will reflect on the hits and Volunteer Needed the Left Coast. These members club’s hisTORY, WE ARE misses of the past year. This has Membership Director have contributed articles for years been the most active event year in PRODUCING LARGER, HIGHER Bill Granade to our magazine, but I now have a our club’s history, we are produc- 813-961-3737 face to match to their passion for QUALITY MAGAZINE ISSUES ing larger, higher quality magazine [email protected] Japanese iron. Roger Burns favors issues than ever before and now Mission statement: THAN EVER BEFORE AND NOW The purpose of this organization is to rare tiddlers and Brendan Durrett utilizing email blasts to keep mem- promote the preservation, restoration takes members on his desert road UTILIZING EMAIL BLASTS TO bers updated. Rally plans for 2013 and enjoyment of vintage Japanese motorcycles (defined here as those rides each spring (and brings them are already percolating with teams 20 years old or older). The VJMC also KEEP MEMBERS UPDATED. will promote the sport of motorcycling back). Chris Lagaris shares that in SoCal, Georgia, and Michigan and camaraderie of motorcyclists blue-smoke Kawasaki fascina- Bentley’s grandson, Hunter Lu- showing interest. everywhere. tion with Dan Ambrecht, owner cas, Tim Bender and others were I would like to express the best © 2012, Vintage Japanese Motor- cycle Club of North America, an of the crate-fresh purple H2. Barry all drawn to vintage motorcycle holiday wishes to all our members IRS-approved Not-for-profit 501(c)(7) Synoground and friends rode the and their families from the whole corporation. All rights reserved. No part fun. Life’s a buffet and we want of this document may be reproduced wheels off their RZ350s to check to share our good times with all VJMC team during this season of or transmitted in any form without permission. out the Solvang event. ages. We honored the past at Barber thanksgiving and joy. May Santa One week later, the Barber bring you the Mini-Trail you always The VJMC magazine is published six too. Californian Bill Silver was times per year, in February, April, June, Vintage Festival in Leeds, Ala., honored with a Club Ambassador wanted, the CBX you believe you August, October and December. The exceeded my wildest expectations. views and opinions expressed in let- award and later signed copies of need, or return the H1 that you ters or other content are those of the After eight years, the Barber Team mistakenly sold. author and do not necessarily represent his latest book on Classic Honda VJMC policy. The VJMC accepts no li- (Gordon, Lloyd, Debbie, Barry, Motorcycles. Barber’s Brian Slark Ride safe. ability for any loss, damage or claims Jeff and Heather, Bill, Holly and occurring as a result of advice given in was presented with a plaque for his this publication or for claims made by Kathy, Randy and Warren, Bill E., continuous support of the VJMC advertisers of products or services in this publication. Art, Buck, Greg) functions with during all the Barber events. Our Tom Kolenko our many other volunteers creating members have lots to offer, so VJMC president great times for members and guests. please thank those who help cre- 4 www.vjmc.org December 2012 IN MEMORIAM VJMC Past President Stuart Covington his issue of our magazine is dedicated to the memory of Stuart Covington, past president of the VJMC from 2007-’09. Stu lost his battle with cancer on Sept. 4, T2012, surrounded by family and friends. I first met Stu at the Oak Ridge, Tenn., VJMC rally where we shared an addiction for small Hondas from the 1960s. He was a master craftsman, collector and friend. Stuart was passionate about restoring early Hondas and traveling to see other members’ collections. He came to Georgia to check out Buck Mitchell’s shop and my basement bikes in one day. Stu was “a good time looking for a place to happen,” according to close friends who knew him like Randy and Warren Mayes, George Bingley and Steve Passwater (his VP). Laugh- ter filled encounters with Stuart and his love of music meant many long stories over malt beverages. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to his wife and life companion, Elizabeth, who shared his passion for life and music. He lived in the moment and brought those around him into that positive energy field. If a rich life is measured by the friends you encounter on the journey, Stu made us all wealthy in spirit. He will be missed by many. – Tom Kolenko VJMC president 6 www.vjmc.org December 2012 LETTERS, NEWS AND MISCELLANY Drive Inn around noon, and then depart on the ride around 1 p.m. The ride is planned to take about two hours and travel approximately 100 miles through some of Central West Florida’s favorite roads with minimal auto traffic. You will be in for a pleasant surprise – the route actually by the Sons of the American Legion. We features hills! look forward to the 2013 swap meet and For details, email [email protected]. bike display. T h r e e weeks later, VJMC at El Camino 10 mem- Dania Beach Bike Show On Sept. 22, VJMC members Jack Stein, bers of our Jan. 26, 2013; Dania Beach, Fla. Kent Myers, Rich Schaefer and I made an chapter met This year VJMC will be the guest of ACMA 800-mile round trip from Phoenix, Ariz., to in Rio Linda, at the Dania Beach Bike Show; more than Los Angeles, Calif., to represent the club at the Calif., for 200 antique bikes will be judged under the 37th Annual El Camino Vintage Motorcycle breakfast, trees at Frost Park in Dania Beach.