fuzzynormal 
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Location: San Diego
Bike: 1982 450
Posts: 63
Join Date: Mar, 2010
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« on: March 04, 2010, 07:54:43 AM » |
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Hi All. I'm new to the on-line Nighthawk club. I found your site because I just helped my girlfriend buy her first motorbike yesteday. A nighthawk, of course. The thing was covered in dirt and grime when we looked at it, but as a former NH owner (back in the days before the internet fad took off) I thought it had potential. I think I was right. I swear, after a simple and quick 90 minute cleaning, the bike looks practically brand new. In a way, it sort of is... it has a shade over 6500 miles on it! For just $750, she's got one heck of a starter bike, I'd say. I'd ALSO say I'm a little jealous. This bike looks and rides great...makes me want to go out and find one again for myself! I probably posted too many pix, but heck, the thing looks like it was posing for a magazine layout from back in the day. Thanks for this website too! We got a nice tech manual with the new scoot and are going to initiate ourselves into the mysterious arts of motorcycle maintenance as well, so this forum will be a great resource for questions, I'm sure! Cheers.         |
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Snoopy
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To come, or to go as long as I am on my nighthawk.
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« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2010, 08:01:01 AM » |
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WOW...simply amazing, and  |
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1985 Nighthawk 700s, 1994 VW Jetta VR6 - Sold, 2005 Pontiac G6
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Munkey
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Bike: 1985 CB700SC Nighthawk S
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« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2010, 08:01:19 AM » |
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Welcome. And WOW!!!! That thing thing looks like brand new. What a bargain.
Might convince her to put new tires on it since it's been sitting for a long time. Those old tires may look good and have good tread but they'll be pretty dry and hard and could be trouble.
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1985 CB700SC Nighthawk
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fuzzynormal
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Bike: 1982 450
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Join Date: Mar, 2010
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« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2010, 08:07:24 AM » |
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Those old tires may look good and have good tread but they'll be pretty dry and hard and could be trouble.
Agreed. The previous owner gave her a new set of tires in the deal too, so we'll be mounting new rubber on the 450 rather soon. The old school "Qualifier" tires look cool, but they are kinda rubbish after 28 years. Oh, she got a helmet in the deal too, but she has her own; wouldn't want her to re-use an "unknown" helmet anyway. Still, for just a shade over $700 for all that stuff, (bike, clymers motorcycle manual, helmet, new tires...even a new choke cable...) I think she did alright with her first moto purchase. |
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LOKi
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« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2010, 08:14:17 AM » |
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Great find. to the forum. |
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Drive fast, take chances!
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Messorius
Ahab
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« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2010, 08:18:21 AM » |
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I'd say you got a slamming deal.  |
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Burgi
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« Reply #6 on: March 04, 2010, 08:25:35 AM » |
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 Nice bike!
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Twist N Go
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cjbear11
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Iron Butt 1000 - 1983 Honda Nighthawk 650
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« Reply #7 on: March 04, 2010, 08:26:22 AM » |
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Wow, that thing looks sweet!  It really does look brand new. What did you do to clean it? Also, those are some great pics. They look like they belong in an NH calendar or something. |
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fuzzynormal
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« Reply #8 on: March 04, 2010, 08:39:44 AM » |
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What did you do to clean it? The usual suspects. Soap, water, ArmorAll, WD40, TurtleWax, an old towel... Then taking pix as the sunsets at "magic hour" doesn't hurt. |
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Bumblebee
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« Reply #9 on: March 04, 2010, 08:56:43 AM » |
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Very nice.
I wouldn't go armoralling the tires and seat like you did though. Makes it pretty though a bit frictionless too.
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You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going.
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hppants
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"Aging is inevitable. Maturing is an option!"
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« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2010, 09:01:28 AM » |
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Welcome to both of you. Great deal - bike looks great. What part of the world do you call home? Do you ride a motorcycle of your own, and if so, which one?
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2005 FJR1300
96 CB750 - sold
84 CB700SC - sold
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DesignFlaw06
El Conquistador
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« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2010, 09:16:58 AM » |
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I call PHOTOSHOP! Looks too amazing to be a $750 steal. You may have all the others fooled, but not me. I've never seen a bike clean up that well. So when you want to show us the real pictures of your bike, we'll happily welcome them. And if your story is true as you "claim" it to be, then consider the non-belief to be the best compliment on a job well done. And in that case, I've got a bike and truck that could use a cleaning if you're looking for work.  In all seriousness, . Happy to have you. |
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'06 Yamaha FJR1300
'02 Nighthawk 750
'85 Nighthawk 650SC
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fuzzynormal
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« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2010, 09:18:49 AM » |
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wouldn't go armoralling the tires and seat like you did though. Makes it pretty though a bit frictionless Oh, the armor all is totally for the pics. I'm not letting her ride it with slick tires. We're getting new tires put on it before she starts cruising around. I don't have an issue with AA on the seat though. I also have a bike and clean my seat with AA, never bothered me much. I ride a Kawasaki W650. Used to live in MI, now in SoCal. Better roads in CA! This is me messing around on hwy94: |
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fuzzynormal
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« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2010, 09:32:15 AM » |
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I call PHOTOSHOP! No Photoshop, just the right lens with the right light makes a world of difference. The dang thing did get shinny as could be. I was surprised myself, but a black finish always looks wonderfully reflective when polished. I used two cameras for these pix. One is a Nikon D90 with the standard kit lens, the other was a Lumix point and shoot. A good rule of thumb for cool bike pics is using a "long lens" for the shots, and keep the background nondescript...although the best pic in this series is the short, more wide angle, lens shot at the top. If you saw the grungy thing in the garage from the guy we bought it, you'd probably say "Yeah, $750 is about right." It's amazing what a little TLC on a bike will do, ain't it? |
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DesignFlaw06
El Conquistador
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« Reply #14 on: March 04, 2010, 09:47:07 AM » |
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Do you have any before pictures? That'd be cool to see.
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'06 Yamaha FJR1300
'02 Nighthawk 750
'85 Nighthawk 650SC
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tomb raider
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Life is Good !!
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« Reply #15 on: March 04, 2010, 09:50:05 AM » |
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Hey , What does the other side of the bike look like  I know one side allways looks best for pictures but you need to show the whole bike  |
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Jimbo
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FocusPlayer
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« Reply #16 on: March 04, 2010, 10:10:05 AM » |
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That's outstanding!
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fuzzynormal
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« Reply #17 on: March 04, 2010, 10:10:13 AM » |
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Here's the pic from the Craigslist ad:  http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/1610234164.htmlIt's not an impressive picture, but you can see that it's a decent bike nevertheless. |
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tomb raider
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Life is Good !!
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« Reply #18 on: March 04, 2010, 10:15:11 AM » |
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Nice looking ride...
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Jimbo
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fuzzynormal
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« Reply #19 on: March 04, 2010, 10:18:18 AM » |
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you need to show the whole bike You mean the side with the cosmetic flaws on it? C'mon, you gots to grant us a little visual poetic license for our braggadocio. ;-) |
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Adam Roby
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« Reply #20 on: March 04, 2010, 10:31:53 AM » |
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Looks good... welcome to the group. There is a guy on the web swearing that lemon pledge works wonders on all rubber/hoses/cables etc. Still, I would stay away from tires and seats. I've slipped and slided enough times. :)
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82 CB750SC|84 VF1100S|76 FS1E|83 YZ125|82 RM80|72 RV90
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tcoop
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I think I'm addicted! I like to Ride!!
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« Reply #21 on: March 04, 2010, 11:17:21 AM » |
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I Nice find! I hope I can get My son's 450 SC to look that good. It sat under a deck for ten years. A quick cleaning mad it look 100% better. Just need some new shoes on it and it will be on the road. |
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Ty
81 XS1100SH
78 XS1100
83 XJ750MK
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ToddW
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« Reply #22 on: March 04, 2010, 12:19:51 PM » |
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Very nice find for her and a great looking clean up. That will be a great bike for her and she'll have a lot of fun.
Until I read your description, I thought you had shared some media photos. Those shots look like they are out of a magazine. Impressive. BTW, I looked at a 450 last year that was in less than desirable condition (broken plastic, ripped seat with duct tape, barely idle, crooked handlebars) and the guy was firm at 1000. I think you got a great deal.
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'83 CB550SC
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Vermontster
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« Reply #23 on: March 04, 2010, 12:59:06 PM » |
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and Wow! Seems like a consensus is building, Sweet deal (no matter what's on 'the dark side' of the shots  )
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'83 CB650SC
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piscatorial_phd
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95CB750NH
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« Reply #24 on: March 04, 2010, 01:00:54 PM » |
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PLEASE COME CLEAN MY BIKE  Great deal on a great looking ride, welcome. |
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Judge men by their deeds, not their words.
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