Hey everyone! So it's been quite some time since I last posted anything significant on the DTT forum (~2 years) but I am back with a new project in hand... Well almost! About a year ago my first cafe project went tits up and I ended up bailing out of it, ever since then I've wanted to take another shot at it but I knew I needed to wait for the right time to have another go, and about a month ago I determined that I was ready to start again and began looking for a suitable bike to cafe. I knew what I wanted, a small and simple 2-smoker that was in decent shape. What I found was a 1967 Yamaha Bonanza 180cc Ycs-1.
When I saw the bike on kijiji I was immediately drawn to it's classic looks and the chrome clad tank. The bike had been listed for at least a week before I saw the ad, and although the temptation to inquire was overwhelming, I decided to let it sit in my mind for a while so I knew I was not buying on impulse which I am so prone to doing. If the bike sold before I made my offer it would simply be a sign it was never meant to be. I waited about 2 weeks until I finally picked up the cell and rang the owner.
The first thing I usually ask about a bike is just for a general look into the history of the bike as far as the seller knew, It lets you get an idea of how knowledgable they are of the vehicle they are selling. He went through how he bought it off of the original owner and that he also posesses the original bill of sale from way back in 1967. We chatted on for some time and he explained that he had had a number of people express interest in the bike, but none of them seemed to grasp the concept that bike's this old need regular attention, and wasn't willing to give it up to someone who couldn't turn a wrench. A bit more chatting and he was convinced I was a qualified sudor for the lil' yammy. We made transportation arrangements which is where we stand now. The bike is set to be delivered sometime this week.
My short term plans include fitting clubmans and a solo seat onto the bike before fall, with more work following this winter. This bike will be my daily commuter for in the city and as such I'm not too concerned about turning it into a performance beast... yet ;D If anyone has any experience with this model bike I'd love to hear some stories because although I have gathered some info off the web, I'm interested in knowing as much as I can about the model.
Cheers
When I saw the bike on kijiji I was immediately drawn to it's classic looks and the chrome clad tank. The bike had been listed for at least a week before I saw the ad, and although the temptation to inquire was overwhelming, I decided to let it sit in my mind for a while so I knew I was not buying on impulse which I am so prone to doing. If the bike sold before I made my offer it would simply be a sign it was never meant to be. I waited about 2 weeks until I finally picked up the cell and rang the owner.
The first thing I usually ask about a bike is just for a general look into the history of the bike as far as the seller knew, It lets you get an idea of how knowledgable they are of the vehicle they are selling. He went through how he bought it off of the original owner and that he also posesses the original bill of sale from way back in 1967. We chatted on for some time and he explained that he had had a number of people express interest in the bike, but none of them seemed to grasp the concept that bike's this old need regular attention, and wasn't willing to give it up to someone who couldn't turn a wrench. A bit more chatting and he was convinced I was a qualified sudor for the lil' yammy. We made transportation arrangements which is where we stand now. The bike is set to be delivered sometime this week.
My short term plans include fitting clubmans and a solo seat onto the bike before fall, with more work following this winter. This bike will be my daily commuter for in the city and as such I'm not too concerned about turning it into a performance beast... yet ;D If anyone has any experience with this model bike I'd love to hear some stories because although I have gathered some info off the web, I'm interested in knowing as much as I can about the model.
Cheers
