When my old 1958 Jayhawk speedboat gave out, I took it to the community auction and, like so often happens, I spotted just the thing I needed, three old Hondas. One was this beauty, a 1970 SL 350, which I got for five bucks since it didn't apparently, um, run. The other two were similar 350's one a CB (road bike) and one a CL (scrambler). Funny how things quit running and people don't want them any more. But lo and behold I got this one to go, so it had a new life for a while, buzzing up and down the hills on the farm. The other two weren't so lucky, kind of like the guy who bought the speedboat. I felt guilty as his kids were begging to take it to the lake that afternoon. That story wasn't going to have a happy ending. Then again, the guy who sold the bikes probably thought the same thing.
When my old 1958 Jayhawk speedboat gave out, I took it to the community auction and, like so often happens, I spotted just the thing I needed, three old Hondas. One was this beauty, a 1970 SL 350, which I got for five bucks since it didn't apparently, um, run. The other two were similar 350's one a CB (road bike) and one a CL (scrambler). Funny how things quit running and people don't want them any more. But lo and behold I got this one to go, so it had a new life for a while, buzzing up and down the hills on the farm. The other two weren't so lucky, kind of like the guy who bought the speedboat. I felt guilty as his kids were begging to take it to the lake that afternoon. That story wasn't going to have a happy ending. Then again, the guy who sold the bikes probably thought the same thing. 
3 comments:
I find constant amazement in how our society views everything as disposable, that once an item 'breaks', it is worthless. Being a homeowner, and formerly a student, I learned quickly how to fix many items around the house. A good example is my washing machine. There is a coupling that connects the motor to the driveshaft. Just two pieces of plastic and a piece of rubber--designed to fail. Many people would either A) call the repairman to come fix the machine for a minimum charge of 100 dollars or so, or B) throw the machine away and purchase a new one. I found that the part to repair this expensive piece of home equipment is roughly six dollars and takes just under fifteen minutes to repair. We have the resources to repair most anything, with the advent of the internet, yet we still throw those things away we consider broken. It saddens me.
Your five dollar motorcycle makes me jealous! A five-dollar motorbike is about the only way I will ever get a motorbike!
P
I wonder if those kids remember that story as well. The day they got the boat!
Do you still have that Honda?
It is fun to think of people riding their bikes in the spring...almost makes me want one for myself. Almost.
Have a good day, Dad!
The Honda is gone. I sold all three for about 7 times what I paid for all three at the auction--I think 25 bucks--and I got 175 from a guy who wanted them.
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