Honda305.com Forum

More work. I just got this on a 'second chance offer'. And I'm going to need to get on a plane to UK each time I want to play with this one! I'll keep it there as I'm somewhat disenchanted with riding here.

This is what I wanted, when I was still at school at 15, and had dreams that my paper round and gas-pumping jobs were going to fund it.

Only had to wait 40 years!

EDIT: I don't see this as a resto project; as long as it's a sweet runner, it'll just be kept maintained and in it's present, unrestored state.

Sweet!
Looks ready to ride.

Steve

I was severely tempted, but I'm glad you got it. My big brother had one just like that. Same colour - everything. Tell me where you're going to keep it as I might have to come and steal it!

Why did they completely screw it up after that. Slower heavier, crap styling. It never was the same after that one. I restored a K2 but it just wasn't the same.

G

That one in your pic, G, is the very colour of the CB250/350 that stole my 15-year-old heart, way back then. I dolled-up my '57 James Captain in the same livery (minus the white tank sides), even to the point that I obtained & fitted the winkers and taillight from a C50; they were, to all intents and purposes, identical to the other models of the era. I spent even more of my hard-earned on alu fenders to replace the original James items.

From a hundred yards, on a foggy day, wearing sunglasses and looking through binoculars from the wrong end it was indistinguishable from the real-deal CB250 in my Honda brochure! Big 'arf'!!

Steve

That gold bike was afflicted by carb problems through rust in the tank. The original tank had got horrible sealant in it with rust underneath. A case of poor workmanship and incompetence that has rarely been surpassed. I got fresh carbs, filters etc and cleaned everything out at least five times.

I was just a gibbering wreck at the end and sold it as a semi-runner. It was a nice-looking bike but so disappointing compared with my brother's. He had Daytona reverse-cone meggas on his. We could put the kettle on when we first heard him coming and tea would be ready as he parked up.

Blue K0s are just soo much better in every respect. I might even have a few 286 code bits in my cupboards which you can have.

G

Thanks, G, for the kind offer there. I'm hoping the collect it, by van, next weekend or thereabouts (weather permitting -- I've just been watching the current news reports of 'heavy' snowfall right where the bike is, in South Wales!). Perhaps we could arrange to meet somewhere? It'd be great to meet you. It's as far from The Brecons to Derby as it is from The Brecons back to Southampton, where the bike will be living. But it would make for an interesting triangular excursion.

I didn't even know this colour existed until I spotted this one; I'd only ever seen the gold and the metallic red (below1).

I totally agree with your obs regarding Honda's backward steps in the design dept; the CB250N of the early '80 (below2) looks like it was designed by Stevie Wonder (with help from Ray Charles)*. Like a little version of my old CB750KZ. That wasn't much of a looker, either; what with the taillight, and all, borrowed from that drab-looking '70s CX500. JMO.

This CB250 'K0' isn't quite the lovely 'crossover' Australasian version, like Bech's, but it stirs the nostalgic emotions, just the same.

'Daytona' reverse cones; of course! I couldn't remember the proper name for the life of me! When 'we' were 16, one of the gang had a '68/'69 CD175 in gunmetal grey (below3); that had those megaphones on it and it sounder great. Not for me, nowadays, but fond memories!

I'm really looking forward to this other mid-life-crisis 'adventure'.....

*Before anyone gets on their high horse, both are musical heroes of mine!

Don't know why, but the first year models always seem to be the best.

Each subsequent year model seems to be slower, heavier, quieter, softer, as they continue to "refine" the design.

I think the marketers make the designers change something each year so they can include the word "new" in the description!