Hey everybody, a small cool story before I get started with the pics, maybe some of you can relate. I was born in 1974, didn't really have a lot of money growing up but my dad got us a couple go-carts and things in the 80s so we had something to ride with the other kids in our Maryland neighborhood. We had a kid in the neighborhood, Norman. Norman ALWAYS had the newest and coolest stuff, he was a couple years older then us too. When he was 14, we were 12. Rumor around the neighborhood was he was going to get a new Honda 1986 350X. All I had ever really seen or ridden in my life to that point was my buddy Walt's Honda 110 ATC. We had a lot of fun on that thing but to think of someone actually getting a trike THAT BIG that we would see every day... well it was very exciting for a 12 year old, lol. Walt lived beside Norman and he called called me, screaming in the phone, "Its here, its here... I saw Normans dad drive by with this thing in the back of his truck." I jumped ion my bike and headed to Walts. By the time I got there Norman and his dad had put the 350X in the garage and shut it I suppose to clean it up, Armor All the tires and whatnot so to TOTALLY impress everyone who would see it, you know how kids are. I'm sure Norman wanted Maximum wow factor from us all. He had to of knows we were sitting on Walts porch waiting for him to bring it out. he was in there about 15 minutes after I arrived until the garage door was raised. When you are 12, this was kind of like the gates of Heaven opening. OMG, look at this. We stood there amazed, He KICKED it to start it like a motorcycle, omg, is this for real??? I'll never forget him pulling out of his garage onto the little development street everyone lived on and it stood SO TALL, It was Huge! We stood up on the porch and ran down to the side of the street... He popped the clutch and rode a wheelie right by us all the way up the street. I was amazed AND IN LOVE. That was by far the COOLEST thing I had ever seen in my 12 years. I loved that trike and ALWAYS wanted one, always but we never could afford one.
SO...Today I'm 39 years old and I told my wife that story and I told her I wanted to find one. I had to own one, it still held that spot in my heart all these years. I said even if I had to build it myself I'm going to have one so I started on my search and I found a 85 that I could restore. and when I say restore I mean do it right, sand and polish every piece of alum. Hand sand and blast all the metal, frame, tank and have them professionally painted or anodized. NEVER restoring a bike I knew that I would be in for some fun, BUT, I messed with these things all my life, I make pretty good money now and if I'm gonna restore one NOW is the time...I don't even have a garage, I have a basement with a walk out double door, lmao. Its gonna be interesting to say the least! So I'd like to share with you all my very first restore. Please don't pick at its flaws too bad because I am new to this. But I hope you enjoy the showAlso, let me know if you have any questions, I'm glad to share info. So without any further a'due, I shall start with pics of the trike as I found it.... enjoy!
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More pics and progress report would be cool.