04-26-2022, 04:37 AM
After looking at the pictures of this bike and its paperwork, I would not have bought it based on the pictures alone. These days, associating Steve McQueen's name to anything is a sure-fire value multiplier.
Honda VINs were machine-stamped, and usually pretty straight, with even pressure on all numbers/letters. It's hard to tell from pictures but there is an un-evenness that seems out of character.
[attachment=15323]
This picture has VINs of a CL72 250 Scrambler and an early CB350 as a comparison.
The engine number looks weird too, especially the "7" that looks skewed, which couldn't happen with a machine punch. Those 3 dots above the front of the number indicate recall(s) were done, but they're punched straight down - my recollection was that the airbox was in the way, so you'd have to lean the punch at an angle. Also the heavy sandblasting - casting sand left a lot finer finish.
The yellow postcard is a transfer of ownership from Honda to Solar Productions.
It was postmarked and sent to the California DMV where it would would have remained until destroyed. There is no way they could have their hands on the original, or a copy of it after it was postmarked.
It lists a license plate that Honda is transferring out of its name. But Honda (and all manufacturers) had dealer plates that were on any bike that went to test riders or magazines. They would NOT have registered a bike. Also, the ink stamp omits Blvd. from the address - an unlikely oversight, since back in those days, you would never omit it. Sounds minor, but it was always 100 W. Alondra Blvd. (right across the street from Iskenderian Cams)
These are observations I made from the pictures. I am not implying anyone attempted to defraud or misrepresent anything. I am just mentioning why I would be leery of buying this bike without close examination.
Honda VINs were machine-stamped, and usually pretty straight, with even pressure on all numbers/letters. It's hard to tell from pictures but there is an un-evenness that seems out of character.
[attachment=15323]
This picture has VINs of a CL72 250 Scrambler and an early CB350 as a comparison.
The engine number looks weird too, especially the "7" that looks skewed, which couldn't happen with a machine punch. Those 3 dots above the front of the number indicate recall(s) were done, but they're punched straight down - my recollection was that the airbox was in the way, so you'd have to lean the punch at an angle. Also the heavy sandblasting - casting sand left a lot finer finish.
The yellow postcard is a transfer of ownership from Honda to Solar Productions.
It was postmarked and sent to the California DMV where it would would have remained until destroyed. There is no way they could have their hands on the original, or a copy of it after it was postmarked.
It lists a license plate that Honda is transferring out of its name. But Honda (and all manufacturers) had dealer plates that were on any bike that went to test riders or magazines. They would NOT have registered a bike. Also, the ink stamp omits Blvd. from the address - an unlikely oversight, since back in those days, you would never omit it. Sounds minor, but it was always 100 W. Alondra Blvd. (right across the street from Iskenderian Cams)
These are observations I made from the pictures. I am not implying anyone attempted to defraud or misrepresent anything. I am just mentioning why I would be leery of buying this bike without close examination.