I was going through some old photos and found these few of my first motorcycle - also a 1974 Honda CB360. I bought this for $1000 in late 2006 while stationed outside Washington, D.C. I'd been wanting to learn to ride a motorcycle for some time, and finally having a little cash and the freedom to do it, I took the plunge, not knowing a thing about riding. All I knew is that I didn't want a crotch rocket, and I didn't want (or have the money for) a big cruiser. Seeing the classic look of this small, mysterious 70's motorcycle on craigslist sold me instantly. Later that day, it was mine.
I had a couple friends go over the basics of shifting and I'd take it around the neighborhood, getting more and more comfortable, and completely falling in love with the feeling of being on that little motorcycle.
My usual ride would be down the George Washington Parkway along the Potomac to Mt. Vernon and back up to Alexandria. It wasn't a long ride, but the traffic was light, the views were great, and there were just enough curves to make me feel like I was on the Isle of Man. The farthest I'd taken it was up the Clara Barton Parkway, up to Bethesda, Maryland, which also wasn't very far, but a fun ride anyway.
The time came to move out to California, and I didn't have many possessions and elected to move with only what I could fit into my Jeep - eliminating the need for a complicated move. I sold the bike to a co-worker and it stayed in Virginia. Years later when looking for another bike, I saw another 1974 CB360 pop up on craigslist, and jumped on it immediately; which led to this very blog you're reading now.
No matter what motorcycles I find myself on in the future, I'll always have a soft spot for the Honda CB360. People don't forget their first motorcycle, no matter how infrequent it ran, or how uncool it was (not considering the 70's motorcycle boom in the last few years - people thought I was pretty uncool on that bike in 2006). I plan to keep my current 360 for as long as humanly possible. It's paid off, the costs are low, and there's an indescribable, almost human element to this rusty little honda - it has a personality. Not always pleasant, just like the rest of us, but she's my baby. So on this Saturday morning, I'm going to raise my juice glass; here's to the 1974 Honda CB360 - past and present.
