By VJMC member Ron Smith

Having endured (or survived) twenty-five years with the same employer, teen-agers, turning "50", and a 20-plus year, part-time career (the Naval Reserve), I opted to look for a new hobby or interest to occupy my spare time, and one that had the potential for "carrying over" into the not-to-distant retirement years. After a good deal of thought, and repressing the urge to do something more "free-spirited, potentially marriage-ending, and adventuresome", I decided to re-visit the world of motorcycles. I have always loved motorized devices that are "objects d'art"-like ...... in a mechanical sort of way ..... and don't require mortgaging one's life savings.

After reflecting upon the "little" things that I have always enjoyed, I harkened back to my early teens in the Midwest and the sheer enjoyment of riding my 1963 Honda Cub and a friend's Super 90. The latter being the bike my parents believed would irrevocably change me into that "rebel without a cause" ..... as compared to the air of restraint and politeness associated with the Cub 50. Ergo, the Cub became the (first) bike of the moment, but not the one of my dreams!

With this renewed vision of youth and desire to acquire something half my age (i.e., vintage motorcycle) , I chose the venerable Honda S90 as a logical starting point (and still the object of long repressed desires). After contacting several local (San Diego) Honda dealerships and a vintage British/European motorcycle shop, I was referred to "Honda" Bill Silver, then of local fame. "Honda" Bill, who has 20-plus years of wrenching, riding and racing, horse-trading and restoration experience under his belt, spent a goodly amount of time (over several phone calls) educating me in the "do's and don'ts" of selecting and refurbishing a vintage Japanese machine. "Honda" Bill also convinced me that a $25 membership (investment) in the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC) would not only expand my world of contacts, but yield substantial savings in obtaining the last remnants of Honda's dwindling supply of NOS parts via three local dealerships (that honor the VJMC discount) and/or Club (Honda) enthusiasts.

Within days, "Honda" Bill informed me of a "basket case" S90 that was listed in the local Recycler. After what I can only describe as an experience similar to a bounty hunter tracking down a wanted criminal, I located the elusive seller and his partially refurbished (by his standards) but unassembled "domestic" (a Japanese-market model) S90. With a seized, but freshly painted motor, low mileage speedo ("Good Omen", I hoped), repainted black frame, intact but rusty wheels, and "most" of the parts, I had acquired my first vintage Honda for the "bargain" price of $120.

Based upon Bill's advise, I then acquired (copied) a Honda S90 Parts Manual through a local dealer in order to prepare an inventory of the parts required to bring the bike "back to life". Upon completion of this task, I learned (through "Honda" Bill and Scott Sylvester, a local vintage collector) of John Pavic (then of Carpenteria, CA) and his stable of S90's. After several conversations with John, I ventured north (braving LA traffic) in my pick-up and closed a $500 deal on a complete, running "fair" condition black/silver 1965 S90. John Pavic was kind enough to provide me with a sizeable quantity of NOS spare parts and an original Honda S90 Shop Manual. After riding the bike for the better part of two months (and noting an increasing amount of 2-stroke-like exhaust smoke), I surmised something was amiss with my 89cc thumper.

I contacted "Honda" Bill and Jerry Budd, a local cylinder and head wizard, and proceeded to attack the motor's top end. As luck would have it, my spare "domestic", seized S90 motor provided numerous "superior" condition parts (camshaft, advancer unit, etc.) that were suitable for transplant. Upon examination of the motor's inners, I was absolutely astonished as to the condition of the piston that had somehow mustered the inertia to propel the bike and my 190-pound frame up to 55mph-plus! That piston (which now adorns my desk and serves as testimony to Honda's remarkable engineering) displays the most God-awful looking vertical "grooves" on its side. Had Sorchio Honda actually discovered and incorporated (into my S90) the engineering secrets that descended from "The Chariots of the Gods"??

Having repaired the top end, I proceeded to break-in my new, more powerful motor ..... only to (now) discover that the transmission was failing (jumping out of "3rd" gear and other oddities). Funny, I didn't remember the S90 having a 3rd gear "overdrive" feature? Once again, I visited "Honda" Bill and commenced to tear down the tranny ...... and that of the "domestic" unit's as well. Having had great success with the domestic's upper end, I was again rewarded with remarkably good parts ....... though from a "rotary" transmission unit. Rotary tranny's are apparently the norm with small domestics. The shift pattern goes 1, 2, 3, 4, neutral, and continues to 1st, 2nd, etc. all-over again. The only problem with the "rotary" is that shifting from 4th to neutral to 1st (accidentally) is career-ending (for the tranny)! The significant difference between the domestic "rotary" and U.S. shift drum version is that the fork-shifting "grooves" are continuous on the former, allowing the shift forks to just keep a-turnin'...fourth to neutral and on to 1st.

My first and most important "lesson learned" in rebuilding the Honda transmission is that engine serial numbers are VERY IMPORTANT when replacing any part. I was astounded at the number of shift drum, shift fork, transmission gear and shaft combinations that the Honda Parts Manual lists for the S90. Obtaining the correct / matching parts was a major learning experience (further complicated by mating "domestic" shafts and gears with their U.S. market NOS counterparts). I returned several gears, shift drums and shift forks to the dealer before getting the correct combination. And, don't necessarily assume that Honda has correctly repackaged and labeled all of those "returned" vintage NOS parts. "Honda" Bill and I aborted several re-assembly sessions due to incorrectly labeled "re-packaged" parts. Fellow-enthusiast Scott Sylvester encountered this same experience when rebuilding his CB77 "305" Super Hawk. A lesson that apparently applies to many early Honda's ...... singles & twins alike.

My experience has also proven that there is no such thing as a "worthless" basket-case bike, especially one that is obtained at minimal cost. Refurbishing or use of used parts is often the "only way to go", especially if the part no longer exists in the Honda system! Re-chroming, zincing or polishing good condition, used parts is often less expensive than obtaining NOS parts, especially those of the "unobtanium" variety!

I have learned that other countries (Canada & Europe) have Honda parts systems that are "separate & apart" from the U.S. system! Use of these "other" markets can be a great find, but a "word of caution" is appropriate here. Some other-market parts are different than the U.S. versions. In short, they won't work in a U.S. model bike! The VJMC Newsletter, other vintage club newsletters, magazines (Old Bike Journal, Walneck's, etc.), and (now) the Internet also offer a treasure-trove of vintage NOS and used parts.

I have subsequently commenced and completed several other projects, including the CL125A, CB & CL160 & 77, CB450, and CB500/4 models. Although these larger machines are better suited to an individual of my size, I always return to the S90 for its simplicity and sheer enjoyment factor. I believe, without question, that "small bikes are MORE FUN" and the Super 90 epitomizes that belief! In any event, the S90 will be the bike that I take with me to the "after-life" for cruisin' around heaven or .......

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