Honda ST90

Okay, pipe down…yes…it’s another motorcycle, but before you judge me, listen to the story.

I bought this 1973 Honda ST90 with a fairly simple plan: get it running properly, enjoy the project for a little while, and then sell it.

That may sound unusually sensible for me. Most motorcycles that enter Pop’s Shop are quickly given a name, assigned a personality and woven into some larger story. You have met The Last Mango, Ernie, Stella and Hobbes. This bike never got a name. It was always meant to be a short-term relationship.

The ST90 was Honda’s small Trailsport motorcycle. An 89cc, air-cooled four-stroke with a three-speed semi-automatic transmission. There’s no hand clutch, it starts with a kick, and it tops out at around 40 mph. It isn’t really built for modern traffic, but finds it’s home around a campground, on a country road or making the short trip to work.

When I bought it, I didn’t know much about its history. I knew it was a first-year 1973 ST90 in Tahitian Red, it was mostly complete, and it looked like a project I could handle without accidentally turning it into a full restoration.

I did some simple things. I replaced a spark plug and installed a new six-volt battery. Then the rear tire went flat, which led to a new tube and rim strip…and my first attempt at removing and reinstalling a motorcycle tire at home. It turned out to be considerably easier than I expected, which is always a pleasant surprise when working on a 53-year-old motorcycle.

Now this little bike generally starts within a few kicks, runs well and shifts through all three gears about as smoothly as one can reasonably expect from a 1973 Honda. I’ve even ridden it to work a few times, although keeping up with traffic requires some planning, patience and a willingness to accept that nearly everyone else will be moving faster than you.

I really like the little Honda. It’s simple, charming and just quirky enough to be interesting. But I didn’t buy it because I needed another motorcycle. I bought it because I liked the idea of finding an old machine, figuring out what it needed, getting my hands dirty and putting it back on the road.

And then passing it along to whoever wants to write its next chapter.

That was the plan from the beginning. For once, I may actually stick to it: Check it out here.