I mentioned in a previous post that my parents bought a Honda CL-70 motorcycle for me in the summer of 1972, when I was thirteen years old. Here's a photo of the cover of the brochure that Honda published that year for that particular model. I remember that I wanted an SL-70, but when we went to the dealer (the old "Wheel World" Honda dealership down on Carlisle north of Menaul), it was too small for me, as I was already about 5'10" even at that tender age. Therefore, the salesman suggested either the CL-70 or the SL-100, which would have to be de-tuned to 5 horsepower to qualify as a "motor scooter" under then-existing New Mexico law. If I'd been possessed of any patience at all, I'd have gone with the SL-100, which was better-suited not only to my body frame but also to the off-road riding I wanted to do; however, it cost $502, in contrast with the CL-70's $363 price tag, and my mother said she'd have to wait and save a little more. No way was I going home empty-handed, so I immediately warmed to the CL-70. (I guess I did go home empty-handed in a literal sense, given that the dealer didn't actually deliver the bike to our house until a couple of days later.)
The CL-70 wasn't exactly Honda's finest engineering achievement -- it had wiring issues and burned through points and condensers on an annoyingly regular basis -- but it would be nice to have something similarly fuel-efficient to ride to work these days. (It got something like 150 miles per gallon and generally could stay up with normal in-town traffic, although it probably wouldn't do so with today's 215-lb. version of me sitting on it.) Inasmuch as gasoline in those days cost $.25/gallon, I often found sufficient gas money in one of the living-room sofas!
As much as I loved to ride my CL-70 as a young teenager, I've never really felt the desire to own a motorcycle as an adult; I haven't stopped and thought about why, but I'm sure it's primarily a matter of safety. But man, was it exhilarating to ride all around the "mesa" (undeveloped, and generally unrestricted, open space) that used to exist east of Tramway Road!
Friday, March 28, 2008
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