John, you can't really call that a collection until you have at least one Hodaka tank in there.
I started a tank collection years ago for the same reason. It's the main focal point of the bike and takes up less room. Appreciate in value as well.
Yeah you're right Bernie, i better find a Hodaka tank..
Do you remember when the Blutcher brothers had that whole Hodaka mounted up in the tree outside their place a few years ago?
Yes, I got their phone number off their mother and was going to call them, but a father and son that bought a few bikes off me, asked where they could find a Hodaka. I told them there was one hanging in a tree and passed the number onto them. They ended up getting it for $200, I kicked myself because it turned out to be a Combat Wombat. I think they restored it and have since sold it on.
Was that your Maico 250 that was on ebay the other week? I only noticed it because I've got a motor and pipe for the same year, a mate I haven't seen for twenty years has the rest of it, but as he isn't into old bikes I figure it's either at the tip or part of the earth. Either way I don't feel like calling someone I haven't spoken to for twenty years just to ask about a rotting bike that I wont find the time to drive eight hours to get.
And no motorcycles were harmed in the collection of my tanks. They were all orphan tanks found at swapmeets. I fished an XT500 tank out of the scrap metal bin out the front of Bob Cowley's bike wreckers while he's standing there telling me ''Äw no one wants that old stuff." One of my tanks was lying on the ground at a swap meet with a 'Free for the taking' sign on it. So most would of been destined for scrap if I didn't pick them up.