HOWL BIKERS - A Tale of Two Bikes

A Tale of Two Bikes

by Martin Haenlein

1975 Honda PF50 M Amigo II

Its a 2-stroke (hence Amigo-2, I think)

Also known as PF50 MR2

Martin's first bike - to be the first of many

I bought it as a non-runner for £10 as a 15 year old in 1978. I stripped the carbrettor and took it to the petrol station to blow through with an air line, and after doing this 3 times I got it running - Yay!

I rode it to show off to a friend, and had to ride it home in the dark. I got so distracted with the headlights (it had a low low-beam and slightly less low-beam, and I couldn't tell the difference between the 2), so I crashed it into a parked Jag. Perfect aim, I bent the jag's number plate exactly in half.

The bike and I sailed over the top of the jag, and landed behind it.

I couldn't do a runner, as I had caught both ankles in the handle bar and couldn't even stand for a while.

Under age and uninsured, I was soon given a repair bill for £375.75, which I paid off by working on a building site over the summer holiday, at £1.00 per hour

But first I bought some used forks and other parts, and repaired the moped.

So started a love of tinkering with broken motorbikes. And so started a love of carpentry and Joinery. So not all bad then.

I upgraded to a CB125 as soon as I was 17, and this time I got insured. I eventually swapped the moped with a friend of mine for a triple set of ladders. I still have the ladders and still use them regularly.

I only discovered 18 months ago that this same friend still had "my" moped in his back garden.

So I swapped it back, this time for some used radiators and a hot water cylinder.

Unfortunately it doesn't run very well.

Later found languishing at the bottom of a friend's garden

Donor Bike - too good to break

So I managed to find an identical bike on ebay, but in blue, to use as a donor bike, hoping to repair my First Bike.

But the "new" one is actually in such good condition, that I couldn't bear to do that.

But I have been able to salvage my original headlight and some other parts from my original moped to get the "new" blue bike fully roadworthy. I still can't tell the difference between Low beam and Less beam.

I've managed to find an original owner's manual, original Honda Parts List, and an original Honda service manual, and I'm currently waiting for the re-covered seat to come back.

It rides fine - for a 45 year old pedal and pop moped.

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