As I get older I am beginning to ask myself, why do I take on so many long-term projects? In my old age I should be just doing carburetors, which while demanding technically are mostly free from the delays of hard-to-find parts common in vintage Honda engine rebuilding, and which rarely require more than a few weeks' time. The answer is I like doing engines and bikes. I always have. The past ten years has seen a succession of engine rebuilds and partial vehicle restorations. They take time and they take shop space. But they are very rewarding. I enjoy them. And why shouldn't I? I'm a 50+ year veteran of the powersports maintenance industry.

What I don't like is customers not realizing how long engines and bikes take to rebuild and fettle. Most actually do realize it, but a few seem to always not be aware that doing these tasks on bikes over fifty years old is nothing like getting new tires on your car at the local Discount Tire. They seem impatient, always checking on completion. It takes time.

Assembling this old single cam 750 and taking hours just to get the cam cover on because I keep finding first one, then another, and yet another, bad threads. Installing thread inserts is messy, reason for all the duct tape. Note all the gasket glue on the 6mm tap. That and all the bad threads are from work done on this engine years ago.