One Sunday in June 2012 Paul Huber’s children surprised him with a barely salvageable pile of metal that was supposed to be a 1978 Honda CB750K. “Happy Father’s Day,” they told him.
Born in the mid-1950s, Huber grew up in Ohio and admired the muscle cars and motorcycles of the time. When he got his license at 16 he rode his older brother’s Honda 305, even through cold Midwestern winters.
Now an airline environmental program manager living in Snellville, GA, it had been years since Huber owned his own motorcycles and he wanted to experience the thrill of riding (and wrenching on) a CB750 again. His boys picked up on dad’s desire to build a bike and they sourced the ’78 on Craigslist for $500.
When Huber talks about the original project, he puts “bike” in quotation marks, even calls it a “thing” at one point. “It was gutted and somebody did a hack job of making it a hard tail,” he said. “The only real salvageable parts to this purchase were the front suspension, engine and front and rear hubs.” But for what he was planning to make, a good engine and suspension was all he really needed to get started on his first build.
Huber searched online for parts suppliers and found Dime City Cycles, whom he also relied on for building advice (thanks, Paul!) His oldest son, Cole, is a fabricator and welder and he was able to help with the seat, rear brake, battery box and various mounting brackets that needed to be made.
“I liked the look of bobbers, big engine, lean and minimal,” Huber said. “I decided I wanted a CB750 platform, because of owning them before and wanting something different in a bobber look.”
Huber spent four years turning his Father’s Day gift into something he could put on the road. He wasn’t in a hurry and when he was done, he gave it the name “Joy Ride,” a nod to the days of his youth when he and his friends would swipe the family car – before they were actually of legal driving age – to cruise.
“This became more than a hobby. It also became an extension of me. I wish I started doing this 10 years ago.”
DCC Parts or Related Categories
- Wheels: Aluminum Sun Rims
- Spokes: Stainless Buchanan
- Tires: Avon AM26
- Drive Sprockets: 14 Front 41 Rear
- Chain: EK 630
- Rear Fender: Aluminum Manta Ray
- Kick Stand
- Tail Light: Cat Eye
(via Dime City Cycles)