Karl Kelman's Honda Trail 90
The Honda Trail 90 was a efficient means of in-town transport - probably got 65 MPG in city driving and had a top speed of around 40 MPH. Very effective at short in town trips, and fairly reliable. If I recollect accurately, Colorado State University had favorable parking for motorcycles as compared with cars, which enabled me to park closer in. Taking it out of town was an adventure. I once drove all the way to a friend's house in Timnath, maybe 10 miles away - it felt like it took forever, and the buzziness at a sustained 35 or 40 MPH was pretty bad. It's most heroic moment occured during a NFL Football playoff game, when none of the beater cars me or my roommates owned would start during a record-breaking below-zero cold snap. And, we were OUT OF BEER! The Trail 90 had been sitting outside without being started for weeks, and was covered in snow. In desperation, I dusted off the snow, and, to my surprise, it started on the second or third kick (electric starter? Are you kidding?). The Playoffs were saved! Other vehicles I, or my family, have owned: Circa 1970-2: Honda 50 Mini-Bike $185 ($125 sale) Circa 1972-3: Kawasaki 75 Mini-Bike $295 ($185 sale) Circa 1973-4: Kawasaki 120 Dirt Bike $200 m/l ($100 m/l sale) Circa 1975: 1963 Chrysler 300 $250 ($150 sale) Circa 1977: 1972 VW Super Beetle $600 ($650 sale) Circa 1977: 1971 Saab (Saab Story) $1200 ($1250 sale) Circa 1977: 1966 Travelall Free ($50 m/l sale) Circa 1978-84: Honda Trail 90 $125 ($100 sale) Circa 1979: 1960s Lincoln Continental $125 or Free ($50 m/l sale) Circa 1979-80: Honda 500-4 $900 m/l ($700 m/l sale) Circa 1979: 1969 Chevy Bel Air $600 ($275 sale) Circa 1981-90: 1980 Ford Courier (Home, Sweet Home) $5000 ($300 sale) Circa 1985-86: Honda Silver Wing $800 m/l ($600 sale m/l) Circa 1985-92: 1969 Chevy Camper Utility Box Alaskan Camper $2000 m/l ($1000 sale m/l) Exactly 1990-93: 1985 Chevy Celebrity (BEN) $2800 ($2800 m/l sale) Exactly 1990-00: 1988 Chevy Celebrity (AYN) $3700 ($900 sale) Circa 1993-98: 1988 Subaru Justy (Little Red) $2600 ($800 m/l sale) Circa 1998: 1988 Toyota Camry (Camy) $2000 ($1100 sale) Circa 2000-1: 2000 Toyota Camry V-6 (Otto) $2900 ($2800 sale) Circa 2001-3: 1993 Toyota Corolla (Dex) $2000 ($2000 m/l sale) Exactly 2002: 1996 Oldsmobile (Dino) $4200 ($1500 value) Exactly 2002: 2000 Toyota Corolla (Cedrick) $7000 ($4000 value) Exactly 2007: 2002 Toyota Corolla (Lancelot) $6800 ($6500 value) If you don't mind driving really ugly, you can drive really cheap! |