Thursday, December 29, 2011

The Sportster - 1972

For all kinds of reasons that don't seem quite so valid now, the only machine worth owning seemed to be an XLH Sportster.  Already spoiled with electric starting, the idea of using my then-trim mass required every time I needed to go somewhere sounded like far too much work.  So, even though the kickstart model XLCH was a man's machine, and I was all about a man's machine, I avoided the XLCH and looked for an electric start model instead.  As a Senior in high school, it was all the 'man' I needed.

I found one in the neighborhood, a 1970 model that the owner had equipped in two sets of trim.  As purchased, the bike had the classic Peanut tank, proper contour seat, sissy bar and the requisite 4" over fork tubes.  For road trips, I'd swap parts out and install the larger gas tank, touring saddle, fiberglass saddlebags and windshield.  Once I had my leather jacket, I was all set for any and all adventures that might come my way.


It worked for a while, in fact, I rode the Sportster and my brother rode his Suzuki 500cc, both of us down to Texas the following summer.  Well, not quite to Texas; when we got to southern Arkansas, we decided that we'd had enough travel under our belts and turned back towards home.  The trip went well, the only real issue we had was when we were going through the Quad Cities.  My brother must have noticed a young coed or something on the sidewalk, missed my slowing down for a stoplight and the sharp diamond 'cap' he'd welded on the end of his freeway pegs pierced a hole in my saddlebag as he almost stopped in time beside me.

By the Spring of 1974, brother had picked up a 350cc HD Sprint and a Yamaha 250cc motocross bike in addition to his Titan street bike and Honda 100.  The race to see who could collect the most bikes was on ;)   Not wanting to be left out, dad was playing too.


3 comments:

  1. That is one nice collection of motorcycles in the picture!

    Erik.

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  2. Thanks Erik,
    I wish a couple of them were still here. The only one under my roof now is the green Honda SL100. Our Twin Cities VJMC group does a Grand Rounds ride each year, a ride that involves the Minneapolis circular Parkway System. The little Honda executed the ride just fine.

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  3. I had a SL-70, my neighbor had the same green SL-100 as you. I saw one on craigslist while back... I should have grabbed it.

    Erik.

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