Wednesday, October 17, 2018

More (of my) Old Bikes

These were my 5 bikes in February, 1980.

1974 Honda 750, had been dad's, we traded, he took my '70XLH Sportster.  The Windjammer moved over to the Suzuki.


My very first bike, a '70 Yamaha AT1 Enduro


This one had been my brother's; a 250MX Yamaha. He probably remembers what year it was, I do not.


I bought this 1976 Honda XL350 brand new from Larson's Cycle in Cambridge.


1979 Suzuki GS850, ordered in October '78 as soon as (and almost before) dad and I returned from Aspencade in New Mexico.


In 1976, Brad and I planned to Go West to Glacier, Banff and Jasper National Parks.  The trip was planned for August.  We decided to do a practice run over the July 4 (Bicentennial Weekend), up the Minnesota north shore, our first night in Ontario's Kakebeka Falls Provincial Park, then over on 17 to Kenora, camping at Sioux Narrows then home.  It always struck me as odd that we spent the Bicentennial in my favorite country to the North.

Brad and Dave at the Temperance River Rest Stop.


A chain adjustment in Two Harbors....my classy helmet had been metallic blue.  I rattle-bombed it orange to color match my sparkly Honda.


Dad and mom on his '75 750....for some odd reason can't remember where this was taken and don't recognize the location.


I went to Texas in December 1979, this was Corpus Christi....


Mexico, south of Brownsville....


Spring 1980, Maiden Rock Wisconsin, directly across the river from where we currently live.  The Suzuki had lost the Windjammer....I was moving in a Sport Touring direction though the smaller, cafe-sized fairing had yet to be mounted.


Another trip, high above the parking lot, actually ON Maiden Rock looking down on the parking lot and Lake Pepin. We used to climb up top.


The photo is labeled on the back, "NE of Coon Valley".


"North Bend Wisconsin Flooded Black River"


I stopped in Galena, Illinois on my '80 Moto Guzzi SP1000, saw its mate and managed to park right next to it.  The Suzuki was sold to my friend Dan with just over 50k miles when I picked up the Guzzi from Les at Caswell Cycle, the same place the Suzuki came from when new.


My lone SP1000 waiting for the Merrimac, Wisconsin Free Ferry.


My SP1000, Chuck's G5 Guzzi and Steve's Superglide on our way to Road America, must have been June 1981.


Chuck's very nice 750 Ducati, later perished in a fire....along with both his Norton and his 450 Ducati.


Chuck's brother Ken's TA125 Yamaha.  Chuck and Ken were roadracing friends from our time in the CRA and Brainerd International Raceway.  I bought Ken's previous race bike, a '75 CB400F that I rode until Peg started riding it, obtaining her M/C license when we were a'courtin on said Honda.


8 comments:

  1. Some nice old bikes there. Bring back memories.

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    1. David, it's been a lot of fun and you're right, just seeing the photos brings back a lot of it.

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  2. Replies
    1. That Honda was fun, I did some mini-tours on it but honestly, when I got my (old) 250 KLR, it was better in most every way.

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  3. My very first bike bought with my own money was a Honda VF500 Interceptor.My roommate had a 900 Ninja. Good times.

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    1. Scott, you started bigger than I did. Our first ones were used in the pasture and hayfields, occasionally on the roads. Over time, that ratio swung hard the other way for me.

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  4. And btw. I'm thinking of going back to a smaller displacement bike too.

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    1. Everyone's mileage will vary; my days with the big ones are over.

      There are going to be some great deals though.....:)

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