Sunday, December 21, 2014

It'll Go

To be more accurate and a great deal more specific, it will actually stay in my stable, certainly for the time being and won't be shuffled off to yet again another home anytime soon.  It already appears to have managed a somewhat difficult life and as you know, I have a big heart for little lost lambs that find themselves homeless.

Yesterday I got it started, so I know it will run.  It has passed its first important threshold and in so doing, thrown the More Time and More Money switch.  Mark can finally cash his check (so now we all win).

Whether or not the 1978 Yamaha XS650E Special will actually "Go" remains optimistically to be seen.  My definition of "Go" means that we'll spend the day together exploring a couple of hundred miles on some back roads over the course of a lovely Wisconsin day and as of today's solstice, that will be our next goal.

What it looked like in mid-April when it followed me home......


What it looks like today.....









So, on that approaching lovely Wisconsin day when we first do our exploring, the old twin most likely won't Look all that much different ...... but it will Be different.  There will be a follow-up report with gracious "thank you's" to both Mike and Mark for their gifts, advice and assistance.

10 comments:

  1. I love it when a vintage bike gets new life. Can hardly wait to see the project as it progresses.

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    1. Thanks Dar, as I hinted at, this one will never be pretty but I'm confident it will be as much fun to go on as any others I ride. I'll be taking a break over the holidays but once they're past.....

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  2. I do believe you'll have a smile on your face when you two finally get to go down that back road.

    You didn't have enough projects anyway, right?

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    1. I am looking forward to this 'basic' form of transportation. Whatever foibles it has, and I know that it has them, will be fine with me as long as it gets me home and in the case that it doesn't, some patient tolerance.

      There are some other things I should be doing....:)

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  3. Coop - it doesn't look like it's that far from having fun ... as long as you've got the time (and what does it matter if it doesn't look different as long as it looks the way it was meant to look...and it goes and it has fun!)

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  4. Agreed. This one looked just rough enough that with my limited skill set it could be recovered by me. I definitely won't be the first one to mar its finish.

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  5. Those 70's and 80's UJM's were just gawdaweful looking.No offense my friend.

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    1. No offense taken Scott. This isn't the only non-sleek one in the garage so it will be in some good company.

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    2. My motorcycling coming of age was right around when Honda's Interceptor and Kawasaki's GPZ's hit.I've always been drawn to the sport side of cycles.I don't really "get" the Harley type and that ilk of motorcycling.
      As always my friend.

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    3. Certainly understand Scott. I started on dirt bikes, then fairly early a Sportster, got as close as I dared to Touring bikes and then Sport bikes. Never thought I'd be riding scooters but it seems I'm drawn to (almost) everything on 2 wheels, willing to try most anything these days. Now, older, smaller and slower are somehow just as much fun and maybe more so.

      Hope both of you have a great New Year and that we meet out there, somewhere, long before St. Olaf.

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