New Harley, or Kawasaki...hmmmm

by TR 48 Replies latest jw friends

  • Helen
    Helen

    yes and now I want to upgrade to a FATBOY!!!!! sounds like you have been busy Tom..girls are growing up so fast!

  • animal
    animal

    Did somebody say chopper? Here is the one I am building:

    It has a 1947 engine, stroked... Higher apes are going on it this week.

    Animal

  • amac
    amac

    Forget all that cruiser crap! Get an old Yamaha RD400 with drop bars or an RZ350 and live a little (or die a little, depending on how you look at it.) Unless you plan to tour the country of course.

  • zev
    zev

    they aint street legal

    what ever happened to the old yz's?

    they still around? i aint been in a yamaha dealer in 20+ years.

  • amac
    amac

    They're still legal in CA. They just can't sell new two strokes. And there's actually quite a few RZ's in these parts, Ken specials and all! I've never actually owned or even ridden an RZ, but have built a couple RD's. Wickedly fast! And equally dangerous!

  • scootergirl
    scootergirl

    Animal......you make me puddle! LOL.......

    As for Jesse James........ah, yeah......ever get to see one of his bike in person? HOLY SHIT! Nice! The set of pipes (forgot which ones) that filthy wanted at one time ran a mere $900! Every once and awhile on the Discovery Channel, they air an episode of Jesse James and how he makes his bikes. If you ever get a chance to see it.....DO! Very interesting!

  • plmkrzy
    plmkrzy

    I got up some nerve to post a pic DON'T LAUGH AT MY HAIR!I know it looked like a blond helmet.

  • scootergirl
    scootergirl

    Nice, plmkrzy! NICE! Wanna go for a put? We can swing by and pick up Animal! That is what we need......a coast to coast apostate ride!

    oops........just saw your bio says "Sweden".......ding dang

    Edited by - scootergirl on 31 July 2002 18:11:45

  • plmkrzy
    plmkrzy

    Hey don't pay any attention to my bio. Im on the west coast.

    I'd like nothing more then to do just that but I'd have to purchase you scoot for sale 1rst as I am bikeless

  • Eric
    Eric

    I used to have an '85 Yamaha RZ500. V-4 two-stroke, which I bought in '90. At redline it sounded like a dumpster full of chainsaws, but gawd when it came into it's powerband the hit of acceleration was not to be believed. That bike and Suzuki's square-4 two-stroke RG500 were well beyond the tire construction of the day, the rider really had to know when he could use all that was on tap.

    The inboard end of the clip-ons (separate lowmount handlebars) had this plug on the end that presumably was there to keep out moisture. On my bike, it did not. Unknown to me and not visible on the outside of the bar, oxidization, evil rust was eating away from the inside.

    There is a lovely little bit of twisty two-lane road, the kind I live for, just outside of Mississauga called Sideroad #16. You come at it from the east and dive down some tight swichbacks, through a medium speed knee-dragging downhill sweep until the road flattens for a bridge across a creek. The road drops away at the end of the bridge, and if you are going fast you will catch some air there just before the road snaps right 90 degrees and up a steep hill. Perhaps you can see where this litte story is going...

    I came rocketing off the end of the bridge reminding my self "DO NOT brake while the bike is off the tarmac, wait for touchdown, wait..." And I brake, hard, clamping my knees to the tank to keep myself seated and ready for my upper body weight to transfer to my wrists. Already thinking ahead to banging off two quick downshifts and then shifting my weight to the inside, I realize with horror that my right bar is failing! The thing is just giving out! It's still in my hand, but christ! where is it's connection to the bike?! Shit!

    I slid wide through that corner, almost to the ditch on the opposite side, scraping through I honestly do not know how, my eyes out on stalks expecting a camper van lumbering straight at me downhill in the on-coming lane. There was no traffic. It could have been different.

    Stopping to assess the situation and relieve a spontaneous self-induced wedgie, I realized that my bar contols still fuctioned, throttle wire and brake line were still intact, so I rode slowly home with my right bar held ontop of the tank, and practicing my newfound skill of steering with the left bar only.

    I later figured out what had happened, the rusting was clear to see. I went to a parts shop and got the bits to fix the bars up AOK, good as new. Better than new even. But I could never trust that bike again. What else had Yamaha missed? I could ride it, but I couldn't push it hard so what was the point?

    So I bought a new ZX-7.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    If you are not the sport-bike type, and you like the big cruising metal, really there is only one. It's gotta be a Harley. One Fine Day I will own a Harley, but that's going to have to wait until I am as old and slow as they are.

    Mind you, that V-Rod has a certain something going for it...

    Eric

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