Motorcycling 33 years ago

In 1975 I was a junior in high school. I played guitar in a nominally successful rock band and drove around in a 1967 Pontiac GTO convertible that my uncle had given to me on my 16th birthday (he bought it new !!!) Motorcycles were, at that time for me, unimportant. My Dad was riding around on a couple of old BMW's and occationally I would take a ride. That's about it.

But stepping back a bit earlier we can talk motorcycles. While still in junior high school (1969-1970) my dad had bought me a used 1967 Suzuki 90 street bike. I rode the hec out of that thing up and down the dirt roads in my neighborhood. It was black and chrome and I really dug that thing. Then my cousin and also my best friend had each got a 1970 Honda CL100. (Cousins bike was blue, friends bike was red and other than color they were identical.) Well those Hondas could straight smoke my old Suzy ... and the luster wore off quick. By 1971 I had talked my dad into buying me a first year (1970) Honda ATC90. While not as fast as those CL100's I could burn 'em up on the trails. I kept that little ACT90 until about 1977 when adulthood and responsibility started biting me on the arse.

It wasn't until about 1983 or 84 that I got back into bikes. A fellow I worked with had this pristine looking 1977 Yamaha XS650 that he wanted to sell cheap ... $300 ... it wouldn't start. Long story short, I bought it ... cleaned and creamed the rusty tank, cleaned the petcock and carbs ... 'nuff said ... I rode that old workhorse 10 months a year, through all kinds of weather for 10 years !!! What an awesome little machine ... I would love to have another Yami 650 someday but for now ... my only focus is my 80 KZ750 !!!

Hey Rick, we might be moving back to the CowTown region again sometime this summer, if it happens I'll have to look you up. Could i possibly bribe you with this handsome H2 caliper?

If you make it back, Tim, you'll have to come out to Bike Night every Thursday (weather permitting) up at the A & Dub on 16th avenue north and 4 street west. Some nights get 60 - 100 bikes showing up over the course of the evening. :blink:
Believe me, you'll have the only KZ250 there....that I can guarantee.
Your H2 caliper pic didn't show up in the post for some reason. I'd be curious to see it.

Post edited by: H2RICK, at: 2008/03/09 01:52

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Just top get back on topic .....in 75 I was riding a CB 250.
Rode that thing from one end of Ireland to the other. 400 miles
one weekend. It would do 55mph all day. Rebuilt the head on the
kitchen table.

In 75 all the Brit bike mags (we did'nt get US) were still
debating and comparing Jap vs Brit bikes but as the next few
years went by there was really no contest as to which would win
out.

I was stationed at Field Station Sobe (just north of Kadena AFB) from 72-75. Lived in Sobe village with my wife and kiddo. Had another one (middle daughter) born just before leaving the island at Ft Buckner Army Hospital. I was also a dirt bike nut back then and had a fleet of small dirt bikes and motocross bikes...

Yes, Tim, the Z1 will CERTAINLY be acceptable for bike night.....
In fact, you'll probably get some offers on it while you're there.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Yep, that's an H2 caliper alright. I have a few in my collection but,
of course, the trick is to get the mirror image one for the other side....

Wiredgeorge and 650ed Kon nichi wa! I remember that song, "Going back to Namanouie One More Time" and actually heard it played on an American radio station back in the 1970s ot early 1980s. Right before I left "The Rock" I briefly owned a Honda small twin, 160 maybe, bought it off a lifer. I was at Kadena, anybody there when the B 52 crashed with a full load of bombs headed for "Down South?" That's when things started to go sour with the local population but those were the best 19 months of my life. I'll never forget the first time I saw the Black Habu (SR 71 Blackbird) take off, it went straight up as soon as the wheels cleared the ground and I've never seen that on any of the cable TV shows about it.