Shortest trip ever with wreck

Most importantly I'm glad to hear you were not hurt. Was it on that beautiful Green 650 in your picture? Tell me that has 168,000 miles on it! I am restoring a similar one and plan on putting new Bridgestone Spitfires or Avons on it and Lesters too. Yours is truly beautiful.

That sucks. Glad to hear you're ok, Ron!

Proxy wrote:

Most importantly I'm glad to hear you were not hurt. Was it on that beautiful Green 650 in your picture? Tell me that has 168,000 miles on it! I am restoring a similar one and plan on putting new Bridgestone Spitfires or Avons on it and Lesters too. Yours is truly beautiful.

Thanks, Thankfully it wasn't the green one. It was this one I took the spill on.

I'm glad you are OK Ron. The tire issue could be a combination of the tire not coming up to temperature, and the tire pressure being down a little being it was so cold.

I don't like Michelin tires for this reason - they seem to have a greasy feel until they come up to temperature.

Now how do you get 20 year old tires on a bike with 168k miles? You ought to be going through a set of tires every year with that kind of mileage.

RonKZ650 wrote:

Thanks, Thankfully it wasn't the green one. It was this one I took the spill on.

OH WELL! THANK THE LORD IT WASN'T THE GREEN ONE! BETTER ON THAT OLD BEATER! Please let my tongue roll back into my face today sometime! You sir are my hero! But I gotta say you should be whooped for riding 20 year old tires on those beautiful machines. Wait did you say that blue one has 168,000 on it? Ever play fiddle with the devil?

Jeff.Saunders wrote:

Now how do you get 20 year old tires on a bike with 168k miles? You ought to be going through a set of tires every year with that kind of mileage.

I was thinking the same thing. Really nice looking bike, glad it wasn't too banged up.

Proxy wrote:

RonKZ650 wrote:

Thanks, Thankfully it wasn't the green one. It was this one I took the spill on.

OH WELL! THANK THE LORD IT WASN'T THE GREEN ONE! BETTER ON THAT OLD BEATER! Please let my tongue roll back into my face today sometime! You sir are my hero! But I gotta say you should be whooped for riding 20 year old tires on those beautiful machines. Wait did you say that blue one has 168,000 on it? Ever play fiddle with the devil?

I couldn't agree more. I'd slap my mother for a ride like that.

RonKZ650 wrote:

Well I think I broke the record today. I get out my 168,000 mile KZ650 from hibernation, it runs, I ride 1 block, turn right, ride 1.5 more blocks, turn right and lowside at about 30mph. No, not sand, not oil, 20 year old tires on a cold road. I didn't believe, but now I believe rubber does age. Doesn't help the tires are old plus 10,000 miles on them. Damage broken points cover, broken rear brake lever, 2 broken blinkers, road rash on the front brake lever, right peg, right grip. Came out pretty good. Luckily my leg was wedged under the bike saving magor damage. Road rash to my $329 Sidi boots saved the bike. I ride back home for a 0.5 mile round trip.. I will now recommend change tires when they are old. I ride these same roads all the time all year around but on other bikes with good rubber. No doubt the tires were to blame.

Glad you weren't seriously hurt.

Silver lining is wisdom gained by others from your misfortune and from reading your post.

Good Fortune!

Thanks again all. I rode the motorcycle a lot years ago. I keep track by the month so could look back and see last I changed the front tire was back in 1992 and it had 157,000 miles at that point in time. I changed the rear once after that. It was the front definately that sent me sliding. I got the bike new back in 1978 and redid the topend once at 30,000 miles, then replaced little bits like the camchain and rollers once at around 150,000. The engine still ran pretty decent but it was full of sludge and i decided to swap in another 1978 engine that had 15K miles on it so that's where it is now. I rode it to work all year around for nearly 20 years, but where i work here there are 2 bars next door, and I'd see guys sitting on my bike ect, so I gave up riding decent looking bikes to work and got another more ratty blue one I ride to work.

I'm almost afraid to ask what a "ratty" looking blue one means to you. Any pictures of Mr. Rat? No case savers or anything on the blue one and you didn't damage exhaust or body? No bent headlight ears or handlebars? Play the lotto!

Here's the ratty one that has 69,000 miles. The paint has seen better days, few scratches here and there. Looks better in the picture than in real life,

That's what I thought. OMG my eyes! It's hideous! Make it go away! In fact make it go right into my garage so the world does not have to suffer and look upon it. Please email for garage address. Of course I will pay shipping. Least I can do. Thanks for the pics.