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05-31-2007, 02:18 PM
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| |  When I was a newbie
Remember the old jap bikes back in the sixties, assembled with phillips screws. The steel screws would seize with corrosion in the aluminum cases and you needed an impact driver to remove them; even then the head would strip out after a while and I would cut a slot across the diameter so I could get a bite on it with a flat head screwdriver. Those were sure an aggrivation |
05-31-2007, 02:19 PM
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Just thought some might relate adventures/ misadventures/ lessons learned the hard way. Some are pretty funny when you look back at them- maybe not too fun at the time. |
05-31-2007, 02:19 PM
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Back in the 70's I had a 380 Suzuki, I believe they called them and others like it a water buffalo. But anyways, I had to take the side case off, smashed my hand, missed the impact driver, hit the case, thought I cracked it. I still have that impact driver...The gold ol' days. Posted by: oldman on Apr 19, 07 8:36:02 pm |
05-31-2007, 02:20 PM
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I know what you mean. It took me a few years go get to where I didn't lose too much blood doing a repair. I've still got my impact driver. I also bought a 1A battery charger for $6 back in '71- still works and every cheapskate I ride with has borrowed it; still works great. Used it a lot on the old beat to death 305 Superhawk I rode in '72. The rectifier burned out and as a poor college student I couldn't buy a new one. Those were the days when you didn't have to run your headlight all the time- when the battery got real low the brake light coming on would make it miss- then I knew it was time to head home to the charger. |
05-31-2007, 02:20 PM
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Dont know if dirt bikes apply here but back in the '70's I guess I had this thing about buying non-Japanese dirt bikes. My first dirt bike after many minibikes was a brand new white Indian 80cc. I used to do rings and carb adjustments at 11 y.o. Remember when Indian came back for a while in the early 70's? After that it was Can-Am, Bultaco, Maico's for me. I guess I knew back then I was gonna be an HD rider eventually. I did however have a break down and buy a Yamaha 360 dirt bike from my 11th grade teacher. He didnt want to sell to me 'cause I was a small kid and he said I was gonna get hurt on such a "powerful" bike. U had to see his face when I tore ass across the football field on one wheel through 3 gears. I got respect that day! LOL! Had a head on in the trails with the CanAm with some Suzuki RM rider going the wrong way. My gear shifter tore through his crankcase and didnt even bend. That bike was a Sherman Tank. Miss those day. Posted by: Botzman on Apr 26, 07 7:38:13 am |
05-31-2007, 02:20 PM
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Yeah Botzman I sure dig dirt bikes. I think my skills as a street rider are better for having been a dirt rider. You don't tend to panic if you feel a tire slip a little for one thing, you just apply a little body steer. If you encounter an obstacle like a big pothole you stand on the pegs and ride it out. I grew up in an undeveloped area of South Kansas City and rode trails daily- really kept me in shape. I too was enthused by non- jap dirtbikes, since Husky, Maico, Ossa etc dominated motocross when I was a teen. Back in '80 I got a bargain on a '76 Husky WR250, powerful bike that weighed about the same as many 125 jap bikes thanks to magnesium cases- and rode it for about 6 yrs. but by that time my old neighborhood was developed, apartments where my trails used to be. Had to haul the bike many miles just to ride. I too had some pretty comical misadventures out there. Hope you are doing well. Stay in touch God bless. |
05-31-2007, 02:21 PM
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My first bike was a 67 Honda 160 Scrambler (collectors now say the scrambler was just a styling lick but I took it seriously). I was racing a friend on a 350 Scrambler on a motocross track. Each lap I kept pulling further and further away from him until I landed from a jump with the kickstart lever up my pantleg (those darn bellbottoms!), I glanced down tryin to recfify the situation and when I looked back up I was headed right for a tree- had to lay it down. My friend came over the jump and around the curve blinded by my tremendous cloud of dust. He did manage to get stopped without running over me and we had a great laugh. Many more where that came from, man what times we had! |
05-31-2007, 02:21 PM
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Hey Shovel,
Doesnt it suck how all the old riding places are gone. Especially here on Long Island. I point out to my kids where I used to ride and had a blast as a kid trail riding. Now theres a cineplex and a Home Depot in my favorite old riding spot. Everywhere I rode as a kid is now extinct. My favorite misadventure I love to tell is when I was about 14 hauling down the trails on my CanAm and my buddy on a Maico right behind me. This trail happened to run along the L.I. Expressway. Outta no where this guy stumbles out of the woods and walks onto the trail right in front of me. I locked the brakes and slammed this guy. I remember the air coming out of his lungs with a thud and his glasses flying off right at me. He goes under the bike and I still had the rear brakes locked up and Im dragging this guy down the hill under my bike. I finally let off the rear brakes and my friend riding behind me says the guy shot out the back like a cannon ball! My buddy was laughing his ass off and I was panicking. Thought I killed the guy. Turns out guy survived. He was hammered drunk from all nighter and had stopped to take leak. U had to see this guy. Covered in dirt blood and dirt in his hair. He hobbled back to his car and drove off. Only then did I laugh so hard I fell off my bike. Then we split 'cause it was illegal to ride there and we were still just kids and didnt want to get jammed up if guy called cops. Posted by: Botzman on Apr 26, 07 8:58:30 am  |
05-31-2007, 02:22 PM
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That's a good one. The friend who had the 350 Honda was not mechanically inclined at all, he would call me when he got in a jam. One tome he was riding in one of those illegal areas and the police pulled up. He took off down the trail and the cops gave chase in their car! He laid the bike down at a water crossing,almost completely submerged it, and hid there all night. He got the bike home somehow and called me. I drained the water from the crankcase and got all the mud off his air filters and got the beast running again. Incidentally that riding area was one where the landowner had allowed us to ride for years with no hassles until (wouldn't you know it) someone broke their leg and sued him. I always figured if I hurt myself it's sure nobody's fault but mine. |
05-31-2007, 02:22 PM
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Always one dope to ruin it for everyone. Imagine having the nerve to sue the land owner after hurting yourself. We had a guy..same thing. Broke his back. Tried to sue and got soo many death threats he changed his mind. Posted by: Botzman on Apr 26, 07 9:28:05 am | | |
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