Who rides motorcycles?

   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,681  
I have an early KLR that fits the same use slot at the XLs.

A real back road putt about.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,682  
If memory serves me correctly my IT-465 was a 1982.
View attachment 818233
My brother left behind an 82 IT 465 that a guy had gotten inspected and licensed. Gray area.
Anyway, I could not keep a kick start return spring in that thing. It would break off at the elbow where it stuck in the plastic ring bushing. In hindsight, I should have tried to heat and anneal the elbow section with a fine torch. I bet I bought at least 3 of those springs. I gave it to a friend.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,683  
My first street bike was a 1981 Yamaha Maxim 550. Little inline 4 cyl, nice bike, rode the piss out of that thing. Had a 4 into 1 exhaust with a supertrap muffler on it. Put close to 60,000 miles on that bike.

My 1st street bike was a similar year Suzuki GS 550
It was a fun small framed bike.

ps. Spent a couple hours today working on the 465, washed out the plastic desert tank , aired up the tires, pulled the carb and cleaned out the main and Pilot jet, and made sure the needle and seat was working OK.

Checked the transmission oil and looked as good as new- nice and clean.

Dumped some of my chainsaw gas ( Bel-Ray MC-1 at 45 to 1) and started kicking like a dumb a-- with my sneakers on.
She backfired once and I stopped went in and put some boots on, " sore foot". Brother would have laughed at that
Another 3 kicks with the fuel enrichment pin pulled up and she fired up. Let the engine warm up a bit and took it for a shake down run.
Bike is running PIG rich, Have to see if I still have an assortment of Mikuni main jets... need to check and clean the air filter first but, the engine sounds good otherwise, not a lot of piston slap, and transmission shifts Good. Forks feel like they are low on oil and from the rod seals I bet they are in need of some work.
Still Put a Big smile on my face and hope my brothers to.
He loved to ride, but as his health went downhill in his later years he mainly rode his street bikes- an anniversary edition Harley and his trusty 1976 Honda 750.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,684  
This is my current Scoot. It's a 2019 BMW R1250GS Adventure. I can tell you, I've owned 11 bikes since I started riding almost 40 years ago. This one by FAR is my absolute favorite. There are 30 motorcycles I'd love to have, if money and space were no issue... but there is not ONE bike I'd trade this one in for. Not one.

My Scoot.jpeg
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,685  
My wife has a 2019 BMW F750GS, and we are always out exploring. We love to load up the bikes, and just ride to find a campsite, getting lost along the way...
MC Camping.jpeg
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,686  
This is my current Scoot. It's a 2019 BMW R1250GS Adventure. I can tell you, I've owned 11 bikes since I started riding almost 40 years ago. This one by FAR is my absolute favorite. There are 30 motorcycles I'd love to have, if money and space were no issue... but there is not ONE bike I'd trade this one in for. Not one.

View attachment 818459
nice bike, but too quiet for me in my opinion a bike must have bit of a rumble ... my dream bike would be the Honda Africa twin maybe one day ... do you have a opining about it ?
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,687  
nice bike, but too quiet for me in my opinion a bike must have bit of a rumble ... my dream bike would be the Honda Africa twin maybe one day ... do you have a opining about it ?

I used to club race for many years. I was a Track Day Coach, currently a MSF Rider Coach, and to me, loud bikes are annoying. I wear ear plugs, for my hearing is almost completely shot. I want to be able to hear my music (comms in my helmet), so I find my Boxer perfect for me. As for the Africa Twin, it's a very capable adventure bike, the 21" front wheel definitely helps in the technical areas. The Inline Twin of the Honda, is silky smooth, and very reliable. I rode one for a while, as well as the KTM 1290 Super Adventure... but, I've always loved the smoothness and the low center of gravity of the Boxer.

I ride with some very talented riders, some are on Africa Twins, some on KTM's, some on V Stroms, but most of us are on BMWs. In the end, find what you like, what fits you, and ride often. After discovering the "Adventure Riding" Genre, I'm hooked. My next bike (if I get a second) will be a Yamaha Tenere' 700 (T7).
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,688  
I used to club race for many years. I was a Track Day Coach, currently a MSF Rider Coach, and to me, loud bikes are annoying. I wear ear plugs, for my hearing is almost completely shot. I want to be able to hear my music (comms in my helmet), so I find my Boxer perfect for me. As for the Africa Twin, it's a very capable adventure bike, the 21" front wheel definitely helps in the technical areas. The Inline Twin of the Honda, is silky smooth, and very reliable. I rode one for a while, as well as the KTM 1290 Super Adventure... but, I've always loved the smoothness and the low center of gravity of the Boxer.

I ride with some very talented riders, some are on Africa Twins, some on KTM's, some on V Stroms, but most of us are on BMWs. In the end, find what you like, what fits you, and ride often. After discovering the "Adventure Riding" Genre, I'm hooked. My next bike (if I get a second) will be a Yamaha Tenere' 700 (T7).
That's cool man, thanks for the impute, my cousin uncle has a Tenere 700 and it is a very nice and capable bike very affordable as well, I would like to have one of these as well...

I have a 450wr I love it but not fast enough (too high RPM at 100km/60mph) for long ride just not made for that, I love it for off roads or little windy road but it ends there, guys with their KTM 450 and 500 just lose me behind with their 6th gear...
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,689  
I have 2001 Suzuki GS500 that has sat for a few years. I recently started going through it to get it back on the road. The tank had rust in it, I got it all out with vinegar and chains strapped to the tractor! The tank has small holes in it from the rust... Anybody have a recommendation on how to repair the holes? I tried stick welding them with 1/16 rods on low amperage with reversed polarity and all I did was burn the holes bigger....

Other options are soldering, braising, and 2 part epoxys. I do not have tools to braise but I could get a decent solder gun for pretty cheap if it seems like I could fix the tank with it.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,690  
I have 2001 Suzuki GS500 that has sat for a few years. I recently started going through it to get it back on the road. The tank had rust in it, I got it all out with vinegar and chains strapped to the tractor! The tank has small holes in it from the rust... Anybody have a recommendation on how to repair the holes? I tried stick welding them with 1/16 rods on low amperage with reversed polarity and all I did was burn the holes bigger....

Other options are soldering, braising, and 2 part epoxys. I do not have tools to braise but I could get a decent solder gun for pretty cheap if it seems like I could fix the tank with it.

That is a pretty common bike, you "should" be able to find a replacement tank out there... Zuki made like eleventy-six bazzilion of those awesome little GS500 / GS550s.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,691  
I have 2001 Suzuki GS500 that has sat for a few years. I recently started going through it to get it back on the road. The tank had rust in it, I got it all out with vinegar and chains strapped to the tractor! The tank has small holes in it from the rust... Anybody have a recommendation on how to repair the holes? I tried stick welding them with 1/16 rods on low amperage with reversed polarity and all I did was burn the holes bigger....

Other options are soldering, braising, and 2 part epoxys. I do not have tools to braise but I could get a decent solder gun for pretty cheap if it seems like I could fix the tank with it.
you would have better chance with a mig or a tig but still pretty very hard to weld seal. guys who weld gas tank will do a liner on the inside once welded. I had luck once out of like 6 times with JB weld most of the time it started leaking after a wild. I have heard guys using seal all..

if you don't have a a proper set of torch I don't recommend soldering it with bronze you wont be able to reach the proper bonding temperature.

this guys is doing it to what looks like lead or silver

this one he welded and line it

the sealer


 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,692  
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,693  
Bike is running PIG rich, Have to see if I still have an assortment of Mikuni main jets... need to check and clean the air filter first but, the engine sounds good otherwise, not a lot of piston slap, and transmission shifts Good. Forks feel like they are low on oil and from the rod seals I bet they are in need of some work.
Still Put a Big smile on my face and hope my brothers to.
Great recovery so far - congratulations...... should be back-to running on One Wheel soon !

Rgds, D.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,694  
Took the Indian Challenger out for a little 125 mile ride yesterday. Kirkwood Ca was really nice, albeit cool (58f).
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,695  
That's cool man, thanks for the impute, my cousin uncle has a Tenere 700 and it is a very nice and capable bike very affordable as well, I would like to have one of these as well...

I have a 450wr I love it but not fast enough (too high RPM at 100km/60mph) for long ride just not made for that, I love it for off roads or little windy road but it ends there, guys with their KTM 450 and 500 just lose me behind with their 6th gear...


That T7 is also a bike I would Really like to have. No Crazy Pol Tarres ambitions at my age. I see he actually rode "this" on a T7


 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,696  
Youtube knows me too well...... making my first coffee (I work late), while watching something unrelated, this one popped up.....


King of Cool, as Harvey..... didn't realize till the end, it was a PSA.

Rgds, D.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,697  
Back from a gathering of Honda CB1100 owners in Bluefield, VA last week. I rode my 2014 the length of WV down 219. Enjoyed good camaraderie and riding southern WV and western VA for a few days then returned.



The "motel cat".








An interesting place on the return was Dingess.




 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,698  
Youtube knows me too well...... making my first coffee (I work late), while watching something unrelated, this one popped up.....


King of Cool, as Harvey..... didn't realize till the end, it was a PSA.

Rgds, D.

Public Service Announcement?? at the end being a Honda ad for the new Elsinores? :)

Ahh that was after McQueen had been riding a few years and was "The" year Honda Broke the dirt bike world.
1973 with the 250 Elsinores. The 125 was front cover of Dirt bike Magazine and was a "Featherweight" power house at 20 HP.
That was the 125 to have that year.

Earlier on He was Big into Husky's and my favorite scenes are from the original On Any Sunday
( Best motorcycle Movie Ever)
riding with Malcolm Smith and Bert Lawill

Wish I still had a picture of my first 250 which was a 1969 Husqvarna Sportsman, kick start on the left, shift on the right ( 4 speed) and rear brake on the left. 3 inches of suspension travel- whether you need it or not:).
Same chrome and red tank though.
They came with those junky Bing carbs and back then didn't even have reed valves. A little porting a Mikuni and a set of Boyesen's Woke them up real Good. Torque monster and short shift.
Ahh the good old days...
 
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   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,699  
Wish I still had a picture of my first 250 which was a 1969 Husqvarna Sportsman, kick start on the left, shift on the right ( 4 speed) and rear brake on the left. 3 inches of suspension travel- whether you need it or not:).

Ahh the good old days...
It wasn't until 1972 that controls were starting to get standardized in the US, and by 1975 was standardized.
 
   / Who rides motorcycles? #1,700  
Public Service Announcement?? at the end being a Honda ad for the new Elsinores? :)
Yep, product placement started long ago :)...... I'm just impressed (Then, or Now) when someone of his stature takes the time to speak about street-safety.

You've had big fun in the dirt..... wish I hadn't started so late, but I'm there now !

Rgds, D.
 

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