My Yamaha Shop Memories (Late 70's Early 80's)

Vincenthdfan

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Posted this on another thread, but felt like I was hijacking thread so I moved it here.

When I used to work in a Yamaha shop in the late 70's / early 80's I used to assemble many, many brand new XS-650's out of the crate.

I would service them after I assembled them and part of the service was to take each one of them out and give them a good shakedown ride for several miles.

I would always put each one of them on the center stand and start em up for a warm up...then I would go over to my bench and grab my helmet and gloves....every time, without fail I would get a big chuckle about how far the 650 vibrated across the shop floor by the time I got back from my bench...every time.

It was very entertaining, lol.

I absolutely loved riding those 650 Specials too...so slender, fun to ride, sounded like a Triumph to me.

Then, there was the very first YZ465 we got out of the crate. That thing was a BEAST...it came on the pipe and straight up in my face, all I could see in my mind was dollar signs $$ thinking about having to buy a new rear fender, handlebar, etc... Scared the hell out of me, great fun!

The 750 Seca with high tech anti dive front forks that rode like crap, locked up on jittery bumps very badly!

The 550 Seca with mini fairing that rode like it was on rails, so much so, I thought the rear tire was low or something? Amazing bike....I loved it! Don't know why we didn't sell more of them?

The XS1100's Standard or Special...handled terribly but the power, wow!! Better be holding on tight!

Then there were the Midnight Specials....wow, they were beautiful and sold like hot cakes. Beautiful gloss black with gold accents everywhere. Everyone was excited to see me get the first one out of the crate so they could check it out in person.

The time I got a phone call from a coworker to come get him with the shop truck and "bring a ramp with tie downs...were gonna need em" he said.

I got to his location, and leading to where he was leaning on the bike was this super long squiggly black line leading down the freeway on ramp straight to the rear wheel of the 1100 he was test riding.

Turns out as he was getting on it pretty hard to get on Interstate 5, the rear wheel locked up....he pulled in the clutch and it did no good, still skidded outta control!!

We got it back to the shop and dissected it....low on 90 weight and the gears in the shaft drive locked up tight!!

Any lesser talented rider would've bitten it for sure....he rode it out to a stop, very lucky!!

Then there were the crummy rides too...like when I assembled, serviced and test rode a whole fleet of Yamaha QT50's for a gentleman that was setting up a rental moped business.

I had to ride each one of the 50 or so I assembled a mile or two....ugh, I can still hear the monotone drone of those little automatic two strokes, lol.

I even had a nightmare one evening of being chased by a whole bunch of them....true story!!
 
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While a young cycle nut I too did work in a few cycle shops. Bottom level tech mostly. The most fun was that a Honda Shop owner in Bend Ore. Put me in charge of all the used cycles servicing & prepping for sales. I could borrow any bike for the weekend ! This was good for both myself and the business. Had a great time ! CBX'S (6cyl) Do burn off the rear rubber with a strange howl !
 
I remember the day I turned 16 my boss coming back and telling me to "Take that DT-175 over there, ride it down to the DMV and get your endorsement so you can start test riding these things!" Aww, shucks...I guess if I have to. ;-)
 
I used to beg my dad to take me to the Yamaha shop every-time he went. He had a CT-73 enduro. They always had a little 50 or something maybe smaller I could sit on; on the floor. I loved sitting on that and pretending I was riding. Oh and begging for one like really begging. Some 25 years later I was buying parts for my bike there. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.
IMG_0859.jpg *The google machine shows a yz50 was my bike of choice*
 
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When I was young Yamahas were just IT for me. I learned to ride a motorcycle when I was 12 years old , on a first generation DT250, those old orange colored ones.
When I was 16 the very first vehicle I ever owned was a '73 RD350 a furious little smoke bomb. My parents hated it.
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Later I bought. 1975 XT500 , I absolutely loved that bike. That motor was a pure torque pump.

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Then came my '76 XS650, beautiful bike lost to a fire.

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And my last Yamaha in the '70s, my '78 XS750
That I bought when I used my insurance money from my burned 650. It was really a great running bike. I'm amazed they are so rare now.

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Man I used to spend so much time hanging out at my local Yamaha shop they all knew my name and I knew all the guys. I used to think that if I could only work there that would be heaven to get paid for doing what I loved to do.
 
2M immortalized on the silver screen! How cool is that?
I once met Zsa Zsa Gabor in a Mongomery Wards, but that's not the same huh? Haha
 
Mid 70s. 16. Skinny kid with hair in my eyes. Got a job at a bicycle/motorcycle shop that sold Guzzis, Nortons, and Suzukis- mostly Suzukis. Couldn’t wait to get out of class and down to the shop. I’d be greeted by the thumping of a tired piston trying to pump air into an ancient compressor and the smell of the parts cleaner.

Boss hated lacing wheels. I became the wheelman. The only one patient enough to lace and true a rim- probably just that I was lowest paid.

Favorite memory is when my Kennedy 520 toolbox arrived and I finally had a home for my tools. I was suppose to be saving for college, but I would squirrel some money away for tools instead. I think of that shop every time I open my box; and every time I hear the ping of a hammer hitting my old Vessel impact.
 
Well, I still can't see the video clip (maybe it's fake news??) but I will say the given a choice between ZsaZsa Gabor and Mr Kablata-Kablata....I'd pick him....but if you offered me 15 minutes in the dark with Loretta Swit......

.....hmmmmmmmm..... :heart:
 
Hawk eye and bj hunny cut get first dibs on hot lip hulihan

True....but she was pretty sexy in the day....and yes, 15 minutes will just about do it for me these days....until 15 minutes later when I need another 15 minutes. ;).
 
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