Me the day I bought the bike- title in hand and a shit eatin grin!
Here she is the way I first laid eyes on her-
And here she is now, after all the love and care I’ve given her-
I’ve been excited all week about making this post- Today marks one year since I bought this bike, and boy has it changed my life. I have learned so much about xs650’s and bikes in general. I bought the bike and had to wait a week for the PO to ride it over to my place because I didn't know how to ride yet. I slowly rode around in 1st and 2nd gear through the trailer court down the street in the weeks leading up to the MSF course. The bike seemed so huge and heavy then! I have replaced seals, gaskets, tires, ignition systems, rebuilt the brake caliper, made a cable, rebuilt and hand polished the forks, learned to adjust tappets and set timing, and put down something over 3,000 miles of riding last summer. I rode to my first moto event on the bike last year (The J&P cycles vintage bike rally in anamosa), and I’ve kept in touch with the PO throughout the year, whose wife just invited me to his surprise 70th birthday party two days ago. My neighbors have helped me when I need an extra hand (Or body on the seat when adjusting chain tension) and the bike gets lots of love everywhere it goes. I’m looking forward to another season of riding, and (hopefully less) wrenching. My tentative plan is to nurse one more summer out of her, and then do a top end next winter, and probably address the last needed frame upgrades, (swing-arm bushings and steering neck bearing and new shocks.) I wouldn't have had a chance at the success I’ve enjoyed with learning if it wasnt for this Forum and all the wonderful people in it. Thank you everybody for all the support, encouragement, and invaluable wisdom you’ve provided me in my journey. This forum has been as much a part of my experience with the bike as anything else. Here’s to another great year for our shared love of these awesome bikes, and two wheeled machines in general!
Here she is the way I first laid eyes on her-
And here she is now, after all the love and care I’ve given her-
I’ve been excited all week about making this post- Today marks one year since I bought this bike, and boy has it changed my life. I have learned so much about xs650’s and bikes in general. I bought the bike and had to wait a week for the PO to ride it over to my place because I didn't know how to ride yet. I slowly rode around in 1st and 2nd gear through the trailer court down the street in the weeks leading up to the MSF course. The bike seemed so huge and heavy then! I have replaced seals, gaskets, tires, ignition systems, rebuilt the brake caliper, made a cable, rebuilt and hand polished the forks, learned to adjust tappets and set timing, and put down something over 3,000 miles of riding last summer. I rode to my first moto event on the bike last year (The J&P cycles vintage bike rally in anamosa), and I’ve kept in touch with the PO throughout the year, whose wife just invited me to his surprise 70th birthday party two days ago. My neighbors have helped me when I need an extra hand (Or body on the seat when adjusting chain tension) and the bike gets lots of love everywhere it goes. I’m looking forward to another season of riding, and (hopefully less) wrenching. My tentative plan is to nurse one more summer out of her, and then do a top end next winter, and probably address the last needed frame upgrades, (swing-arm bushings and steering neck bearing and new shocks.) I wouldn't have had a chance at the success I’ve enjoyed with learning if it wasnt for this Forum and all the wonderful people in it. Thank you everybody for all the support, encouragement, and invaluable wisdom you’ve provided me in my journey. This forum has been as much a part of my experience with the bike as anything else. Here’s to another great year for our shared love of these awesome bikes, and two wheeled machines in general!
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Oh, I should have my girlfriend read through this thread. Not that I expect it to change her mind, but so that she understands that the value of a motorcycle CAN in fact rival that of a cat. We had this debate a few months back; she’s a cat lady. I do love both her cats though, those crazy little shitrats.
