Monday, July 23, 2012

Former Happy (Mo'sickle) Days

I got a note from SN2 last evening, thusly:

Dad,
I'm looking forward to meeting your friend tomorrow.  I was surfing the web, researching some parts for the RD and came accross these two pics... I was moved.  I thought you might want to enjoy them as well.
ILY,
S

These are the attached pics:




I replied:

The cafe racer is cool, but that RED bike hit me where I used to live.   Yours could look just like that with a lil work.
Ily,
And he came back with...

Yes... it will look like that.
ILY,
S

It's just a matter of time and priorities.  Long-time Gentle Readers know I gave my RD to Sam after the maid quit and when I was in the process of downsizing life as we knew it.  He's had the bike since about 1999 or so and managed to get it running but not fully restored.  That bike has been in the family since 1979 and has a long and storied history of back-road Hell-raising.  Some history:


YrHmblScrb and the RD, c. 1979


The Complete RD as We Knew Her

I spent the winter of 1978 in my garage working on that bike.  Most of the mods were bolt-ons, which is to say after-market shocks, new handle bars, rear-set foot pegs, a brake/shifter kit, electronic ignition, and better tires.  The cognoscenti will note the expansion chambers on the bike and those were part of the minor engine mods I did.  I didn't want to build a hand-grenade motor so I just added expansion chambers, larger carbs, and K&N air filters to improve the bike's breathing.  I also polished all the cylinder ports to improve air flow.  And that was it... but the finished product really wailed.  I should also mention coastal Oregon was a danged fine place to own a back road burner like the RD, too.

The top pic is YrHmblScrb and the stock bike, the bottom pic is as described above.  That's the state the bike is in today, except for the general decay brought on by being in storage and rarely ridden since about 1985.
I do believe she'll wail again someday.  And I'm gonna ride her, too.

10 comments:

  1. i loved my little 2 stroke rocket back in the day. I traded it for a Honda Nighthawk 650 which I also loved and wish I still had them. I didn't realize at the time what a classic both (particularly the RD) would become.

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    1. I'm still surprised there are as many RD fans out there as there are. I guess I shouldn't be, coz Yamaha sold a few boatloads of 'em.

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  2. That is a cool bike. It will be really cool when you getter goin' again and ride her.

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    1. Thanks, Lou. I'm thinkin' it MIGHT be after Sam retires, though. ;-)

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  3. What a beautiful legacy Buck - truly an heirloom that with proper care will be handed down again.

    BTW, I really like the way you and your son sign your emails - ILY. Perfect. :-)

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  4. Well... I'm a bit late in replying, work and all that.

    I intend to get the bike done before I retire... hopefully before I transfer, but that may be a bit of a stretch.

    I would very much like to get the bike done before I transfer, so you can come out and we can go on a ride (I'll ride my Katana while you take the RD.)

    SN2

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    Replies
    1. Ooooh. THAT could be hazardous to my health. Mainly coz my brain is just as competitive as it ever was, but my body (read as: reflexes and associated riding stuff) AIN'T.

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.