Friday, November 22, 2013

Five year itch...

You know you've got the bug in a bad way when you find yourself staring wistfully at a dumpy little Hawk on a soggy fifty degree November afternoon and thinking it'd be nice to be riding it rather than looking at it.
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33 comments:

Scott J said...

I've been missing having something more fun to drive than the Dodge Ram lately.

Told my dear SWMBO I want an engine stand for Christmas hoping it will inspire me to make a little more forward progress on the Alfa.

9:48 AM, November 22, 2013
Reno Sepulveda said...

I now what you mean. There's a decrepit CB750 parked across from my office that looks so inviting.

9:50 AM, November 22, 2013
Scott J said...

Of course what I really miss is my 2001 SVT Cobra in True Blue.

I pray I am someday fortunate enough to have the money to hunt it down (the one I had, not another copy) and buy it back.

9:53 AM, November 22, 2013
Paul said...

Yep, those where fun little bikes. Like the Honda's better than the Yamaha's.

Yahama was faster but the center of gravity seemed higher which made it a little nervy to go deep into a corner.

I could lean the honda's a little further with out feeling like I as balanced on a board.

Damn near bought one from craigslist the other day. Not that I need one of the stupid things.

9:56 AM, November 22, 2013
Tam said...

I would murder people in their beds for an RZ350...

10:03 AM, November 22, 2013
Stuart the Viking said...

Tam don't want a pickle!
She just wants to rid on a motor-cickle.

Sorry, it's what popped into my head when I read this post.

s

10:20 AM, November 22, 2013
MoBoondocks said...

I would murder people in their beds for an RZ350... Cool on wanting a RZ but I think Craigslist would be less trouble ;)

10:22 AM, November 22, 2013
John said...

The answer, of course, is to get back on the saddle. I hear all the kids are doing it these days.

Alas, Winter has arrived in Colorado, so the Vstar sits impatiently in the garage waiting for ice-free roads and temperatures to climb at least slightly above hypofreezingmynutsoffthermia.

10:23 AM, November 22, 2013
Earl said...

All you love, will always be waiting for your return. It will never be the same, probably better because you have developed an appreciation.

All you love is worth the look, and the wistful - now where is that step between thought and action?

12:05 PM, November 22, 2013
jim in houston said...

I was talking with a couple of friends recently about 410-class road racers from Laconia and Bridgehampton back around 1980s. (Both guys being Ducati fiends that had never heard of Moto Morinis.) I mentioned in with dozens of RD350/400 Yams and a MM 3 1/2 or two, you would usually see a couple of the (recently introduced) Hawks as well, though compared to either the ring-dings or baby V-twins it was hardly a race bike. Then mentioned that in the last few years I've seen more Hawks running around Houston than any other bike from that era. They were made to last.

12:35 PM, November 22, 2013
TV Norn said...

Back then, the 'outlier' bike racing
the RDs and Morinis et al was the Honda CB400F, still a cult bike. Friend Peter Egan was one such 400F
guy...

...Tam, you don't need to hear it from me, but once we've gotten the bug, we never shake it...

...A worthwhile movie just out is 'Why We Ride' - well worth a look.

1:37 PM, November 22, 2013
LCB said...

Come back to the dark (leather) side, Tam. The rode, she is a calling...

2:14 PM, November 22, 2013
RollsCanardly said...

I'd like to highly recommend a DRZ-400SM - it reminds me a lot of my '77 RD400 - kind of tall, narrow (especially with the Magura BMW bars I used on both bikes) and lots of fun to ride.

2:45 PM, November 22, 2013
LCB said...

Guess I'm getting old. My dream bike now is a fully loaded cruiser. H-D Electra Glide or Kaw Vulcan Voyage. Want to be able to get on, ride all day and not feel like a pretzel when I get done. Want to ride west and not stop until I get to the Pacific. Follow the coast down, then come back via the southern route. Someday...

3:43 PM, November 22, 2013
Ed said...

The "I would murder people in their beds for an RZ350..." got my attention, but did not trigger any memory associations, so I looked it up:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamaha_RZ350

A liquid cooled, two-stroke, catalytic convertor equipped motorcycle only sold in the U.S. in 1984 and 1985, and only in California in 1985? "Estimated RZ350 production for the USA is about 20,000 motorcycles."

A unique wish, indeed. I hope that you find one in good condition soon, and that people die in their sleep in their own beds from natural causes with their dreams fulfilled.

5:06 PM, November 22, 2013
Tim said...

Come on, Tam. Life's too short to be a biker without a bike.

Everyone has one big crash. You've had yours so you'll be safe now.

6:13 PM, November 22, 2013
roland said...

Egan just semi-retired. I wept as I read his words. I've loved his work for half my life.
Let's take up a collection and buy Tam an RZ with Toomey pipes.

6:37 PM, November 22, 2013
roland said...

When Egan announced his retirement I wept. I've been reading his work half my life, always wanting more.

Let's take up a colection and buy Tam an RZ decked with Toomey pipes.

6:43 PM, November 22, 2013
Tam said...

"Egan just semi-retired."

I has a sad. I'm going to go find all my old issues of CW and R&T from the eighties and reread some of my favorites, like "The Glory Days Of The Late Straight Eight, or They Race Buicks, Don't They?" :(

6:46 PM, November 22, 2013
Borepatch said...

I rode the bike to the office yesterday. I was walking into the building and an older guy said quite off handedly to me that he sold his bike years earlier and regretted it.

I run into this rather a lot, actually.

6:47 PM, November 22, 2013
Paul said...

I've got the perfect bike in the Garage. 82 or so Yamaha 1100xs Black Lightning. shaft drive air cooled. Big enough to behave but small enough to be able to right when you get loose on a corner. Two carbs leak gas like they had a hole in them. The bike runs, but until I rebuild the carbs it is not safe. Anytime I get the urge I can go look at and think about rebuilding the carbs and go back in the house.

I could ride again, but damn, it hurts sometimes and I have just about given up doing things that involve incident pain.

I suppose that is growing up. Kind of a bummer, but if I want to get older, maybe I need to be a little smarter.

7:15 PM, November 22, 2013
The Freeholder said...

My first bike was a dumpy little Hawk not too much older than that one. I miss it and all of it's successors--not that I could ride any of them safely these days.

9:02 PM, November 22, 2013
Anonymous said...

The Suzuki TU250 looks like fun for us smaller older folks. Just need a set of fork gaiters and rack on the back....

9:22 PM, November 22, 2013
nbpundit said...

Begging to butt in.
We have two Harleys, a screaming eagle, and a dyna switch back. Love them both. 2014 brings new delights for the biker, the new 750 and 500 street bikes. We're waiting to try them out while taking a safety course. Check them out.
http://street.harley-davidson.com/en_US?sess=1gjedov98kckg4icj34g7kkj31&locale=en_US

We are not affliated with Harley, our first bike way back when was a Suzuki Cavalcade.

10:25 PM, November 22, 2013
Anonymous said...

Sorry, I keep looking at the picture and wonder what if you stopped by the goodwill next door.

Kerry

10:26 PM, November 22, 2013
Anonymous said...

"Dumpy little Hawk" indeed. Hmph.

I'll have you know my 1981 BOXSTOCK "dumpy little Hawk" finished in front of every GPZ-550 except for the first five (which got away) when we had a single wave start of the 450 and 600 classes at Willow Springs.

Hmph. Dumpy little Hawk. Hmph.

BSR

p.s. Oh, and by the way, I believe the one in the picture is an '80.

11:15 PM, November 22, 2013
Tam said...

nbpundit,

It's been a while since I said this about any Harley without a Buell badge, but I kinda want one of those. :o

11:35 PM, November 22, 2013
Siege said...

One of the first things I'm doing after I graduate college is start working on building my own motorcycle. I've always wanted a motorcycle, but having a neuropsychologist (who's job is to measure brain damage and deterioration) for a mother has always kind of put a damper on that (she sees a worryingly large number of motorcyclists).

But now I'm an engineer, and I refuse to believe that the unchanged-in-100-years design of the motorcycle can't be improved upon, and I think I've got something that will work.

11:58 PM, November 22, 2013
jeff said...

I just picked up a rough CB750 for the better half, which means that my TL full rebuild gets pushed back another season while hers gets improved. I'm thinking "street tracker" rather than "cafe racer", but we'll see what rolls out of the lab.

3:34 AM, November 23, 2013
roland said...

How 'bout a CB-1? I had a bad case of moto-lust for those things back in the day when I was racking up miles on a CB400T.
The last time I took the gentler GSXR7/11 out for a spin I thought my hips were gonna lock up. I had to ride half a block standing on the pegs to quell the ouchness. I'm thinking it is time to abandon the "monkey fucking a football" ergos. I'm gonna see if I can snag a test ride on a Triumph Thruxton at Daytona next year. Those things are dead sexy.

2:54 PM, November 23, 2013
Scott said...

We have a Honda NT650 (the sex Hawk) we'd sell ya but you can't have my Buell...unless I can find a Uly to take it's place. Sari wants to trade sideways to a Suzuki SV650 so Hawk is up for grabs there's also a parts bike that could go with it if you are interested. I finally parted out the RC51 and bought another Buell god I missed riding a bike that didn't hurt me every time I spent more than an hour in the saddle. I also missed the sound, it's instantly identifiable as American and for me at least conjures the same happy thoughts in my head as a SBC at 6800rpm.
While I felt rusty as hell on my favorite twisty road the two times this year I got go play on it it was also felt really satisfying and right. It was also fun to go ride with my wife after a five year hiatus.

11:31 PM, November 23, 2013
Scott said...

Oh yeah RZ350's are great fun but on the whole I prefer 4 strokes and modern fuel injected bikes, I kind of like having a powerband that is more than 2000 rpm wide. I had a 76 RD350 for a year or so fun but I didn't fit it very well so I sold it and bought a 1980 KZ1000 my first fast bike it was also the bike I sold the fastest because I knew I was going to kill myself if I kept it.

11:38 PM, November 23, 2013
RogerC said...

I miss my VFR750F. I also miss my old Fazer MkI.

However, I disposed of both of those bikes by smashing them into other moving vehicles. I haven't had a car accident or a ticket in over 20 years, but I rode bikes for ten (worked as a courier for three of those) and could *not* seem to stay out of trouble. Must be a flaw in my temperament.

Maybe one day, if I move to somewhere where the roads are empty enough, I'll buy another. Until then, I like being alive and I adore what's left of my hearing.

I still get wistful, especially when the guy opposite the office starts up his Ducati to go home in the evenings, but for now I'm in remission. I love bikes, but I'm pretty sure that if I go back to them, they'll kill me.

I do get so bored though...

7:00 AM, November 25, 2013

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