Originally Posted By: TucsonDon
Bikes from that era bring a tear to my eye ... lots of memories of a relatively carefree life riding motorcycles up and down country roads and across fields.
Way back when I had a little Honda CL-70. Seems tiny by today's standards, but I'll tell you this -- I had more fun on that thing than I can describe.
I'm lucky to still be alive, though -- I was foolishly reckless on the darn thing.
I know what you mean bud.
They say you can never go back... and that's true. However, I find a certain sense rejuvenation and satisfaction bringing old bikes of my youth back to life. Certain bikes made milestones in motorcycle history. Sure, there were the Brit & other European bikes and Harleys over the ages. However, despite their popularity and enduring pasts, they didn't have the same, sudden and overwhelming impact these old Japanes two strokes did when they arrived in the west.
Back in the late '60s early '70s, $900.00 would buy a smoking little hot rod that would blow the doors off of bikes with three or four times their displacement. Some were straight line screaming rockets like the vicious Kawasaki Mach III. Others were powerful quick little twins like the 250cc Suzuki X6 Hustler, sophisticated Bridgestone 350 and the race bred, nimble Yamaha RDs.
Whenever I ride one of my RDs, I'm grinning ear to ear. Trust me. These aren't comfy bikes. Suspension is choppy, acceleration is moderate until the tach gets to 6000 rpm then the power comes on like a light switch. Instant acceleration and pulls pretty ferociously right up to 9500. They can carve corners better than most people can ride them. All the time with a wicked two stroke wail. And let's not forget the intoxicating perfume of two stroke exhaust.
Ahhh, those were the days.... and every once in a while I get to re-live them, just a little bit.
