after 3 years of shopping, I finally bought me another 2 wheeler.
For those who don't know, my first love was motorcycles. I saved up my paper-route money when I was 14, and by the time I was 15 years old, I had enough money to buy a 1966 Honda 305cc Scrambler vertical twin.
I rode it home (illegal) and my parents came unglued and took the keys. "You are NOT riding a motorcycle!!"
After doing chores and pleading they agreed to let me keep my bike.
This was a single OHC 2V with a centrigal cam advance and centifugal oil filter that was way ahead of it's time, and could hang with much larger bikes if you had it setup right.
I rode it everywhere; down PCH, Ortega, Temescal Canyon, Four Corners, Mulholland, etc, etc. If there was a twisty road, I was wasting my youth on it!
I sold the 305 and picked up a busted 1972 Kawasaki H1 (MachIII) 500cc two-stroke triple, which I quickly put together with hose-clamps and duct-tape. This is arguably the most vicious bike ever produced. Just plain mean. But lovable none-the-less. Like the gutter tramp girl your parents rolled their eyes at, it was extreme excitement with a guarantee of pain. It ran 12.8 @ 101 mph with my 16 year old invulnerable body on board at Orange County Raceway in Irvine, California.
The fast guy in town just got a new Sukuzi 750cc four with all the Yoshimura goodies. Nobody could whip him. His name was Matt Brown.
His friends egged him on to race against the Rat bike; some dumb ass with a Kaw triple held together with hose clamps, name of McSwain. "I'll run this 'McRat' guy, and I'll dust him."
We meet at the bowling alley, and pick out a light to race from. Light goes off... McRat trees him, and he never quite catches up. The "McRat" name is born.
I continue to drag race and street race Kawasaki triples and the venerable Z1 (900cc DOHC). I end up owning and racing dozens of bikes, with the pinacle being a 1977 KZ650 which I turbocharged and ran 10.90 @ 135 mph with.
At the time (1981?), I dominated the streets and the local track with the fastest street bike in SoCal, my red white and blue KZ650 turbo.
Then I got into desert racing. I bought a 1982 KTM 250. This was the weapon of choice for desert racing, and I trophied a few times in AMA District 37 Desert. It was not my skills, it was the KTM. It was a superior bike with far better handling. I just hung on for the ride.
I played with Whitey (KTM 250) at Glamis, El Mirage, etc, and had a blast. Best dirt bike I ever rode.
Well, I owned another 30+ bikes. Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Yamaha, etc. From 250cc to 1100cc, I raced, played, it was all good.
When Allison and Tom were born, I agreed to run only 4 wheelers. I sold all the motorcycles and started racing cars and trucks.
Today I bought a 2006 KTM 300 EXC. It's light, trick, and very fast. Damn, I'm in love again. It's a rocket waiting for a landing pad. Needs some TLC, but it's very nimble, smooth, and yet wickedly powerful at the same time.
It is very easy to ride 0-1 mph. And it's easy to ride on one tire.
I think I'm in love again!
For those who don't know, my first love was motorcycles. I saved up my paper-route money when I was 14, and by the time I was 15 years old, I had enough money to buy a 1966 Honda 305cc Scrambler vertical twin.
I rode it home (illegal) and my parents came unglued and took the keys. "You are NOT riding a motorcycle!!"
After doing chores and pleading they agreed to let me keep my bike.
This was a single OHC 2V with a centrigal cam advance and centifugal oil filter that was way ahead of it's time, and could hang with much larger bikes if you had it setup right.
I rode it everywhere; down PCH, Ortega, Temescal Canyon, Four Corners, Mulholland, etc, etc. If there was a twisty road, I was wasting my youth on it!
I sold the 305 and picked up a busted 1972 Kawasaki H1 (MachIII) 500cc two-stroke triple, which I quickly put together with hose-clamps and duct-tape. This is arguably the most vicious bike ever produced. Just plain mean. But lovable none-the-less. Like the gutter tramp girl your parents rolled their eyes at, it was extreme excitement with a guarantee of pain. It ran 12.8 @ 101 mph with my 16 year old invulnerable body on board at Orange County Raceway in Irvine, California.
The fast guy in town just got a new Sukuzi 750cc four with all the Yoshimura goodies. Nobody could whip him. His name was Matt Brown.
His friends egged him on to race against the Rat bike; some dumb ass with a Kaw triple held together with hose clamps, name of McSwain. "I'll run this 'McRat' guy, and I'll dust him."
We meet at the bowling alley, and pick out a light to race from. Light goes off... McRat trees him, and he never quite catches up. The "McRat" name is born.
I continue to drag race and street race Kawasaki triples and the venerable Z1 (900cc DOHC). I end up owning and racing dozens of bikes, with the pinacle being a 1977 KZ650 which I turbocharged and ran 10.90 @ 135 mph with.
At the time (1981?), I dominated the streets and the local track with the fastest street bike in SoCal, my red white and blue KZ650 turbo.
Then I got into desert racing. I bought a 1982 KTM 250. This was the weapon of choice for desert racing, and I trophied a few times in AMA District 37 Desert. It was not my skills, it was the KTM. It was a superior bike with far better handling. I just hung on for the ride.
I played with Whitey (KTM 250) at Glamis, El Mirage, etc, and had a blast. Best dirt bike I ever rode. Well, I owned another 30+ bikes. Harley, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, Yamaha, etc. From 250cc to 1100cc, I raced, played, it was all good.
When Allison and Tom were born, I agreed to run only 4 wheelers. I sold all the motorcycles and started racing cars and trucks.
Today I bought a 2006 KTM 300 EXC. It's light, trick, and very fast. Damn, I'm in love again. It's a rocket waiting for a landing pad. Needs some TLC, but it's very nimble, smooth, and yet wickedly powerful at the same time.
It is very easy to ride 0-1 mph. And it's easy to ride on one tire.
I think I'm in love again!
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