(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Time to move on

D

David G

Well-known Member
I sold my motorcycle today, snow skis and boots going soon, more time for tools, tractors and boats.
 
I was around 45 years old, one sunny and bright summer afternoon, in my bathing suit, hair flying in the breeeze, no glasses, on vacation, beer in hand, doing about 80 on a paved country road...............it occurred to me that I could get killed doing that. When we got home I sold it and haven't been on one since...have given up the beer drinking too...but it was fun while it lasted.
 
My brother decide a deer was in his future and so he sold his also. His wife was disappointed. Now she has bought a travel trailer and so of course a new truck to pull it.
 
A couple years ago in our community a farmer bought a Harley and got killed a couple hours later hitting a deer. Some can ride all over the country for decades..
 
When I was 15 I hit a dog while riding home from feeding the cows. The only thing that kept me from being hurt was it was winter and I had on alot of cloths. I had road rash from my right foot all the way to my shoulder.
 
(quoted from post at 16:52:59 12/23/20) I sold my motorcycle today, snow skis and boots going soon, more time for tools, tractors and boats.
Click to expand...

Goldwing has plates from 2008 on it, Suzuki DR350ES has 2012 plates on it, need to sell them I guess. We have moved on to a Polaris General 1000 for our winter fun now. My wife loves it, which is a bonus. Working on moving tractors out now...
mvphoto67110.jpg
 
When it got so a tractor was too slow for me, I got a mini bike. After a couple of years on that, and a couple of spills, I was old enough to get my license. That ended being on two wheels. I'd had enough.
 
I hit a deer on a motorcycle at 17 years old. It was not too bad.

About 15 years ago, I hit another one. Rather, that one hit me.
This time it got me a helicopter ride to the hospital. Not good.

Three weeks after I got out of the hospital, while my jaws were still
wired shut, I put on jeans for the first time since that accident and
road my new motorcycle home from the dealership 50 miles away.
It was a big bike. Honda Goldwing.

Lots of stop lights until I got to the freeway, then it was 70 miles
an hour until I got close to home. Back on the horse, so to speak.

That bike is now gone, but I still own one. I don't ride it much any
more but that's mainly because of the idiots on the road, not fear
of my ability or the deer.

Some pics of what was left. Neither the deer or the bike were salvageable.

mvphoto67111.jpg


mvphoto67112.jpg


mvphoto67113.jpg
 
I traded mine off in 1969. We had a new baby, and the heater wasn't very good in my old Ford, traded Harley on a brand new Plymouth so we had a car with a good heater. (Kept my old Ford for a work car)
 

Worst I have done is hit a rabbit with the Aspencade on the way to work in Lansing one foggy morning....it gave me the wobbles for awhile, but kept her up. Funny how when you ride every day you just don't think about what could happen....
 
(quoted from post at 18:50:45 12/23/20) I haven't owned a motorcycle since the early 1980s but for some reason I still keep up the MC endorsement on my DL.
Click to expand...

I figure it is easier to pay a few extra bucks every 6 years than to re-take that riding test!
 
My son hit and killed a deer with a medium sized motorcycle about ten years ago. He somehow stayed upright and continued the two miles home with a bent fork and badly bruised leg. He has a wife and three kids so his wife put her foot down and said no more motorcycle so he sold it. Last spring he bought another one but hardly ever rides it. I dont like the idea of him having another one but I cant do much about it. I used to ride dirt bikes a lot but never did much road riding.
 
I had road up to dad's liquor store to help him stock shelves one night. I was sleeping at his house but working for a neighbor. As I was going out the door your going to kill yourself when you hit a deer.Three miles out of town I missed one by 10ft. I still own the dirt bike I bought new in 1976. If anyone has a carburetor for a TY250 let me know.
 
That's a decision each of us has to make for ourselves and I respect yours.

I'm 70 and still riding, tho I don't know for how long. I don't do big cities and heavy traffic any more, mostly just an hour or two on a nice day on rural roads. Don't ride early in the morning or too late in the afternoon because deer more active then.

Of course deer can be anywhere at any time and inattentive drivers are a constant concern but for the moment, it's still worth it to me. The bike is 115 horsepower in a sub-500 pound package so it's a BLAST to ride.
FJsmall.jpg
 
I rode dirt track for 6-7 years, then street bikes for 9 years. Got rid of my "84 Honda 700V4 in "88. I figured my 2 year old son might need a Daddy in later years.
 


I am going skiing as soon as the slopes are open. I haven't been in five years but now I have a new hip. I am also planning on a thousand miles on the sled this winter.
 
PHIL: Your Honda 700 V4 ..... must have been a Sabre or a Magna right? I think those were the Names for North America for those models and the 700 cc size squeezed in under some kind of import tax on bikes larger than that right? Trying to protect Harley Davidson or something like that. They were still 750's here in Canada and the rest of the world I believe while 700's in the US. Not sure when that rule disappeared.
 
Royse ..... that's a Honda Silver Wing in the photos right? Transverse V-twin of 500 or 650 cc ??? Man, that bike is really bent up.
 
(quoted from post at 06:20:44 12/24/20) PHIL: Your Honda 700 V4 ..... must have been a Sabre or a Magna right? I think those were the Names for North America for those models and the 700 cc size squeezed in under some kind of import tax on bikes larger than that right? Trying to protect Harley Davidson or something like that. They were still 750's here in Canada and the rest of the world I believe while 700's in the US. Not sure when that rule disappeared.
Click to expand...

I had a 1984 VF700F Interceptor that I bought in 86 while in college. That was a V4 sport bike design. Later I took a slight upgrade to the 1991 GSXR1100, sold that when the second son was born. I did prove that I could justify the insurance cost by riding it to work at least one day of 50 weeks the calendar year of 1997.

I just bought a 1984 Honda 700SC Nighthawk S a couple of years ago. That is an inline 4, shaft drive. It was a similar model that my buddy bought to get me to buy the Interceptor. Much less aggressive riding position for an old, fat guy. I put a couple thousand miles on it each year just riding to work and back. I like that it keeps me awake after night shifts and I get to park about a quarter mile closer to the plant then the cars.
 
I have many ‘bad’ stories about motorcycles. But, I also have an uncle who suffered 2 broken legs from a motorcycle accident and years later a broken leg from skiing. I have stayed away from both activities and haven’t missed much fun, in my opinion.
 
Well, I guess you got to do what you got to do, Still riding my Kawasaki Mean Streak & Suzuki DR 650, not to work or every day, but enjoy the time on them too, also ski, but don't worry about getting hurt ! When the good Lord feels it's your time, then it is. In the mean time I'm going to enjoy the things I can do, can't live in fear of "What if ?"
 
Crazy Horse - Good eye. Yes, it was a SilverWing Interstate.
Neat little bikes. The saddle bags unsnapped and could be carried
like suitcases which was very handy if/when you stopped at a hotel.
 
KE ...... I had mentioned in another reply here about the 700cc Japanese bikes in the US .... here's some info from a web search .... I don't believe it affected the 750's imported to Canada. Like the rest of the world, they remained 750 cc. Your bike shows up in the list at the end .... so the 700's were specially produced to avoid the US tariff. Not sure how long that lasted for ....

"In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm domestic producers. After an investigation by the US International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. Harley Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers. In 1983, many of the Japanese and other foreign manufactures dropped engine sizes from 750cc to 700cc in what has become known as the "Harley tariff". US President Ronald Reagan imposed a 45 percent tariff over a five-year period on the import of Japanese motorcycles, improving Harley-Davidson's ability to compete against high-quality foreign manufacturers as the last U.S. motorcycle manufacturer". Models Affected included .....

Honda VT700C
Honda VFR700F
Yamaha XV700
Yamaha XV750
Yamaha FZX700
Yamaha FZX750
Honda VT750C
Honda VF700F ‎
Kawasaki ZN700A
Kawasaki VN700A
Kawasaki VN750A
Honda VF750F
Kawasaki KZ700A
 

By the time I stopped riding I'd ended up with a little collection of Honda CB's. Kinda wish I'd held onto one or two as they've done nothing but go up up up in value.

Years ago I took the CB650-4 all the way to SD, turned around at Mt Rushmore. Pulled over to get my bearings and give my butt a rest somewhere in Illinois. Guy was pulling out of a JD dealer that had just closed for the day. Big Gold Wing all dressed out. That's the bike I should have been riding.

Gerrit
 
(quoted from post at 08:28:24 12/24/20) KE ...... I had mentioned in another reply here about the 700cc Japanese bikes in the US .... here's some info from a web search .... I don't believe it affected the 750's imported to Canada. Like the rest of the world, they remained 750 cc. Your bike shows up in the list at the end .... so the 700's were specially produced to avoid the US tariff. Not sure how long that lasted for ....

"In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm domestic producers. After an investigation by the US International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. Harley Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers. In 1983, many of the Japanese and other foreign manufactures dropped engine sizes from 750cc to 700cc in what has become known as the "Harley tariff". US President Ronald Reagan imposed a 45 percent tariff over a five-year period on the import of Japanese motorcycles, improving Harley-Davidson's ability to compete against high-quality foreign manufacturers as the last U.S. motorcycle manufacturer". Models Affected included .....

Honda VT700C
Honda VFR700F
Yamaha XV700
Yamaha XV750
Yamaha FZX700
Yamaha FZX750
Honda VT750C
Honda VF700F ‎
Kawasaki ZN700A
Kawasaki VN700A
Kawasaki VN750A
Honda VF750F
Kawasaki KZ700A
Click to expand...

Yeah that tariff sucked for me, I had a pretty good hobby of buying and selling bikes on the side....I could buy them cheap, clean them up, ride them awhile and then sell them. I have owned 2 V45 Sabres, the first one had less than 2000 miles on it and I gave $1800 for it, the last one many years later and I should have kept it. Once the tariff went into full effect, the price of all bikes shot way up and there was not much profit in them anymore. I then switched to tractors....
 
(quoted from post at 18:52:59 12/23/20) I sold my motorcycle today, snow skis and boots going soon, more time for tools, tractors and boats.
Click to expand...

Too bad. We will really know you have moved on when you sell your parachutes, scuba gear, mountain climbing gear, quit running marathons, and quit swimming the English Channel. Hate to hear it when that happens. Just hang out in the recliner/rocker.
 
I keep buying more. I’ve got 4 in the garage now. The new Honda Monkey is a hoot!
cvphoto68304.jpg

We ride the little dirt bikes with our 7 year old grandson.
cvphoto68305.jpg
 
We should sell our snow skis if we are going to spend the winter in AZ, and I just bought a better ice auger last year! Ice fishing conditions haven't been good the last few years, glad I'm in AZ.
 
My problem is I would buy them, and not sell them. In the last 50 years I have accumulated quite a lot of motorcycles. I only keep one licensed for an occasional ride. I enjoy restoring them more than riding. My latest project is installing a sidecar on my 47 Indian Chief. When riding motorcycles you just have to remember to keep the shinny side up. I didn't remember that rule a few times. Stan
 
10 years ago, when my youngest son still had time to ride with me, that was a 5 day trip to the UP.
I quit riding 5 years ago and gave all three machines to the same son. I still get to work on them
though. Leaving for FL on the 30th for 3 months. Now that's my idea of winter.
 
At 72 I have two Harleys. One has a high performance Panhead engine in a 1981 frame with a jockey shift and suicide clutch that I bought 22 years ago. The other is a 1978 Harley Sportster with an engine that was used for drag racing for many years, bought it in 2016. I ride when I feel like it, neither is for sale as long as I am alive.
 

cvphoto68357.jpg


cvphoto68358.jpg

My 1969 XLCH notice the access to clutch adjustment on cover added by me .
Notice in the first pic it has Harley forks and in the second pic Italian Ceriani forks .The bike was in my den for thwe conversion one winter. Custom fork brace and got rid of aftermarket made brace in first pic .
 

A friend who is, I believe, 76 years old is still racing and winning in vintage classes. His bikes are highly modified Yamahas. He builds the frames himself. He raced for Boston cycles Yamaha back in the sixties and seventies. He raced against Yvonne Duhamel, Kenny Robertson, Gary Nixon and the others of that time.
 
I see a lot of nice custom pieces on it, fine work! I hope mine turns out that nice when I'm done. It is sitting in the garage waiting for me to get the Pan off the lift, it was off but I screwed up on adjusting the exhaust valve on the back cylinder, bent it, so a shop in Nashville has replaced it and I will pick up the head on Monday. These pics are from when I brought it home 4 years ago, I've been a little slow. I pulled a spark plug, pistons are new, maybe an hours running, 4 1/4" stroke, 4 plugs, lumpy valves, Sputhe cases, S&S super B, I will know more when I crack it open. The tires have 1990 date stamps and no miles, he pulled the motor and used it in another frame for racing. The Pan is kick start only, the Sportster has electric start and I bought it for less money than adding an electric start to the Pan.
cvphoto68396.jpg


cvphoto68397.jpg


cvphoto68398.jpg


The third picture is the Pan, but it is messed up and I couldn't figure out how to remove it.

Well I just checked the preview, this computer is not behaving, now there are 3 Sportster pics and no Pan pic, I'm confused.
 

Sold my 95 800 Vulcan Classic 5 years ago but hadn't been ridden a dozen times in several years prier to that.

Have a nephew that's into racing bikes, ones already sent him on a helicopter ride, hoping he moves one from this one soon.
It started life as a Suzuki Hayabusa

mvphoto67148.jpg
 
It was, I believe, an Interceptor, early crotch rocket. I saw 125 MPH on it a month before I sold it,still had 1000 RPM to go!! Sold it a month later, decided my 15 month old son needed a live Daddy, not a dead one!!
 
Gordo, I road tested a 500 Turbo, was on the way to dealer with a check in my pocket for it. I met it a half mile from the dealer's with a 30 day tag on it. Ended up with the 700 Interceptor. Hated it on account of the chain drive, my old bike was a '78 CX500, shaft drive.
 
Yes. The road bike was a CL175 I bought when I was 17. Later years the big bike was a Honda 750K,air ride front and back bags and fairing. 62 MPG.
 
(quoted from post at 08:52:01 12/24/20)
(quoted from post at 08:28:24 12/24/20) KE ...... I had mentioned in another reply here about the 700cc Japanese bikes in the US .... here's some info from a web search .... I don't believe it affected the 750's imported to Canada. Like the rest of the world, they remained 750 cc. Your bike shows up in the list at the end .... so the 700's were specially produced to avoid the US tariff. Not sure how long that lasted for ....

"In the early eighties, Harley-Davidson claimed that Japanese manufacturers were importing motorcycles into the US in such volume as to harm or threaten to harm domestic producers. After an investigation by the US International Trade Commission, President Reagan imposed in 1983 a 45% tariff on imported bikes and bikes over 700 cc engine capacity. Harley Davidson subsequently rejected offers of assistance from Japanese motorcycle makers. In 1983, many of the Japanese and other foreign manufactures dropped engine sizes from 750cc to 700cc in what has become known as the "Harley tariff". US President Ronald Reagan imposed a 45 percent tariff over a five-year period on the import of Japanese motorcycles, improving Harley-Davidson's ability to compete against high-quality foreign manufacturers as the last U.S. motorcycle manufacturer". Models Affected included .....

Honda VT700C
Honda VFR700F
Yamaha XV700
Yamaha XV750
Yamaha FZX700
Yamaha FZX750
Honda VT750C
Honda VF700F ‎
Kawasaki ZN700A
Kawasaki VN700A
Kawasaki VN750A
Honda VF750F
Kawasaki KZ700A
Click to expand...

Yeah that tariff sucked for me, I had a pretty good hobby of buying and selling bikes on the side....I could buy them cheap, clean them up, ride them awhile and then sell them. I have owned 2 V45 Sabres, the first one had less than 2000 miles on it and I gave $1800 for it, the last one many years later and I should have kept it. Once the tariff went into full effect, the price of all bikes shot way up and there was not much profit in them anymore. I then switched to tractors....
Click to expand...

Bought a Honda 305 superhawk in late 60 's and dumped it going to work but managed to miss guy backing up out into the road. Didn't see lights till it was too late. It was a sweet ride but last one on a cycle.
 
Don't ride to much anymore but we still enjoy it when we can. Keep them all up and running. Bought all new except Suzuki 90 was 8th grade graduation gift from dad & mom. Suzuki 125 came last year.
03 Yamaha Banshee
04 Honda Recon ES
71 Suzuki TS90
71 Suzuki TS125
2000 Suzuki VZ800
mvphoto67216.jpg
 
Back in the 90's we took the camper up to Deadwood same time as Sturgis week. There were bookoo bikers out on the road going up there. Black leather and colored bandanas around their heads. Got to the campground and here came the so called California fake bikers with their bikes on a trailer. Unloaded and rode the short drive to Sturgis.
 
I ordered an 83 Honda 1100 GW. Special build "Stripper" No fairings bags bars Nada. Put a police
windshield on it. That thing was a rocket and handled off road like a dirt bike. I did some hill
climbing with it with Avon Gripster tires. Guys would laugh at me at the bottom of the hill, and
give me a thumbs up at the top. The few that were up there. LOL
 
(quoted from post at 12:54:04 12/26/20) I ordered an 83 Honda 1100 GW. Special build "Stripper" No fairings bags bars Nada. Put a police
windshield on it. That thing was a rocket and handled off road like a dirt bike. I did some hill
climbing with it with Avon Gripster tires. Guys would laugh at me at the bottom of the hill, and
give me a thumbs up at the top. The few that were up there. LOL
Click to expand...


Gordo, what did it have for rear axle travel?
 
(quoted from post at 08:34:53 12/26/20) New wheels, brakes and fork tubes going on my Shovelhead. Then on to the 1984 Goldwing. Had the Shovel for 25+ years. Bought my first M/C 52 years ago.
mvphoto67212.jpg
Click to expand...

Never saw a set of training wheels like that! Lol Whats the purpose of the cart?
 
Thank you. My internet has been out since the explosion in Nashville, blew me back into the era of coal oil lamps, but I'm back on line now. Trying to track down the rest of the parts to return it original appearance would not be within my financial abilities. I plan to keep it about as it is now, just cleaned up and running good. My 88 inch Pan is fast enough for my age, the Sporty has the electric start for when my legs don't want to kick the Pan. Neither is as quick as the 1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000 that I had from 1978 til 2003, but that is OK since my body isn't as quick either. Generally speaking, stock bikes don't excite me very much, all my bikes have had performance enhancements.
 

I lost 3 very good college friends in one year due to motorcycle accidents, non of which was their fault. We had a lot of great times riding every weekend, rain or shine. But it was time to retire as the average motorist has no respect for a motorcycle rider. Its been over 30 years now, but I found other interests that provide a safer hobby, such as tractor restoration.
 
Been 3 different guys right here locally near got killed on them
stupid things no fault of there own and two of em will never be
the same man again to me it’s like sticking your hand in a
combine belt and hoping it doesn’t tear your arm off . I had
some pretty good car wrecks in my time and never got more
than a few scrapes and bruises to each his own I guess but I
ain’t crawling on one
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BarnyardEngineering
Theisen's
Replies
18
Views
2K
BarnyardEngineering
BarnyardEngineering
3
Glad that's over. The dreaded DMV word test.
Replies
13
Views
516
TomA in CA
T
J
Ford 134 hydraulic oil
Replies
3
Views
291
Texasmark
T
3
Weld through primer
Replies
10
Views
333
glennster
glennster
Majorman
Monday Extra 2
Replies
2
Views
553
J Wendt
J
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top