Plus 1 Minus 2

It's a jungle....the corn is growing fast!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend!  With Marie traveling to see the Marvins in NC I had all the time to dedicate to BKG.  Like the title of this blog states, Plus 1 Minus 2 is what happened here. 

Everyone knows by now that I love motorcycles, all motorcycles!  I grew up riding dirt bikes with my stepbrother in Texas.  We always had a blast riding some old Hondas.  My very first bike was a 1986 Honda XR80, I rode it for a couple of years out growing it before I knew it.  I needed something bigger and faster.  My next bike was a 1987 Honda XR250.  This thumper (single cylinder engine) was perfect.  It was tall to stand on and had power that I have never felt.  It was not the prettiest, but I scooted through the woods without any problems.  This bike ran fine for about 3 years, but due to an oil leak I eventually burned up the engine by stupidity.  So then I got a 1984 Honda XR350, this was a beast of a bike.  The compression was so strong that if you didn't kick start it at the high stroke the lever would spring back on you and feel like it would break you ankle. I rode this bike for the remainder of my dirt bike career and retired it when I moved off to college.  I haven't ridden a dirt bike since.  Well, until last Tuesday.  I found an old Honda, 1982 XL500 Enduro (on/off road) on Craigslist that was in our neighboring town of Centralia.  I went and visited with the owner about 2 weeks ago.  The bike wasn't running nor had it been running in the last 5-6 years.  The engine was greasy, tires flat, no brakes, no plastic side covers, dead battery, no headlight or tail light.  Sounds real attractive doesn't it?   The fellow wanted $275 and I kinda chukled.....We settled for $175.  I brought it home last Tuesday night stopping at the bike shop to order brake shoes for the front and back, front brake cable, and a spark plug.  I got my neighbor Blake to help me off load it.  I put in the new plug and about a pint of fresh gas.  5 kicks later I was riding wheelies in our vacant lot!

The engine as two oil leaks, a broken exhaust stud, leaking exhaust valve, and a cracked clutch pressure plate.  I'll have my greasy hands full for the next 2-3 weeks.  I hope to be thumping through the trails soon though.

So the Honda XL500 is the plus.  The two minuses are the KZ750's I sold them both last night to a bike builder in Vancouver, WA.  He paid me 1/2 down last night and the remainder on pick up Thur/Fri.

The Yamaha XS400 Bobber build is under way.  The engine fires and is removed.  I work hours on degreasing it.  The frame is prepped and ready for some welding to strengthen it. Everything else is torn apart.