New FNG here, introducing myself.

twowheelinjim · Posted: May 26, 2008, 2:10 am Post subject: New FNG here, introducing myself.

Hello all, My name is Jim. I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself, and tell a short story. My riding days started as a young boy watching my older brothers riding mopeds, and scooters. Shortly after learning to peddle a bicycle, I stole my older brother's moped. I was able to get it running; engine firing under me. I was six years old, and have never looked back. My first real bike was and old, rusty Yamaha 650. I earned that bike by mowing the neighbor's lawn for a summer. Since I'm not one to look at a gift horse in the mouth, the bike's condition never bothered me very much. That first bike afforded me a life long experience in maintenance, and repair. It also tought me about finances, and dealing with other people interested in bikes. I remember one time I had to change the oil. I didn't buy enough oil, and ended up using transmission fluid, two stroke oil, and whatever oil could be found in the shed. A neighbor around the block from me suggested that I roll my bike over, and he would help me with some fresh oil. The way I met him was by walking past his house every day after school, and stopping to admire his bikes. He rode several older Harleys, along with his friends. I didn't know why at the time, but he took me under his wing. I learned a hell of alot about bikes. I now think he saw the passion in a young boy. As I got older, we even rode together. One day, he even let me ride one of his old bikes. What a difference it was from my Yamaha. I went in the military at eighteen. When I came home almost a year later, I found out he went to prison. I still think of him every time I ride my 61' FL. Good people leave an impression on you that is everlasting. I have been passing along the knowledge, and good attitude I learned from him.
I'm now thirty six years old, and a father, two years away from military retirement. I'm a machinist by trade, and still ride as often as possible. After reading a few pages here, I'm finding alot of good people whom I would like to get to know better. More recently, I have aquired three XS650's that I plan on making road worthy. With everyones' help, that mission will get accomplished.

xsleo

welcome aboard. you sound like you will fit in here. i like your attitude. helping the younger riders to realize the joy of what we do is something not enough people do. and thank you for your service. i did mine in the air force. only four years. along time ago. still respect every one who can make the commitment. have had neices and nephews do there time . have a niece in iraq now.

Retiredgentleman

Hey Jim; good to have another biker on board the ship. You've got your hands full with 3 of these beasts. Gives us some updates as you work away on the bikes and don't forget to post some pics as well.

twowheelinjim

For the last eight or nine years I have been sketching ideas for a cafe racer. It all started when I visited a motorcycle salvage yard in San Diego. In their main shop they had a Dunstall upper fearing replica collecting dust. I thought it would look cool on R-90 BMW I was riding at that time. That fearing never got mounted. It instead started me on a mission to build a cafe racer. I soon determined that an XS-650 would be the donor bike. So naturally, I began a collection of parts. The last main engredient was a '75 xs 650. A young man on graigslist described it as needing a little work. For 150.00, I thought it was worth investigating. We set up a time to see the bike. When I arrived, it appeared to have been dragged out of a swamp. It was in such a sad shape that it needed to be put out of it's misery. Of course my heart told me to rehabilitate this poor bike, so I dragged it home. It was a low mileage bike that lived on a farm most of it's life. It is now stripped down, and most of the unessesary tabs are ground off. The engine has a new set of pistons, and cylinder. I was on the lookout for a donor bike when I found my 78' XS. This one is in very good original shape. I will be leaving this one all original. By luck, a friend that reads gas meters told me about a bike behind a fence that has been sitting for years on a customer's backyard. He said it looked like my 78'. After surprising the owner one day, he sold me the bike because he could no longer ride it. It was an 81' that I was hoping to use for parts. Instead, my son suggested that it should be made into a bobber. I didn't argue. If working on bikes doesn't pan out; I'll contact Reader's Digest to see if they need a writer for short stories. Good night.

TeeCat

Greetings Jim, and welcome! It sounds like you have a good plan and the will and means to execute it. Hopefully, you'll post pics and keep us apprised!

Lots of good people here. I bought my '73 TX as a neophyte and these guys have helped me get her back on the road. There's more to be done, but I feel as if I have good support. I'm sure you will too.

TC

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650