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My two favorite bikes from my youth

Started by gumby302ho, April 23, 2014, 09:41:04 AM

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gumby302ho

  Well my two favorite bikes growing up for me was of coarse the 86 yamaha FJ and the other being an 84 kawasaki ZX900 aka GPZ900. I picked up a 86 J for 1500 that has carried a few pails of water in her time and of coarse has needed the help of RPM to bring her back to operating condition. I have spent more on parts then what I payed for the bike an this spring will be the start of hopefully many great miles of fun with my J and I cant wait, I love this bike even with its rough edges. Well like the god father there was a deal I couldn't refuse. A nearly mint low km's one owner super clean ZX900 for 3500 doll hairs, Being my second favorite bike I had to have it and whats funny is both bikes have been close to the same price in the end. So what I wanted to know was what some of you life bikers think of the 84 ZX900 and is there a few eye openers I should be looking for when I check the bike out in May for purchase. In its hayday the ZX900 was a good scratcher and did well against the bigger CC bikes it went up against and in my minds eye a very slick looking slim machine.  :hi:

Bminder

.
My favorite (and only) bike from my youth was this Rupp Roadster 2.  5 hp Tecumseh motor I think.  :biggrin:
I beat the snot out of that little thing and it never missed a beat.  Chuck, an older neighbor kid down the road got jealous and bought a dirt bike, I can't remember the make or engine size, but we would race and I would beat him off the line and top out at 45 mph but eventually he would pass me because his would do 60.

One summer the county rebuilt the dirt road past our farm, so the ditches were all soft dirt, and we made awesome trails and jumps had a blast.
I had an open face helmet and he had a fancy full face and I was always begging him to let me wear it.

One time he was wearing my open face helmet and I was wearing his full-face, and we were tearing around the fresh soft dirt in the ditches, and I got my Rupp high-centered on a clod of dirt, and Chuck was coming up fast behind me wearing my open-face helmet, no goggles.  I didn't know if he would run into me or go around, so at the last second I leaned back on the seat and went WOT.  I sprayed this huge rooster tail of dirt and turned my head just in time to watch him drive through it.
It was like it happened in slow motion.  He scrunched his face up and tried to turn his head but he had to go right through the dirt storm.
I laughed so hard I wet my pants right there on the bike. Had to go home and change pants and clean the seat.
He never let me trade helmets after that.

Billy Minder
92 FJ1200 ABS