I have been signed up with the board since I brought the bike home but have not been able to really get into the forum due to lack of internet. Internet acquired, I am here.
For the past few years I have been saving my pennies for a motorcycle to call my own. I grew up racing BMX and camping with borrowed dirt bikes. Dirt, Street I love it all but I needed my own set of wheels. I was looking for either a Yamaha xs650, Honda xr250, Honda XR350 or CB550 or CB750. After searching ads, making phone calls and learning that none of the bikes I was interested in had titles, I found my bike. It was 450 miles away and all I had to go on was a photo and the promise of a running bike and clear title. I was on the road the next day to get it. I rode it around a bit, it was rough but ran. the price was right and I wasn't driving 900 round miles for nothing.
At the time I was helping out in a small cycle shop and the owner agreed to trade labor for parts. The more I tore into it, the more I realized how much work this was going to be...if it's cheap, chances are there is a reason. For safety and reliability I replaced the coils/cables/sprocket/chain/ignition/battery/tires and so many other little odds and ends I have forgotten. When I first acquired the bike, I wanted it on the road. Countless roadside breakdowns and dead ends in trying to roust the demons resulted in the bike sitting for the last year.
I am at the point now where I want to do this bike right. I have a long road ahead due to time and money, but that is life. I am taking the time to strip and clean every facet of this machine, and not cut corners. if it takes me 3 years to finish fine but I will take pride in knowing I did the best in building a motorcycle.
