Any audiophiles into motorcycles


As its just getting into motorcycle season here in the great lakes region, motorcycling is beginning to supplant audio as my primary preoccupation. I recall there being threads as to car ownership, don't recall a motorcycle thread. And so, lets hear from the audiophile motorcycle enthusiasts out there; tell everyone about bikes you own, or have owned, and lets hear some motorcycle tales.

As for myself, I started riding around 12 years of age, little Suzuki 50cc trail bike, purchased Sears Allstate (Puch) 250cc street bike at 15 so I'd be ready for street legal riding at 16. Over the next 25 years too many bikes to list, mostly 650cc bikes and larger, migrated to super sports over those years, I was doing a lot of sports touring in those years, strap a tent and sleeping bag on bike and go for up to three or four weeks, mostly around great lakes region. I did great lakes circle tour: southern Ohio and West Virginia was a yearly tour, up into Adirondacks, northern New York, Vermont was always nice. Ontario, Canada was also a pretty common destination as was upper peninsula of Michigan. These days I  find myself pretty much sticking to weekend rides with my nephew, a budding audiophile with his Aprilia RSV4. I've been riding my little pocket rocket KTM RC390 the past few years, fun bike but lacking the thrill of bigger bore bikes such that I've now purchased 2021 Ducati Supersport S in silk white, expecting delivery next Wednesday. So, at this point my ownership of bikes includes the KTM, Ducati, Suzuki DRZ400S and 1973 Yamaha TX500 I'm in process of making into cafe racer.

My passion for motorcycles (and cars, but that's a different story) has certainly impacted my audiophile life. I don't have as much disposable income for audio, and bikes replace audio as my primary preoccupation in summer, but having passion for both sure makes for a richer life!
sns

Showing 1 response by oldhvymec

Mercy, I had a 45 flathead. It had a ridge girder moly frame (WOW) chopped and raked. Foot clutch and a stick shift. I HATED that thing.
I drove it to school for a year. You know how many times my mother had to pull start that pile of $hit. I had it down to a science, HOW to start that thing in the winter. One ether ball (for moth control) in the fuel tank as I fueled the night before. Every night it took 25 cents to fill up that STUPID peanut tank. Fuel was 39 cents a gallon.

The next morning at 6:30. You retard the timing just enough to keep from kicking back and breaking your leg. Crack the compression release as you slowly kick with your hand over the old Lynkard carb throat. About 4 times down, UNTIL the fuel dripped out of the carb onto a piece of T Shirt.

You took the T shirt and stuffed it in a little strainer made for the throat of the carb (stayed under the little Bates spring seat). Get off the bike and kick on the outside or other side of the kick stand. Half way down and all 135 lbs of me was on that kick start bicycle peddle, you release the compression release, jump off, throttle to 1/4 pull the strainer with the rag off and advance the timing. Thump thump thump.. Took me three month to get that down..

Hated that bike.. Still do.. No fat girls either made the stubby finder rub on the back.. little buddie seat shared my pegs if the girls wanted a ride. That was one good thing never had a problem fillin' that buddy seat with a skirt or two or three.. I like mini skirts and bikes.. :-)