I guess im getting old

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diymirage

diymirage

HP@idle > hondaHP@redline
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Long story short, one of my wifes coworkers knows i used to ride dirtbikes and went out riding a few weeks ago

He said he was going to take me with next time they go out so i decided to dig out the KDX200 and get it running

Now, this bike used to be plated and I'd ride it all across town (and had a habbit of shooting it half a mile up across the rail road tracks to fill her up) but at some point the kids took up more time and I ended up letting the plates lapse and it kinda of disappeared into the back of the shed

while it was in there the fuel cap exploded (i guess the vent got clogged up) and it hasnt ran in 4 or 5 years now

so today i decided to give her a "good clean up" and i figured i would have to pull the carb apart and give that a good once over

turned out all it needed was a half a gallon of fresh gas (with some oil mixed in off course) and i was popping wheelies across the yard again
(and it idled beautifully once warmed up)

and that is when i noticed...im old
i used to catwalk that thing blocks on the back tire, sometimes for miles
now i was afraid i'd knock me on my tail

i also need to figure out why the rear brake isnt working

20220623_134759-jpg.1715945909
 
Just looking at "one of those things" makes me feel old (er)!!
 
I was at the Hemming's Great Race pitstop in Perrysburg, Ohio on Tuesday watching the race participants come into the finish line area for that days section, when I heard the announcer say something about the guy racing motorcycles all over the world. I was talking to my buddy at the time, so I didn't hear the whole story, but I saw the vehicle and we tracked it down. It ended up that it was Jeff Fredette, the KDX 200 King ! I have a bunch of his parts on one of my KDX 200's, and have spoken with him for advice a couple of times. Seems he has "raced" in The Great Race quite a few times, even won once (a fellow dirt biker friend of mine that raced overseas with him a few times, told me).
 
I noticed that now in my 70's that the ground has got much harder
than it was 30 years ago when I fall. Must be Global Warming!
 
My standard line is "I may be getting older but I refuse to grow up" Well, riding bikes & other motorized stuff makes me think perhaps I am growing up... As GTX John mentioned, the ground seems so much harder than I remembered... I'm 63 now & I'll still ride a wheelie, do burnouts & generally act the fool cause I still find it fun but I tend to apply a little more caution than I ever would have in my 20's 30's or even 40's... Funny thing is how many 20 & 30 year olds today grew up so sheltered they've never done a wheelie or even a nice big smoky burnout...
 
Man I loved trail riding and started back in the 1960’s on a Bronco 50cc. Then a Suzuki 120, 250 Trials Kawasaki, then the one that tried killing me twice, a 360 Husky. Man that thing would fly and fly I did. I flipped it over doing a wheelie in 5th gear and I landed on my neck. The handlebars folded down and hit the fuel tank and held it wide open. By time I got there the engine blew up cracking the case. This was the second day I owned the dog gone thing. A local Husky shop welded the case and rebuilt the engine so I babied it for a week. On the eighth day I was racing my cousin on his 350 Kawasaki on an asphalt road and my engine locked up. Ugly situation especially with my studded rear tire. I rebuilt it this time and sold it shortly after. I had enough fun.
 
Wheelies 'n me just never got along that well. Turnin' right to go left with one foot on the dirt on an oval track was my favorite :D:steering:
 
Hey you are getting out there that's the important thing.
But yeah, as the bones get older it's wise to be cautious... them first 20 steps in the morning can be a *****...
 
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