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Well, I was at my neighbor's Skidoo/Kawasaki dealership last week to borrow a trailer to haul the jd2210 with. I happened to notice what I initially thought was a pristine Triumph Bonneville 650 sitting in his shop. Well, it wasn't a Triumph but a brand new Kawasaki W650, which is an almost perfect copy of the Bonneville, right down to the horsepower..with improvements like overhead cam, disc brakes..etc.
I had a '62 Bonneville in the mid-60's and loved the looks, the sound and the ride. I didn't like the breakdowns. I've had 15 bikes since 1955 but the last one, a Honda 750F was 17 years ago. Jeez, I love that W650 and am working myself into just going in and riding it out. Am I getting nutz in my old age??
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Jerry..that was the problem. Something always needed fixing. My Triumph seemed to break chains regularly and once the chain wrapped around the rear axle locking the wheel. Fortunately, I kept it upright to a stop. Never did figure out what was causing the problem...then there's the "electrics by Lucas" syndrome, or the "tickle me Amal" carbs.
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My 1st "bike" was a bike..a Whizzer, 3hp..would do 41mph (clocked)but needed rod bearing changes at every oil change. We had a club of 4 Whizzer owners called the "Rod Benders". The motto was "we hear you knockin' but you can't come out"..referring to the rod knock which meant an oil change was due. The expensive $25 needle bearing crank cured the issue...but who could afford one in 1956??
Anyway..it's been a little tense in the kitchen the last couple of days. Wifee isn't at all enthusiastic about her 60yo hubby getting back into bikes. She thinks it's dangerous (didn't 15 years ago). Well, when it's time to NOT do something for that reason when we did years ago..I guess it's time to feel old and watch T.V...Me..I'm just about at the point of riding her home (the bike).
My dealer told me that they quit making the W650 in 2002 and this was the last one. They sold well in Europe but not here. That inspired me to get a 1st right of refusal...which is what I did with my 2210..which is sitting here in the garage...ominious.
We went to a motorcycle show in Colchester, England 3 years ago and I absolutely went nutz! I found about every old Limey bike known to man for sale. Of particular interest was a BSA 500 Gold Star for.....$850US!! in pristine condition! (never mind the AJS's, Nortons, Ariels, Triumphs, Matchless's..etc.) I REALLY struggled with that one and tried to find a way to store it and get it shipped home..BUT.."that look" wifee was giving me was foreboding...hence..no Gold Star.
Well..tommorrow is a test ride. I'm sure there's more to follow. My nieghbor offered to bunk me in his hanger..along with the bike...comforting.
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Well..I saw the poster for the Kawaskai 2.9%, 36/mo deal as I was about to walk out after doing a test ride..that was it. SO..I rode her home. After 20 years off a scooter I pulled the front wheel off the ground..low end torque that the rice rockets don't know! I was a little frail at first but it all came back in a rush! She brought back memories as I felt the vibration and low bass notes the exhaust exhaled. What a ride! I'm in love!
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HOWEVER..there IS a caveat..a new countertop. She wins. The countertop that the little woman wants is $2K MORE than the scooter. Now I've got to get 2 bikes to break even.
ShortMagnum..ride on up..just watch out for the moose, bear & caribou that wander onto the roads.
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Yeah..there's plenty of room in the hanger for all of our scooters and 3 bunks. I hope my wife will at least email me.
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Things are a bit cool around here right now. The wife has accepted the fact that her 60yo hubby lost his mind and dropped back to his childhood. Other comments have been even more enlightening..like "foot shuffling dumb" or "you need to check your medications"..or "you're to young for senility to be setting in"..or "we want your guns and use of your tractor while you have your cerebral hematoma treated". I don't want to discuss mass killing...but a little more of this line of crap will lead to lost friends and...lawyers!
The funny thing about the morons's arguments is: yes..we did those things but we aren't 20 or 30 now. OK! SO what's changed?? Well...we are so much smarter now. OH...smarter now? That means we shouldn't have been having fun 40 years ago..RIGHT?? Well..we just didn't have the judgement then. Well..yes. SO now we have the judgement and shouldn't use it to ride safely or whatever else grabs your fancy..RIGHT? Well..we should defer from engaging in these dangerous undertakings at our age. OK..so..why not just sit in front of your f..k..g TV and watch the "days of our lives" and then die?? Well..we need to do the gardening...blah..blah..blah.
UNBELIEVABLE! Only the 30+- folks think it's cool for me to get a bike! Everyone else is stupified (stupid). Your lives should be fun to the end. When you hang those fun things up 'cus they could be dangerous..then kill yourself. Why prolong the agony of wishing you'd done this or that but didn't.
Soo..if I cream out at 60, at least I got 40 more years of having fun by lucking out and not killing myself at 20. But..I had some REALLY good times!
Life should be enjoyed and FUN!! If we worry about the hazards in what we want to do..and then avoid those things..then we lose. Life is no longer fun.
BTW..the ride is great. Still cold here but afternoons are in the 50's and I've done 100miles on the ride so far. It is a Bonneville and has taken me back. It's 1962 again! And screw the detractors!
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I'm having a ball. Got full leathers (brown)& a new Nolan helmet. Ordered a quick-detach windshield & saddle bags. Punched out the baffles for that nice burble.
Took a ride today with a buddy who has a new Triumph Bonneville. It's the "America" version and looks like a cross between a Harley and a Triumph...800cc. We're about neck & neck performance wise but mine corners quicker. It's all coming back..including wheelies. I'm just not as aggressive as I was 30 years ago.
Still breaking her in but a quick run to 100mph shows she's no slouce. Great low-end torque.
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Check my pics #16 & 17 of the ride.
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bnrhuffman..did you know they're still making Whizzers? I'm sure they're updated but look interesting. Just do a web search for "Whizzer motorbikes".
My old Whizzer quit running so a buddy had a brainstorm and put a battery ignition on it. Of course, the 6v dry cell would expire and it would quit..sometimes out of town. So..I found new magneto parts and replaced the battery system with the original. Sounds like your dad's machine might have a bad ignition system...not much else to them except fuel and compression. Or maybe the cam gear was put in out of time.
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Dave..glad to hear you're getting pumped up. Now, keep working on it until you can keep the front wheel off the ground for at least one block with at least one gear change along the way. I used to do that on my old Bonneville and I'm now back up to...about 20'.
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Millers...yeah, Lucas was the Prince of Darkness. Never trusted the 'lectrics at night and carried a flashlight. An astronaut made the comment once that he had a nightmare prior to a shuttle launch. In the nightmare he was in orbit, looked at his panel and saw a plaque that read "electrics by Lucas".!! He woke up in a cold sweat!
Then there's those wonderful Amals...Not to mention the chain oiler along with the rest of the leaks. BUT...when they ran..they were WONDERFUL bikes.
The W650, now know simply as the "Dubya" is absolutely splendid. Same everything as the old Bonneville without the hard times.
Mike
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Bleeding is one thing..bled out is another. That's what was accepted then but...ain't it nice to have a clean garage floor??
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BTW..I just turned 650 miles on the "Dubya" and it has been an extremley fun 650 at that. Changed the oil & filter and cleaned, adjusted & lubed the chain. I used a small paint brush to lube the chain with using 90wt gear lube. Fortunately, I waited until the ride of the day was over and let the bike sit overnight with rags under it. The chain dropped the excess and things were good the next day.
My old Bonneville had a chain oiler that was the biggest mess ever. 'Course..they didn't have "O" ring chains then..but still..!
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Dave, I recall using some spray lube years ago but it wasn't a foam type and still dripped. I'll run to the dealer today and see what he has. The 90wt gear lube is what the book called for and what I had in stock but is a mess.
Mike
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04-11-2004, 01:47 
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