[blackadder]

This is my sons 04 XL. He also has a 2002 Firebird Formula in his garage. Paint was done by a guy that does Goalie masks etc. If you look close its a blue silver dragon that goes from the rear up to its head on the tank.

[poncho-mike]

There are a couple of possibilities. The previous owner planned to race it. He put the stubby handlebars and some type of high end exhaust system on it. He took it to a bike shop for some extensive motor work, and couldn't pay the bill. The economy was in bad shape around the time (1976). I suppose he could have thought a drum brake might have less drag than a disc setup, or it may have been a 500 upgraded to a 750.

I only had it a couple of weeks. It didn't handle very well and with the low slung stubby handlebars, it was very uncomfortable to ride.

Originally Posted by Stuart

The 1969-1971 500 H1's had a drum front brake, but all 750 H2's came with a disk front brake. Maybe the previous owner had swapped it over for some reason (disks were still pretty new to motorcycles then, and there were a few drum brakes that were still considered pretty good.)

[Jack Gifford]

Anybody know of a running Harley K-model? Don't want restored/valuable, just want it to ride.

[Tom Vaught]

Jack, I see the local Sheriff's department in the Detroit/Wayne County area is getting rid of their Harley Davidson
Police Motorcycles in favor of a smaller, lighter, faster BMW POLICE Bike.

They say the older Harleys are too heavy and cannot keep up with the President's
Motorcades when they are traveling 100 mph+ on the local freeways from Selfridge
Air Base.

Might be an opportunity to purchase a used but well-maintained Harley for cheap.

Tom V.

[poncho-mike]

This thread got me thinking about my old Suzukis. I was in college from 1977 to 1982, and the GT550 was my main mode of transportation. I made the 60 mile round trip every weekend to see my girlfriend and work a weekend job. I fitted the GT550 with saddle bags, a luggage rack with a milk crate on back, and a clear fairing. I could carry a week's worth of clothes home to wash them, and come back with the clean laundry and groceries I robbed from my parents.

The engines foreshadowed what was to come. Both had a shield on top of the cylinder head to capture air and direct it over the fins. The shield had "Ram Air System" printed on it.

This is a picture of a bike that was identical to the GT550 that I owned. I have some old Polaroid photos of both bikes somewhere, but they've degraded pretty badly over 50 years.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by poncho-mike

This thread got me thinking about my old Suzukis. I was in college from 1977 to 1982, and the GT550 was my main mode of transportation.

My brother bought a new GT550 in 1975, it was the bike I rode to take my license test. They were nice bikes.

Since this discussion started I've sold off all my old Suzukis, I'm down to just one bike - a 1968 Kawasaki 650cc W2SS. It was the first bike I ever owned, I've had it since 1976. It's in the middle of a decades long restoration; the rolling chassis and all the paint is done, so the main thing left is to finish rebuilding the engine. It will look like this when it's completed.

[Jack Gifford]

Tom V- the last K-model Harley was 1956.

[highway star]

My Honda VFR800, with recently installed carbon fiber exhaust. Several lbs lighter.

[Tom Vaught]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Tom V- the last K-model Harley was 1956.

Thanks Jack. I miss-understood.

I thought you were just looking for a Harley to cruise on, not a Heritage Vehicle
before 1956.

Tom V.

[66sprint6]

Bump for a great thread. Here's our 2008 Suzuki 650 Bandit in the foreground. Only picture that I have. It does everything that I need, for an overall good city bike. It looks sporty but it's really conventional, with an upright seating position and decent front fairing. All the power that I need. Pretty much the most fun that I have on wheels.

[beemergary]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Anybody know of a running Harley K-model? Don't want restored/valuable, just want it to ride.

Closet bike I ride is a 1969 XLCH. Had a 1967 in my day which is the same bike. Pretty cool.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by dataway

I raced with them a few times in Mosport, Shannonville and Shubenacadie. Good bunch of folks up there.

Thats pretty cool. He has been after me to meet up with him at the track, I have yet to make the northerly trip. Hope to this year. He also has the flat tank norton I posted with him.

[Tarl]

Might as well toss my 2 on, I have a 1980 Honda CX500 and a project 1985 BMW K100 that is totally apart now.

For some weird reason I like shaft drive bikes that have the engine as part of the frame.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by dataway

I raced with them a few times in Mosport, Shannonville and Shubenacadie. Good bunch of folks up there.

My brother asked if it was ................ I dont want to post a name without your permission, but he did ask what were you riding? I told him you from saratoga and he thinks he knows you.

Small world.

[Bill S]

My '81 CX500c has served me well over the years. Inexpensive and reliable. Rather than stripping it down, I put on the trunk/panniers and windshield for road trips.
Added the '83 CX650T for turbo boost roll-on power highway high jinx.

[dataway]

Originally Posted by TAKerry

My brother asked if it was ................ I dont want to post a name without your permission, but he did ask what were you riding? I told him you from saratoga and he thinks he knows you.

Small world.

My name is John Branson, there were only two guys that raced in Canada from the Saratoga area as far as I know, myself and Marty Yannerilla. Good chance he remembers Marty, he was up there more times that I was. Although my wife also raced which added a bit of notoriety. Up there I was racing a couple of Hondas in the 200gp class. Our US club was the USCRA, we had numerous CAN-AM races events with the VRRA.

Just dug down and found some results ... I won the LightFoot Trophy at Mosport in 2004 https://www.vrra.ca/vintage-festival-awards/

Had the 200gp lap record there for a while but can't find it.

Kind of a trip looking for those results, I know about 80% of the people on those lists

Couple pics of the wife and I "back in the day"

[TAKerry]

Excellent!! I will pass this along.

[poncho-mike]

While on the topic of motorcycles, Suzuki manufactured a Wankel engined motorcycle in the mid-1970s. A friends father owned a motorcycle shop and had one in the showroom. It was incredibly smooth, but was pretty expensive.

It's the only one I ever saw. Does anybody know of one that has survived?

[dataway]

Oh yes, the vintage Suzuki Rotaries are still out there, they have their cult following of course. Was a great idea, but suffered from the same ills that most rotaries did back then.

[goat69SD]

I built this out of parts and well mostly to make people look twice. Some laugh some get upset. It is half Honda and half Harley. My wife named it and it is more of a joke than anything. But it does run and drive. 72 Honda 350 engine. It says Honda-Davidson in Chrome letters. Its not a Hog its a piglet!