I'm your average forty-something motorcycle loving geek. I was born and raised in beautiful sunny California. I've spent a few years living in Colorado, while attending CU Boulder, but now I'm back in Northern California- the East Bay to be more precise. I've been riding since I was twenty-one and have only owned two bikes in my life- this one and my daily driver, my 2001 Suzuki SV650S, which has been severely prepped for the track, but is still cloaked in street-legal garb. I got my degree in computer science some time back and am fortunately employed with a networking company, consulting, designing and implementing mainly Cisco equipment for large businesses like hospital systems. I'm a pretty avid DIY'er and get my hands into projects at home, whenever I can.
During my long illustrious college career, I had a stop along the way in San Luis Obispo, California, while attending Cabrillo College. The year was 1986. I picked up the current Motorcyclist magazine. This was a defining moment- this one action changed my life. I was fascinated with all the technical articles- James Parker had a new front swingarm design, and there was a great article on physics and frame design. With all of its innovations, the GSX-R was named bike of the year. I was hooked on motorcycles!
Well, way down Higuera Street, across from the DMV, there was a small motorcycle dealership. From time to time, I'd wander in just so I could sit on a GSX-R. Along with their selection of new bikes, they sold used bikes on consignment. I spotted this 1977 Chappy Red Yamaha RD400 motorcycle sitting in the front lot. I had seen these bikes around before and always liked the cafe way they looked. Naturally, I asked the salesman if I could go for a test ride. He told me that in order for me to take a test ride, I needed three things 1) a motorcycle license or permit 2) long pants and 3) a helmet, which he would provide. Since I was wearing shorts, I told him I'd see him the next day. I immediately went across the street to the DMV and without even looking at the drivers manual, I took the motorcycle permit test. I passed with no problem and left with permit in hand.
The next day, I returned to the dealership in pants for my test ride . I had very little experience riding motorcycles. I had taken a handful of rides on the back of my friends' bikes and a friend had given my a quick tutorial a few years back, but I was by no means an experienced rider. The salesman gave me a helmet and I was off. I was slow, paranoid and a little too careful, but I could see that the bike worked. The owner wanted $500 for it, but after the sales guy called him, he lowered his price to $400. I put it on my Mastercard and rode off. I had no idea what I was in for.
I rode the bike off and on for the next seven years. The bike was always in some state of disrepair. Once one of the exhaust chambers fell off while I was riding. When I later went back to retrieve the pipe with my car, it had already disappeared. During my years in Boulder, the bike sat on my friend's apartment porch, where some friendly neighbors helped themselves to my ignition. Once an angry ex-girlfriend had someone cut my throttle cable. I always had carb problems. and in the end, it was the suspension that tried to drive me into a tree. For years after, my bike sat in various garages, mostly my parent's, while I was living in apartments. Lately, it's been sitting in my garage, waiting for the day it's going to get restored.
For the past ten years, I've been purchasing parts off of Ebay. I let my registration go long ago, figuring that if the bike ever gets built, it'll be strictly a track bike. Somewhere along the way, I changed my mind, so I bought a frame, complete with current registration, off of Ebay. I've got all sorts of goodies (electrical harnesses, electrical switches, forks, bottom end of the motor, Daytona head, etc.) and I've had enough time to figure out what I'm going to do, so finally...it's time.
My goal is to build a repli-racer of sorts, modeled from the old-styled TD3, TR3, TZ250/350's. I'm going with the longer gas tank, Clubman bars, solo seat, wire-spoke wheels (with a drum brake in the rear) and a slightly modified engine. I'm trying to design the bike with the lack of a battery, so I'll get that see through the frame appearance, but I might have to go with a really small battery and tuck in, along with the electrical components, in the seat cowl. I'll have to figure out how to do the turn signals (front and back) and the license plate and light. The first incarnation of the bike will be with a front headlight- I'll figure out the fairing stuff later. I'll probably have to fabricate rearsets myself, since Motocarrera looks like they went AWOL. I'm not crazy about the Raask rearsets. The motor will get all new seals, bearings and gaskets. I'll bore and hone the cylinders and get a mild porting job, if I can find someone trustworthy to do it. I'll cap it with the Daytona head. For the intake, I'm doing a crossover, Boysen reeds and a Y-boot with K&N filter. The exhaust will be built by Zero Factory in Torrance, California. I'm guessing this project will take about two years to complete. When it's done, I'm hitting the track!
During my long illustrious college career, I had a stop along the way in San Luis Obispo, California, while attending Cabrillo College. The year was 1986. I picked up the current Motorcyclist magazine. This was a defining moment- this one action changed my life. I was fascinated with all the technical articles- James Parker had a new front swingarm design, and there was a great article on physics and frame design. With all of its innovations, the GSX-R was named bike of the year. I was hooked on motorcycles!
Well, way down Higuera Street, across from the DMV, there was a small motorcycle dealership. From time to time, I'd wander in just so I could sit on a GSX-R. Along with their selection of new bikes, they sold used bikes on consignment. I spotted this 1977 Chappy Red Yamaha RD400 motorcycle sitting in the front lot. I had seen these bikes around before and always liked the cafe way they looked. Naturally, I asked the salesman if I could go for a test ride. He told me that in order for me to take a test ride, I needed three things 1) a motorcycle license or permit 2) long pants and 3) a helmet, which he would provide. Since I was wearing shorts, I told him I'd see him the next day. I immediately went across the street to the DMV and without even looking at the drivers manual, I took the motorcycle permit test. I passed with no problem and left with permit in hand.
The next day, I returned to the dealership in pants for my test ride . I had very little experience riding motorcycles. I had taken a handful of rides on the back of my friends' bikes and a friend had given my a quick tutorial a few years back, but I was by no means an experienced rider. The salesman gave me a helmet and I was off. I was slow, paranoid and a little too careful, but I could see that the bike worked. The owner wanted $500 for it, but after the sales guy called him, he lowered his price to $400. I put it on my Mastercard and rode off. I had no idea what I was in for.
I rode the bike off and on for the next seven years. The bike was always in some state of disrepair. Once one of the exhaust chambers fell off while I was riding. When I later went back to retrieve the pipe with my car, it had already disappeared. During my years in Boulder, the bike sat on my friend's apartment porch, where some friendly neighbors helped themselves to my ignition. Once an angry ex-girlfriend had someone cut my throttle cable. I always had carb problems. and in the end, it was the suspension that tried to drive me into a tree. For years after, my bike sat in various garages, mostly my parent's, while I was living in apartments. Lately, it's been sitting in my garage, waiting for the day it's going to get restored.
For the past ten years, I've been purchasing parts off of Ebay. I let my registration go long ago, figuring that if the bike ever gets built, it'll be strictly a track bike. Somewhere along the way, I changed my mind, so I bought a frame, complete with current registration, off of Ebay. I've got all sorts of goodies (electrical harnesses, electrical switches, forks, bottom end of the motor, Daytona head, etc.) and I've had enough time to figure out what I'm going to do, so finally...it's time.
My goal is to build a repli-racer of sorts, modeled from the old-styled TD3, TR3, TZ250/350's. I'm going with the longer gas tank, Clubman bars, solo seat, wire-spoke wheels (with a drum brake in the rear) and a slightly modified engine. I'm trying to design the bike with the lack of a battery, so I'll get that see through the frame appearance, but I might have to go with a really small battery and tuck in, along with the electrical components, in the seat cowl. I'll have to figure out how to do the turn signals (front and back) and the license plate and light. The first incarnation of the bike will be with a front headlight- I'll figure out the fairing stuff later. I'll probably have to fabricate rearsets myself, since Motocarrera looks like they went AWOL. I'm not crazy about the Raask rearsets. The motor will get all new seals, bearings and gaskets. I'll bore and hone the cylinders and get a mild porting job, if I can find someone trustworthy to do it. I'll cap it with the Daytona head. For the intake, I'm doing a crossover, Boysen reeds and a Y-boot with K&N filter. The exhaust will be built by Zero Factory in Torrance, California. I'm guessing this project will take about two years to complete. When it's done, I'm hitting the track!
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