I’ve e been riding all my life, with some breaks in between, and never as much as I wanted. Did the neighborhood trails as a kid on an SL70 that was given to me in a box. I was 13 and that was my first basket case. Later I had an MC1, and later a neighbor gave me an old F9 350 that he had built for mx. Rode some trails with some friends in my 20s, still on the old stripped down enduro. I’ve never had a new bike, early on because I could never afford one. Then at some point a couple of us got into vintage MX. My old Kawasaki found a proper use. Did that for 15 years and had several other bikes. Still have them.
Then in the course of a few years, Turnout fell off at the vintage races, , my friends stopped riding vintage, my house burned down, we moved twice in 2 year and I changed jobs after 24 years. Things are finally settling down.
I’ve tried to hit a couple of the mx tracks on open practice days but even on my most modern bike, an 81 Yamaha, it beats me up after a few laps. Supercross style obstacles are no fun for me. Give me a wide, flowing track with long sweepers, some big hills and maybe a few tabletops and I’m happy. Still even on a track like that being out there with a bunch of fast modern bikes is harrowing. Once I asked the operator of one track if I could go out with the kids. Sounds pathetic but I had the funnest time mixing it up with this kid who was on a kx80. With a good vintage turnout, I’d usually find someone as slow as I was and that was the best, swapping places 5 times a lap.
My friends all ride modern 4 strokes these days and I rode a few of them enough to get it. Easy power and very forgiving suspension. I was actually scared the first time I climbed on a 450f but after riding it, I decided that my 465 is more of a sheer terror.. ;)
Even if I could manage to get one, I just don’t know if I’ll ever be sailing a big double like my friends do, though I have no doubt I’d improve because a modern mx machine is forgiving enough to be able to make mistakes that would hurt you bad on a vintage machine. And sure, I could sell a few of my old bikes and get a modern one that way but I love my old bikes. They were all basket cases, bought cheap and built by me.
Vintage cross country is doing well, and I tried a couple of those but my bikes are not built for that. My 465 stalled on an off camber hill and it’s sooo tall I could not get it started again...usually at an mx race I lean it up against my van.
I’ve been thinking for a long time now that I wanted to just ride for fun, like when I was a kid. I had even entertained the idea of scraping some money together for a play bike. But the weird thing about me is I have trouble making things like that happen for myself especially if it’s a solo endeavor. If I fell in the woods alone would I make a sound?
I have 5 sons, none of them really got into riding though. My oldest who is 30 up and decided he wanted to ride. He lives with us, in the garage suite. ( it’s actually very nice and he pays rent)
It’s a long story there, he was living in a townhouse and let the lease go because he was supposed to move in with his girlfriend but she broke up with him right before.He came home to lick his wounds and regroup. It’s been a year, and we’re not in a hurry for him to leave.. it’s very nice having him there.
He went and bought a ttr125 and he bought a bunch of gear and a hitch carrier. We put heavy duty springs on the ttr.
At the same time, my youngest who is 18, and the only son still at home, also had to deal with the end of a relationship just recently. He expressed an interest as well so I dug out the old KD80 and went thru it. We’ve gone out to the practice days a couple time and I’m working with them on the mini track there. There was a moment that it started to rain hard, and the van was across the lot... I got completely soaked, and I looked over and my sons were picking their way around the track in the rain, and I just broke out in laughter. It was just this utter joy, something I haven’t felt enough of lately.
They have a ways to go but we are talking about trips to coal country to do some trail riding. So now I’m excited again about riding. One of my other sons who rides street says he’s love to go with us. I just hope we can actually make this happen!!
As for me, I set out looking for a bike that would be more suited for riding for fun. Something I could hit the trails with, and take around a track if I wanted to. I also had the cross country thing in mind. For the money I had, the only modern 4 strokes to be had were blown up 250s that needed more money in parts than the purchase price. I went on a craigslist/ marketplace binge for a few weeks and found a sweet deal on a 94 kdx 200. I was watching it for a few weeks and it had been well out of my price range at first, but he kept dropping the price. He made one more big cut and I jumped on it.
I rode it 2 laps around my local track this week and it’s really different. It doesn’t care as much what gear it’s in, less than my 465.it doesn’t have the midrange rocket ship punch of my YZ , but I knew that ahead of time, thats not what I was looking for. Steady power and light and low. Comfier suspension than I’m used to even tho the forks are leaking and need a rebuild. The handling was the standout. Even on the street I am not a knee dragger, I don’t lean my mx bikes much either but I found myself laying this kdx over a bit in the turns instinctively. Still had the modern guys flying past me in the air tho. I’ll say this, I’ll turn a faster lap on the kdx than anything else I own.
I am also working on the 465 ,, so it will make a better trail bike itself.. going to try and lower it, add a head gasket, and I’ve made a home made flywheel weight for it. I think I’d have more success with it if I tame it down. The point is, there’s a fire in the furnace again. !!
Cheers, I’m sure I’ll have a lot of questions!
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