Bought my H.S. dream bike...27 years later!
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Bought my H.S. dream bike...27 years later!
I really wanted this bike back in the summer of 1980, when I first saw pics in my monthly suscription of Cycle World magazine. I was getting ready for my Sophmore year at Dixie Hollins. Those were the days.
I remember asking my Dad to take me to Barney's on Gandy to let me check it out. Of course I had to sit on it for 15 minutes. I won't lie, I spent alot of nights thinking about that bike, and how I could swing it on my busboy's pay at Rodger's BBQ. I think I was making $3.50 an hour or thereabouts.
Well a few years later I joined the Army. The bike I wanted a few years ago was old technology and slow, so I purchased a new 83 Suzuki GS550ES. It had 16 valves and a 16 inch front wheel. It was the middleweight to have back then.
While stationed at Ft. Irwin in SoCal, I met this civilian who lived in Barstow. His name was Eddie Andresson, and he was a mechanic at the Kawasaki dealer in the next town of Victorville. Of course, he rode that bike that I wanted in HS. The exact same one.
We became best friends, and we went riding all over SoCal in 83. We used to go to LA and ride Mullholland Drive and Topanga Canyon. We would hang out at the Rock Store on Sunday. The Ortega Freeway and countless other canyons and desert roads the I don't even remember anymore. We went to the AMA Superbike races at Willow Springs and Riverside. We got in for free because he had the dealer passes. He worked on my bike for free. He was a great rider, teacher, and friend.
He followed me, not the other way around. Sure he was a better rider than me, but he wanted to teach me the proper way to ride. He was working on getting his AMA licence and going racing when he got killed by a car on his way home from work in early 84. I got out of bikes soon after, and as time passed I stopped thinking about Eddie.
So I got back into bikes almost a year ago after 22 years of not riding. I promised my better half that I wouldn't ride it alot around here. The only reason she let me get it was because we have our house for sale, and we are moving to the mountains of NC. After a year, we still haven't sold our house.
I've been thinking about my old friend alot since I've been riding again. I guess the things he taught me stuck with me after all these years. I went riding in N. Georgia 6 weeks ago at a ZRX rally. I haven't ridden curves in decades, and I was a little nervous. Hell I got there and 3 guys had already went down. My 02 still had it's original tires, and they had 2 inch chicken strips along with a nice block in the middle.
I went out, and it was like magic. All those riding skills came back like it was yesterday. I was sliding my ass off the seat after 2 corners. I was following a pack of other riders, and I was hoping they would pick up the pace after only a few miles.
The next day I was in front of a few guys. I figured they would just pass me like those Motard dudes did.
They didn't. When we got back to the camp one of the guys said to me that I was riding right at the edge of his comfort zone. I was wondering why those guys would only be behind me on the straights. That made me feel good because I was riding at maybe 60 or 70 percent of my ability. I will give alot of credit also to the modern motorcycle. They have come light years from the 80s stuff I used to ride.
So with that long post, I present my 1981 Yamaha XJ550RH. I'm going to restore it exactly how I remember Eddie's bike was. It needs lots of work because it sat in a shed for 25 years. The mileage is correct.
I remember asking my Dad to take me to Barney's on Gandy to let me check it out. Of course I had to sit on it for 15 minutes. I won't lie, I spent alot of nights thinking about that bike, and how I could swing it on my busboy's pay at Rodger's BBQ. I think I was making $3.50 an hour or thereabouts.
Well a few years later I joined the Army. The bike I wanted a few years ago was old technology and slow, so I purchased a new 83 Suzuki GS550ES. It had 16 valves and a 16 inch front wheel. It was the middleweight to have back then.
While stationed at Ft. Irwin in SoCal, I met this civilian who lived in Barstow. His name was Eddie Andresson, and he was a mechanic at the Kawasaki dealer in the next town of Victorville. Of course, he rode that bike that I wanted in HS. The exact same one.
We became best friends, and we went riding all over SoCal in 83. We used to go to LA and ride Mullholland Drive and Topanga Canyon. We would hang out at the Rock Store on Sunday. The Ortega Freeway and countless other canyons and desert roads the I don't even remember anymore. We went to the AMA Superbike races at Willow Springs and Riverside. We got in for free because he had the dealer passes. He worked on my bike for free. He was a great rider, teacher, and friend.
He followed me, not the other way around. Sure he was a better rider than me, but he wanted to teach me the proper way to ride. He was working on getting his AMA licence and going racing when he got killed by a car on his way home from work in early 84. I got out of bikes soon after, and as time passed I stopped thinking about Eddie.
So I got back into bikes almost a year ago after 22 years of not riding. I promised my better half that I wouldn't ride it alot around here. The only reason she let me get it was because we have our house for sale, and we are moving to the mountains of NC. After a year, we still haven't sold our house.
I've been thinking about my old friend alot since I've been riding again. I guess the things he taught me stuck with me after all these years. I went riding in N. Georgia 6 weeks ago at a ZRX rally. I haven't ridden curves in decades, and I was a little nervous. Hell I got there and 3 guys had already went down. My 02 still had it's original tires, and they had 2 inch chicken strips along with a nice block in the middle.
I went out, and it was like magic. All those riding skills came back like it was yesterday. I was sliding my ass off the seat after 2 corners. I was following a pack of other riders, and I was hoping they would pick up the pace after only a few miles.
The next day I was in front of a few guys. I figured they would just pass me like those Motard dudes did.
They didn't. When we got back to the camp one of the guys said to me that I was riding right at the edge of his comfort zone. I was wondering why those guys would only be behind me on the straights. That made me feel good because I was riding at maybe 60 or 70 percent of my ability. I will give alot of credit also to the modern motorcycle. They have come light years from the 80s stuff I used to ride.So with that long post, I present my 1981 Yamaha XJ550RH. I'm going to restore it exactly how I remember Eddie's bike was. It needs lots of work because it sat in a shed for 25 years. The mileage is correct.
__________________
93 Saleen Spyder #53 H/C Novi 2000
05 Rubicon Lifted, ect
13 BMW S1000RR, 10 R1200GSA
14 Honda Grom
12 KTM690 Enduro R
Too many old bikes and mini bikes to list.
93 Saleen Spyder #53 H/C Novi 2000
05 Rubicon Lifted, ect
13 BMW S1000RR, 10 R1200GSA
14 Honda Grom
12 KTM690 Enduro R
Too many old bikes and mini bikes to list.
Resident Asshole
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,384
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Awesome bike and great story. The bike looks to be in pretty good shape as is considering it's older than I am . Ride safe and don't let your friends memory die.
. Ride safe and don't let your friends memory die.
__________________
R.I.P Dad.
The greatest man I've ever known.
6/14/43 - 7/11/06 2:24am
R.I.P Dad.
The greatest man I've ever known.
6/14/43 - 7/11/06 2:24am
Hooligan
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 5,362
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