# couldn't resist. 3,500 miles



## Possum2 (Nov 14, 2020)

Always thought these were nice looking. I found this in a yard sale. It followed me home. It needed some carb work but now runs like the new 12 year old bike that it is. Great for back road cruising. Up to 75 mph. After that it gets a little busy. The shaft drive 
keeps things clean and it gets 50 mpg! Woo Hoo!


----------



## FlyingDutchman (Nov 25, 2020)

I would have not been able to pass up a deal like that, either!!! Sharp looking bike for the money!


----------



## Possum2 (Nov 25, 2020)

FlyingDutchman said:


> I would have not been able to pass up a deal like that, either!!! Sharp looking bike for the money!


yes the guy I bought it from purchased it new for his wife to ride. The bike couldn't be started because the ethanol in the gas destroyed the "O" rings in the needle valve seats in the carbs. When you turned the gas on fuel ran out the overflows. Buying a bike without hearing it run is not a good idea. However with a price of $1,800 and less than 3,500 miles on the odometer I couldn't resist. The owner had purchased a carb rebuild kit that he included with the bike. I suspect that he tried to fix it because the retaining screws for the valve seats were buggered up. He was unable to get them out. The only thing I used from the $90 rebuild kit was 4 little "O" rings, 2 on each valve body. The carbs were spotlessly clean. I love the exposed drive shaft, it reminds me of the old beemers. The bike performs about the same as a rubber mount 883 Sportster, one of my favorite bikes. It is getting over 50 miles per gallon. I have always been a bigger is better guy. I have 5 large bikes. My wife has decided she no longer wants to be a passenger so I don't need the extra power to haul my 200 pounds around. The smaller bikes are a hoot to ride. The 650 is the perfect bike for back road cruising 55-65 mph. I live 30 miles from the nearest expressway so this bike is a good fit. I love it. But then again I pretty much love any bike that has a motor and propels me down the road.


----------



## FlyingDutchman (Nov 25, 2020)

I've always wanted a motorcycle but never can find one that's cheap enough for and advantageous enough to go after it. Something like that would seem like an easy decision.


----------



## Frisian (Nov 25, 2020)

Possum2 said:


> yes the guy I bought it from purchased it new for his wife to ride. The bike couldn't be started because the ethanol in the gas destroyed the "O" rings in the needle valve seats in the carbs. When you turned the gas on fuel ran out the overflows. Buying a bike without hearing it run is not a good idea. However with a price of $1,800 and less than 3,500 miles on the odometer I couldn't resist. The owner had purchased a carb rebuild kit that he included with the bike. I suspect that he tried to fix it because the retaining screws for the valve seats were buggered up. He was unable to get them out. The only thing I used from the $90 rebuild kit was 4 little "O" rings, 2 on each valve body. The carbs were spotlessly clean. I love the exposed drive shaft, it reminds me of the old beemers. The bike performs about the same as a rubber mount 883 Sportster, one of my favorite bikes. It is getting over 50 miles per gallon. I have always been a bigger is better guy. I have 5 large bikes. My wife has decided she no longer wants to be a passenger so I don't need the extra power to haul my 200 pounds around. The smaller bikes are a hoot to ride. The 650 is the perfect bike for back road cruising 55-65 mph. I live 30 miles from the nearest expressway so this bike is a good fit. I love it. But then again I pretty much love any bike that has a motor and propels me down the road.


$1,800 is a great deal. Nice bike you got.


----------



## Possum2 (Nov 26, 2020)

Frisian said:


> $1,800 is a great deal. Nice bike you got.


The crazy thing is I saw it while riding an electric kick scooter, a Segway ninebot in a small town about 50 miles from my house. I hauled my Amish neighbors there so they could sell flowers in the farm market. I was riding the scooter around just killing time. I stopped at a yard sale and saw it. The guy also had a nice 4 wheel drive ATV in the sale. I didn't have any money with me but I got his phone number, thinking that it was useless, anyone who saw that bike for that amount would buy it instantly. A week later I had a need to visit the same small town, so I called the guy and asked if he still had it. He said yes. The guy who bought his 4 wheel ATV wanted it but his ATM was maxed out and he couldn't get the money for it. Woo Hoo.
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once in a while. Oh by the way the ninebot is a hoot. It is scary fast (18 mph) and will go 30 miles on a charge. I like anything with 2 wheels and a motor.


----------



## Possum2 (Nov 28, 2020)

FlyingDutchman said:


> I've always wanted a motorcycle but never can find one that's cheap enough for and advantageous enough to go after it. Something like that would seem like an easy decision.


well the best way to want a motorcycle is to have a paper route that requires you to deliver 75 Sunday papers requiring 3 large saddle bags using a 24 inch bicycle pulled from the neighbors trash and rebuilding it and riding it 10 miles on gravel roads 7 days a week to deliver the papers for a profit of about $7 a week. That is, if they decided to pay on a timely manner. No wonder newspapers are dead. There is no advantage to motorcycles. They are dangerous. Cost is not an issue. You just need to want to do it. I have been doing it for 55 years. My father was killed on one 40 years ago. A 18 year old kid in a borrowed pick up truck turned left in front of him in a 45 MPH speed limit on a straight rural road. He didn't see the 7 inch headlight that was on.


----------



## olyman (Nov 30, 2020)

Possum2 said:


> well the best way to want a motorcycle is to have a paper route that requires you to deliver 75 Sunday papers requiring 3 large saddle bags using a 24 inch bicycle pulled from the neighbors trash and rebuilding it and riding it 10 miles on gravel roads 7 days a week to deliver the papers for a profit of about $7 a week. That is, if they decided to pay on a timely manner. No wonder newspapers are dead. There is no advantage to motorcycles. They are dangerous. Cost is not an issue. You just need to want to do it. I have been doing it for 55 years. My father was killed on one 40 years ago. A 18 year old kid in a borrowed pick up truck turned left in front of him in a 45 MPH speed limit on a straight rural road. He didn't see the 7 inch headlight that was on.


people that drive cars,,and dont own a bike,, don't see motorcycles...FACT!!!!!!


----------



## Possum2 (Nov 30, 2020)

olyman said:


> people that drive cars,,and dont own a bike,, don't see motorcycles...FACT!!!!!!


Yes you have to ride as if you are invisible. The oncoming no signal left turn is the most difficult hazard to defend against. I assume that every oncoming car might turn left in front of me if it has a place to go, a cross road or driveway. I try to adjust my location relative to the position of the drive or cross road so the cars and I don't cross that path at the same time. At a closing speed of 110 mph on 2 lane roads it is humanly impossible to react in time. I once totaled out a Chevy Citation when a 85 year old man in a huge mid 70's 4 door Cadillac Fleetwood made a left turn in front of me from the curb lane on a 5 lane road at an intersection. It is a 45 mph speed limit, and the huge radius of his turn permitted him to make the turn without even slowing down much. I went from 45 to Zero in about 3 feet. I hit the right front wheel, The absolute stiffest part of the car. It pushed in the entire front of my car about 2 feet, folded the hood up far enough that if blocked the view of the windshield and buckled both quarter panels. Thank god for seat belts. I bent the steering wheel in half and punched out the instrument cluster with my knuckles, almost breaking both thumbs. The Caddy had a flattened hub cap and a dented front fender. He drove it home. The front "A" arms fed the impact load to the frame, and the cross member and engine mounts stiffened by the 500 cubic inch V-8 made it act like a solid block of concrete. When I saw him start to turn I almost got my foot to the brake pedal. On impact it almost broke my ankle because my foot was only halfway covering the pedal. As luck would have it I was on my way to the DMV to get my motorcycle license plate renewed. If I had been on my bike I doubt that I would be here today. I avoid cities as much as possible.


----------



## 1Alpha1 (Feb 5, 2021)

Nice bike! Was it that clean when you bought it?


----------



## Possum2 (Feb 5, 2021)

1Alpha1 said:


> Nice bike! Was it that clean when you bought it?


yes, I have not washed it. I probably got it dirty from pulling the tank and replacing the "O" rings in the needle valve seat housings in the carbs. Pretty sure that I got finger prints on it.


----------



## 1Alpha1 (Feb 5, 2021)

Possum2 said:


> yes, I have not washed it. I probably got it dirty from pulling the tank and replacing the "O" rings in the needle valve seat housings in the carbs. Pretty sure that I got finger prints on it.


Cruisers don't do much for me, but I gotta say, that's a very sharp looking bike. Hope it serves you well over the years.


----------



## Possum2 (Feb 6, 2021)

1Alpha1 said:


> Cruisers don't do much for me, but I gotta say, that's a very sharp looking bike. Hope it serves you well over the years.


I have experienced all manner of 2 wheeled powered transportation. I have not found one yet that I didn't like. But I must say that my Solex moped was as much fun as my GSXR 750. The suzuki was good for 170 or so and as quiet as a mouse. It was fun but I don't need to go that fast. If they ever put that ride quality and quiet into a touring bike with that weight I would buy one in a heartbeat. The closest I had was a VFR 800. But the ergonomics make no sense for 600 mile days. Great lights and suspension but after a couple hundred miles the wrists and back wanted a break.


----------

