Guido
VIP MEMBER
- Joined
- May 23, 2011
- Messages
- 824

Today was a great day for a last ride. A bit chilly with bright sun and clear skies made for a peaceful jaunt through the wine country.
Anyone familiar with the Sacramento Valley knows that getting out of the flats and into the surrounding hills is so much fun.
I went from Woodland through Lake Berryessa on to Napa stopping along the way to admire the sites.
On this trip it seemed I was in the zone, passing cars and trucks on those twisty roads going like the kid I used to be when I got this bike new. I'm 55 now.
It was so relaxing road racing like that. I finally arrived home, cold and tired but elated to have gone on this ride.
My 18 yo boy was in the driveway when I pulled up.
Just then he noticed the rear tire. "Hey pop, Have looked at your rear tire lately?"
I looked at it and it was down to the threads. The rubber was peeling back on the sides and there was no tread pattern left.
Just then I got this sick feeling in my gut that I could have been killed and that this last ride could have been "My last ride" for good.
I put it on the center stand and spun the wheel. What a freaking idiot I was to have not noticed the tire.
I grabbed the wheel and pushed it side to side. The swing arm had so much slop in it.
Yeah, it felt swishy as I went over grooves and lines in the road but I gave it no thought because I was to much enjoying to be able to ride it after all these years of it being out of commission.
So today is my last ride.
Tomorrow I will tear it down, rebuild the swing arm, iso's and head steady, put in a new brake drum and chain, Primary chain and do all the mods to the tranny like seals in the cover and lay shaft bearing and bushings. Oh, and new tires.
This spring I'll paint the tank.
I'll have plenty to keep me busy this winter and spring while all the time imagining that last ride and how lucky I was and how stupid I was all in the name of "Fun".
It"s good to be home.
Anyone familiar with the Sacramento Valley knows that getting out of the flats and into the surrounding hills is so much fun.
I went from Woodland through Lake Berryessa on to Napa stopping along the way to admire the sites.
On this trip it seemed I was in the zone, passing cars and trucks on those twisty roads going like the kid I used to be when I got this bike new. I'm 55 now.
It was so relaxing road racing like that. I finally arrived home, cold and tired but elated to have gone on this ride.
My 18 yo boy was in the driveway when I pulled up.
Just then he noticed the rear tire. "Hey pop, Have looked at your rear tire lately?"
I looked at it and it was down to the threads. The rubber was peeling back on the sides and there was no tread pattern left.
Just then I got this sick feeling in my gut that I could have been killed and that this last ride could have been "My last ride" for good.
I put it on the center stand and spun the wheel. What a freaking idiot I was to have not noticed the tire.
I grabbed the wheel and pushed it side to side. The swing arm had so much slop in it.
Yeah, it felt swishy as I went over grooves and lines in the road but I gave it no thought because I was to much enjoying to be able to ride it after all these years of it being out of commission.
So today is my last ride.
Tomorrow I will tear it down, rebuild the swing arm, iso's and head steady, put in a new brake drum and chain, Primary chain and do all the mods to the tranny like seals in the cover and lay shaft bearing and bushings. Oh, and new tires.
This spring I'll paint the tank.
I'll have plenty to keep me busy this winter and spring while all the time imagining that last ride and how lucky I was and how stupid I was all in the name of "Fun".
It"s good to be home.