From the comments: “what happened to that little motorcycle you used to ride and write about?”
I sold Aretha about three years ago to a vintage motorcycle dealer, and heard nothing more until this February, when an email from the UK landed in my inbox.
Back in my youth (1981/2) I owned one (mars bar colours as it’s known in the UK) and always missed it. Move forward a few years (understatement) and bikes, decided I’d look for another. July last year I found one advertised, went and viewed it and a deal was done on the spot.
It has been totally rebuilt to almost as new condition. Quite a few parts were refurbished and as many of the original’s retained. These bikes are rare in the UK now in this sort of condition.
The guy I purchased it from had sourced it from Canada, I’ve even got the old number plate JZ-396 and Saskatchewan Certificate of Registration signed by yourself in August 2012 (were you the last owner?). I googled a few things and came across your website and your diary of LC life. Looks as though you had a great time with it.
I’ve attached a couple of pictures, they don’t really do the bike justice. I ran it in last year and currently waiting for better weather (salt on our roads!) before I get out on it again.
It’s in good company in my garage as my wife’s Triumph Bonneville and son’s Ducati Cafe Racer, not to mention my BMW R9T keep it company.
She landed softly.
Very good…
One of the folks I grew up with in Regina Sask had a series of bikes, Dan started with a Yamaha 400 but was quickly drawn to the Bonnevilles and a few Nortons. Had a “900? John Player Special” with the Union Jack on the tank which truly stood out from all the crowds of bikes. I don’t know where Dan ended up but do hope he’s kept one of those Nortons into his retirement years.
My kids name their bikes too, this is completely normal behavior.
“Aretha” was a nod to the ability to break a wineglass through voice.
Memorex or Maxell ! with a guy sitting in front of the speakers turned up, while his hair was obviously blown back so as to look like the breeze was from the speakers but you didn’t know if it was live or Memorex
A great era
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/03/749019831/the-voice-that-shattered-glass
Immediately after reading your post, this pops up on my youtube.
https://youtu.be/ZwtiyJfq1_M?si=ajs64hVI8LfsxoM
Woman sings duet with a flute.
Coincidence or google ai spying on me?
Named my last SUV after Wife 1.0’s mother. Miriam.
Your RD is a beauty. I still have a 78 SR500. Rode to Tuk int the summer of 23 on a VStrom. Hoping to more of the same. I like to follow Itchy Boots. It is a blessing to find positive things with all the crazy we are enduring.
The SR500 is my all-time favorite.
“Known as a racing bike”
Wow! Never envisioned Kate as a speed racer what with her doggie van and all. But she’s full of surprises today! Biker chicks are hot. Now I can’t unsee her in her leathers. 🙂
I miss my RZ. I had an RZ500, named Suzy the Banshee. (People who had an RZ will understand that, others will scratch their heads and wonder what I’m on about.)
These days I’m rocking a BMW 900GS, because I’m old now and the adventure bike thing is my style. Like an immense dirtbike. She’s big, she’s brawny and she’s Bavarian, so obviously her name is Brunhilde.
Brunhilde is The Business, for sure, but I still miss that 11,000 rpm shriek, and the way Suzy used to -launch- when she came on the pipe at 6K. First love…
Back in the day, I had a RD350. Great bike. I called it my “Magic Carpet.”
Serial number tattooed on your arm as I remember.
Mischief is important.
Oh wow, is it really that long I have been reading your blog …. Seems like only a few years.
What ever happened to that photo of Kate in leathers ……… Come on Kate re-post it just for those that missed it.
There is a very good reason that those bikes are rare in the UK ….. mmmmmm like the later LC, back in the days before big pharma perfected the art, they reduced the population somewhat.
The 2 stroker (Yam’s, Kawa’s et.al) “road” bikes went like shit off a stick in a straight line but had a mostly tragic flaw unlike my “learner” bike a Ducati single (which i still have) that goes round hard corners, of which there are or used to be back in the day, rather a lot, like it was glued to the road.
Very nice Kate. RD 350/400 were mad popular back in 82. In Oakville there were so many. Wheelie machines. So many memories.
I had a Honda 82 CB 750 Nighthawk SC back then till i dropped it on the highway.
Currently have a 79 Yamaha XS1100 (standard) and 03 Yamaha Vmax.
The LAST bike I ever rode, was my brother’s Honda cx500. Trust me that thing was a powerful little package that scared me shitless quite a few times.
https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Honda/honda_cx500_80.html
Well, I’m not proud to admit it … but I was showing off in front of a particular girls house … revved the engine and failed to feather out the clutch just right and the bike popped right out from underneath me (frankly, I was smart-enough to let go of it) and crashed it into an uphill driveway … it went sideways and put the brake pedal through the crankcase.
My brother was not amused. And I decided my motorcycle days were OVER before they barely started. Yeah, a bike like that under a 19yo hormone driven Idgiot was a bad mix. But I lived to share my tale of stupidity
I was all set to buy one many moons ago…an ex bike riding co-worker caught wind of my intentions and offered up this advice – “Burton…there are two types of bike riders in this world: Those that have laid them down and those that will. How badly you’re injured is the only unknown variable”. Sheesh…betcha he’s a riot at parties.
Anyways, kind of took the wind out of my sails. My brother in law hitting a deer with his Harley on the way home from my place didn’t help either. 12 years later and he’s still feeling the effects.
Thinking of a dirt bike though.
My brother eventually stopped riding. He and a few of his buddies were out riding country roads on one beautiful CA day … when they noticed one of their buddies was missing. They rode back, thinking he had mechanical problems or something. Well, they found his bike, his torso, and the telephone pole he hit. That was all they found.
My brother was done. Sold his bike and never rode again.
I must say, however, the few years I rode his bike (my generous brother) … I learned what it meant to be invisible to cars … who rarely, if ever, saw me on the road. It has made me a superb automobile driver … as I NEVER expect ANY other driver to see me … or even care if they did. My every automobile trip in CA is an exercise in defensive driving. I always find space for evasive maneuvering.
Kenny Roberts riding the 350 engine’s big brother, the legendary TZ750.
From last to first to win it coming out of turn four.
He told everybody they weren’t paying him enough to ride it.
Everyone laughed but he wasn’t joking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k8hJWKIVNs
And SK is greener for it. CO2 is God’s fertilizer.
Pretty sweet. Always be partial to the TDR250 though
https://www.advpulse.com/adv-bikes/throwback-thursday-1988-yamaha-tdr250/
Awesome Kate, must have been a very pleasant surprise!
Thanks for the memories Kate.
Still ride a shovelhead, likely one of the few surviving FLHS (Electra Glide Sport),
the only 800lb “sport” bike in the world.