DRZrider

Hey guys and girls. New to this forum, but lovin it so far. Back when gas was around a dollar a gallon I had a Yamaha DT400(2 stroke). I bought it for $500, rode it for 3 years with only minimal work, one back tire and a set of forks off of a honda(after friend wrecked). It was freedom to me, I could get on and go ride wherever I could get away with it. The bike was a bit on the heavy side, the front shocks would bottom out in pretty much half the time, the back suspension had the dual shocks and was way too firm even on the weakest setting. Riding it came to an end one day after rooster tailing mud about 40 feet into the air screaming through a swampy muddy area near my house. I was riding along pass after pass through the much and then I though I heard a relatively faint "pop". I didn't know what it was so I figured I had better head for home. After getting home I let the bike idle for a bit and then it died. I went through the normal process of trouble shooting and then started it back up. It idled for another 20-30 seconds and then died. Hmmm, what the hell. Anyways after about a week of riding and having it continue ot die at idle. I decided to start taking things apart. I got down to the piston and there it was a crack right where thr wrist pin goes through. I didn't know what to do with it and my older brother was kind of interested so I showed him what was wrong told him what I though needed to be done to fix it and sold it to him for I think about $100.

Next bike was a 1997 Yamaha YZR750R. Got it for $4000 from a friend I knew from the ship I was stationed on. I was impressed with the bike. All kinds of power and it would wind out to like 10K RPM's. I though wow this thing is super high performane. I didn't know a whole lot about riding a street bike but learned as I went along. At this point I was of the mind to go fast and live dargerously and I did. I was always in a hurry and pushing the limit. I would always check the tires after riding to see if the chicken strips had gone away or not. I never did quite get all the way to the edge of the tire, but I tried. I rode this bike for almost 7 months and then the concequences of my choices caught up with me. It goes like this. I got off work an early sunday morning, went home, parked the car, ate some breakfast got my gear on and earerly went to jump on the bike for a day of riding. I went to the gas station, filled up, checked the tire pressure and headed off. I was heading out on the old 94 past east lake. The bike was handling really good (which I attribute to the proper tire pressure) and had built up my confidence in my ability to ride. So I was feeling like I was a bit better than normal and that the bike could be pushed harder than normal. So a few miles in I got caught behind some harley's that were just cruising along, ya know doing the speed limit, enjoying the view. Well I wasn't having it, so as soon as I had a clear shot I down shifted two gears and passed them, got up to around 100 on the straight away, came back into the right lane, saw a turn coming up and thought hmm how fast can I go around this????? Next thought, how cool would it be to not use the breaks and lay into the turn? Ohhhh yeah that would be sweet and the harley's would think wow, that dude didn't even use his brakes going into the turn. Well, I should have. Turns out I went in a bit hot to the tune of about 20 MPH or so. I laid in realised the tur was getting sharper, laid in more, right foot and peg was dragging on the ground. I got on the breaks, slowed down some, went wide into the oncoming lane, still continuing to slow. The edge of the road was coming closer and closer. And then I realized I wasn't going to make the turn. OH crap, stood the bike up and drove off the road. Hit some rocks, got catapulted back on the road and rolled to a stop about a 100-150 feet away. The bike went throught the rocks, a wire fence and then came chasing after me sounding like a pissed off machine. It would hit the ground, then tumble through the air then hit the ground. I didn't see it, but heard it. by the time I had stopped rolling, composed myself heard the bike, and looked up it had came to a stop about 20 feet away steaming and leaking oil and coolant all over the road. First thing I thought was "who saw that" So wierd to think about such a thought, but I did. Next thing I started shedding gear, helmet, gloves then jacket, but I couldn't get my right sleeve off. For some reason my left hand wasn't working too well. BY this time the Harley's had arrived and man was I glad too see them. After my high speed pass and everything they were pretty nice to me. They call an ambulance, moved my bike out of the road, gave me some water and actually waited with me till the ambulance came. Pretty good bunch of guys. Thanks to them. Well long story short, I made it to the hospital, had a broken left radius bone. Since I crashed at a high rate of speed, I had to go to a level 1 trauma center which the closets one happened to be Sharp's which seemed like a hour away. Got all fixed up at the hospital and that was the end of bike #2.

I didn't get any other bikes till just about two weeks ago. I knew if I had I would go and do the same thing again. I'm one of those guys that like to go fast. I do the sam thing when I go sailing, I am always trying to go the extra little bit. I think I am a least partially over that part of life now so I am getting back into the whole bike scene again. Well that's it for now. I will wirte some more later.