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Another old thread I felt the need to update, rather than make a new one.
The friend I sold my KX400 to passed away suddenly and unexpectedly about 6 months ago. He was a larger than life character who was loved by so many, I feel both privledged to have known him and also I regret that I did not know him better. Our interactions always involved motorcycles in one way or another as part of a group of friends where that was the common thread, whether it was going to swap meets, racing vintage bikes, or drinking beer and watching supercross. I was sometimes the designated driver and on the way to his house, we would wind up in the parking lot of a cycle shop owned by another aquaintance, which happened to be next to a pizza joint that was open late on the weekends, and right around the corner from his house. 3:00 am would find us standing in the parking lot eating pizza andl talking about motorcycles and life in general. That happened several times....Those are my favorite memories of him.
His wife called upon his best friend, another one of my small circle, to help her figure out what to do with many years worth of parts and bikes. As they started to go thru everything later, I got a call to tell me that she wanted me to have my KX back. It was hard for me to even process at the time. It had been taken apart, but he hadnt got around to working on it, as we all seem to have too many projects. She knew how much the bike meant to me, and the conditions that caused me to part with it. I was beside myself, and still am as I write this. Fast forward 5 months, and I went and picked it up yesterday. I still feel sort of undeserving...but as cliche as it is....I think he would have wanted me to have it. His best friend pointed out several parts that would fit some bikes that I have and after a little reassurance, I did also take them with me the other day. I also grabbed an old side cover that had a custom printed racing number/background with his name and number on it, and I put that on my shop wall already.
As I was leaving, his wife told me that I was one of the few left who would put the parts I was given to good use. At some point in the future she is going to have one of those junk services come by, and a couple of us are going to be there to direct what should be tossed and what we want. Thats the part Im sort of having trouble with, of course Im happy to have the stuff, but the way in which I am getting it.......but Im sure he would have rather the old bits and pieces go to some of us than be tossed out.
Im going to add the KX to my winter project list, and although I do not have the resources to do the outstanding job on it that he would have done, Im going to do my best, and then race it again.
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1972 S2 350, 1972 F9 350 Bighorn, 1975 KX400, 1981 YZ465, 1980 XT500 (Built for MX) , 1987 KD80, 1995 MZ Skorpion, TTR 125, 1994 KDX200 , 1978 Mobylette, 1985 KX350R-F91m (Frankenstein) and a Doodle Bug
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