5/17/2014 4:36 PM
Edited Date/Time: 5/17/2014 5:31 PM
This is my original 1973 Honda XR75.
This was one of my favorite bikes of all time. I had so much fun with this bike...a lot of good memories on this bike. I always wished I had back my old XR, I even bought another one to restore a few years back just because of what it was to me. I used to tell my dad over the years as I was collecting..."I wish I had my original XR back".
After my dad sold it sometime in 1975 to a friend of his, it or he, was not seen or heard from till 4 years ago.
My dad happen to be at the Pomona Fair Grounds in Ca. to watch a drag race.
He likes to walk around the pits and check out all the cars. In doing so, he went over to a pit where a car was that he wanted to get a closer look at.
He thinks he recognizes this guy but just not sure where from. After talking to the guy for a short time, he suddenly remembers who he was, an old friend from years ago. The guy thought the same of my dad until they both realize they haven't seen one another for years....35 years to be exact.
The next thing you know, the guy asks my dad...You still ride motorcycles? This guy used to ride a little with my dad back in the day. (70's) Bang!...It hits my dad, not even entering his mind until he asks about bikes...."this is the guy I sold Tim's 73 XR75 to". he say's to himself.
Thinking, there's no way this guy would still have it after all these years, he pops the question. Hey, you wouldn't happen to still have that little XR75 I sold you, would you?
To his amazement,he says.... "Yeah, I still have it". He goes on to tell my dad that over the years, he used as a pit bike at the drags. My dad tells him how much I would love to buy it back from him and he agrees to sell it back to me after all these years. I couldn't believe it when my dad called me to tell me about it. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to get it back in my greedy little hands.
The following pic is of me racing it out at Orange County Raceway in California, probably 1974 judging from the 74 XR in the pic with me. That would make me 8 yrs old at the time. What style!..one finger on the clutch...making the pass on the inside. I was stylin guys!!
I remember the day like it was yesterday, my dad took me down to buy those fancy new riding pants and jersey, the jersey was a Honda vented and the pants were dennim...I think Griffs. I was so excited to finally get real race gear. Before that,I was wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt. I guess we didn't have enough money for the gloves or goggles judging from the picture.
My dad laid down the shocks for me. He put on the chrome K&N bars with no cross bar. He built me a pipe for it to, he used to build pipes back in the day for J&R expansion in Placentia,Ca. This is the same place Bob Hannah started welding pipes before he went out on the nationals and hit it big time. If you look close..you can see where he lengthened the swing arm about two inches in the back.
I got the bike back virtually in the same condition after all these years. Even the tires are the same ones, although he put the shocks back in the upright position. You can even see where the number 7 was on the front number plate. I'm going to leave it in... as is condition.
Anyways, thought it would be neat to share it.
