On another thread the other day I brought up my 1975 xr-75 dad boght me in the spring of 75. That got me to thinking, of all the bikes I have owned in my life, that bike was the toughest hands down. We lived 7 miles from town on a farm, and I lived on and beat the hell out of that thing for three years before I outgrew it, dad sold it to a family with 4 boys, and they thrashed it for another 4 years. In 1984 I went to a bike shop for some parts, and in the back room was my xr! I knew it was mine due to a real unique dent on the tank due to swatting a tree at around 40, and a pretty good blood letting.
Turns out some guy had traded it and two other bikes for on good one. My son and I were at my dad's last night and got to talking about it. Dad said he always wondered just how many hours I put on that bike in three years, because when he sold it, the paint was worn off the sides of the tank, the seat had been re-covered at least twice, and it looked worn bad. On the average summer day I would basically ride from sun-up till sundown. If the snow wasn't too deep it got ridden in the winter no matter how cold, and mom and dad both used it on the farm to check livestock, and run to the neighbors.
Dad also brought up something I had forgotten, every spring he made a parts run. He said he always got a half dozen brake and clutch levers because he new they would get busted off on a regular basis. Also two rear tires, and spare tubes, (thorn trees) couple sets of hand grips, and one or two clutch cables. Of all the hours of riding, patching up rusted mufflers, and maintenance, that bike never quit, not once. The family he sold it to never touched the engine either, and the bike, although a little weak, still started first kick when they sold it. I would like to hear some bullet proof bike stories.
Turns out some guy had traded it and two other bikes for on good one. My son and I were at my dad's last night and got to talking about it. Dad said he always wondered just how many hours I put on that bike in three years, because when he sold it, the paint was worn off the sides of the tank, the seat had been re-covered at least twice, and it looked worn bad. On the average summer day I would basically ride from sun-up till sundown. If the snow wasn't too deep it got ridden in the winter no matter how cold, and mom and dad both used it on the farm to check livestock, and run to the neighbors.
Dad also brought up something I had forgotten, every spring he made a parts run. He said he always got a half dozen brake and clutch levers because he new they would get busted off on a regular basis. Also two rear tires, and spare tubes, (thorn trees) couple sets of hand grips, and one or two clutch cables. Of all the hours of riding, patching up rusted mufflers, and maintenance, that bike never quit, not once. The family he sold it to never touched the engine either, and the bike, although a little weak, still started first kick when they sold it. I would like to hear some bullet proof bike stories.
unk: 
