1972 Yamaha XS-2

A 650cc parallel-twin, the bike is obviously reminiscent of classic British iron. With it's OHC and stalwart electrics, I kind of think of it as the way the Britbikes should have been built. It's a little rough cosmetically, and is not all original, but it's still a fine-running old bike which will usually fire up on the first kick. I traded a set of 0"-6" micrometers, worth maybe $250, for the bike in '94, and it required only a set of tires and a good carb-cleaning to get it on the road. Other than plastic-coating the inside of the gas tank and replacing the ignition switch, that's about all I've had to put into the bike. Oh, and I've applied Loc-Tite™ blue to every darned fastener I can get to; this rascal vibrates!

Favorite story; speaking of vibration! I was sitting on the bike shortly after I acquired it. I'd warmed it up, and it was idling while I put on my gloves and helmet. Directly across the road from my driveway is a wire-mesh fence, and I noticed that it seemed to be vibrating. When I raised my butt off the seat, it stopped instantly, and I realized that what was vibrating was my eyeballs! Thankfully, the bike smooths out some once you're under way. But at idle, the frequency of the vibration is just right to set the eyeballs to buzzing, and it happens consistently.

I also own a non-running first-generation XS-1, complete with the highly sought-after double-leading-shoe front drum brake. The motor's free and the bike is complete, though the seat and the pipes are not original. Who knows, I may yet restore that one...