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Hello all,
I grew up riding on the backseat of my father’s 82 GS850G. When I was 16, a friend gave him a 77 GS750 with no title that had been sitting in a barn for 20 years. After he messed with it off and on for months, my father said, “Boy if you can get this thing to run it’s yours.” I had it running about a week later and taught myself to ride on it.
In 2010 he passed away suddenly, and both bikes officially became mine. In 2011 I started a mild cafe project on the 750 and made it in my style (see photo, circa 2011, nearly through). Funny story: during the project I found the original title, last issued in ‘79, tucked inside the rear fairing between some plastic! I rode it daily for a long time before I decided to tear it down and rebuild it properly. Meanwhile the 850 sat untouched (too many projects at once can make it difficult to maintain momentum on any particular one).
While the 750 is currently stripped down to the frame and boxed up after many moves for work/school, my job has finally allowed me the time to get back to my roots: getting the might 850 up and running again. I will NOT be chopping the frame or hacking this one up at all. I will be returning it to as factory a condition as I can muster, minus some mild improvements to my liking. It will be treated with the respect it deserves from its two-wheeled ancestry, and its personal history to me and my 10-year-old butt strapped to the back all those years ago, arms wrapped around the father who taught me so much about motorcycles, and thus, life itself.
Five years ago I reached my childhood dream of becoming a helicopter pilot, and I now work 14 days on, 14 days off flying helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico. The job kicks ass, and the schedule allows me to continue pursuing my hobbies (building, fixing, and riding).
Its an honor to carry on the passion for these machines I absorbed from my father, and a pleasure to meet a group of like-minded enthusiasts. I will be a frequent visitor to the forums and will be sure to keep you all up to date with my 850 progress. Ride on!
I grew up riding on the backseat of my father’s 82 GS850G. When I was 16, a friend gave him a 77 GS750 with no title that had been sitting in a barn for 20 years. After he messed with it off and on for months, my father said, “Boy if you can get this thing to run it’s yours.” I had it running about a week later and taught myself to ride on it.
In 2010 he passed away suddenly, and both bikes officially became mine. In 2011 I started a mild cafe project on the 750 and made it in my style (see photo, circa 2011, nearly through). Funny story: during the project I found the original title, last issued in ‘79, tucked inside the rear fairing between some plastic! I rode it daily for a long time before I decided to tear it down and rebuild it properly. Meanwhile the 850 sat untouched (too many projects at once can make it difficult to maintain momentum on any particular one).
While the 750 is currently stripped down to the frame and boxed up after many moves for work/school, my job has finally allowed me the time to get back to my roots: getting the might 850 up and running again. I will NOT be chopping the frame or hacking this one up at all. I will be returning it to as factory a condition as I can muster, minus some mild improvements to my liking. It will be treated with the respect it deserves from its two-wheeled ancestry, and its personal history to me and my 10-year-old butt strapped to the back all those years ago, arms wrapped around the father who taught me so much about motorcycles, and thus, life itself.
Five years ago I reached my childhood dream of becoming a helicopter pilot, and I now work 14 days on, 14 days off flying helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico. The job kicks ass, and the schedule allows me to continue pursuing my hobbies (building, fixing, and riding).
Its an honor to carry on the passion for these machines I absorbed from my father, and a pleasure to meet a group of like-minded enthusiasts. I will be a frequent visitor to the forums and will be sure to keep you all up to date with my 850 progress. Ride on!
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