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John Clark
"tentoes"

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My 79 Specials
(Special and Special II)
 

My story is like a lot of blokes my age.   I started riding in the late
1960's.   I always had a motorcycle until about 1983. Then due to my wife's evil urgings I sold my GS750 and went without for a while.   Bikes that is!   Now one child has  left the nest  and the others are a year or so  away from leaving as well.   I needed something to do besides waiting to die.   I have a buddy who has a 1980 650 special with 57,000 miles on it.

He convinced me of the reliability of the Yamaha 650.   I monitored the list for a while learning about all the gremlins they have and what to look for.   I bought my first one a little over a year ago, and my second one, a 1979 650 special II, about four months ago.
    Bringing them both back to life is my therapy.

I plan to get a touring bike also, possibly a Kawasaki Concours, when my daughter leaves college.   I should be able to afford one by then.  My daughter is going to be an elementary teacher.  
On the Special-ll  I've done the bushings, swing arm bolt, handle bars, fork seals, cables, sprockets and chain, VM carbs, and lastly Mac pipes with sportster mufflers. The paint on the tank and fenders is a rattle can job for now.
The nice thing about having two 79's is I can go look at the other one if I have a question on how something goes back together. The good thing about two 650's is I still have one to ride if the other is down.
 
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