Dirt Bike Stories ;o)

Laverda SF

Laverda SF

Hero member
Canon Country runs along the northern length of the Trent canal between Washago (Lake Simcoe), Orillia to Port Severn on to Georgian Bay.

Had a Kawasaki 175 (2 Stroke) dirt bike that summer of 1972. I generally wore a cotton shirt, cut off jeans, helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads (sometimes shoulder pads and shin pads, basically Hockey equip at the time) with light over ankle high laced leather boots. At 5'11", I only weighed 136 lbs at 24 years old.

That Cannon country with back dirt roads along the canal and pastures was fantastic - UNTIL: I was ripping through a hollow over a short wooden bridge with a black cloud hoovering over it. Billions of Black Flies went into my eyes, up my nose under my helmet and into my ears. Needless to say, I found myself in the ditch just clearing the bridge. I was staggering blind and did not have a clue where I was and if I had hurt myself or where the bike was ?

I spent over a hour there stripping myself and washing in the creek before I continued with minor scraps and bruises.

I always seemed to have scratches, bruises, stitches, and sprains when I was young riding dirt bikes.

I got a few more dirt bike stories especially one of me and a Yellow Bombardier Bennelli Can Am - It toke me me 2 weeks to recover that bike and made up my mind to ride street rules and go Cafe ;o)
 
No tale from the Wild: Canon Country is part of Toronto's rich elite: I'm strictly a true Northern Ontarian traveling through. 

Misquote's are worse then Black Flies; besides, I want to hear your Dirt Bike Stories ;o)

Not saying a Black Fly bit will not take a chunk outta you as Honda 500 4 Stroke Singles where probably available then.

What's your Dirt Bike Story - I'm sure every surviving Motorcyclist has a Dirt Bike Story ?

Shit! That 71 Kawasaki 2 stroke 175 could hold near 80 mph on flat top dirt down any straight, light with lots of suspension and more then enough revs. Personally, I was never comfortable shifting on the left ;o)
 
My dirt bikes have been:
Honda CT90, YZ80 big wheel front end, rear end, alloy bars, custom exhaust.
Honda MT250, CR top end
1980? Yamaha IT250J, stock
1974 Yamaha DT360, stock
1979 Yamaha DT400, stock
2000 Yamaha WR400, almost stock, bar exhaust

Take your pick Ron, which one would you like a story from.
 
When I was a fourteen, used to ride a Yamaha 125 over the gravel pits where there was a track of about half a mile that had been worn by other riders. I decided to start my jumping career by making a ramp with an old plank on a couple of house bricks- not high but a good starting point. After building the ramp of I set off to do a lap to build up speed and prepare for my first 8? Take off. Mentally prepared , I Was accelerating hard, stood on the pegs and got my body braced for flight, then I saw the jump, it had come up sooner than expected but It was now or never!The reason for me arriving at the ramp so soon was it was someone else?s ramp, not my two brick special, no this was a full blown jump ramp built for the Maico 440s that the big guys rode.
I hit the ramp and the bike nose dived off the end, luckily my nuts took all the impact and Kept me from falling off :o
.
 
Piranha Brother 2 said:
Tales from the wild, Ron! What are black flies? Like itchy-scratchy things.
Click to expand...

They are rotten little bastards that slice you open and make you bleed and then infect the wound so that it swells up.

Just ask Wade Hemsworth.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/qjLBXb1kgMo[/youtube]

'Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to work up in the woods in North Ontar-i-o;
And the unemployment office said they'd send me through
To the Little Abitibi with the survey crew
And the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

And the man Black Tobey was the captain of the crew
And he said, I'm gonna tell you boys, what we're gonna do:
They want to build a power dam; we must find a way
For to make the Little Ab flow around the other way
With the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

So we survey to the east, survey to the west,
Couldn't make our minds up how to do it best;
Little Ab, Little Ab, what shall I do?
I'm all but goin' crazy with the survey crew
And the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

It was blackfly, blackfly, everywhere,
A-crawlin' in your whiskers, crawlin' in your hair;
Swimmin' in the soup, swimmin' in the tea,
And the devil take the blackfly, let me be.
Black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

Black Tobey fell to swearin'; the work went slow,
The state of our morale was a-gettin' pretty low;
The flies swarmed heavy; hard to catch your breath,
As you staggered up and down the trail a-talkin' to yourself
With the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

Well now, the bull cook's name was Blind River Joe,
If it hadn't been for him we'd 've never pulled through;
'Cause he bound up our bruises and he kidded us for fun,
And he lathered us with bacon grease and balsam gum.
And the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

And at last the job was over; Black Tobey said we're through
With the Little Abitibi and the survey crew!
'Twas a wonderful experience and this I know:
I'll never go again to North Ontar-i-o
With the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.

And the black flies, the little black flies,
Always the black fly no matter where you go;
I'll die with the black fly a-pickin' my bones,
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, in North Ontar-i-o.
 
chrisk said:
My dirt bikes have been:
Honda CT90, YZ80 big wheel front end, rear end, alloy bars, custom exhaust.
Honda MT250, CR top end
1980? Yamaha IT250J, stock
1974 Yamaha DT360, stock
1979 Yamaha DT400, stock
2000 Yamaha WR400, almost stock, bar exhaust

Take your pick Ron, which one would you like a story from.
Click to expand...

I had a red rocket CR250 which had been converted to an MR by a member of the Blue Wing Honda enduro team....Lighting coils and the big tank and a marginally more effective silencer. And the barrel ported to the "works kit" MX specs.
As a roadracer trying enduros I could handle the speed - but the body couldn't handle the rest of it
That thing was an absolute weapon.
 
They are rotten little bastards that slice you open and make you bleed and then infect the wound so that it swells up. Just ask Wade Hemsworth.
Click to expand...

Jesus Jim: What made you think of that song! My Grandfather, My Dad and myself were all Northern Ontarian Rail Roader's; Engineer, Conductor and Dispatcher respectively.

As a true Northerner, I DO NOT consider Canon Country Northern Ontario but a rather a over populated southern Ontarian playground escape from the their cities. Simcoe County is not even close to be considered as Northern as a matter of interest there are no Counties in Northern Ontario there are only Districts and each District is about the size of the whole of Southern Ontario ;o)

I just happened to be placed as a relief Station Agent at Washago (North end of Lake Simcoe) at the time - Think I was 24 (Just after I had spent 3 years on the West Coast as a Photographer working for Chromalloy). It was impossible to escape the Parties that summer in Washago . Dan Hill's home town:
Great crooner, except Rod Stewart beat him to it (Hence, his Down Hill repartee). I could play key board, stings and if necessary a harmonica. I always had my crossbreed 3/4 flat top Martin with a Gibson nick on the road. Bought that guitar in Preston B.C. for a song because I could not carry my Martin Orme piano while I was on the road working for Chromalloy. I played songs with Dan Hill. Just the 2 of us in the Gravenhurst Railway freight shed for hours, smoking joints. Why, because I was the Station Agent and he was waiting for a ride home to Washago. I also met and played with Blue Rodeo at the Key in Bala and Janis Joplin at the Pig Farm just north of my home town Capreol - Elaine  Baker (Shania Twain) in the Riviera Hotel -  What an honor. Like she was only 15 and a friend of my girl friend where I was in my early 20's and in University. Because Elaine was under age, they closed the Bar from 6 to 8 while she sang on stage and I assisted her at times on keys or strings (Panis on drums & either Gaudet or Laviotte on stings) while locals tended to get rowdy waiting for the bar to open - Thanks Roma - I've have to say Elaine is a determined and really good singer. She's a Multi-Millionaire today although to me she is rather abrupt and a small person.

I improvised the Music Score for this song on scene and most of the Lyric's: There is a Town in Northern Ontario - Known as and written by Neil Young (Buffalo Springfield) -"Helpless"  GEEZE ! He did a great rendition of MY Song !
Thief - Hope he dies before I do ;o)

"Big Birds flying across the Sky" was mine, relative to SAC Nuke carrying B52's and Hustler's that flew above Capreol every day.

"Helpless" was my reference to all these great musicians passed out in Pig Shit - Literately ;o)

Niel Young stole it, added some lyric's and made it somewhat famous (He wasn't even there), which I suspect came from a member of the Ungrateful Dead after hearing it at the Pig Farm - Janis Joplin and Danny Gaudet (Crystal Gayle's son) was there plus lots of Young Musicians of the 60's alive and well. Never received a cent. It was a spontaneous solo act on my part when everyone was down and out after a weekend of Drugs and Booze; but they all revived and joined in - I participated in the acquisition of Booze from a Liquor Store that Sunday Night at 4:00 AM.

I had a my 1956 Chevy 1/2 Ton (Straight 6 & 3 on the floor), 70 Triumph 250 Trophy and of course my Martin Guitar. Made several trips to LCBO (Liquor Control Board Outlet) on Saturday night with my Trophy (Some 12 miles of winding Asphalt). Then come Sunday night we made a BIG withdrawal - Had to use the 1/2 Ton (Janis wanted Gin) - Fortunately, I knew the LCBO Guy with the Key who agreed to make a Big Sale when the store opened Monday morning. Something to being a musician as well as being a Transportation Officer. I can't remember all the foggy particulars but it's a true story; however, who could refuse Janis if she wanted Gin.

Janis's train rolled outta Capreol at noon that Monday. Honestly, I don't think me or law enforcement would have lasted any longer ;o)

On top of it all I met a Girl named Queen that weekend - That's rather a sad but entreating story.

The truth be said, I played "Danny Boy" in E Flat for a very shy Girl singer in Oba Ontario - My most memorable piece of music, I could NOT keep up with her and she went Acapella: Absolutely the most Astounding Performance and most beautiful voice I've ever heard. She turned her back on the audience and sang into the corner of 2 walls.

Put 75,000 miles on a my 72 340 Challenger within 2 years working for Chromalloy traveling across Canada -  Not a Helicopter but an experience I will always cherish - Just living for short times within diverse cultures and the beautiful people of Canada.

I came so close to buying a 200 acre farm in White Rock for $16,000 at the time, but the Ontario North called me back ;o)

The deal was done, all I had to do was sign on the dotted line for the loan. I was clearing approx 20,000 a yr with all expenses paid and Photography equipment supplied by Chromalloy. The Company also supplied me a brand new Impala 350 SS but I wanted a Challenger; however,  the company liked my PIC's ;o) I was never in ONE PLACE for long and my Girl back home was waiting. Crazy thing is I hired with the CNR back in Ontario to be trained as a Traffic Controller (Train Dispatcher) and I wasn't at home either, traveling and working the Northern Territory - So long Roma of like after a 10 year relationship - If you want to call it that - LOL

Hard to say if I do not regret leaving the West Coast to go back to my home Northern Ontario; C'est La Vie !

I loved that West Coast, the Ocean and Mountains but the mostly the Skiing. I was young and had to break a few more bones. Did I mention I won all Ontario Salmon just before going West looking for bigger slopes. That's why I took a job with Chromalloy and claimed the West coast as my home territory, B.C. & Alberta - What more could an Northern Ontarian Irish Bloke who wants to fall off mountains ask for !

It was during them years, I met Wolfgang in Naksup and decided to buy a Laverda - Something, I never regretted.

Hope one makes scene of my rambling - Give up editing my Error's  - Threw a Trophy 250 in there so guess it's a Dirt Bike story at a Pig Farm  ;o)

 
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