Leaves are again on the trees, and you'd better believe I've been taking advantage of the warmth to haul ass on two wheels.
In December of last year I was struck by the sheer beauty of a sound, the ring-ding-ping of two stroke motorbikes. Fully enamoured I went hunting through craigslist and ebay and stumbled upon a listing in Miami for a 1976 Suzuki GT250. After some dickering and a bit of deal-making, I sent off a certified check and received a motorbike in return. I have absolutely no regrets.
70s Two-Strokes
Back in the 70's, the UJM was king. That's just what motorcycles looked like. Hell, even Harley-Davidson -- famous now for their bad-boy cruiser look & feel, and their ability to stick branding on every single square foot of everything conceivably related to riding -- had a UJM back then. An awful lot of those bikes were also two-stroke (the H-D included), due to the pure simplicity and power inherent in the two-stroke design.
Suzuki's GT line-up ranged from a polite 125cc twin to a massive 750cc triple. The twin 250cc was an excellent in-between displacement, it could get you moving while still being a lightweight and relatively efficient machine. The next step up was the 380cc triple, decidedly heavier and more complex, though definitely a power-house. I may have to keep my eye open for one in the future.
Weighing in at 300lbs fully fueled it could pump out a reported 34bhp. It boasted a six-speed transmission, and used Suzuki's unique CCI oil delivery system, removing the need for premix and vastly improving lubrication efficiency.
The down-side is that, being an older two stroke, it's not very efficient. And not only does it consume a fair amount of gas on its own, it has the bad habit of venting some amount of unburnt fuel straight out with the exhaust. This in addition to being a total-loss top-end lubrication setup -- all that two-stoke oil gets burned up and out the exhaust it goes. So, fairly awful from an environmental standpoint.
Two-stroke oil is different from the normal stuff you put in an engine. It has a definite smell to it. A very good smell. It's almost certainly terrible for you, but for some reason those fumes register as "totally excellent" and rapidly get associated with roaring around on your bike.
There's an interesting way to combat some of the gasoline inefficiencies inherent in the valve-less two-stroke design. One such fix is to install exhaust pipes with expansion chambers tuned to the port timing and volume of the particular engine. Such exhaust systems have a rebound effect -- they push back with a high pressure wave, forcing the normally-wasted beginnings of the fresh air-fuel charge back into the cylinder. This results in less waste obviously, but it also means that there's more air/fuel at a higher pressure in the cylinder, which equates to more power! More power means you can operate at a higher gear at lower RPMs while maintaining responsiveness, which is again an increase in efficiency. The downside is that the exuasts are... odd looking. Big lumpy chambers midway along the bike where before there would be only a smooth pipe. Also, they tend to be louder than normal exhausts, producing a strong popping sound.
Of course I've already ordered a pair of appropriately sized and shaped pipes for my GT250. I'm not in this thing to only take half measures!
Uggo
So, with another bike in the stable, what does this mean for Uggo the VT500FT? Well I have very happy news there. Uggo has been sold and is acting as the daily ride for her new owner, my very own sister, Littlebear!
I am so pleased that Uggo is getting so much regular riding time. I felt terribly guilty that I got her running well and then only barely took her out on the roads. Motorcycles exist to be ridden. They are healthy when they get used, and when they sit unused they grow sick and weak. Their purpose is to go forward, to advance, to accelerate! Even the slowest bike yearns to throw its entire being into motion, to have its rider bring it to the limits of its engine and roar through space and time.
And now, roaring is just what Uggo gets to do, charging into the future like the beast she is!
Me
Over the winter I put on some flubber. Kinda gross, but I had floopy bits around my waist that tried their best to escape. I could feel them wobble when I walked, but the cold had me so desparate for stimulation I was hungry constantly. Now it is spring! I have begun to run again. I play in the sunlight and exercise and move! I'm not hungry all of the damned time. Ever so slowly the lumpy bits are receeding. Even more slowly I am gaining muscle mass and definition.
I feel pretty good!