Like you, was a weekend warrior. Took a break and got back into it several years ago. Started racing hare scrambles. Now being over 40 just ride for fun. Lucky to be able to ride out my back door. Hence why I got the Kubota.
Current ride is a KTM 350 XCF. Great do-it all vet bike. I was searching for a CR250R but stumbled upon some rare Italian stallions. A pair of TM 250 MX bikes. That's whole nother conversion in it's self. Bonus points for Kevin Windham. He is my favorite all- time rider from long ago. Totally jealous you got to ride with him. Cheers!
I to crossed over the 40 threshold this year. Gotta be much more careful these days. We ain't built like we used to be.
I've been out the game so long that i know nothing about all those bikes. And the cc increments have gotten crazy.
"Back in my day" LOL, it was just 50s, 80s, 125s, 250s, and the legendary 500s.
Actually rode my stepdad's buddy's 95 KX500 one day out there at the Pearl track. At 15 years old, huge mistake. I remember riding up to my stepdad's dodge ram and falling up against the side of it because my feet we still several inches from touching the ground.
Boy did I learn the importance of respecting a bike that day. Unbelievable power! Only weighing about 150lbs then, that bike had the power to rise up in 4th gear.
I do remember at the end of my racing days, the yz400f (4 stroke) had made its debut. Amazing bike.
Years later after all that, I would try to transfer that knowledge to street bikes. Went out and bought a 2006 GSX600F (katana not a "GSXR") trying to ride with a group of boys i had no business being with. The wife and I were riding with a stunt team named Illegal Actions out of Byram, MS. I wasn't a "stunter" by any means, just enjoyed riding with them as a group.
The wife got fairly interested, started training her to ride the katana while I went out and bought yet another bike, an '07 GSX600R. I mean why not? With good credit, our local dealer Jackson Motorsports could get you out the door with a bike for $100 bucks a month. Insurance, on the other hand, was another story.
That GSXR was an easy 100lbs lighter than that katana. The Katana was 460lbs or so. And the weight difference along with the over all way a GSXR forces your body posture completely over the seat, dang near over the bars, made for dangerous riding... at least for me.
Had a couple mishaps, along with 2 fellow riders killing themselves on that particular team, I sold them both within a year.
Kevin Windham was a straight up southern boy. And i guess I wouldn't say I actually rode with him, you'd just see the back of him mainly LOL. He was from Louisiana, but frequented our track in Pearl in his off season, along with Liberty and at a track north of Prentiss, MS. Also ran into him at a race in Monroe, LA.
You've brought back some good memories for me and the wife tonight, Thank you sir!
Brandon
