Well of course, being May, you would think Spring is just around the corner. Ha! In Cairo maybe...
I finally had a chance to take my old XT 600A for a spin today. This is one of my mostest favorite ever bikes. It's the only year for this particular model in Canada, although the Americans had it for several years after, and the Euro's even longer. I could never figure why YMC* didn't feel it worthwhile to continue importing the bike after that. Marketing surveys, I guess...
IN any case, this particular bike is the second A model I've owned. The first stayed with Deb, my former live-in. As far as I know, she still rides it. Mine I bought here in Calgary after searching far and wide for several years.
They were a SOHC single, 595cc displacement and an electric leg. The YDIS on the side panel stood for ? Does anyone remember??? I'll let you know next chapter...
The seat height is bearable for me, and the suspension and torque, although not of current KTM standards, has been quite sufficient most of the time, for the types of riding I have done with the bike in the 15 years I've owned it.
Big Blue has carried my arse from Phoenix to Cabo, Baja ("The Pony Express Rides Again") during the winter of '98-'99 a total of 7000kms, even doing some duty splitting lanes in the Wilds of L.A. She's also traversed the Maritimes with her sister, and been across much of Alberta and B.C. We've also been regulars to Canadian Biker since 1999 right up to the Forestry Trunk Road adventure in the May 2007 iss.**
Today, we went for a chilly little jaunt just West of my NW Calgary home. I haven't ridden my bikes much the last couple of summers, travelling instead in Europe for months at a time. It was good to get back on this reliable old bike, now 20 years young. I keep her maintained, and will no doubt do a valve 'check' (they rarely need adjustment) and of course a service including filter and oil. The one p.i.t.b.*** about this engine is the dry sump lubrication system. Makes checking the oil level a bit more involved. To compare it to voo-doo Black magic is probably not stretching the truth a whole lot!
Thumping my way around a low speed back road corner, I spotted a solitary bambi, on the road side. Of course these girls never run solo, and once off the bike... I spotted 2 more lower down the valley. Doing my best F117 stealth routine, I could still only get within 30 M or so, they are extremely wary creatures.
They blend in amazingly well with the terrain and it can be very difficult to pick them out if they are not moving. For all I know, there could have been several more. On a 300 km Easter Monday, we spotted over thirty individuals during the day. I Love seeing wildlife (not the kind at the RanchMan's Friday night) but the real McCoy. Rabbits, coyotes, deer, elk, moose and even chipmunks.
Yup... my XT has certainly been good to me over the years, and I suspect I shall have her for many more to come... thinking it may be time to do a repeat of my Pony Express, this time flying solo.
*Yamaha Motor Canada
Big Blue has carried my arse from Phoenix to Cabo, Baja ("The Pony Express Rides Again") during the winter of '98-'99 a total of 7000kms, even doing some duty splitting lanes in the Wilds of L.A. She's also traversed the Maritimes with her sister, and been across much of Alberta and B.C. We've also been regulars to Canadian Biker since 1999 right up to the Forestry Trunk Road adventure in the May 2007 iss.**
Today, we went for a chilly little jaunt just West of my NW Calgary home. I haven't ridden my bikes much the last couple of summers, travelling instead in Europe for months at a time. It was good to get back on this reliable old bike, now 20 years young. I keep her maintained, and will no doubt do a valve 'check' (they rarely need adjustment) and of course a service including filter and oil. The one p.i.t.b.*** about this engine is the dry sump lubrication system. Makes checking the oil level a bit more involved. To compare it to voo-doo Black magic is probably not stretching the truth a whole lot!
Thumping my way around a low speed back road corner, I spotted a solitary bambi, on the road side. Of course these girls never run solo, and once off the bike... I spotted 2 more lower down the valley. Doing my best F117 stealth routine, I could still only get within 30 M or so, they are extremely wary creatures.
They blend in amazingly well with the terrain and it can be very difficult to pick them out if they are not moving. For all I know, there could have been several more. On a 300 km Easter Monday, we spotted over thirty individuals during the day. I Love seeing wildlife (not the kind at the RanchMan's Friday night) but the real McCoy. Rabbits, coyotes, deer, elk, moose and even chipmunks.
Yup... my XT has certainly been good to me over the years, and I suspect I shall have her for many more to come... thinking it may be time to do a repeat of my Pony Express, this time flying solo.
*Yamaha Motor Canada
**CB July/Aug 1999 Jan/Feb 2000 Jan/Feb 2002 May 2007
***pain in the butt
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