But there I was in Beaver. With $20 in hand and a broken engine. I striped down my engine down to the pistons (on the roadside) to see if I could fix the problem. I couldn't. I found out that the pin in the piston had worn down the wall of my cylinder about a 16th of an inch and was baging along a 10mph. I put it back together and fortuately there was a bike shop in town. I asked then if I could hone the cylinder so my bike might get me to Salt Lake City. He obliged !! While I was in there fixing it, someone came in trying to sell his cm400 motercycle which wasn't working because of electrical problems, that he had gave up on. Now that engine in that bike was perfect for mine. The owner of the shop came to me and mentioned that this guy had a bike like mine for sale. The guy wanted $100 for it. I talked him down to $80. I said "well I guess I will have to find some work now". The guy said that his brother was working on this new apartment and he might need someone. I went to talk to his brother and he said to start the next day at $5 an hr. I went to a hotel and paid the guy $10 for the night. The next morning I had breakfast and was paid at the end of the day. In a week I had my new engine (kick - not electric start) and they gave me a raise to $8 to stay. Then the next to $12 to stay even longer till the place was finished. Well I stayed and did some fishing and spent some time tripping around the back roads. I even went to Bryce Canyon for a day trip. In Utah there is no helmet law, so I went there without. Now at 80mph my face flapped. My hair was knotted and my skin raw. I swore never to ride without for that reason. I, to this day can't understand why those Harley rider's can stand those "beany" helmets. I enjoy listening to music with earphones, being able to average 80mph without having my face being ripped off. Later in Calgary I got a Shoi Fairing. Which made the going alot easier, and faster. I stayed there for a couple of weeks then went home to Vancouver Island for a couple more. On the way back to LA I managed to have a race with a guy on a "Fatboy" on the Island highway at around 90-100 apx. I think that they are the more crasy rider's when they have a chick on the back. Which he did. He leaned in to the corner's. I wouldn't dare. I jump off the side like a racer. I have had my back tire slip and it only fishtailed then got back on track. That only happened once, when I tried to catch up to J.Leno in his Viper, when I saw him on Benedict canyon rd in Beverly hills. Now if that guy slipped at that speed on those roads, he would be dead along with the girl. Anyway's here's a picture of my bike on the ferry from Vancouver Island. Take notice of the fancy saddlebags. Well on the trip I bought a new speedometer with a top speed of 120mph. The previous one had a max of 80mph The top speed of the bike is 110mph. I mesured that only when fully loaded with 100 extra pounds on the tank and behind me. And at the time I only had a 400 engine. Beyond that speed I would freak. It took a long time to reach that speed and by the time I reached it I was worried that the boy's might catch me. I think that if I had a faster bike I might try 200mph, but it had better be quik and over with before they catch me.
