Your First, Not A gun

[Ron Smith]

Hey Bill,

A friend I ride with had a 1200 Sportster. It was a quick bike, and handled like a dream. He sold it and bought a Dyna Low Rider, right after I got my Road King.

I bought a basket case '73 Kawasaki 650 Mach III from a guy I worked with in about 1982 or 83. After I got it fixed and put together, it was the nastiest bike I've ever been on. If you gave it too much throttle coming out of a left hand turn, it would high-side you right into an immediate right hand turn, whether you want to make one or not.

It also had a habit of stripping kick starter splines, as well as a tendency to kick-back and launch you off of it, and / or leave a groove on the inside of your ankle and leg, but Man, was it fast... when it wasn't trying to maim or kill you.