Thousand Dollar Bike

By Keith May
(Originally appeared in Cycle World magazine) 


A few years ago I was flattered to participate in Cycle World magazine’s Grand Tour. A mission to wring out everything possible from a motley collection of ultra-cheap, very used bikes. We each had the modest sum of one thousand dollars to work with (if you could afford it) including purchase price, parts, paint, and everything else necessary to repair and resurrect. The monetary cap was intended to serve as equalizer but some exceeded this amount. Some doubled it. Some had unfair advantages and some (due only to resources) even played fair. Like everything else among men it soon became a contest. Not one of speed, but of endurance. Mr. Edwards had thrown the gauntlet and over months of preparation each of our projects became matters of pride. The proving ground was one thousand miles of coastline and forest of Northern California and Oregon. A course of undescribable beauty and we all wanted to complete it.

Unfortunately, the 23,000 mile, kick-start only 1989 Yamaha XT600 I paid $300 for and invested $900 to repair was one of many to DNF, but the experience was worth every penny. Serving as a lesson in motorcycle mechanics, patience and humility.

Hell, I even wrote a song about it…

One kick, two kick, three kicks go, If she starts, we’ll hit the road
Four kick, five kick, six kicks more, stop too long, here’s how it goes
Seven kick, eight kick, nine kicks more, step right up it’s your turn, Bro
Got those big bore, four-stroke single, thousand-dollar blues
Thousand dollar bike, thousand dollar blues

One to the one-oh-one to the one, heaven on display
Pacific Coast, Redwood country, repairs throughout the day
I wish I may, I wish I might, keep on truckin’ through the night
Got those big bore, four-stroke single, thousand-dollar blues
Thousand dollar bike, thousand dollar blues

Full choke, no choke, no one knows, ’cept Joe Brown in Paso Robles
Fouled the plug, broke the clutch, kicked and screamed and cussed and cussed
All those roads left unturned, haunt me still and make me yearn
Got those big bore, four-stroke single, thousand-dollar blues
Thousand dollar bike, thousand dollar blues

Stranded now in Big Foot Country, guess I’m here to stay
“Don’t forget me boys,” I cried, as they road away
At a bar the story ends, busted bike but makin’ friends
Got those big bore, four-stroke single, thousand-dollar blues
Thousand dollar bike, thousand dollar blues

One kick, two kick, three kicks go, If she starts, we’ll hit the road
Four kick, five kick, six kicks more, stop too long, here’s how it goes
Seven kick, eight kick, nine kicks more, step right up it’s your turn, Bro
Got those big bore, four-stroke single, thousand-dollar blues
Thousand dollar bike, thousand dollar blues