I've got a 25-year old Yamaha XS650SG motorcycle. I got it from a friend who sold it to me for next to nothing to tool around on and increase my skills until I'm comfortable on a new bike.

Two summers ago it stopped working. It would start and run, until you put it in gear and gave it some gas. It would go for a little in the low RPMs, but once you got it to a useful range, it would sputter and die.

The trouble with old bikes (vintage, as one shop called 'em) is that few people work on them. I searched periodically, and eventually found Roy's Repair. A beautifully little grungy shop where there's just a bunch of enthusiastic, knowledgable, and excellent motorcycle repairmen.

It took a while, but at least it was too rainy to ride for much of the time, but now my little 650cc motor just hums. They rebuilt my front fork and now she rides smooth, and they rebuilt my brakes, so she stops short. Little zippy dynamo that makes me think that I might not need a bigger bike just yet.

Another problem with old bikes is that there are no parts and few accessories for them. The bike's on the small side, so even generic accessories run the risk of not fitting. I've been tossing around the idea of saddle bags, but the generics are too long and would rest on the exhaust pipes. I found Mike's XS on the Internet, where he seems to specialize in the Yamaha line.

I'm looking at a new seat and maybe a new brake handle. Paul, my friend who owned it previously, wrapped the seat in vinyl to cover the cracks and tears in the leather seat. The trouble with this is that it's smooth now, and I miss out on even the little bits of friction the texture in the leather gives. No trouble, but occasionally I slide more than I think I should when accelerating or braking.

The brake handle got bent when I tipped the bike over trying to pull it off the trailer we used to haul it to Roy's. Foolish and impatient, I tried to tug it off the frame stand before Scott had untied the front tire. The bike and trailer both bounced a little, and sent us tipping over the side. No harm to anyone, and the new scratches blend in with the old. The brake handle got bent a little, so now it's just at my finger tips, twisted a little lower than it should be.

Not even ten bucks for the replacement; probably cost fifty to install, though...