We've been working on this Kawasaki Bayou for a couple months now. It's my middle daughter's bike. She's been helping me get it fixed up and Saturday we got to spend our first day on the trail. She's been a little whiny when it comes to working on it recently but I think this lit a fire under her to try and finish it up. Not many pictures since I was essentially teaching her how to ride as we went but she did great and I'm pleased to announce the bike didn't burst into flames. LOL. I'm pretty happy with how the old thing ran. Didn't miss a beat all day. And she wasn't exactly easy on it either. On the way home she kept saying how much she enjoyed it and was excited to get to go again sometime. Hopefully we can get out soon.
We used to pick on the little 220 Bayous when I was young. My cousin was basically given a 300 bayou when he bought his RZR 900XP. When I started working for him the carb was flooding and leaking and it wouldn't run. I think someone had lost some parts for the air filter, so I ordered the parts and fixed it. Then I found a old pair of tires they had taken off of the Gator and put them on it. After that we straightened the frame where it had been wrecked. I used it for running around the property for a few years after that. I just remembered that one had a lever to lock the differential, down by the gear shifter. The starter had a bad spot and sometimes you would have to use the pull start. My cousin got on it one day and the starter didn't work so he grabbed the pull rope and it started on the first pull, which was normal. Then he asked why didn't everything else run like that, the oldest thing around is the easiest to start.
I remember selling the 300 Bayou NEW when i worked by first real job out of school in a bike shop. We supplied them to a number of horse studs in the area and they used the bejesus out of them and they kept on ticking !!!! Back then (which decade we shall not go to) 300-450cc were the LARGER versions here.
Got another quad we've been working on. 1993 Moto4. Got it running and trying to get the body work repainted. The Kawasaki is going good still. We went for another ride a few weekends ago and had a great time out there.
We got a batch of Yamaha bikes last fall from a buddy. We pieced together one Moto4 350 from them all and the oldest claimed it. She painted it and it's doing pretty good! Needs a few little pieces but will really book!
Then we picked up a second Suzuki Eiger 400 for my wife. She really liked mine and I found a good deal on this one. It needed front brakes and a little cleanup. I need to dig in and see why the 4x4 won't disengage too but it runs great! Only has 1300 miles on it.
I'm still trying to recover from Covid and have been stapled to the couch for 5 day.... I got stir crazy and decided to go for a ride with the boys... time well spent for sure.... it wiped me out but we had a great time and I'm in awe at their progression as riders...
Love that GS....I'm contemplating upgrading my 08 to a newer model. I made the mistake of riding a 2018 r1200GS. The additional power and smoothness is appreciable for sure. I'm eyeballing the r1250gs but I've yet to ride one....I hear the power is up significantly with it.