Cliffs GT550 pics

johnakay · Post by **johnakay** » Fri May 29, 2009 1:10 pm

I'm sure Cliff can add his comments.would you believe he had that bike from new. a credit to him don't you think!

H2RICK · Post by **H2RICK** » Sat May 30, 2009 8:57 am

Yep, she's a stunner. Cliff has taken very good care of the old girl. It just shows what quality went into these bikes when they will last so nicely with normal care and sane riding.

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:49 pm

Hey, thanks guys!!

MikeH1A · Post by **MikeH1A** » Sat May 30, 2009 10:48 pm

Lovely machine - especially as it hasn't been restored. So good to see one that has survived the ravages of time - credit to the owner indeed.

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:39 pm

Hi Guys! Thanks for the comments on my bike. Just thought I'd let you know I just turned over 134,000 miles on the odometer today!! I've rebuilt the engine twice, the first time because an injector oil line broke, and the second beause I didn't have anything else to do one winter!
Love the 550 motor! I had to laugh at my neighbour when I took the bike out for her first ride after doing the engine in the winter of 2004. The transmission had a whine in 4th., so I came home, pulled out the engine and pulled it down. That was Sat. morning. My neighbour came over and wanted to know what was wrong. Told him that I didn't like the sound of 4th. gear and that I was going to change the gears. (I have a couple of spare engines for parts that I've picked up over the years!) When I put her together I made the mistake of only changing one gear instead of the pair that run together. He said that it was too bad that I wouldn't be on the road again until the next weekend! This was Sat. morning! I told him I'd be on the the road in the afternoon! He couldn't believe it when we went for a ride at dinner time the same day!!!!!!!!
The Old Girl and I go way back to the day I took her out of the box at the dealership in 1974. Still riding her today! So far this year we've done just under 3,000 miles, when it's not RAINING!!! We've had a cold and wet summer here.
Thanks again guys!!
Cliff!

H2RICK · Post by **H2RICK** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:25 am

I just turned over 134,000 miles on the odometer today!!

Cliff, that HAS to be, hands down, the world's record for mileage on a 550 !!! Heck, there's a lot of other so-called "very durable" FOUR STROKE bikes that would be glad to see 100K miles, never mind 1/3 more. It's even surprising that the speedo has lasted long enough to register that amount of miles!!!
Congratulations, Cliff, from one happy 550 owner to another.

Craig380 · Post by **Craig380** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:53 am

134,000 and only two rebores? Wow, that's durability! Congratulations, Cliff, she looks SWEET.

Do you get salt on the roads in winter? That's what kills a lot of UK bikes early, it just eats the chromework.

tygrant351 · Post by **tygrant351** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 10:31 am

wow 134k? hats off to you and your bike.

jkevinlilly · Post by **jkevinlilly** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:44 pm

134,000. That's great to here since my 76 only has 23,000 miles on it. It ain't hardly broke in yet.

advant63 · Post by **advant63** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 8:42 pm

cliff, did you ride to paris 2008? there was a green 550 parked just inside the gates. i have a photo of it somewhere.

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 3:26 pm

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:42 pm Post subject:

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cliff, did you ride to paris 2008? there was a green 550 parked just inside the gates. i have a photo of it somewhere.

At the 2008 CVMG rally in August? Yes I was there! Paris is about 2 1/2 hours ride to the west. Drove down and back that day. The day before I was in Port Dover for Friday the 13th.! Drove down and back that day too! Port Dover is about an hour south of Paris. For those that don't know, Friday the 13th. is HUGE in Port Dover. There were, I think 125,000 motorcycles registered and counted there that day. Maybe more. And I only saw one other 2 stroke! A 1977 GT750!!

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 4:44 pm Post subject:

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134,000. That's great to here since my 76 only has 23,000 miles on it. It ain't hardly broke in yet.

I HAD 23,000 miles on mine in 1976!! I smoked through the 6,000 mile warrany in about the first 3 months!

Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:53 am Post subject:

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134,000 and only two rebores? Wow, that's durability! Congratulations, Cliff, she looks SWEET.

Do you get salt on the roads in winter? That's what kills a lot of UK bikes early, it just eats the chromework.

Maintenance is the key to long life. Service the air filters, use good quality injector oil, regular tune-ups and keep her clean! As for looking "Sweet", over the years the chrome has been redone, the paint, the stripes, the seatcover, had the pipes ceramic coated etc. etc... I didn't do all that work at once though. It's been going on for the past 20 years! Salt on our roads in the winter? Hell yes! I've only ever been out once in the salt. Never again!! That was Thanksgiving weekend in Oct. 1975. I rode for 5 hours in freezing rain from Montreal to Toronto. Hell, it was 18 celcius here yesterday and I was ready to put the bike away!

Posted: Sat May 30, 2009 6:57 am Post subject:

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Yep, she's a stunner. Cliff has taken very good care of the old girl. It just shows what quality went into these bikes when they will last so nicely with normal care and sane riding.

Sane riding? I had to laugh at that! I've laid her down on both sides, put her in the ditch once, pushed the front wheel into the pipes one night, had her to the dragstrip (And YES she will do 13.9 seconds in the 1/4 mile!), been clocked on radar at 110 mph.!! Oh we've done some stupid things in the past 35 years!!

H2RICK · Post by **H2RICK** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:16 pm

I've laid her down on both sides, put her in the ditch once, pushed the front wheel into the pipes one night, had her to the dragstrip (And YES she will do 13.9 seconds in the 1/4 mile!), been clocked on radar at 110 mph.!!

Well, I'm apalled !!! Who'da thunk you were such a wild one in your early years, Cliff ??? Again, quality of machinery will tell.....even if it has been rudely abused.

Cliff · Post by **Cliff** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:45 pm

H2RICK wrote:
I've laid her down on both sides, put her in the ditch once, pushed the front wheel into the pipes one night, had her to the dragstrip (And YES she will do 13.9 seconds in the 1/4 mile!), been clocked on radar at 110 mph.!!
Well, I'm apalled !!! Who'da thunk you were such a wild one in your early years, Cliff ??? Again, quality of machinery will tell.....even if it has been rudely abused.

Abused? Early years?? Hell, we were just out having some fun! That's what it's all about as long as we're on the green side of the sod!
And thanks to johnakay for the new rack!! Looks great on the bike!

h2okettle · Post by **h2okettle** » Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:20 pm

Cliff wrote:Hi Guys! Thanks for the comments on my bike. Just thought I'd let you know I just turned over 134,000 miles on the odometer today!!

Cliff your bike looks great, and I am really impressed with the mileage you put on it... Looks like I found a new riding buddy..

Lets go waste some CCI..
Congratulations again..

Allen........ GT rideaholic