1971 Yamaha XS-1B 650

The Big Leagues

The hunt was once again on for another motorsickle. But this time, I decided to get serious and go with the big bores. Having paid my dues and then some on small bikes, no less than 500cc would now be acceptable. (Note: 500s were considered big machines in the early seventies.) And although I must admit that I was sort of tempted by the Kawasaki triples and their reputation for raw and explosive power, the next bike would need to make a strong statement not unlike the quintessential Triumphs or Harleys. Oh yeah, if you haven't heard me say this before, it had to be cheap.

In 1971, my parents took me on a trip across Canada by VIA Rail. I remember one stop along the way

Initial mockup in the laneway.

particularly well. We had just arrived in Edmonton and were informed by the conductor that we had a few hours for exploring the city while the train re-supplied. It was a great opportunity to get out and stretch our legs. In the parking lot near the station, sitting all alone was a fairly new green and white XS 650Yamaha. I was completely taken in by its handsome stature as the mid day sun twinkled off its chrome. This was without a doubt in my mind, a bike to lust for.

A couple of years later, I found myself walking into Gunther's Bike Shop, a Yamaha dealer in the west end of Toronto. I was quickly drawn to a gold (actually listed as orange) vertical twin in the corner of the showroom, and the memory of my first encounter with this model that day in Edmonton flashed back. The price was within my budget and after a quick mental review of the pros and cons I decided that this was going to be my next bike.