before:	after:

Despite the power and sound improvements of this project, I got discouraged about the electrical problems and the bike's lack of a title, and decided to install suspension from a 1977 RM125 motocrosser to make a cheap, powerful dirt bike. The second photo shows the results of that decision. RM forks, RM shocks on the GT swingarm, purple tank from an earlier GT (cap didn't leak on that one), no rear fender, bald street tire on back, and note the shocks' gas reservoirs hose-clamped to the passenger pegs. Purple and yellow. Man.

The third photo shows the off-road GT in action. It really was a fun bike. The suspension was too soft for the weight, but it would do wheelies easily in four of its six gears, it sounded great with the chambers on and it could climb any hill you'd throw at it--as long as it was dry. If the jumps weren't too steep-faced, you could fly and land it pretty well too. The brown discoloration was a cloud of disapproval and disgust from the proper motocross kids at the track that day.

A few months later, the motor quit running. I think it needed crankcase seals and an overhaul in general. I scrapped it. I regret that heartily to this day. I really wish I'd have kept it as a street bike and repaired it, or at least developed it further as a dirt bike and repaired it, but I gave up too easily. It had a lot of character. There's a lesson in there somewhere. >p> Ben in Licoln County, MI

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