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It looks like Toby is going to make web page creators out of us all :)
This should be interesting!
Thanks Toby for giving us the opportunity to share information and ideas related to the TX 750.
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OOOOHHHH WHAT A SWEET SOUND !!!!
It was in the spring of 2002 when I heard the TX 750 rumble to life again after more than 20 years of silence.
The year before my brother-in-law and I dragged the dust and cobweb covered bike out of the barn and into my garage. At first I could not even remember what model it was, only that it was a Yamaha 750 OHC. I had purchased this bike as a teenager and I did things a lot differently then than I do now. It was a spontaneous purchase with no forethought, or afterthought for that matter except making payments and riding fast and hard. I am thankful now that I was one of the lucky ones who made it through those years without any permanent damage. I digress, but I’m sure many of you can relate.
I started doing some research on the internet, got a hold of a parts list, found the TX 750 Interest site, and spent the next several weeks in a seemingly endless loop of cleaning, disassembly, reassembly, and troubleshooting, -- All to no avail. I just could not get it to fire up, and in desperation I just gave up. After walking away and taking a long break from the frustration, I started working on it again the following year. More disassembly, cleaning, reassembly, and troubleshooting, but this time with a more focused campaign on the essentials – fuel, air, and fire. Then one day the mundane and routine procedure of turning the key and hitting the starter button caused the engine to cough and sputter. WOW! - OH MAN! - THIS IS EXCITING! A few more attempts, and SHE FIRED UP! She rumbled to life and sounded just like I remembered so many years ago. I honestly could not remember when the last time was I was that excited. It ranked right up there with my wedding day and the birth of my children.
After a few more investments to make it road worthy, I started riding. At first it was short trips, close to the trailer I would always hook up before I left, and with a cell phone to call the rescue crew (my wife). Then as things progressed I gained confidence and ventured farther away. I started riding weekly with a group of riders from work. I was the only one with a “vintage” bike but that didn’t really matter. This was a great group of people who truly enjoyed the journey, fun, and friendship aspects of riding instead of showcasing & ego boosting, so me and my old bike were more than welcome to ride with them. I still ride with this group and maybe later I will share more about them.
The next year I had gained enough confidence in the bike to take a long overnight weekend trip with my brother-in-law. I have taken many such trips since then, and have come to really appreciate the unique features, handling, power, and toughness of this old bike.
I really think this bike was quite an engineering advance in its time, and it is a shame it has such a negative stigma attached to it by many, mainly due to the lubrication issues Yamaha just could not seem to overcome. I have learned a lot about this bike from trial and error, from the TX 750 interest site, and from Harry Moses, who continues to be one of the most outspoken proponents of this bike on the internet in the North American part of the world. A huge THANK YOU goes out to Roger Cole and Toby Folwick for creating and maintaining this web site.
I will gather some of what I have learned and post it here as time allows, and I look forward to seeing similar information from others who have grown to know and love the TX 750.
