CORNWALL, Ontario – A ride on the information super highway for a couple of local motorcycle enthusiasts was a lot shorter than they thought.
Randy Lalonde and Trevor Jeaurond were sharing stories about their respective love for Kawasaki motorcycles in an online forum where like-minded riders swap information about their bikes.
While people from all over Canada, and indeed the world, are members of Kawasaki Triples Canada the Cornwall pair had no idea – until a little sleuthing was completed – that they lived in the same community.
Jeaurond is in the homestretch of a project to rebuild a 1978 Kawasaki KH400 that was relegated to the basement for 27 years. He recently met up with Lalonde, who has pretty much completed work on his 1975 Kawasakie 500 – and she’s a beauty.
The bike was purchased five years ago for just $400, but is now priceless in the mind of Lalonde, who confesses he loves the idea of being on the open road atop two wheels.
“It’s the power, and the feeling of acceleration,” he said. “And the smell. Nothing smells the same as a two-stroke motor.”
The motor was blown when Lalonde picked up the bike, but since then has been rebuilt with new racing pistons, a rebuilt crank and new carburetors…among other pieces.
Lalonde holds a special place in his heart for Long Sault’s Jim Reid who welded and fitted some exhaust pipes for the bike.
“It runs ok,” confessed Lalonde, who suggested some tuning work will have to be completed before the bike is in top shape. “Next spring I will be fully insured and on the road.
“Good to go, for sure.”
