When i first bought the XS650 i found a site on the net called 650rider.com.....there i got to chat to lots of experts on the 650........one in particular was an absolute legend.there was almost nothing he didn't know about the 650 engine.......his bike was a masterpiece of evolutionary tinkering to improve improve improve....he invented new needles which he then gave a away to other members or sold...he modified the engine to get some incredible predominance figures from it......and he was always online (or so it seemed) and whilst he could be politically very strange...and he had a "wind - up" streak in him....he was incredibly helpful to all who had genuine problems....we communicated a number of times by PM as he helped me through the final stages of bike restoration....I logged onto the site yesterday to find he had died in a car crash....it is amazing that even though we only communicated by the net....i feel a real sense of loss....through following his site chats and comments you got to feel as if you almost knew him...certainly the XS650 world has gone into deep mourning over his loss as he was the master and his knowledge will be missed....just wanted to share....
I know what you mean. I go on the Performance Bikes site (www.pbmagforum.co.uk) a lot, and there are people you talk with constantly and it's like 1 big happy family. A few people on there have had trials of one sort or another over the past year and it's amazing how everybody pitches in. Even have collections for funerals or medical bills etc and you know there are people out there even if it's just to have a vent off about stuff.
