Old-school friends love their bikes

Riding motocross bikes for most of their adult lives doesn’t have to end for these three Canyon Lake friends as they enter their senior years. The passion is still alive and makes their bond of friendship even stronger.

Jim Yapp, Dave Derse and Gary Chaplin love the dirt trails that zig zag throughout the hills outside Canyon Lake’s North Gate. The three take their bikes regularly out on those trails and experience the thrill of the revving motors of their bikes and the fun it brings to their friendships.

“I enjoy riding with my friends Dave and Gary outside the gates of Canyon Lake on the tracks,” Jim said. “Once riding is in your blood you can’t get rid of it.”

Jim rides recreationally now, but there was a time when he competed and was sponsored by a local motorcycle dealer. He had worked his way up from beginner class to CMC Pro Class in Motocross and raced District 37 desert races, Barstow to Vegas and the Baja 1000.

“My love of riding came to an end when I was in a very serious accident,” he said. “I was out of commission for about a year and quit riding for a long time.”

Most game rooms, if they exist at all, consist of a checkers board and foosball table. Not at Jim Yapp’s Canyon Lake house. Sitting right next to the pool table are his restored motorcycles…even one is implanted in the wall. Jim and his two Canyon Lake friends join up often on dirt bike rides in the surrounding hills just outside the North Gate. Photo by Jim Yapp

But the adrenaline for the sport returned and although he doesn’t ride professionally any longer, he thoroughly enjoys riding with his friends and restoring old bikes.

“I am 61 years old and currently riding on a 2021 Husqvarna TX 3001 two stroke,” Jim said. “I started restoring motocross bikes in 1970. My game room and garage are filled with restored bikes.”

Jim moved to Canyon Lake 20 years ago when he built the house in which he currently resides. He said he started riding and racing motorcycles when he was only five years old. He’s a retired manager from the SCE San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.

Riding with Dave and Gary, the three friends have established quite the trio of motocross enthusiasts.

Dave said he’s been enjoying motorcycle riding since the age of 18.

“After moving to California from New Jersey in 1983, it only took one trip to the desert and I was hooked,” Dave said. “I purchased my first dirt bike the very next week. I have since participated in many desert trips and two Baja adventures.”

Besides Jim and Gary, Dave’s best friends are his KTM350 EXC-F, Honda CRF450R and Harley Davidson Fat Boy.

“I have been lucky to turn my passion for motorcycles into a business selling motorcycle trailers for street and dirt bikes,” Dave said. His company is www.standuptrailer.com and the physical shop is located just outside the gates of Canyon Lake.

Gary has lived in Canyon Lake for 29 years and, with his family now raised, the retired Union Ironworker continues to enjoy life on a bike.

“I enjoy riding local MX Tracks and trail riding dual sport bikes,” Gary said.

“The three of us have the best time on our bikes in the trails just outside the gates of Canyon Lake.”