Maybe I should begin by saying where I started from. I grew up in Chicago. My dad was in the automobile business. He ran a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership (on Stoney Island Ave for you Chi-towners) in the '60s. I distinctly remember sitting in the showroom at 8 yrs old, in awe of a Road Runner Super Bird sitting there. Burnt Orange with that huge spoiler that went up about 4 feet. What I would do to have that car today.
Anyhow, grew up around the car business all my life. Started out at the dealership washing rigs on Saturdays and Sunday (back then). Thought I was in Heaven getting to drive those Mopars around the property at 10 yrs old. Naturally, I got into the sales side at the dealership and sold my first car at 16. A new Plymouth Duster with an alligator canopy top----that was 1974.
Last year in High School (1976) I decided I wanted a motorcycle. Looked at a Yamaha Virago (what did I know at 18) and was set to buy it. Some of my buddies had bikes and dammit, I was going to have one too. Then one day I was driving home from school and was stopped by traffic----accident up ahead. Got out of the car and went to the scene. Turned out to be one of my buddies----the bike and he both were mangled----gone. Lost the desire to buy a bike right then and there.
Fast forward to 1997. General Manager for a dealership in Chicago's south suburbs. Wife, 3 kids. The owner sells the dealership and my family and I decide to take an offer to run a dealership in Denver, Colorado.
About 6 months after moving to Denver, I can't help but notice all the bikes. They're everywhere. Harleys mostly, but also Jap bikes and Beemers. All of a sudden, I find myself in that mode-----you know what I'm talking about----that I-gotta-have-it mode. No way to turn it off. Bought my first bike. Have had 4 more since then.
I'm a rider. The last 5 years I have averaged 8500 miles per year. I ride all year round in Denver. Less, obviously in the winter, but with the climate here (sunshine 300 days per year) you can do that. The bulk of my rides are day-rides. I rarely go streetlight to streetlight. I ride to the mountains and just wind through those twisties for a hundred miles or so-----then a hundred or so back. Generally, I do a long ride or two a year for about a week each with some friends (last year was the National Parks throughout southern Utah---awesome).
I don't give a **** about being a "biker" per-se. I ride. That's what does it for me----the riding.
I pick up my FLTRI next week. My son is coming with me to pick it up. Who knows maybe he'll remember being in the showroom looking at dads Harley when he's 43.
Mike M
Anyhow, grew up around the car business all my life. Started out at the dealership washing rigs on Saturdays and Sunday (back then). Thought I was in Heaven getting to drive those Mopars around the property at 10 yrs old. Naturally, I got into the sales side at the dealership and sold my first car at 16. A new Plymouth Duster with an alligator canopy top----that was 1974.
Last year in High School (1976) I decided I wanted a motorcycle. Looked at a Yamaha Virago (what did I know at 18) and was set to buy it. Some of my buddies had bikes and dammit, I was going to have one too. Then one day I was driving home from school and was stopped by traffic----accident up ahead. Got out of the car and went to the scene. Turned out to be one of my buddies----the bike and he both were mangled----gone. Lost the desire to buy a bike right then and there.
Fast forward to 1997. General Manager for a dealership in Chicago's south suburbs. Wife, 3 kids. The owner sells the dealership and my family and I decide to take an offer to run a dealership in Denver, Colorado.
About 6 months after moving to Denver, I can't help but notice all the bikes. They're everywhere. Harleys mostly, but also Jap bikes and Beemers. All of a sudden, I find myself in that mode-----you know what I'm talking about----that I-gotta-have-it mode. No way to turn it off. Bought my first bike. Have had 4 more since then.
I'm a rider. The last 5 years I have averaged 8500 miles per year. I ride all year round in Denver. Less, obviously in the winter, but with the climate here (sunshine 300 days per year) you can do that. The bulk of my rides are day-rides. I rarely go streetlight to streetlight. I ride to the mountains and just wind through those twisties for a hundred miles or so-----then a hundred or so back. Generally, I do a long ride or two a year for about a week each with some friends (last year was the National Parks throughout southern Utah---awesome).
I don't give a **** about being a "biker" per-se. I ride. That's what does it for me----the riding.
I pick up my FLTRI next week. My son is coming with me to pick it up. Who knows maybe he'll remember being in the showroom looking at dads Harley when he's 43.
Mike M
