I started riding bikes in 1973 - first one was an Itom 49 cc torture pipe! Later upgraded to Yamahas: a 180 twin and then an XJ750 twin while studying and the first year working.
Then came marriage, kids, responsibility(!), etc. In 1988 I got a dirtbike going and when my son was 7 years old in 1992 I got him a Yamaha PW80 too, so we started off-road biking together. These were wonderful times - we really had a lot of fun together! My son suffers with concentration problems, but on a bike he has to concentrate else you fall off - magic therapy!!
Around 1996 I saved a 1983 Suzuki GSX400F from going to the rubbish dump, and got it going after quite a lot of de-rusting. I entered the Suz in the Motorcycle Economy run in 2001. It completed the run but it didn't do well in the standings due to a very strong headwind on the first day.
Due to the nature of my work I was away from home often and one evening in 2002 my wife made a lovely dinner. I thought it was for me going away, but then came the shock: She had a dream the previous night that she was riding a Harley!
One event followed the next and I bought my wife a XL883 Sportster. She went on an advanced ridng course (she rode before) and joined Ladies of Harley and had a lot of fun!
During 2003 we decided to go to the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary celebrations in Milwaukee. I managed to rent an Electra Glide Classic in Nashville Tennessee through HOG's Fly-and-Ride program. We flew to New York and then on to Nashville to colect the bike. We rode the 600 miles up to Milwaukee in 2 days and camped in Rider's Ranch. We rode another 600 miles or so around Lake Michigan and Milwaukee (HOG 20th birthday celebrations, etc.) After the party on Sunday (we enjoyed Elton John!) we left on the Monday and rode back to Nashville in 2 two days (mostly in the rain) to return the bike. That is one trip we will never forget!
Initially I was very sceptical of the Sporty, but the more I rode it the more respect I got for it, especially after a few long distance rallies! At the end of September 2005 I made up my mind and decided to order an XL 1200 Custom. The dealer could not give me a delivery date and when I went to the dealer to do hand-to-hand combat with the salesman, I walked straight into a Dyna StreetBob standing right in the door. I changed my mind right there and ordered the Denim Black StreetBob. I still do not have a delivery date and I believe the factory recall on the cruise drive transmissions may delay its delivery even further. It is actually while seaching for information regarding the recall that I came across the VTF. I found much more info here than anywhere else.
Some colleagues arranged a track day during November 2005 and I took the 883 Sporty out there (with my wife's permission) after my son outraced me on the Suzuki GSX400F. After some instructions and tips from a superbike racing instructor, I learnt that the problem with cornering the Sporty was actually me - not the bike! By the end of the day I was giving some of the superbikes a go through the turns - but of cource they ran circles around me on the straight.
Thanx to all the members for sharing your views and experiences (and pictures) on VTF.
Torrom
Then came marriage, kids, responsibility(!), etc. In 1988 I got a dirtbike going and when my son was 7 years old in 1992 I got him a Yamaha PW80 too, so we started off-road biking together. These were wonderful times - we really had a lot of fun together! My son suffers with concentration problems, but on a bike he has to concentrate else you fall off - magic therapy!!
Around 1996 I saved a 1983 Suzuki GSX400F from going to the rubbish dump, and got it going after quite a lot of de-rusting. I entered the Suz in the Motorcycle Economy run in 2001. It completed the run but it didn't do well in the standings due to a very strong headwind on the first day.
Due to the nature of my work I was away from home often and one evening in 2002 my wife made a lovely dinner. I thought it was for me going away, but then came the shock: She had a dream the previous night that she was riding a Harley!
One event followed the next and I bought my wife a XL883 Sportster. She went on an advanced ridng course (she rode before) and joined Ladies of Harley and had a lot of fun!
During 2003 we decided to go to the Harley-Davidson 100th anniversary celebrations in Milwaukee. I managed to rent an Electra Glide Classic in Nashville Tennessee through HOG's Fly-and-Ride program. We flew to New York and then on to Nashville to colect the bike. We rode the 600 miles up to Milwaukee in 2 days and camped in Rider's Ranch. We rode another 600 miles or so around Lake Michigan and Milwaukee (HOG 20th birthday celebrations, etc.) After the party on Sunday (we enjoyed Elton John!) we left on the Monday and rode back to Nashville in 2 two days (mostly in the rain) to return the bike. That is one trip we will never forget!
Initially I was very sceptical of the Sporty, but the more I rode it the more respect I got for it, especially after a few long distance rallies! At the end of September 2005 I made up my mind and decided to order an XL 1200 Custom. The dealer could not give me a delivery date and when I went to the dealer to do hand-to-hand combat with the salesman, I walked straight into a Dyna StreetBob standing right in the door. I changed my mind right there and ordered the Denim Black StreetBob. I still do not have a delivery date and I believe the factory recall on the cruise drive transmissions may delay its delivery even further. It is actually while seaching for information regarding the recall that I came across the VTF. I found much more info here than anywhere else.
Some colleagues arranged a track day during November 2005 and I took the 883 Sporty out there (with my wife's permission) after my son outraced me on the Suzuki GSX400F. After some instructions and tips from a superbike racing instructor, I learnt that the problem with cornering the Sporty was actually me - not the bike! By the end of the day I was giving some of the superbikes a go through the turns - but of cource they ran circles around me on the straight.
Thanx to all the members for sharing your views and experiences (and pictures) on VTF.
Torrom