...... this baby. She's a Yamaha XJR 1300 AS She weighs 4 times what I weigh - but we've done many hundreds of kms together. Sometimes I ride solo, sometimes Dany is pillion, sometimes I'm pillion. Dany has been riding for 60 years and me, well only 42 years. Our oldest biker friends are a couple who are 82 and 84 respectively and she learned to ride when she retired at age 60, her husband started at age 16. Any other bikers here?
Nice bike. My dad was a biker. He rode until he was in his 80's and had to quit because of health reasons. Dad's last bike was a Honda with a side car. Mom wouldn't have anything to do with it anyway. Dad's earlier bikes were Harley's and Indian's. Unfortunately, the biker life didn't rub off on me. When I was 18 and had a full time job, I was ready to buy my own transportation. Dad did his best to talk me into buying this. But instead, I bought this. What the hell was I thinking?
feel the need for speed?? The Viper-powered Dodge Tomahawk V10 500HP. up to 400MPH. I don't even know if they still make it. but then it was around half a million. no I don't ride bikes anymore
When I was in the Navy in San Diego, I use to rent a 125cc Suzuki to ride around on a weekend. Back then, a motorcycle license wasn't needed. Only a military ID and Drivers License was needed, and I had both. I had a favorite nightclub in El Cajon that I loved to go to, but the city bus stopped running at midnight. In 1988, I got my motorcycle license and bought an older 650 (I think) Kawasaki. Not to long after buying it, I had a solo accident (hit some loose dirt on a curve and went into a ditch). Messed up my left ankle that required surgery, plate and two plastic screws. I was wearing a clear plastic visor/helmet, and when I came off of the bike in the ditch, I actually seen the bike go end-over-end over me. A few years later, I bought another bike. I think it was a 350 or so Suzuki (old). Another solo accident a few weeks after buying it. Didn't have a full helmet at the time, just wore sunglasses. Unfortunately, had those sunglasses on right when the sun was going down, came to a curve a little fast and flipped the bike over the curve. My body/head slid on the pavement and narrowly missed the edge of the sidewalk. A Sheriff's Deputy told me I was extremely lucky........"you definitely could have been killed." Cracked my collar bone and got some scratches on my forehead. I had just started a new job and met a new lady (was heading to her place at the time of the accident). I wound up in a sling, lost my job and the lady kissed my off (IOW..."bye, bye"). Of course, the bike was history as well. Then, in 1999, I bought a 1978 Kawasaki 650 4-K. Bought it with money I earned while working for the Livestock Dept. at a large County Fair (still have the ID Badge). Like the other two bikes, it was my only transportation. Had rain gear and a full-face helmet w/visor. Also bought a tarp and bungee cords to cover the bike. In between the bike and a Pager, I got another job. Rode that bike everywhere, including to the grocery store, nightclubs and rodeo's. Had a Copy Paper Box that I would secure to the rear of the seat w/two bungee cords and put my groceries in. My cowboy hat would go in the box when I went to "work" a rodeo or went to a C/W nightclub. Rode that bike in some pretty heavy downpours of rain a few times. Had no choice! Had this bike (the 1978 above) when I met my wife. Since she had a Toyota 4-Runner, I didn't use the bike that much after meeting her. Did take her to work once on it. I had on my full-face/flip-up visor helmet and she used another helmet I had when I first bought this bike. Her co-workers teased her about becoming a "biker chick". We sold the bike before moving to Colorado and I gave up my motorcycle license as well. So, there is my motorcycle history. If I ever go another one, which is highly doubtful, it would be a Honda Goldwing nicely dressed.
during the war we went to Diego several times for ORI. really nice town back then. we hung out at National city. I went to boot at RTC SD
Went to NTC in Great Lakes, IL. Always had a good time, especially on weekends that I could afford to rent that small Suzuki, in San Diego. Would get a room for Fri/Sat nights at the Armed Forces YMCA downtown and go to the USO Dance on Friday night at the same YMCA and then hop on the Suzuki and ride up to that nightclub in El Cajon. At that time, I just couldn't afford a car on SA/Seaman Apprentice pay. During my last year in, while at the old/now closed, Long Beach Naval Station, I was able to have my own car. Now thinking about it, the entire time I owned bikes in Southern California, when I rode on the freeway during 5PM traffic, I'd ride "splitting" traffic lanes of stopped cars. Don't know if that's legal now, but back then it was totally legal. Little dangerous, but sure beat the heck out of stopping/clutching the bike all the time. In fact, one time, on the 91/Riverside Freeway, there were 4 of us on motorcycle and a California Highway Patrol Officer on a bike behind us and one in front of us. All of us were splitting traffic lanes w/stopped cars in them.
Hey a motorcycle mama! Cool! I've only ridden on the backs of motorcycles. First with my late husband, he loved them and when we lived in Hungary those 6 years he bought an old one that was very similar to one he had there as a young man..maybe a 1956 model, don't even know the make but YIKES it was ugly. He liked working on it though.
@Ike Willis - pity you couldn't have bought both bike and car, but that car is a beauty too. I love the curves and the colour. We call that "British Racing Green" and back in the late 70s and early 80s I had a 1947 Jowett Javelin that was that same colour. I had to get rid of either the car or the motorbike and buy a "sensible" car when I had my daughter in 84 (the legally required child seat could not be secured onto the Jowett's frame). I kept the bike and bought a 1963 Sunbeam Rapier which would accommodate a modern child car seat. Cousin Joan would be welcome to ride with us next time she's in Epernay ......... and yup, my bike is fast, top speed of 225 kph (140 mph) - top speed limit here in France is 130 kph (80 mph). What I love about the bike is the way I can switch easily from cruise to sport mode when I need to overtake - that's when the power counts. @Cody Fousnaugh - you've earned your biker stripes for sure. It's almost a shameful thing to say but I've never had an accident. Goldwings are great - a lot of the older bikers I ride with have them. The ladies who ride pillion regularly find them very comfortable. There's one lady who had ridden pillion on her husband's Goldwing for years. He passed away a couple of years ago. She still came out with us and rode pillion with different people. She doesn't have a motorcycle licence and recently she bought a 3-wheeler Goldwing 1800cc (which her regular driver's licence covers) and loves it. @Chrissy Page - in motorcycles as with people beauty is in the eye of the beholder. He was obviously passionate about it. Riding pillion is great - I enjoy it, Dany and I take turns. There aren't many men who are man enough to be pillion behind a woman, but he has no problems with it.
You are an adventurous person. Motorcycles scare me as most people who are on motorcycles at the time of an accident do not fare well. But, I am trusting that you where your head gear and are safe when you drive. Enjoy it.
@Texas Beth - yes, I am seriously an "ATGATT" rider (All The Gear All The Time). I prefer riding a motorcycle to driving a car. I feel safer somehow. It's what I'm most used to I suppose.