Been riding longer than I care to admit.
Was influenced by my friends mini bike and a neighbors boyfriend who was building a chopper in his gf's parents garage. Harley with coffin tank. Kick start, black and that's all I remember about it. Friend up the street had an on-off 175 and his dad had a 250. HIs old man taught all of us all how to ride and we all still do. So I rode his bike and he rode his dads often.
Got out of college GF was 2 years behind me. Had muscle car that got bad MPG and she was 6-7 hrs away in VT. Bought 83 Kawi GPZ 750 and would do a banzai run up there every other weekend to visit. How I'm still here is a miracle, Had so many deer run out in front of me at really high speeds. Rode that until I sold it. Went 6 months without and met a gent and we start talking bikes. Said I should try a cruiser. Said I think I'm done. Had moved to VA from NY and some of my other buddies stopped riding as they had families. Said he would stop in and I could take his bike for a ride. Never thought he would show.
So he insists I take his bike for a ride. Don't even remember what it was. But 20 ft from start and I was hooked again. Wanted something a bit more comfortable and had to be 1000cc or more. Was thinking Concourse, FJ 1200 or 1300. They all had lots of miles whenever they got listed. Go to dealership sat on ZX1400 and felt comfortable. I could do this but who needs 1400 cc? Keep watching ads on ebay and Craigslist in 2010 one shows up during a snowstorm.2 years old 1026 miles on it. I buy it and it's a blast. 6-8 hr rides no problem. Did a few 12 hrs rides and this is for me.
So then I got wind of a Ducati, not really interested but I like bikes so I go and see. Thought I was going to look at an elbows on knees race bike and instead it's a cruiser. Didn't even know they made them. Look on completed auction on ebay for valuation. kinda neat looking. New $21K 1 year old $13-17k. Carbon fiber is the 17. Go ask miles and it was 40!!! I year and 40 miles. It was a car dealership that can't sell them. Ask mgr what they are going to do with it and they said they found a bike dealership that will give them $10K. I said I'll give you $10 right now. That was bike two and my first twin.
Rode Kawi to Jackson Hole WY after the crowds left. First stop was Ferguson MO where cousins are. Bets were taken at work before I left as to how long it would be before I was eaten by a bear. So I thought it was funny when I saw a huge black bear in VA that decided to run in front of me at the 7 yard mark. So I hit three major hail storms that I rode through and 15 hrs later I hit Ferguson. Chunk of ice hits my face shield and cracks it almost making it unusable. I get there just as the riots break out. Next day I go to closest bike dealership for a new shield. It's a Harley dealer. Ask for the shield, he goes in back. I wander and on display is a 41 or 42 HD. Fully restored in red. Has hard tail springer stick shift foot clutch. I'm a vehicle guy. Have had antique steel wheeled tractors and dozers and military vehicles and fire engines. Not big dollar stuff but great things to play with.
Get back and it's always in the back of my mind, So I do a bit of research. If a Fatboy came up???? So meet this lady and motorcycles come up. She says we have a motorcycle and I think my husband wants to sell it.
I ask timidly what type of bike? Just don't say it's a Harley. Oh, it's a Harley. No, I have no room, I think? What type? It's has leather bags and two up seating. What year? She said we are a close to our house it's right down the road. So what color is it. Don't say red!! Oh, it's red!!! So she forces me to go to their house What's better than a barn find? A heated garage find. 1997 Heritage softail with 436 or 463 miles on it in over 20 years.
It did fit in the garage and that's why I'm here. Did tires and fluids and it rides great with no leaks.

 

Thats an awesome find!!! MY next bike is a heritage
Now, post pics, or we all call bs

 

Sounds like an awesome story. Post up some pics when you can, excited to see the barn find!

 

Love to see photos as well!

 

Great find and you are a lucky guy. What part of Va are you in,North or South?

 

Congratulations! I gotta ask. Whatever happened to the college girlfriend?

 

Northern VA near Tysons Mall.
My first long trip was when I was at first job and the second year. Buddy and I decide to go back and revisit "SPRING BREAK". We both worked a full day in NYC and then got on the bikes. As soon as we hit the GW bridge it rained like I have never seen before. Buddy filled up at first gas station in NJ. Unfortunately rain as well as gas got in the tank. That's how hard it was raining. His bike would stutter above 65mph. Kept riding got dry gas and octane boost to help the situation but just running it though also worked. In NC it stated snowing. Good thing we bought some cheap plastic rain-suits. Progress slowed, slush and light snow was everywhere but we kept riding. Got NO Doze and coffee at each gas stop, As the sun came up I look at my buddy on his bike and we both point at each other while riding. Our cheap rain suits were now waiters vests and shorts. They had frozen in the night and broken off in the wind. The sun comes up and we kept going stopping only for gas. Then it got dark again and finally in Boca a truck passed us like we were sitting still. We were riding at 45 mph on Rte 95!! We had fallen asleep on the bikes with our eyes open. He grabs throttle and I chase after. That woke us up and we get off the next exit to walk around. I almost couldn't put my kickstand down because my leg wouldn't move that way. Called X GF who lived there and we slept overnight there. When we got there it was just over thirty hours of riding after a full day at work. On way back we did two 12 hrs days. That was my unofficial Iron Butt!!!

 

Dude..you gotta post a pic..All phones have cameras, so there's no excuses..I read through that random thought laced post you made, so, YOU OWE ME A PIC!

 

Wow. Afetr a find like that, I hope you also went out and bought lottery tickets. lol!!