So you've come back to riding, How long gone....
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,626
Likes: 98
From: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
I've been back in for less than a year. It was 1962 when I saw my first Harley. Some guy came over sniffing around my older sister and rode his HD. It was turquoise and white and all chrome. The most beautiful thing I ever saw.
When I was in college around 1967, my room mate left town for the summer and asked me to ride his 650 Triumph for him. Never been on a bike before. I bet it took me an hour to figure out how to shift it, etc. Rode the hell out of that thing around the Pacific NW that summer. No helmet, no shirt, just riding. Bought a Honda CB 350 my last year in college and rode the crap out of that as well but sold it when we moved.
Fast forward to today and I'm lovin' it.
When I was in college around 1967, my room mate left town for the summer and asked me to ride his 650 Triumph for him. Never been on a bike before. I bet it took me an hour to figure out how to shift it, etc. Rode the hell out of that thing around the Pacific NW that summer. No helmet, no shirt, just riding. Bought a Honda CB 350 my last year in college and rode the crap out of that as well but sold it when we moved.
Fast forward to today and I'm lovin' it.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,968
Likes: 34
From: Lockport Township, IL
I stopped riding in 1974 when I got married and had a daughter. Got divorced in 1978 and got custody of my daughter and started riding again the day the divorce was final. Remarried in 1980, had another daughter, and stopped riding again. In 2003 (actually December 2002), I was turning 50 and baught a 2003 FXD (to celebrate HD's 100th and my 50th). The wife was not too happy about me having the bike and was even less happy about all the long vacations I took on it without her. When I added a 2004 Ultra to the garage, I think that was the last straw. Another divorce for me on April 30, 2009. On May 12, 2009 (12 days after the divorce), I married again, but this time to a wonderful woman that also rides. We have already discussed that when we are too old to ride on two wheels, we will get a trike so we can continue riding in our old age. I never see myself giving up riding again!
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: Delaware
WOW! I am amazed at how long so many of us were away. I thought that I was the only one.
Quit in 78 and got back last year. 31 years and miss every minute of it. Started in 69 on a 650 Triumph and then 3 Yamaha street racers. We called them "Cafa Racers" back them. Remember that? Now they have the much cooler name of "Crotch Rockets". Had a Yamaha TT175 enduro bike that I tried racing for a while. Had fun, but preferred the street.
I would like to tell a lesson learned in all of this. I did not pursue buying another bike because my wife didn't like them. Or so I thought. I had been wanting to ride really badly again for several years. So I told my wife that I was not getting any younger and that I wanted a bike and if she said "no" I would not argue and not bring it up again. To my surprise she said to go ahead and get what you want, It's your money. I was shocked. She said that she wasn't interested in bikes because she thought that I would be mad at her if she did not ride with me. She is scared to death of a crash. Moral of story. TALK TO YOUR WIFE!! I waisted a lot of years by not talking.
Two days later I paid cash for something that has made my life fun again. I even have had her out riding with me now. A little at a time and now she is doing short day trips. You never know. I think she now trust me and is really enjoying it.
Quit in 78 and got back last year. 31 years and miss every minute of it. Started in 69 on a 650 Triumph and then 3 Yamaha street racers. We called them "Cafa Racers" back them. Remember that? Now they have the much cooler name of "Crotch Rockets". Had a Yamaha TT175 enduro bike that I tried racing for a while. Had fun, but preferred the street.
I would like to tell a lesson learned in all of this. I did not pursue buying another bike because my wife didn't like them. Or so I thought. I had been wanting to ride really badly again for several years. So I told my wife that I was not getting any younger and that I wanted a bike and if she said "no" I would not argue and not bring it up again. To my surprise she said to go ahead and get what you want, It's your money. I was shocked. She said that she wasn't interested in bikes because she thought that I would be mad at her if she did not ride with me. She is scared to death of a crash. Moral of story. TALK TO YOUR WIFE!! I waisted a lot of years by not talking.
Two days later I paid cash for something that has made my life fun again. I even have had her out riding with me now. A little at a time and now she is doing short day trips. You never know. I think she now trust me and is really enjoying it.
Last edited by vonzoog; Feb 8, 2010 at 11:10 AM.
Tourer
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 285
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte NC
I started riding in 1979 on an old Honda 350. Then in 1980 i bought my first HD Roadster, traded it for a larger framed 1980 SuperGlide. I sold the bike in 1984 to pay for school, then moved to Florida and got married, raised a son. 25 years went by and I always cringed when I had to hear the HDs go by, wanting one desperately. At age 49 I found the one I wanted in may 2009 and now I'm back in the saddle and will be as long as I can ride. No going back without a scooter.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 234
Likes: 15
From: Southern California
I bought my first bike when I was 18. Other than being deployed, the longest I've gone without owning a bike was a few months. I've owned 6 bikes over the last 12 years. I can't see myself without a bike. Hopefully I won't have to.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Boston,Ma
I had a 96 Fat boy for 2 years and just bought a 2010 Street Glide, so 12 years.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,648
Likes: 5
From: Willow Spring, NC
started riding in 1972 on a kawaski 500 triple, which I rode arcoss country in 73 , sold that in 75 got a kaw Z1900 rode that for 3yrs then got a yamaha RD400 which i roacraced and rode on the street,plus a kawasaki kdx dirt bike sold all that fun stuff in and got married in 1983. I regetted giving up my bikes. then a got me my 1st HD in 2009 after 26 yrs sure feels good riding again.
I had given up my MC Lic. when I moved to NC. The local college has the MSF course so I took that and smile for two day while taking the course, then got my bike. love it
I had given up my MC Lic. when I moved to NC. The local college has the MSF course so I took that and smile for two day while taking the course, then got my bike. love it