It's been some time since I've lasted posted, February to be exact. My RKC was picked up at Aviano Air Base, put in storage for three months and then shipped to Texas. I picked up the bike first week in August.

The trip across the pond was not good to her. When the shipper picked up the bike it was put on the back of a normal car carrier truck, out in the open, and driven across Austria and Germany in the middle of the winter. Then the shipper just moved it into their warehouse and threw my cover over the bike. No time to dry out at all. Another month on the water, looks like they used it as an anchor. So you can well imagine the amount of corrosion on the chrome and those zinc plated fasteners. I about chit a brick when I first saw it.

While getting the bike taxed, titled and plated I left her with Corpus Christi HD for the 1000K service. And I gave them the go ahead to put some man hours into it to get what they could cleaned up. They did a wonderful job and only billed me 3.5 hours for that. CCHD didn't charge me for replacement hardware if they had it in the shop. They even swapped out my mufflers for a pair of stock take offs. A BIB BIG thanks to CCHD.

Put the bike in a rental truck and drove three days to Ohio where I'm now hanging out. Bike runs great and I've been doing a little this and a little that. Put a detach back rest for the wife and a detach rack on. Also saddle bag guards, derby and timer covers to my style, windshield bag etc.

Speaking of the detach backrest, what a waste of money that was. Bought her a used 2011 Super Low. Now she rides her own. One owner bike already had $3k of add-ons so I wont have to do much for this one. SEHD also took my #2 bike, metric 1982 GS850G, in trade and gave me a very good price on that.

So we're a two HD family now. We'll ride till November, wrap em up for the winter and head to Thailand. I ain't shoveling snow ever again!!

All push comes to shove, life is good.

 

Great story, I enjoyed reading it. Glad you came out of it with a good attitude and got a break from CCHD as well.

 

Just left Aviano huh? Guess a congrats is in order for retireing? I just got here to Aviano about 6 months ago and just picked up my "13 Street Glide at the beginning of the month. Great rides out here!

Good luck on the journey to Thailand. You have me a little worried about the trip back across the pond. Although I have 3.5 years left before I have to worry about that.

 

Don't know if you can still do it but when I was in the Army, I shipped my bike over and back in my household goods. Never had a problem. Of course I had plenty of beer for the packers...

 

BosoxFan, No worries. Duty2 is right, you can ship your bike back in your HHG's. I was a contractor there, Engine Rep for GE. I had to pay shipping out of my own pocket. And GE wouldn't allow it to go in HHG's. Company policy. After 32 years, 11 months, 2 weeks and 3 days with GE I am glad to be retired.

 

Bikes are still considered as HHG in the army. I shipped my sporty from Hawaii to FT Bliss TX that way. Dropped it off to the packers in Hawaii, they were supposed to drain all fluids and crate it up to be put with the rest of my things. FFWD 2 months later to FT Bliss, the day before she was supposed to arrive, I went and got gas and all the oils I would need, watched em unpack it the next day, set the handlebars back to my liking, I started checking and they didnt drain chit, lmao... Bike fired right up!

 

Why do the girls always get the fun bikes???

 

Good post!