Hello from Georgia

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Apr 2, 2017 | 08:06 PM

Magic Mike

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Intermediate

Joined: Apr 2017

Posts: 45

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From: Berlin

Hello from Georgia

Hello to all lovers of american iron,

please be patient with me, if my spelling and grammar might not absolutely fit your requirement - but I Am German, but I bet, I will at least be able to make myself understood. If anyone finds spelling mistakes, he might keep them.

Let me introduce myself. Riding a bike was never really interesting for me. I did not even recognize any bike and got finally infected very late, but in early 2006 did that change out of sudden. I was in Thailand and knew, that I will stay there at least one year. Sitting with a friend in a bar over a few beers, relatively quickly the decision was done, to get a bike. It was not supposed to be anything big, just a little bigger then the there common 125cc scooters, to get around comfy there and may be 100 miles around, without always to use the car...

My friend and colleague bought a 200cc honda phantom and I did like it not too bad. I liked the 400 or 600cc honda steed much more or even a road star, but everything too big for me. At that point I should mention, that I did not even have a driving license for bikes yet and was only allowed to ride bikes up to 125cc with my license. I was planing to get a license, but due to missing experience (just had a 50cc as a teenager), I rather wanted something smaller - 150-250cc.

When I was walking through the city and seeing any nice bike at the roadside, it took usually less then 5 min and I was talking to the owner and knew the price, he was willing to sell. One night on my way back home from a shopping mall, I saw suddenly a bike, that draw my intention. Instead of driving straight home, I had of course to follow the bike for a mile or so, to take closer look. That was exactly what I wanted..

A few days later I found coincidentally exactly that bike standing in front of a shop. Orange airbrush all over and a green dragon on front and rear fender, MC gang logo on the gas tank - indeed a stunning little beauty. The shop owner turned out to be the owner of the bike and after the usual 5 min admiring, I knew his price. After a while negotiating we found an agreement, but I just wanted to consult my friend next day at work, before I buy (mentally I bought it that moment already

)...

It was a yamaha virago, a bit customiszed with short rear fender, solo seat, handlebars - 250cc (as I still thought at that moment, coz my Thai language skill were not that well yet at that time). Slim and handy - perfect for me. From Germany I knew only the 100 and 750cc virago, but found out, that there was also a 535cc and with 90-95% most common in Thailand the 250cc virago. So I went back to that shop next night to make the deal. Then kept sitting with the former owner over a few beers

and found out, that it was not a 250cc, but a 750cc. Oops, suddenly I was the only one among my friends without a driving license, but having the biggest bike.

Then I was invited to come back any time and also to become honorary member of their MC gang. With the MC gang logo on my gas tank I could hardly refuse and did never regret that - that was the best time of my life.

All Thais love big bikes - no racing bikes, but chopper and cruiser. But they really worship and idolize the american iron from Milwaukee - Harley Davidson is divine. So I had my first contact to Harley Davidson there and got infected by the drug. It definitely is a drug and I admit to be addicted. At least I get withdrawal symptoms, if I can't ride for a while. In Germany we have shops selling bikes and cars - except harley, thats a dealer. For those, who don't get the point - in Germany we use the words dealer and dealing only in context to drugs

. Finally it was just a question of time and it did not take very long, till I got my first harley - a road king classic, FLHRCi 2006 - the year I got addicted

That should do for today and I don't wanna get you more tired from reading here.
All time safe ride for everyone here - have fun with our common hobby and hands off of the substitute drugs

Mike