KC area new guy

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Jun 24, 2012 | 07:20 PM

AbrasiveHD

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Intermediate

Joined: Sep 2011

Posts: 43

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From: Odessa, MO

KC area new guy

Hello everyone. Just wanted to take a minute for the customary intro. My name is Jay, I just turned 40 a couple weeks ago, married with two kids and live not far outside of the KC area.

Not only am I new to the forums, but I'm new to motorcycle riding in general. I've owned my bike for about a year, but just recently got all my ducks in a row and started riding. I recently completed a recommended riding course (Rolling Wheels in Independence, MO), got the bike legal and am now enjoying every minute of it. I've got friends that ride and one recommended the forums here, Rocketman69. Looking forward to riding with them.

As for the bike, it's a bit of a story, but very meaningful to me and one I'd like to share. My bike is a 2000 FLHTCPI with 30k miles on her. It was owned by one of the greatest guys I've ever met and one of my very best friends, Gary Hancock. 3 years ago on June 22nd, he passed away very suddenly from cardiac arrest brought on by heat stroke. At only 38 yrs old, it took us all by surprise. His bike sat in his wife's garage for two years untouched. I wanted to buy it, but like I'm sure some of you know the feeling, never seemed to have to money. After two years, it was offered to me at the right time when I had some extra money in the bank and I bought it without hesitation. It needed a new battery and a new rear tire, both of which I replaced shortly after getting it home. Not knowing the exact service history and not having anyone to ask, Gib (Rocketman69 here on HDforums) and I replaced every fluid in it right down to the brake fluid. We also put all new brakes on it, adjusted the clutch cable, adjusted the idle, installed a Klock Werks windshield, new horn and horn cover, and new footboards and a new front fender skirt that was a little dinged up. The original footboards had been ground down to the rubber since this was originally a Jackson County Sheriff Dept training bike and they apparently had no issues in dragging them while training tight turns. After all this maintenance and parts replacing, Gib took the bike on it's first ride in a little over two years and said it rode and drove like a dream. The bike then sat for nearly another year before I got off my *** and took the course and got it insured and tagged. Now that I've ridden it a few times, I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. I love riding.

So, here's the bike. Gary had had the bike painted this color after he purchased it from the Sheriff's Dept. It's Volvo Turbo Red. He added the tour pack later which I currently have completely disassembled down to the fiberglass shell and have given to my painter to color match it to the bike. It was one of the things Gary wanted to get done, but never got to. Oddly, the color on the bike is almost an exact match to the color on my GMC Sonoma which you can see on the tailgate in the background.

Yesterday, we held our 3rd annual memorial get together at our house for Gary's friends and family. This year I got to take his bike back to him. That's where he rests in the bottom left spot. It was a very emotional ride, but something I had looked forward to doing for a very long time.