> Please post a little bit about what you ride, where, how long you've
> been riding, etc. If you don't currently ride, say something about why
> you should be a member of SGMC anyway. Anything to let me know you're
> actually interested in SGMC will do.
Well... let's see here...
I had a girl get me interested in bikes in college, and my roommate rode a SWEET limited-edition GSXR-750 with a dry clutch. So I picked up a Honda CB450SC Nighthawk and took the MSF course. The roommate later got a ZX-10 which was an absolute monster.
Since then I've had a Honda VF750F Sabre shaft-drive V4 with the full Hondaline fairing, a Yamaha 550 Vision (the one with the crap car-style downdraft carbs), a Yamaha RZ-350 street 2-stroke, a shaft-drive Suzuki GSX1100G, a really BEAT shaft-drive Suzuki GS1100GL, a GS550EF (the one with the siamese carbs), an NT650 Honda Hawk GT (the one with the single-sided swingarm), and right now I own a '02 Suzuki SV-650 and an '05 Suzuki DL-650.
The SV and the DL have the same engine, except the SV is carbureted and the DL is fuel-injected. The SV has almost 40,000 miles on it.
I haven't owned a car in 15 or so years. I guess I've been riding a little under 20 years? I have a permanent parking spot at work that's mine because I'm the only guy to ride to work every single day, rain or shine.
The GS550EF and Honda Hawk were both stolen.
I've done my share of wrenching. My first was fixing the forks on the CB450SC when I bent them. I got the GS550EF for $200 because it didn't run. It had stuck rings, and I rebuilt the top end. The RZ-350 got a rough edge on a gear and started eating shift forks so I split the cases, rebuilt the transmission and replaced the bad gear and shift fork. It's nice having an engine you can plop in your lap and work on. I replaced a head gasket in the Hawk. A couple of friends bought the GS1100GL as a basketcase, and it turned out to have a totally destroyed transmission as well as lots of other problems. It's the only time I've poured the insides of a starter motor out as sand and wire bits. I still have shredded tranny parts from that as "trophies" I do all my own maintenance.
I helped a friend go to racing school in Talladega and race his RZ-350 at VIR near where he lives now in DC. I've taken CR250s to the nuclear labs Oak Ridge, Tennessee and ridden them in the snow! Much fun!
I've also had my share of life threatening experiences. The GS1100GL did the guided-missile bit into a Subaru that turned left in front of me. I went over the top and slid about 170 feet. I bent the Subaru in half and put the driver's husband permanently in a wheelchair with a shattered pelvis. Better him than me! The RZ was an absolute blast, but it tried to kill me just about every time I rode it. The GSX1100G was totalled when an car ran a stopsign. I wasn't badly hurt except for a dislocated shoulder.
I go to Bike Week every year, and just about every year I have to convince a new manager at work that yes, I'm going to Bike Week, and no, I'm not putting it off this year. I usually watch some of the races and hit the vendor tents outside DIS. One year I got laid off right before Bike Week, so I did the whole kit and caboodle and saw some very interesting stuff in the beginning of the week. This year I've hooked up with some of the people at Sargent Cycle to check out a prototype of their seat for the DL-650, so I'll be heading to Jacksonville.
One of the reasons I bought the DL is I want to finally travel a bit, to places like Key West, DC, the Blue Ridge, etc.
I watch 500GP/MotoGP religiously, and follow the AMA, WSB, TT, British Superbike stuff somewhat.
I'm fortunate enough that the Orlando Museum of Art is hosting the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit from the Guggenheim from February to July. It's very very nice.
"Ah. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT... NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO A DEAD GUY... NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK? You think I'm qualified?"
> been riding, etc. If you don't currently ride, say something about why
> you should be a member of SGMC anyway. Anything to let me know you're
> actually interested in SGMC will do.
Well... let's see here...
I had a girl get me interested in bikes in college, and my roommate rode a SWEET limited-edition GSXR-750 with a dry clutch. So I picked up a Honda CB450SC Nighthawk and took the MSF course. The roommate later got a ZX-10 which was an absolute monster.
Since then I've had a Honda VF750F Sabre shaft-drive V4 with the full Hondaline fairing, a Yamaha 550 Vision (the one with the crap car-style downdraft carbs), a Yamaha RZ-350 street 2-stroke, a shaft-drive Suzuki GSX1100G, a really BEAT shaft-drive Suzuki GS1100GL, a GS550EF (the one with the siamese carbs), an NT650 Honda Hawk GT (the one with the single-sided swingarm), and right now I own a '02 Suzuki SV-650 and an '05 Suzuki DL-650.
The SV and the DL have the same engine, except the SV is carbureted and the DL is fuel-injected. The SV has almost 40,000 miles on it.
I haven't owned a car in 15 or so years. I guess I've been riding a little under 20 years? I have a permanent parking spot at work that's mine because I'm the only guy to ride to work every single day, rain or shine.
The GS550EF and Honda Hawk were both stolen.
I've done my share of wrenching. My first was fixing the forks on the CB450SC when I bent them. I got the GS550EF for $200 because it didn't run. It had stuck rings, and I rebuilt the top end. The RZ-350 got a rough edge on a gear and started eating shift forks so I split the cases, rebuilt the transmission and replaced the bad gear and shift fork. It's nice having an engine you can plop in your lap and work on. I replaced a head gasket in the Hawk. A couple of friends bought the GS1100GL as a basketcase, and it turned out to have a totally destroyed transmission as well as lots of other problems. It's the only time I've poured the insides of a starter motor out as sand and wire bits. I still have shredded tranny parts from that as "trophies" I do all my own maintenance.
I helped a friend go to racing school in Talladega and race his RZ-350 at VIR near where he lives now in DC. I've taken CR250s to the nuclear labs Oak Ridge, Tennessee and ridden them in the snow! Much fun!
I've also had my share of life threatening experiences. The GS1100GL did the guided-missile bit into a Subaru that turned left in front of me. I went over the top and slid about 170 feet. I bent the Subaru in half and put the driver's husband permanently in a wheelchair with a shattered pelvis. Better him than me! The RZ was an absolute blast, but it tried to kill me just about every time I rode it. The GSX1100G was totalled when an car ran a stopsign. I wasn't badly hurt except for a dislocated shoulder.
I go to Bike Week every year, and just about every year I have to convince a new manager at work that yes, I'm going to Bike Week, and no, I'm not putting it off this year. I usually watch some of the races and hit the vendor tents outside DIS. One year I got laid off right before Bike Week, so I did the whole kit and caboodle and saw some very interesting stuff in the beginning of the week. This year I've hooked up with some of the people at Sargent Cycle to check out a prototype of their seat for the DL-650, so I'll be heading to Jacksonville.
One of the reasons I bought the DL is I want to finally travel a bit, to places like Key West, DC, the Blue Ridge, etc.
I watch 500GP/MotoGP religiously, and follow the AMA, WSB, TT, British Superbike stuff somewhat.
I'm fortunate enough that the Orlando Museum of Art is hosting the "Art of the Motorcycle" exhibit from the Guggenheim from February to July. It's very very nice.
"Ah. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen the EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT... NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO A DEAD GUY... NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK? You think I'm qualified?"