Sentimental riding stories

[Cruiseman]

I remember when I was about 20 I owned a Suzuki GT550. I bought it used from a dentist in Midland (where I lived) for $800 cash. It only had about 1000 miles on it when I bought it and it was a great bike. Love the old 2-strokes.

I lived in a tiny garage apartment near downtown Midland. Every Friday evening, I would get on the 550 and ride across the tracks to the "bad side" of downtown to a little BBQ joint called "Poor John's BBQ". I would be the only white person in the place and John, the owner, knew exactly what I wanted, a rib and sausage combo plate. Man, was that some good BBQ. The place was a dive with purple walls, cheesy card tables and no two chairs matched. In other words, a DAMN good BBQ place! The sauce was spicy and went perfect with a cold Coors light. Not so much a riding story, but one I will never forget.

Do you have any stupid little memories like that?

[jmohme]

I think the one ride I will always remember was when my dad, younger brother and myself took a motorcycle trip form the little town in Illinois where we lived at the time to Reelfoot Lake in Union Tennessee.
My dad and brother were on dads CX500 Deluxe with Vetter faring and bags. I was on a naked CB400.
It was just a 4 or 5 hour trip, but on those small old bikes, it was like a cross country odyssey.
Anyway, it turned out to be a week of fishing. We rented a boat and gear. There was no realistic way of bringing any fish home with us, so what we caught got used at a group fish fry at the lodge we stayed at.
My dad and brother are both gone now, but at least memories like this one will stay with me.

[Retired Army]

A freedom fighter from Kokomo was killed and was returned to Grissom ARB. 400 motorcycles escorted him to Kokomo to be interned. I had the privilege and pleasure to be riding one of the motorcycles..

[hparsons]

My first bike was a 1970 Kawasaki G3SS. A few months after we got it (lived in Houston at the time), we moved to Forth Worth in a house on a dead end street. To the left of the house were the railroad tracks, behind the house was a big open field (that lead to some undeveloped land, where we rode a lot), and to the right was a vacant lot on the corner, then the cross street. However, next to that vacant lot, unknown to me when we first moved, lived a 15 year old girl (I was 13 at the time).

The vacant lot had a mound of dirt, and the day we moved in, my brother and I found that the vacant lot with the mound was almost as much fun as opening up the bike in the field behind the house.

So, our second day there, I was in the lot, pulling wheelies, doing a few donuts, and risking the muffler (street bike) by jumping the mound of dirt; when out comes the most beautiful long-haired long-legged "older woman" (blonde at that!) I had ever seen (the fifteen year old next door, for those of you not paying close attention). I killed the bike, and she said "Can I have a ride". My jaw dropped, and I somehow stuttered out "sure".

She climbed on, and I rediscovered some of my "cool", and said "hold on tight". This was the first time I had ever taken anyone for a ride other than my older brother, and I quickly found out why guys on bikes tell tell long-legged blondes to "hold on tight".

We spent a couple hours exploring the fields and undeveloped lands, (all on the bike, I was only 13) and even a few of the roads when I thought I could get away with it. That was probably one of my best rides, it was definitely my first "great ride" . It was all very innocent mind you, but I did keep reminding her to "hold on tight".

[Captain Roadsmith]

Back in October of 1981 a friend and I rode from northwest Indiana to Rockville, IN for the covered bridge festival. He was on a Honda 750K and I had a Suzuki 650E. We camped out in a tent for the weekend. That first night, we were invited to eat dinner with a couple that had a motorhome with a full kitchen. We drank beer, laughed and had a great time late into the night with them. The next day, I called home to find out I was going to be a new father.....

[Rick Mays]

Back in October of 1981 a friend and I rode from northwest Indiana to Rockville, IN for the covered bridge festival. He was on a Honda 750K and I had a Suzuki 650E. We camped out in a tent for the weekend. That first night, we were invited to eat dinner with a couple that had a motorhome with a full kitchen. We drank beer, laughed and had a great time late into the night with them. The next day, I called home to find out I was going to be a new father.....

Cool!

[Transformer]

This didn't happen all that long ago…was riding the Arkansas twisties with a good friend from Oklahoma. It was early October, just before the Harrison Gathering, and we were just getting in some warm-up riding time before heading to the event. Seems while I was leading, there was a medium size reptile laying on the road that I didn't see for all the shadows from the tall trees and leaves. Looking in the mirrors, my riding partner had disappeared, so I slowed and kept looking for his headlights to reappear…this happens a lot as he tends not to be able to keep up a good pace. Growing concerned as the miles passed, I decided to turn around and go back…well, after a few miles and cresting a small hill, there on the side of the road is my partner's bike parked on the shoulder, he is standing there with a 8 foot tree branch, beating the heck out of a snake. I parked on the opposite side shoulder and watched as this delicate person opened a can of whoop-azz on this innocent creature. Laughed so hard as the end of the branch broke off and the azz whooping continued until the critter had met his maker. After relieving him of his tail ornament, the details were layed out as to what had happened. Seems I had ran over this critter and it was flipped into the air and "almost" landed in my buddies lap…imagine a 3 foot rattlesnake in your lap while riding a motorcycle!! I was still laughing and was relieved he was none the worse for wear. Lesson being…DON'T TAILGATE!!

[Rick Mays]

Yep, that snake almost landed right smack in the middle of my chest, so how was I, as you say "tends not to be able to pace you slow old mans ass pace" ?? You just typed like a confused elder person!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was right on your butt when you flicked it up! And it was a very poisonous Rattle Snake!

[Wheels]

I have two. The first was riding down to the hospital to see my (many of ours) good friend Beverly after her accident. I knew all to well what was in store for her and enjoyed the times that we talked over the phone and spending time visiting a couple times are her home. One of Bev's last rides, which she was so proud of was an Iron Butt that she completed which brought her up near the house. In typical and customary fashion, she was welcomed to dine with us where we take ALL of our out of town Goldwing friends for Crab Cakes. During this visit, Bev gave me a shirt that said "I'm only in it for the parking" based on my old signature line. We laughed.

On one of my visits to see her, I took her a gift and told her she needed to model them and I expected to see pictures. This is what I gave her, and of course she accepted them graciously as only she could. Naturally they said "I'm only in it for the Parking."


While I have met many good folks through riding, I made another good friend who I had grown to really enjoy, but he was located out on the west coast of Oregon. IR Harry was a classic. For several years we kept saying that we wanted to meet and finally we agreed that we would meet "half way" thus we both went to the Kerrville, TX Trike gathering. We had more fun then anyone should be allowed to have. We then agreed to meet at the Colorado Rockies Gold gathering (the really big one). Harry was not really himself, and it was not long after that I got word that he had passed. I lost a good buddy for sure, yet this bike of mine brought us together as friends.

Here is a picture where Harry made the mistake of telling my lovely bride that she could ride his Trike. Little did he know she would take off and head back down the mountain with it, thus leaving him with me. OH NELLY was that ever funny.

[Rick Mays]

Both of them were great people to know. Never heard of Harry riding on your Trike with you. That is funny!