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Motorcycle Page

Another obsession

 

 

On March 15 2014 I bought another Harley, 2001 FXST Standard in absolutely mint condition. Someone who means the world to me, Sandee (now my partner) and I travelled down to south west Ontario and at Hog Town in Lucan we found this great bike. We intended to look at a few bikes but went no further than this Softail. We bought it and then spent the rest of the weekend doing the "tourist thing" with Sandee being my guide.

Took less than 6 months to look around, find out I didn't have a bike after selling the Ultra ElectoGlide and got another one. Lifelong Rider.


 

 

Started riding motorcycles at 16, and learned very early in my career that they offered much more than enclosing yourself in an automobile. A motorcycle gives me the sense of freedom. The power and agility of the machine is infectious. Bought my first motorcycle from a dealer called Firths Cycle, they sold Norton, Triumph and a new bike called Honda. After working all summer to save my money, and 30 days after my 16th birthday, I strolled into Firth's to see what my money would buy. As a first time rider the sales staff directed me to a nice, brand new Honda 150 Dream model. 150 cc's of screaming power. They must have been kidding, this little bike couldn't get out of it's own way. Not a chance of a sale there, I wanted a motorcycle not a scooter. We worked our way through all the available models, one larger than the next till we ran out of selections. It was at that point that I saw a beautiful sight, a bike that had just been delivered to the dealer that day. The new overhead cam 450cc Honda Super Sport. "Will take that one" and lay down my $989.00 plus tax. They weren't thrilled to sell it to me but they performed the PDI and we took it out the back. In those days the government didn't think motorcycles were 'real' vehicles and you could drive one on a learners permit and no helmet. What this meant was just about any fool could buy one and hit the road, including this one. The instruction on driving a bike, from the dealer, consisted of pointing to the controls and describing their function, a handshake and probably a silent prayer. I left with my new toy, promptly dropping it at the end of the block. Luckily I survived my teenage years on a number of motorcycles with only 7 accidents to my credit including hitting a tree at 60 miles an hour and going down on a major street at 70 miles an hour.

Over the years I have owned quite a variety of motorcycles which I have attempted to list below. I knew a number of young men who owned motorcycles, some of which I lost to them along the way. -- Ian Delph (D 1967) age 17years, Gary Perkins (D 1967) age 17 years. -- I will always remember them.

To most people that owned bikes, it was just a fad and they gave them up after a few years. To me it became a life long hobby. The second bike I bought was a Harley and became dedicated to them for quite a number of years. Rode bikes, built them (see picture of me building a Harley motor) and put some of my creations in Shows. It has been a satisfying experience that most people will never know. They have given me a sense of freedom of body and soul seldom found elsewhere. Even today, I'm hesitant to admit, I will be cruising down a lonely Highway through Southern Ontario and will open the throttle full. I feel the surge of power and the feeling of the bike and I, as one, flowing around bends and curves. I only let off when I know that if I continue to accelerate it will mean imminent disaster.

As of August 2000, I now own another Harley Davidson. I found it in Blind River Ontario. It is a 1991 Ultra Classic with only 20,000 kilometers on the odometer. Hard to find a low mileage touring bike, lucky me. UPDATE on 'ol Blue the Ultra Classic, after 13 years I sold it today Sept. 21 2013...

 

 

1991FLHTCU_1.jpg (28701 bytes)

91FLHTCU_11.jpg (22477 bytes)

91FLHTCU_10.jpg (20879 bytes)

 

  • Bikes I have owned since 1966
  • Honda 450 1966
  • 7 Harley's including Knuckle Head's, Hydro Glide, Duo Glide, Evolution and Twin Cam models
  • Bultaco Alpina
  • Triumph Daytona
  • Yamaha RZ350
  • Honda CT70
  • Honda CB900C
  • Dirt bikes -- 2 Yamaha YZ80's (one was my son's) (both stolen from us 1997)
  • Honda Aspencade 1985
  • 1978 Honda XR200 offroad
  • Mike now has 2 CR125 Honda offroad

To add to this story I had the trip of a lifetime in May and June of 1998. I took the Interstate from Toronto Canada to Temple City, Los Angeles, California. This trip was 4100 Kms each way (2600 miles). What an incredible experience. Across the Rockies, thru the Mojave Desert. Easy Rider still lives in some of "us bikers".

 

 

 

1960 Panhead Chopper in 1965 Panhead ElectroGlide frame built by Kirk

 

 

 

Kirk and 1962 Panhead Dresser

Kirk Building 1960 Harley Panhead motor

 

 

New product for all us Harley owners who have been trapped into the ridiculous costs of Harley radios. Drop by Biketronics for the interface you have waited for. Mates a Sony radio to the Harley wire harness. Get all the latest toys and trinkets for your Harley and not lose your hand controls. I ordered one...May 01 2008, I installed the adapter and a Sony GT520 Radio. Works perfectly. I made an adapter to take the radio to the Ultra Electroglide rear speaker amplifier. Now all the functions for the Harley work as they did from the factory with an updated modern Sony Radio. Tada...

http://www.biketronics.com/

 

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