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Started riding at 17 in 1991. A friend come over on an RD400 and I asked if I could take it for a spin. It had to be bump started, for whatever reason, and he said if I could start it go ahead and ride. I figured, how hard could it be? I've done it with cars plenty of times. We went over a few basics and off I went, running down the street hoping like hell this worked. I threw a leg over, popped the clutch and away I went. Down the road, around the block again and again. I felt like I just learned to fly! Within a week I had a Honda Rebel 250. That was fun, but short lived. I sold it and walked over to the Honda dealer two blocks away where I test rode a Sportster 883, GS1100 GL and a GS 850G. The 850 just fit me so well I put the $700 from the sale of the Rebel as a down payment and agreed to make $75 payments every two weeks till it was paid off.
It's a good thing I had experience bump starting a bike. A week after buying the GS the stator crapped out. The dealer took it back and got it fixed, but didn't torque the bolts down on the cover so a hundred miles later I was in trouble. Again, the dealer took care of it and from then on it was a terriffic bike. I sold it and took a job in Macon, GA. It never occured to me I could ride the darn thing there, sure wish I had...
Ten years went by and I bought an XT225, then a KLR650. Rode those for a few years and had another ten year hiatus until I found a fneglected GS1100GL. Paid $200 for it and quickly got back in the groove. That's when I joined the GSR, looking for advice on wiring the headlight and turn signals after pulling the windjammer. I was blown away by how helpful the folks here are. The GS was caught up on maintenance and roadworthy in short order. Also sold in short order because I really missed the G model. After searching for an 850G, like my first one, we wound up taking a trip acrossed the state line to Colorado. Another neglected GS, but this one was a beauty! Again, the GSResources was an absolute blessing in getting that bike sorted. I've put over 30k miles on it so far and it's still running great!
I guess I've bought and sold five or six other bikes since getting this 850. Currently have just the two, 2003 FJR1300 and the '83 850G. Life keeps getting in the way of riding again and I'm trying not to have another long hiatus from bikes. It seems all I can do lately to get one of the bikes out every other week for a short ride. I'm afraid that season between the kids moving out and parents moving in is coming to an end.
It's a good thing I had experience bump starting a bike. A week after buying the GS the stator crapped out. The dealer took it back and got it fixed, but didn't torque the bolts down on the cover so a hundred miles later I was in trouble. Again, the dealer took care of it and from then on it was a terriffic bike. I sold it and took a job in Macon, GA. It never occured to me I could ride the darn thing there, sure wish I had...
Ten years went by and I bought an XT225, then a KLR650. Rode those for a few years and had another ten year hiatus until I found a fneglected GS1100GL. Paid $200 for it and quickly got back in the groove. That's when I joined the GSR, looking for advice on wiring the headlight and turn signals after pulling the windjammer. I was blown away by how helpful the folks here are. The GS was caught up on maintenance and roadworthy in short order. Also sold in short order because I really missed the G model. After searching for an 850G, like my first one, we wound up taking a trip acrossed the state line to Colorado. Another neglected GS, but this one was a beauty! Again, the GSResources was an absolute blessing in getting that bike sorted. I've put over 30k miles on it so far and it's still running great!
I guess I've bought and sold five or six other bikes since getting this 850. Currently have just the two, 2003 FJR1300 and the '83 850G. Life keeps getting in the way of riding again and I'm trying not to have another long hiatus from bikes. It seems all I can do lately to get one of the bikes out every other week for a short ride. I'm afraid that season between the kids moving out and parents moving in is coming to an end.
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