Introduction Thread

[al_roethlisberger]

Hi,

 

Well in response to Jaap's question about interest in a separate member introductory section, I thought I'd start a thread here in the meantime. If we end up with a separate Forum for this, it can always be moved

 

 

OK, well where to start... I swear, I'm not really THAT interesting

 

 

Well, I live in San Jose, CA... and have been riding motorcycles for really only a short time, about 4 years now. But I had always been interested in bikes, and "things with motors" in general

 

My "starter" bike was a 1994 yellow Yamaha SecaII, which my wife at the time and I shared as we learned to ride after taking our MC safety course. Over the next year, I passed that bike on to her, and I picked up a used 1989 Yamaha FJ1200 that needed some work. I spent the Winter cleaning it up, and getting everything tip-top, and it took me on some great adventures across the deserts of the American West for the next 2 years.

 

Time passed, the wife moved on... and along with her went the Seca... but the venerable FJ soldiered on until I finally decided that I needed something a little newer as little things started to go wrong with regular intervals... hey after all it was a 12 year old bike at that point

 

But when 2002 rolled around, I had the fortune of having some extra cash, and was shopping for a new toy. I had sold the FJ for a reasonable amount, and with a tax refund, had enough to buy a bike for cash.

 

I had been looking at a new Yamaha FZ-1(Fazer 1000) or a 2000 Honda VFR(Interceptor), but then I ran across a review for faired version of the V11 Sport... and that was it.... I was pretty much SOLD

 

 

More about me? Well as I mentioned, I live in San Jose, CA. I work for Cisco Systems as a Network Architect... working in our IT department designing our network and helping with the engineering side of the house consulting on product features, etc...

 

I'm originally from the deep-south... Louisiana, and still have family there... Monroe to be exact. I have lived in Pittsburgh, PA... New Mexico, all around Texas, Florida, and now out here in CA.

 

Other interests? Well, I like to tinker. I really like hands-on stuff, and one day I'll be lucky enough to have all the cool machinery like Rich Maund has got at his disposal.... for both wood and metal working, so I can make my own parts. I have lots of ideas, just no big tools

 

After just buying my house, I've been spending a lot of time fixing up things here and there... been rebuilding and restoring some vintage light-fixtures of late, and will be remodeling the bath, etc soon I'm sure.

 

I also attempt to play bass guitar at times, and like all sorts of gadgets.

 

Back to motorcycles... my riding style is pretty casual, and I like to focus on performance, with reliability and economy as a primary consideration. I typically ride on the weekends, with the occassional ride to work. I take 2 to 3 longish week-long or multi-day trips a year, usually as far from civilization as is prudent.

 

Beyond that, I'd like to get in a track day/class here and there to improve my skills, but I'm no back-street scraper for sure.

 

Well, that's about it.... oh, I guess physical stats... umm, 34yrs old, 5'8", and about 200lbs ... if that matters to anyone

 

al

[jtucker]

OK... I'll bite...

 

Grew up in Corfu, New York (small town about 30 miles east of Buffalo). After spending about 4 years living in north-central (Coudersport) Pennsylvania, I moved to the Philadelphia area about 2.5 years ago.

 

Got into motorcycles when I lived in Coudersport. Actually, I wanted to get a bike my whole life, but couldn't afford to get into it until then. My first bike was a '78 Yamaha XS750 triple. Probably not the best first bike, but it was cheap... and got me hooked. Unfortuantely, it had carburation problems, and an issue with the front brakes dragging (but only on hot sunny days! LOL!). All I wanted to do was ride, but I wasn't confident in the reliabilty of this bike, so I decided to buy a new bike after about a month or so.

 

Then came the Ducati M900. Fun bike, and reliable too! Still love it and use it for track days and such.

 

After about a year, I decided I wanted a bike that would be a better "touring bike" and also better at carrying a pillion passenger. I had a number of friends with Guzzis, and became quite fond of those bikes, which is probably what convinced me to get the V11 Sport. On the ride home from the dealer, I remember telling myself, "this is the bike I'm going tour the country on!" I've just fallen more and more in love with this bike ever since.

 

So far, I seem to be averaging about 12-14K miles a year on two wheels, which isn't too bad considering I don't ride much in the winter.

 

Motorcycling gave me an affliction, and now I decided that I needed to get a car that was *almost* as fun to drive as a motorcycle, so I am currently awaiting delievery of a new 2003 MINI Cooper S - about as close to a go-kart that I could get and still be street legal! It's on the boat as I write this, and I will hopefully have it within the next few weeks. I can't wait to get a trailer hitch on it and use it to haul bikes around!

 

And similar to Al, I work in the tech biz. However, I'm a system administrator for a small internet company.

 

Oh, and if anyone is int he market for a '78 Yamaha XS750, I still have it and would love to get it out of my garage!

[Guest Ragin' Pit Bull]

Probably the best thing to do is just visit my website. www.RaginPitBull.com

[Guest Jaap]

Hi,

 

I can't stay behind now, of course.

 

I'm 36 years old, 1,93 meters tall and have a small business in graphic- and webdesign @ home. (So I can peak at/and ride my LM whenever I please )

Before I started this business I already worked on my own for 5 years. I also worked as a (graphic) studio manager and on a marketing department from a wholesaler in agricultural machinery.

 

My girlfriend is 2 years younger and we live together since 1996. She doesn't like motorbikes, yet...

 

I come from a bike loving family. My father used to ride BSA's, Nortons, Ariels for work, visiting cattle farmers for artificial insemination. My brother is the real bike lover in the family. Since he was 17 he always owned english or italian bikes. He is also the tinkerer and helps me out quite often.

 

I started riding when I was 19. (Yamaha DT400 2-stroke offroad.) I had some money then because I was in the military. When I went back to school, the money ran out and I had to sell it. 2 years ago we won a large amount of money in the lottery, and I was again able to buy a bike: Yamaha Fazer 600. Nice piece but I soon figured out that 4 cilinders wasn't my thing so the next year I bought the Le Mans.

So I'm not an experienced rider although I have my licence for 18 years.

 

Last summer 2002 I had a small stroke, so the bike-hobby is restricted to the internet. Today I started the LM again. It started without hesitating. Boy, I can't wait untill I'm recovered.

 

My dream is to ride the US-westcoast from Alaska to Mexico. This will happen in 2004!

 

My car: Mazda 626 (Oldfartsmobile)

My company's website:www.veldhorst.nl

Other interests: sci-fi reading and

[Guest jeremy]

I'm 26 and started out on mini bikes then a dirt bike, then a honda 450 with dirtbike tires then restored a 72 and 73 honda dohc 450 ss, then one day I stopped at the local guzzi shop and saw a yellow Centauro used with 250 miles on it (the guy who bought it thought because it had drag bars it was a cruiser!) and I have never looked back. 14000 miles last year of bliss.

[Guest dkgross]

This is cool.

 

Let's see. I'm 44 (yikes). Grew up in a small beach town 20 miles south of Cape Kennedy, Fl. Surfing and music were my life. Got my first bike, a Honda CB100, when I was 16.

 

Moved to Orlando, Fl. right after high school, and spent the next 16 years playing keyboards in a touring band. Actually even did three months with the Backstreet Boys back in '94 when they first were getting started Nowadays, I work at Microsoft as an audio engineer/composer doing music and sound design for corporate videos, hardware devices and a little games work. Basically, I make beepy noises for a living.

 

Didn't ride for a long time. Got an '89 Honda Pacific Coast in 92, and kept her for 6 years. Moved to Seattle in the fall of '94. Sold the Honda and got a Yamaha RoadStar. FUN bike. There are definetly days when I miss my 'Ruby". Wanted a change from the big cruiser and got a BMW 1150 RT. We won't go into THAT POS story.

 

NOW, I have my Guzzi, thanks to a good pal of mine who took me to Moto International to see it.

 

Been with my wife for 6 years. We met in a chat room on AOL. Seriously. I'm not kidding. Who knew... She owns her own marketing biz and rides a '98 Magna. We have no children, but our dogs are our loves.

 

lots of photos on our websites:

 

http://homepage.mac.com/dkgross/DAVE

http://homepage.mac.com/dkgross

[hgravelpha@aol.com]

I was born in Vietnam and moved to California when I was 8 (1977). When high school ended, I joined the military and was a Ranger with the 82nd Airborne Division. My stint with army ended in mid 1990(I took part in Panama but lucked out of The Gulf) and off to college I went. A few years later, I met the woman of my dream and we got married in 1986. Her only vice is that she is in the medical profession and has a dislike to motorcycle. We now have a beautiful 18 months old daughter.

 

I have always been into motorcycling. The first car that I purchased was the day that I found out that we were having a baby. I have owned an FZ600, two GSXR750s, a Ducati F1b, a CBR600, an Interceptor 500, a Triumph t595, a BMW R75/6 (the original bike that was in Cheech and Chong Next Movie) and the current V11s. I had the Ducati through out my military service and when it ended, I took a three-month ride on the F1b across the United States.

 

Damn, we live in a beautiful country.

 

I chose the V11s because this is the first bike that stirs my soul. I must admit the power is not like my other sport bikes but is enough to make me happy. The handling is better than I thought and the brakes are exceptional.

 

The motorcycling bug too has afflicted me. Riding is part of me. I'm most happy and productive when I'm riding. Motorcycling is very much part of my life.

 

I am currently a senior expansion team leader at McMaster-Carr.

[Orson]

I'm 43 years old. I work in the Persian Gulf as a Drilling Supervisor on an offshore drilling rig. I was born in Venezuela. My father was Canadian & my mother is Venezuelan so, I carry a dual citizenship from both countries. We moved to the U.S. when I was in high school. I lived in Pa, Tx, N.M, & northern California. I believe that Marin County is God's gift to motorcyclists and that the designated hitter rule should have been abolished years ago.

 

My parents never would let me near motorcycles but, I caught the bug early from school buddies who rode motocross back in the early 70s. I bought my first motorcycle at 18, right after I moved out on my own. It was a 78 Suzuki GS 750. I took my first motorcycle "tour" when I was 18 and living in West Texas(the far fringe of civilization) and decided to visit a friend in Tuscon, Az. Heck, it was only about 2 inches on the map. Not a problem. 600 miles and 11 hours later, they had to pry my hands off the grips when I pulled up to his house. After spending about 24 hours in Tuscon, I had to turn around and ride all the way back to be at work on time. Thus began my touring bug. Then there was a Husqvarna 250 MX, an 84 Yamaha FJ-1100 (41 states on the trusty FJ), a 78 Ducati Darmah (The guy selling the Darmah also had a Ducati 900SS for sale which I turned down. A decision I regret to this day). Most recently I bought a 00 Aprilia Mille. Then, when I moved to the Middle East, I was looking at purchasing an RT1150 or a Truimph Sprint to keep in Europe, when the Le Mans caught my eye. Being a lover of quirky things, the purchase seems to have been a foregone conclusion. I rode it off the showroom floor in Italy to the Isle of Mann for the TT races. If you have a chance, that's a must do for a motorcyclist. The whole thing is a trip, starting with crossing over to the island on a ferry packed with 400 motorcycles. It's utter madness on the island. You should try to go even if you can't make it on a bike. Sell the wife and kids (kidding) but, once in your life, just go.

 

Other interests are mountain biking and Hobie Cat sailboats.

Music- mostly classic rock but, a smattering of everything except rap & country.

[Guest mcloutier]

I am 32, I started riding motorcycles when I was 19. I am currently the Director of Information Systems for a hospital and clinic in Moses Lake, WA. My hobbies are computers, electronics, classic cars and of course motorcycles. I have lived in Hawaii, Washington, Oregon and California. I have visited about 40 of our 50 wonderful states here in the U.S. For about 5 years I maintained a pilots license but found it too expensive as a hobby. I have more fun on my motorcycles anyway. My Le Mans is the first non Japanese motorcycle that I have owned. I fell in love with a friends Le Mans III and knew that one day I would have to have one. I saw the new Le Mans on the Guzzi web site and bought one within a month of seeing it. I am loving every minute of riding it

[Guest Brent]

I'm 42yrs old, have been married for 23.5yrs, and have two sons (13 and 22). (Yes, I've been married since I was 18, almost 19, to my high scool sweetie.) I was born in Jacksonville, Florida, where I lived until age 12. Then we moved to Haymarket, Virginia (just outside of Manassas), to a little hill called Bull Run mountain. That's where I rode my first motorcycle--if you can call it that, it was a friend's mini dirt bike.

 

After graduating high school I went into the Army for 4 years, where I was trained to repair a computerized telephone system. Little did I know that it was a TACTICAL system. This means that it was mobile, and boy were we mobile. For 3 years I froze my a** off on top of Germany's mountains while my new wife waited patiently in our very little German apartment with no car and no phone. (I'll always have much respect for her because of this.) This is where we had our first child.

 

The training I received in the Army allowed me to get a job with IBM in their newly-formed IBM Information Network. I've been in communications now for 20 years (not counting the Army), and would have been with IBM for that amount of time had they not sold their network (and people) to AT&T. So for the past 5 years I've been with AT&T, working with equipment from Al's company (Cisco).

 

Almost 2 years ago the urge to buy a bike became too much and, after many 'discussions' with my wife, I bought a new Triumph Legend. I loved the bike's look, but it wasn't long before I wanted something a little more sporty, with a little more power--you know, a man's bike. So now I have the LeMans. I don't ride as much as I'd like to, between work, family, house, etc., so when I do ride I need for the bike to be as reliable as it is fun. I leave the repair work to my dealer, but if there's something I KNOW I can handle (e.g., install PCIII, Life Brite brake lights, you know--easy stuff), then I love to do it. Now you know why I don't contribute much to the "how to" part of this club, but I very much enjoy reading about the mods and repairs that you guys do.

[Guest scott]

Well here goes;

 

 

Let me first state that my motorcycle addiction started at a very young age. Fell off my first mini-bike at age 7, and figured things could only get better after that. Got my first "real motorcycle" at age 16, a Honda CB 125. I thought I was as cool as Marlon Brando on that bike. Thank God adolescence only occurs once!

 

I grew up in Toledo, Ohio, and my future bike purchases tended to lean towards touring machines. Quite frankly, I wanted bikes big and comfortable enough to get me out of Ohio! Rode to Daytona Beach five summers in a row (maybe that's why it took me almost five years to get my bachelors degree?). During this time I was riding a Kaw KZ750, then a Kaw 1000LTD, finally moving up to a Gold Wing 1100 with a Vetter fairing (even installed a radio from JC Whitney).

 

Shortly after, I found myself in Sunny California via the USAF. Sending me to a State where I could ride nearly 12 months of the year was like giving me the keys to the candy store. During my AF years I was a Navigator on KC135 refuelers stationed out of Beale AFB in Yuba City, and then a Nav Instructor at Mather AFB in Sacramento. Shortly after my daughters birth I rewarded my self with a new '88 HD FXRT Sport Glide. I've been riding v-twins ever since!

 

After the Gulf War (the first one), several AF bases were closed, so I decided to do something totally different; I decided at age 33 to spend four years in Dental School in San Francisco. During that time I put a ton of miles on that FXRT commuting back and forth over the Bay Bridge!

 

I now have a dental practice in Roseville (just outside Sacramento, CA), and usually ride 15-20 k miles a year as part of my mental health program. Sometimes my wife just looks at me (you know the look), and says "why don't you go for a ride". I love her immensely for understanding my simple needs! She loves to go on rides, and we have ridden to Tucson, AZ, and the Grand Canyon on separate occasions. She has no desire to ride a bike on her own.

 

The current bikes are listed below. I even had a Buell for a while; I actually miss that one. I've always loved the internal combustion engine, and I do the vast majority of all maintenance and repairs on the bikes. I have an 'ol USAF friend that I do most of my riding with, but our philosophy in bikes is very different (he rides a Gold Wing and I ride an Electra Glide; he rides a BMW1200 RS and I ride the V11 LeMans; he rides a Honda CBR600 and I ride a Triumph Sprint RS). Push comes to shove and I'll ride anything with two wheels. I do most of my riding in and around the Sierra Nevada's.

 

Lastly, I wrote an article for the MGNOC Newsletter titled "My First Guzzi" in the OCT '02 issue. I look forward to riding with all who make it to Northern California.

 

[Lex]

I’ve enjoyed reading the others so here is a bio of one of the newer members.

 

I was born almost 47 years ago in central California. Unlike the very worldly folks here I have never lived outside my home state (California) but it is a large state. I got my first bike (a Honda Trail 90) when I was thirteen. My parents had a small weekend place (a trailer really) in the Sierras and let me bring the mighty 90 with me most weekends. I rode the poor bike until the bottom of the knobby tires looked like road racing slicks. The 90 led to a ’63 BSA 350, a ’70 Honda SL350, an R5 (350 Yamaha), RD 350 Yamaha, RD400 Yamaha, and a Honda 500-4 (final version had hi-compression 591 CC pistons, a bumpy cam, close ratio gearbox, pipe, big carbs, mag wheels and more). The first two Yamahas and the Honda 500 did duty on the track as I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that I am not fast enough to win road races. Actually, I wasn’t even fast enough to keep from getting lapped in 25-mile sprint race but I had a lot of fun and met some wonderful people. After I got back on the street I had an SR500 and an XV920RH (the chain drive version).

 

The 920 was a major POS, which lead me to BMWs. Starting with an ’83 R65 that my wife bought me as a Christmas present through a K75S, R100GS, R1100RS, R1100GS, K1200LT and a R100R. During this time my wife had an R65LS, two R100GSs, an R80 w/ 1000CC pistons and an R1100R. Heath problems forced her to stop riding and lead to the K1200LT, a monster but a great two-up bike. Continuing frustration with the horrible engineering on late model BMWs caused me to looks around for a new brand of bike. I tried a Ducati Monster but, while I really enjoyed the bike, it never “clicked”.

 

Last fall I met a fellow with a Guzzi and that brought back memories of Ambassadors and (especially) V7s when I was younger. Talking to Tam got him looking into Guzzis and the next thing I knew he bought one. I went to San Francisco; test-drove a Le Mans and a ’03 Naked fell in love. The centerpiece of my garage is now my beautiful silver V11 Sport. The bike is fun to look at, fun to work on and way fun to ride. If they had a bigger alternator I’d swap the LT for a Tonti frame for two-up duty tomorrow.

 

On the personal side I have been married for almost 23 years, we have no kids but two goofy dogs. I worked in the high tech world for a long time, finishing with six years at Cisco Systems, two representing another company, two on the campus and two telecommuting from my home on the California coast. I took a year off from high tech twelve years ago and spent a year working at a BMW shop. I left Cisco a year and a half ago and am now trying to figure out what my next career will be. Besides motorcycles I also enjoy sea kayaking and scuba diving.

 

I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed reading the other folks adventures and misadventures. The thread about the guy who tried to hide his bike from his wife makes me appreciate my wife.

 

Cheers,

 

Lex

[emry]

I started riding back in 1984, I was 12. It was a CR480. Yes it hurt. But even almost totally destroying myself couldn't keep me off. Needless to say my parents wouldn't have anthing to do with them, even though my father once traded a early 50's Cadillac chop top for a late 40's Harley. (Why oh why didn't he keep it??? Either one??) My first real street bike out side of scooters and other goofy things that belonged to the neighbors was a 1985 VFR500. I actully belonged to a friend and I conned my parents into letting him keep it in our garage so his parents wouldn't find out. (Imagine that...) So I had to get my license. About a year later I surprised my parents with my first bike, a very clean 1985 900 Ninja. Living in the SF bay area and working at a Summer Camp in Pescadero I put many miles on that beast. Boy do I ever miss Alices Restruant....

 

I was working as a manager for UPS when I decied to drop out college and become a motorcycle mechanic. I was doing some car engine work for SCCA racers at Sears Point, I was real big into Ford 2.3l turbos, so I wasn't too intimidated by techincial things. Off to Motorcycle Mechanics Institude in Phoneix, AZ I went. Got a job at a aftermarket shop while I was going to school. Began touring on weekends and on short school brakes. After a few years in Phoenix I took a job working with Yoshimura Suzuki in Chino, CA. I spent two years working there, one of which was on the ill fated TL1000 suberbike. While at Aaron Yates wedding in 1999 in Milledgeville, GA I met the most wonderful brides maid who is now my wonderful wife. So I quit Yoshimura to move to M'ville in BFE Georgia. Several motorcycle dealerships later I decied to become a teacher. So now I teach Automotive Service at a local highschool.

 

MMmmm.... Bikes I've owned. Does possesion count??? Some of these I didn't keep for very long.

 

1985 Hon VFR500, 2 1985 Kaw 900 Ninja, 1988 Kaw 1000 Ninja, 2 1989 Kaw ZX-10, 1990 Kaw ZX-11, 1993 Suz GSX-R 750, 1979 Yam RD-400, 1972 Kaw 750 Mach IV, 1972 Suz GT-750, 1998 Suz GSX-R 750, 1998 Suz TL1000R(the street bike, not Yoshimura's, darn), 1994 Yam Seca II 600, 1986 Yam V-Max/supercharged, and now the only one in my garage is the 2002 Moto Guzzi Scura. I think I happier for it too. I do miss that first 900 though... Just a little bit.

[Paul Minnaert]

My story:

 

When I was 18 years old, I bought my first Guzzi, a Le Mans I, later I had

a SP1000 and a LM III. Then Guzzi made the Daytona, for me the must have bike, but in the beginning at a price way to high. After 2 years, it's

1994 the price dropped serious, I couldn't resist and bought my first new

motorcycle. At first I was disappointed, I expected more. After I let

Startwin make a new exhaust system the way I wanted it, I knew what I was missing. I got a lot of midrange torque that you need when you come out of the corner, that makes driving more fun. My wife also wanted to make trips with me, so I made a duoseat, for that the battery was replaced with a Yuasa ytx 9bx. I can recommend that battery to everyone, It's there for 7 years, doesn't discharge in the winter. And placed under the gearbox. Then I went to Mandello for the 75 year Moto Guzzi Factory party, bought there

from Ghezzi&Brian a pair of ballhead bearings with a 1 degree steeper rake

angle. Makes steering what quicker. In 2001 I send my cylinderheads to

Raceco, to put big valves in, with another cam. This year, I made a new

seat and aluminium subframe, the goal was to make the back as transparent

as possible. I've been working 2 months on this, and am more than

satisfied with it. The rough polyester part was for 4 years in my

possession, but the problem was that I did'nt want the rear light to hang

under it, now I found a LED light that is small enough and has the stamps

on it to allow it for road use. Then hours of looking followed, to find

the right angle, and instead of driving I spend the summer working on the

seat. Because I wanted a V11 gearbox, I bought a crasher. The gearbox fits the daytona, and now I had the v11, I decided to make a seat for it. My Daytona devotion led me to name my own company

in Information Technology : Daytona IT. More on the subject can be found

on http://guzzi.daytona-it.com

On the personal part: I'm married and have one daughter from 10 years old. My education is in mechanics, now I'm working on a school as a network sytem administrator. responsible for 450 pc's , used by 1500 students. I'm living in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

 

 

Paul Minnaert

[Guest Darth Maul]

Darth Maul because i once painted my Arai Helmet like that.

 

I am a Malaysian. Work most of my life in Singapore as a Group Head/Art Director in a International Advertising Company call DDB.

 

I am 36 years old, married with one Cat. (Charcoal)

 

I ride everyday to work. Been riding for more than 10 years.

And love to ride at the race track on weekends. Not very competitive.

Just to improve riding skills and getting to know the bikes better.

Occasionally will ride to Malaysia and Thailand with friends.

My previous bike are listed below. Startin from 1st bike own to the current one.(•)

 

Kawasaki KDX200

Honda Steed 400

Yamaha TDM200

Honda Transalp 400

BMW R1100RT

Ducati Monster 900

Suzuki GSXR750

BMW R1150GS

•Honda VTR1000SP1

•Honda VFR800Vtec

•Moto Guzzi V11 Scura