Ain't the world small

[Meinolf]

Hi everybody,

(Hi Jaap, I believe I saw you during the V11 meeting on the Vogelsberg some weeks ago)

 

I have been visiting this forum for some time and now registered. I am 47, recently widowed, have 3 lovely daughters and live in a small village called Uelversheim in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. After studying mechanical engineering I ended up in the PC industry and have been working there since 1986.

 

My first bike was a 125cc Harley Davidson bought when Harley sold the factory in Italy in 1980, then a Honda CB500T and afterwards too many others to remember (BMW R65, GL1000, CB750KZ, etc). One bike I have had since the mid 80's is a BMW R90S, which I drove only infrequently while making my career, building the house and having a family.

 

In '99 I found that I had a bit more time and needed a pastime for myself. So I rejuvenated the R90S and afterwards a Mille GT caught my fancy, eventually I bought one - this was my first Moto Guzzi - and enjoyed it tremendously. Shortly thereafter I thought I needed another bike which I would use during all seasons without bothering to keep it overly clean; that's when I purchased a Honda VF1000F. Alas, I don't seem to have the ability to neglect in me, because I spent as much time keeping it in good share as I did with the others.

 

At around that time my wife was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). I started looking for a bike with a sidecar to still take her out for a spin and eventually found a V1000G5 with a Walter TR5. I could lift my wife from her wheel chair into the sidecar and belt her in securely. This worked for about a year until her condition worsened so that she could keep not upright any more. So I started looking for alternatives and by chance a GL1100 came my way. After installing a backrest I found that I could lift my wife onto the rear seat with the bike on the side stand (yes, it's that heavy and stable) and slip into the saddle and drive off with her resting her head on my back. That worked for another 6 months and then she started needing a breathing apparatus to keep from suffocating, so that's when the biking time for her was past.

 

During these years a VF1000R came my way - it's one of my projects, another VF1000F which needs rebuilding of the heads, two VF750s, a Suzuki RV90 and eventually a LM3.

 

2 years ago I thought that I needed something more sportive and based just on the looks bought a '96 GSXR 750SRAD, which turned out to be a big mistake. Somehow I don't appreciate cruising at average rpms higher than the red mark on the Guzzi's and wearing my head lower than my behind. So this one needs to go.

 

Last year I bought 2x old T850 Carabinieri's, the original idea to use one for spares and transform the other into a roadster-style vehicle. My youngest daughter wanted to join me on this project. After having looked at them as they stood in the garage I changed plans and will now restore one to its orginal state (windshield is broken, all the Carabinieri stuff was roughly removed, painting needs to be done, etc) and the other will become the roadster. British racing green, spoke wheels, Duc USD fork, P4 brakes, Centauro exhaust, wide bar, 200mm lamp and assorted other stuff are already waiting.

 

This year a V11 ('02 with 46.000km) came my way and completed the portfolio. Maintaining all these bikes, fixing the occasional bigger problem and tuning them to my liking in addition to the job and taking care of family and house leaves me less time than I'd like to to drive, but still I manage to drive ~15.000km/p.a.

 

My 2 oldest daughters are just getting their drivers licenses, so a old Z440LTD is just being revived for them. Neither of the daughters are appreciative, they want something more sportive, but my idea is to let them gain some experience on a bike where both feet touch the ground before they start flying low.

 

To take care of the odd free moment I set up a small workshop (mill / lathe / TIG welding units /etc) in which the remaining time and winter evenings are spent relearning whatever metal craftsmanship what I have forgotten since my study.

 

My favorite bikes this year seem to be the V11, the LM3, the Mille and the R90. The others are having their sabbatical this year.

 

Glad to be here.

Drive safely.

 

Meinolf

[tikkanen]

Hi Meinolf

 

Welcome onboard this forum of V11 lovers.

 

Enjoy!

 

Søren

[Martin Barrett]

Welcome,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your wife. I was good to that the pair of you kept going and tried keep your normal life despite her illness, making adjustments where necessary.

 

I saw mention of the pair of VF750s. I'm shortly to take possesion of my fathers VF750SC. Only 8,000 miles and not used for 15 years. I'm a bit aprehensive on how sensible it is to take on.

 

Martin

[Guzzirider]

Willkommen!!!

 

Guy

[g.forrest]

welcome to this site my sympathys for your loss, don't be a stranger from here on. few subjects are barred, and there is allways ''silly remarks and banter'' oh and the 90s is a special piece..imho.

[Alex-Corsa]

Hi everybody,

(Hi Jaap, I believe I saw you during the V11 meeting on the Vogelsberg some weeks ago)

 

I have been visiting this forum for some time and now registered. I am 47, recently widowed, have 3 lovely daughters and live in a small village called Uelversheim in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. After studying mechanical engineering I ended up in the PC industry and have been working there since 1986.

 

Glad to be here.

Drive safely.

 

Meinolf

 

Wellcome to the forum, here you find all the people with the Guzzi virus , digging deep to their problem.

I mean there is always something to hear and learn in this place about Guzzi.

My sympathies for your loss

Willkommen im dieses forum ich hoffe sie finden gutte Guzzi informationen und spass auch.

[Admin Jaap]

Hello Meinolf

 

Herzlich willkommen! I was in Park Vogelsberg at the V11 Meeting. But I saw so many new faces I can't put a face to your name... sorry.... A few others from this forum were there too: Martin Barret, Chris Jessop (V11UK) and his wife and Antonio Carroccio.

 

Great meeting. There ia a thread with some pics too: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6083

 

Have fun here!