Got the bug?

I first rode a motorcycle one weekend when I was about 15. The scene was a friend's farm in Wisconsin for Memorial Day weekend. The bike was a Honda 125cc dirt bike. My instructions were something very close to: "This is the clutch. This is the gear shift. One down, four up. This is the throttle. This is the front brake. The rear brake is by that foot, but don't worry about that." Once I figured out how to mount the thing (those off-road shocks jack the riderless seat up to about 4' off the ground), I was off. I had a great time that first time out. The second try was great too. Total time in the saddle: about 15 minutes. I never thought about it again for 15 years after that. I don't know why.

Then, one day, my brother started talking about learning to ride a motorcycle. I told him what I knew. I encouraged him to do whatever he wanted to, but questioned his sanity for wanting to ride on the road. He found the Motorcycle Safety Foundation which offers a free rider training class, and went. In the course of a weekend, he had his license.  He considered a Harley, but eventually passed on the over-priced, under-performing machines in favor of a Vulcan Classic. Next thing I knew, he was riding all over the place!

Suddenly, without warning, the bug bit me again. It had laid dormant for 15 years, but there it was. So, with nothing to lose but a weekend, I also attended the MSF class. I also received my license in a weekend. Unlike my brother, I was still not so sure I'd like riding on the roads. I hunted for a little while and found an '82 Kawasaki 750Ltd. It was a basket-case when I got it, but the price was right. I spent the winter rebuilding it and rode it all the following summer. I found that the more I rode, the more I wanted to ride.

I was really enjoying riding the motorcycle when the opportunity to pick up a "classic" came along. It was a '75 Honda CB750 "THE" Japanese street bike of the era. It was beat, but it was free. I happily carted it home, much to my wife's chagrin. I tore into it with grand visions of a resurrected classic blurring the vision of what actually lay before my eyes. I got all of the electrical system worked over and operating properly. I was in the process of undertaking mechanical work when autumn came upon us. I became distracted by another bike and lost interest in the Honda. I kept the bike until the next summer and then sold it off to another enthusiast.

The bike that captured my attention and took it away from the Honda was a pretty little Suzuki. I had decided it was time to look for a different bike for daily use. I wanted a cruiser. Autumn is a good time to look for a bike, here in northern Illinois. Faced with storage, owners are more anxious to sell at that time of the year. My search for a new ride took me to my local Honda dealer, Fox Valley Cycles, among other places. I went there because I liked the people at that shop because they always treated me right. Low and behold, there was a totally tricked-out '94 Suzuki Intruder 800 on the floor with their used bikes.  After some more research on that bike in particular, I decided to buy it. 

I put over 8000 miles on that bike in the first year and have never had a single problem. I've changed some of the accessories, but I've never done anything to it mechanically, except for routine maintenance. I plan to continue riding that Zuki for a long time to come.