Dave's Motorcycle Riding

 

Dave and his 2005 ST1300

Dave and his 1984 V65 Sabre


As my Li'l Bro (Bob) said we grew up riding our bicycles all over the place. Guess not much has changed! I got started late. I was in the Army and didn't start riding motorcycles until I came back from my first tour of Germany in 1973. A friend of mine had a Honda 350 or 450, I can't remember for sure but he said go ahead and try it. After he explained how to shift I was off and running and got back to the house about 45 minutes later all smiles!!! But alas, with a growing family and on Army pay, I couldn't afford much in the way of motorcycles. When I returned from Germany after my second tour I had a friend who let me use his Kawasaki 350 Triple whenever I wanted. Wow that was my first experience with real acceleration!!! That danged thing was a screamer!!!! But I still couldn't afford one of my own, especially now with 5 kids. Don't worry though, we finally found out what caused it.

In 1982 I landed a full time gig with the Army National Guard in Richmond, CA. This presented us with a transportation dilemma. One day, one of the guys rode his bike into work and he had a for sale sign on it. It was a 1978 CB750A (A was for Automatic Transmission). I snagged it because for a 162 mile a day commute on a bike was a wee bit less expensive than a car. So I started commuting to work with it every day. When I pretty much wore that one out I bought a 1981 CB650 Custom from my sister and brother in law who only had put 1700 miles on it. In 1984 and 30,000 miles later I ran into a deal I couldn't pass up on an 82 V45 Sabre (Note by Bob: Dave wnated a V45 Sabre ever since they came out in '82) and I've owned a number of V45's over the years. In June of 1998 I even bought a 1983 V45 Sabre from my Li'l Bro when he thought he may give up bikes!! I commuted to work every day on the bike, rain or shine. I didn't ride for nearly 7 months when I retired from the Army in 89. By that time I was tired of riding. I equated riding with commuting and it wasn't fun. A couple of years after retiring, I got a job in Placerville and I found myself once again having to commute on the bike in all weather. Needless to say, not much fun was had with that.

My Li'l Bro likes to blame me for his having to buy an ST1300, but if you really want to know the truth, it's all his fault. You see, one day, while minding my own business, he calls me and BEGS me to go on a ride with him and a bunch of maggots. "Maggots", I say. Well he explains to me about the SabMag group and that they affectionately call themselves maggots. He explains to me that the ride will be right in my neck of the woods (Volcano), so after much cajoleing on his part I decide what the heck, at least I'll be able to spend some time with Li'l Bro. So we went on the ride and I had a blast. I had never dreamed motorcycling could be so much fun. I have been hooked ever since and it's his fault!!! And to think I was about to sell my bike and give it up totally!