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News of my demise have been greatly exaggerated! Demon and I are trying to sort my login details for the original account at the moment. It's quite funny looking at "junior member' in the header.
So where have I been? Plenty of stories to tell
I do have a new dog - of which more later when I get my old account up and running.
I gather you are well and still riding?
Cheers, SB
Wow! You wander down to the saloon and there's no tellin' who might run into.
Wow! You wander down to the saloon and there's no tellin' who might run into.
Hey Woof,
How the hell are you? Yep, I thought I'd give it another go to get my old account up and running. Being defeated by the two-stage log in at the moment so I might just be a new boy again.
I do think back to the good old days with the boys and Teeks and get a little sad at his passing. A good man lost too early. Just glad I got to spend some time with him in NZ.
However, I do have a new wooferdog! Maximilian von Blitzkrieg - a German Shorthaired Pointer who I got when he was 11 months old back in January. He is now my constant companion who I have yet to teach how to travel in the sidecar. He is a very big dog.
Hopefully, my old account will get sorted, but if not meh! I'll still be around.
Cheers, SB
Ain't he a handsome fella'. I want a dog, but me and Mrs. Woof are thinking of moving again and don't want to take on a pet until we decide where our collective fancies might take us. Sounds like you've been out adventuring. Wondered where you went. Thought you might have ended up in some Ural forum, but didn't imagine the Himalayas. 17,000 feet up? I'm short of breath thinking about it. Reminds me of a day trip up Haleakala in Hawaii. Granted, I went from sea level to 10,000 in less than an hour so there was no acclimation, I climbed about 10 stairs to the observation post and thought I going to keel over from lack of breath.
What is the bike in the pic? Recently saw a short doc that showed these two Indian guys touring the Himalayas on old Enfield Bullets. Now that, must be an adventure.
About a year ago,I thought I was done with riding. The old road dog was sitting under a cover and started occasionally, ridden with less and less frequency. One day a customer, who's the president of the local vintage club (vintage around here is anything more than 25 years old) were talking bikes and conversation got around to my Hurricane that I was thinking of selling and he said he was interested in seeing it. He came over and saw it, rode it and was amazed because he had never seen a bike with 87,000 miles on it. Here's the kicker. I bought that bike from and old friend in 2008 for $600.00 US., Rode it for 10 years and put 35K+ on it and sold it for what I paid for it. Not bad, if I do say so myself.
Sorry. The spare Corbin went with it. My fault for not getting it sent on. Again, my apologies.
Fast forward to last July. After spending a couple years and spending more money than I should've trying, clumsily, to become the guitar player I have always dreamed of being and recently watching the TT, I got the bug again. I declared to Mrs. Woof that I'm already a better motorcycle rider than I'll ever be as a guitar player and I need a new bike. To my surprise, she agreed. I reckon she thought that if I was going to be making a whole bunch of loud noise, it would be better for her sanity if I was miles away while doing it.
As you know, I sell nuts and bolts. In between the industrial accounts there's a steady stream of people building, restoring, or fixing something. One customer is working on his Triumph Stag. He's a semi-regular who I once helped when the Stag stranded him on the side of the road. We started to talking about bikes and I mentioned that I was in the market. I'd looked at a couple of used Triumph ST 1050 Sprints and a retro modern Moto Guzzi LeMans .Love the lines on that Guzzi and the fact that in its retro styling it has an analog clock on the cluster, but what I really want is to replace my Hurricane.
That's when he told me about the Hurricane that he's selling on consignment at a local dealer not even 5 miles from my store. 1990 model with less than 16k for $1499.00. He's got two Harley's and the Honda just sat in the garage so he decided to sell it. None of this registered to me at the moment or I would have made him an offer right then and there considering the dealer's cut for selling his bike. I couldn't remember his name to follow up with a personal offer so I went over to the dealer to see it. It was nice. A little scratched up from from getting bumped into in the garage but solid and all there. Started easy, idled smooth, rode like a dream and I've never heard a 'Cane without a CCT rattle. I was impressed so I bought it. First thing I did was go on ebay and found the exact same tank bag that was on the old bike. I feel naked without it.
See the "Back on the 'Cane, Gang" thread for pics.
Figured that the final drive was original, so I replaced that. Gave it new fluids. Front tire is new-ish and good. The rear, has plenty of tread, holds air but it might be original and after 29 years is suspect so I'll probably replace it. Good enough to ride this summer and I'll delve into it a little more this winter.
Meet the "New Road Dog" aka the "Old Road Dog II"
Aw, Teeks,
I miss him as well. When I would be depressed or angry about something, his humor was always a tonic.
I'll be frank and honest here. I love my time here, the last 10 years, with Mrs. Woof. She has changed me as a man and a human being but when I look back on the rest of my life what I see is mostly a waste. Sometimes I wonder why I should live on while people I've known that were much more deserving of life than me should suffer the cruelty of leaving this world much too early.
Teeks is uppermost on that list. I would willingly trade places with him if i could.
Thanks for the response Dave - heartfelt - which is what I like about you!
The bikes we did the Himalaya on were indeed 500cc Enfield Bullets. Probably about 30hp new and half that at 18,380 feet which is the highest we got. The owner of the tour company asked me if I'd like to lead next year's tour as well but with the unrest in Kashmir, I can see that falling by the wayside. Utter shame, but that's life I guess. Far worse for the people in the region.
On the upside I'm off to South Africa early October to lead a tour there. 4,500km in three weeks from Cape Town to Jo'berg. On BMWs. I rang and talked to a mate who had done this tour previously and he waxed lyrical so I'm looking forward to it.
As I approach 60 I'm starting to feel the need to rationalise my bike collection and move some on to people who will care for and ride them. I have discovered that you CAN have too many motorcycles believe it or not. Plus the money would be handy.
So guitar huh? I still have quite a few sitting around from my failed attempts to learn and just recently started seriously thinking about allocating an hour or two each night to learning again. However, I find I get too easily ......................hey look a squirrel...........................distracted.
Anyway, better get back to writing a coupe of magazine articles for the Club mag. In a foolish moment about 15months ago I volunteered to be editor.
18,000 feet up, on an Enfield 500cc. One of my favourite places on Earth.
Well , just logging in again to say thank you to all the awesome people on here . The time has come to move on my 90 model to a new and excited owner .
My body doesn't let me ride her anymore unfortunately . So she's just been sitting unloved for a few years now . Been my No2 bike for at least 5 or 6 years now ( maybe more ) .
I've gone back to BMWs , currently a R1200GSW which really suits my riding now and the ridiculous state of our roads now in rural Australia .
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and efforts to keep this for alive with banter and most especially useful information on repairs and servicing these magnificent beasts .
Any Aussie's on here can find me on the Netrider or Advrider forums .
Senior Member & Lord of the Odometer (300,000 Mles) & Counting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 812
Likes: 0
From: Rebel Cave in the Carolinas
ozzyAL :
I always liked the Red, Wht, and Blk coloured early CBR 1KFs. Good to see it went away to a Happy New Owner. Hope all the members on here are getting themselves and their rides ready for the 2024 season. Stay safe and enjoy a great adventurous season of riding !!!!!
