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Cash Anthony
 Administrator
1470 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, Texas
USA
Honda
Magna 750
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 Posted - 11/15/2014 : 9:19 AM
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Lots of reasons why motorcycling is no longer going to be part of my life -- just a ton of memories. Very hard to say it.
If you have any interest in a '97 Honda Magna, a wonderful bike ready for touring (and especially set up for a lady rider who's smaller than the guys), please take a look:
On eBay, please go to the eBay website at eBay.com and enter item number 271670501338 in the search box at the top of the eBay home page.
Cash
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greywolf
 Moderator
1484 Posts
[Mentor]
Evanston, IL
USA
Suzuki
DL650AL2
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 12:09 PM
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That's sad news. I know how you feel. I only did 2000 miles this year and the bike is in winter storage already. Riding more than a couple of hours, even with a half hour rest in the middle, is not fun any more. It just hurts too much. Things changed in a hurry too. Early in 2012, I sold my 2007 bike with 77,000 miles on it. I rode it in every state in the contiguous 48. I haven't done an overnight trip on the new bike and never will. It won't be long before I'm done.
At least you have the memories. Maybe you'd like to share some highlights. |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
17377 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 12:39 PM
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Cash is tough. She and I have ridden MANY thousands of miles on tours across the country and it was not unusual for her to lead 200 mile day rides for one group or another. I taught her to ride over 25 years ago and only once saw her terrified.
Well, not at riding - she is cool and collected and capable of riding anywhere. It was when we were at lunch while on a ride.
We noticed a motorcyclist enter the restaurant by himself. We knew he was a motorcyclist because of the colors he was wearing - it said "Hell's Angels" on the back - boldly.
So, of course, we invited him to join us and he did. We talked, naturally enough, about riding.
Do you happen to remember that Cash was a DA? Intimidated, she was not.
At least not until the man told us that he was thinking about giving it up - because it was getting too dangerous. And I looked him in the eye and called him a SISSY.
Scared the you know what out of her!!!
We survived.
I can't remember doing anything more stupid.
Anyway, it's my health, not hers that has prompted the sale of her motorcycle. We've not been able to make a joint ride in a couple years. She has put about 1,000 miles on her bike riding solo, but it's not the same as when riding with someone else, and nobody else that she has ridden with seems to have the same level of commitment to safety as she and I both have, so riding solo was a deliberate choice.
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greywolf
Moderator
1484 Posts
[Mentor]
Evanston, IL
USA
Suzuki
DL650AL2
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 12:48 PM
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| That's great story. More would be welcome. It's better than looking at the bike up on a lift in the garage for the winter. |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
17377 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 1:12 PM
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Well, we can probably put a huge number of experiences/stories together for you - as can almost any rider, because of the large number of rides we made, we almost always were subjected to 'unexpected' dangers, unbelievably exciting and beautiful surroundings, and learned something worth learning all the time.
I remember on one tour we made that it was bitterly cold so we made frequent stops for coffee and to regain some body heat and rest. We stopped at a McDonalds or some other fast food joint and when we went in we had not taken off our helmets or gloves before we did so.
Imagine our surprise to watch the people who worked their scramble for safety! One guy dove over the counter to 'get away'!
We all laughed shortly thereafter, but the image will never go away.
On a lighter note, on one of the very first rides we did together about 25 years ago, we elected to cruise on neighborhood surface streets.
We've all heard the excuse that some riders make for not wearing helmets - that they restrict your sight lines to the side. Well, how then do you explain that at our first stop we talked about what she saw and her experiences so far, and we BOTH mentioned that we had seen a bird land on the grass in a yard to our right and pull a work out of the ground before flying away with it? And, of course, we were both wearing full-face helmets at the time.
Sure, it was a coincidence that we both happened to see and remember that event, but it also demonstrates that those full-face helmets didn't really hinder our vision.
That simple memory has lasted over 25 years! |
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Alan_Hepburn
Standard Member
200 Posts
San Jose, Ca
USA
Honda
1994 GL1500SE
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 2:50 PM
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| It's always a sad day when one must give up something they love so much - that's why my wife and I decided to get a sidecar rig. She could no longer climb onto the back of my bike, and I didn't want to ride without her so we looked for alternatives. We found it in a Ural sidecar - it's not a long-distance cruiser by any means, but it allows us to ride together on local back roads and my wife absolutely loves the sidecar - she's been known to take a nap while we're riding, and often brings her nook tablet to catch up on some reading while we're on the road! |
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rkfire
Advanced Member
1716 Posts
Stratford, CT
USA
Suzuki
Bandit
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 3:04 PM
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I think it reads "sad" to most of us, because it reminds us all, our day is coming too.
This year has been pityful for myself, back issues continue, but I ride daily. Sometimes a days total is 20 miles though. Short rides still put a smile on my face, I see friends and aquaintences along the way, and often end up talking about motorcycles to someone.
I wonder too, how many quit, only to get the itch in a year or so. |
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Cash Anthony
Administrator
1470 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, Texas
USA
Honda
Magna 750
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Posted - 11/15/2014 : 4:34 PM
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Well, there are lots of reasons not to ride now -- many more than when I started and my family and friends were worried about me.
Now it's the prevalence of drivers who text or read or watch TV while they're driving that gives me fits. If I lived in a town where I knew everyone and knew that they were aware I was riding, I think I would feel differently about it.
Living in Houston, though, the dangers seem to have increased, especially in the last few years. We're getting about 100,000 new residents each year, and try as I might, I just can't seem to get around to meeting them all. :)
Stories? Oh, yes, we have stories. Here's one:
Jim and I rode out to a house in the country one hot summer day. I didn't know the hosts, but it was a big party, and a whole group of us had been invited. I didn't realize until we got there that this meant "no men". When I rode in and Jim rode in after me, I couldn't help but notice the shocked and angry looks.
It must have been around 100 degrees, and it had been a long and rather tricky ride getting there... and we had to ask for a drink of water, and it came with more dirty looks toward both of us. We decided that we'd try to re-hydrate and cool off for a few minutes, but I bet it was less than a quarter hour.
That was the last time I chose to be around that bunch, but anyway...
The road to the house, which sat maybe three miles off a main highway, had been graded not too long before that day, and the road crew had put down tar and gravel. Then they put what I can best describe as boulders -- no, maybe river rock? -- on top of it. Rocks big enough to shoot out from under your tires and pull you off course.
We wore leather "flag" jackets back then, and it didn't take long in the ever-increasing heat of that day for me to radio to Jim and suggest that we pull over for a minute. When he asked why, I said I wanted to ditch my jacket. He said, "No you don't! If there were ever a time you'd want it, no matter how warm it is, this is it."
We got back to the main road without further issues. But we'd gone only a few miles on the pavement before we stopped at a stop sign, and another rider, a stranger, pulled up right behind us. This was a fairly remote road, with no traffic behind us, so we chatted a moment sitting there over our CBs. After a few minutes, I introduced myself and then Jim.
The stranger said, "Jim Davis? You mean, James Davis? THE James Davis?"
You never know. And the party people still have no idea who they missed.
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Magnawing
Senior Member
281 Posts
The Woodlands, TX
USA
Honda
VF750C
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Posted - 11/17/2014 : 8:09 AM
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Well, Cash...now may be the perfect time for that classic car or flashy little sports car that's been gnawing at the back of your mind for years but you've been ignoring in favor of riding.
Just a thought.... |
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2271 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 4:51 PM
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Excellent stories ... all.
Keep tickling your minds (both of you) to come up with more once in a while.
On a side note; I wonder if polled, how many go from a motorcycle to a sporty car with a drop top (wind in their hair).
Let's face it, many of us have been trapped in helmets for years ! lol |
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James R. Davis
Administrator
17377 Posts
[Mentor]
Houston, TX
USA
Honda
GoldWing 1500
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 4:59 PM
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Along those lines ... Cash was driving a red convertible when I met her, before she began riding motorcycles. 
Anyway, as to stories that can be told - there are so many.
She might be willing, for example, to tell the story of what happened on one of our tours where we decided to stop at a diamond field and to actually dig for diamonds. (We didn't find any.)
The field was wet with DEEP mud everywhere. We had brought along some mud boots to deal with that but it was hilarious to see her try to get 'unstuck' once, leaving one of her boots buried in the mud when she ended up on her butt - laughing too hard to control herself.
On that trip we stayed overnight in a small motel from which we could look out of our windows and see Texas Longhorns grazing in the field just across the road.
That was a better sight than what Cash found in her room. There was blood on the walls and on her mattress. Bet there was a story there, too. |
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2271 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 6:48 PM
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Well, I hope she feels duly required to tell the rest of the story. If it's too short and simple, she can embellish some to make it a book. I like mysteries and Jame's has got me on the hook already.
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
6947 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, ID
USA
Honda
XR650L, 790 Adv R
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 7:32 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by bachman1961
On a side note; I wonder if polled, how many go from a motorcycle to a sporty car with a drop top (wind in their hair).
As James already mentioned, some of us have both.
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2271 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 9:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by scottrnelson
[quote]Originally posted by bachman1961
On a side note; I wonder if polled, how many go from a motorcycle to a sporty car with a drop top (wind in their hair).
As James already mentioned, some of us have both.
Aha ... I recall yours. 
That car and a few others seem to break the rule and look nice as convertibles but many cars (to me) seem to have a preferred body style or nice look that require the roof line for some reason.
I ended up with a sporty car as a hardtop but I spent many years driving soft top Jeeps. I also prefer the older body style of mine or the first 3 years in their and the look of the hard top. It's a close cousin to the Nissan 350z.
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2271 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 11/18/2014 : 9:11 PM
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[URL=http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/bachman1961/media/IMG_4049.jpg.html] [/URL] |
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gymnast
Moderator
4260 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, Idaho
USA
Harley-Davidson
Sportster Sport
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Magnawing
Senior Member
281 Posts
The Woodlands, TX
USA
Honda
VF750C
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Posted - 11/19/2014 : 7:36 AM
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I was thinking more along these lines....
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bachman1961
Advanced Member
2271 Posts
[Mentor]
colorado springs, co
USA
Honda
CB750 NightHawk
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Posted - 11/19/2014 : 11:37 AM
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Nice classic ride that GTO !
That Miata gymnast shows is sweet.
The Mazda 6 has hit some good targets IMO.... the look is a very sporty 4 door, classy and original although styling cues to Mercedes, Infiniti and Lexus. They've done well.
The feedback on how it rides and drives has been quite impressive as well.
I'm a fan of many cars for many reasons and it's absolute h3ll when I have to actually make a buying decision.
For now and hopefully a while, it's the 10 year old G35 and my wife's 2008 Mazda CX-7 cross-over. Each nets approx 5000 miles of use annually. |
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scottrnelson
Advanced Member
6947 Posts
[Mentor]
Meridian, ID
USA
Honda
XR650L, 790 Adv R
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Posted - 11/19/2014 : 12:29 PM
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Cash,
Sorry for helping to derail your announcement and turning into a car thread.  |
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Discussion Topic |
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So sad to say...it's time