[cowboy]

Where are you from or living & how long have been riding ,
I grew up in Albuquerque N M & now live in Tx for the past 28 yrs retired for health reason & got my first bike back in 1965 A brand new yam 80 they where decent size street bikes back then rode it all over the state when not in school

[wvak47]

Charleston WV, born and raised inside a 20 mile radius. Rode my first bike in August of 07 when I bought my troublesome little sporty. Never been on a motorcycle of any type until then. Got about 500 miles worth of riding on her now just going to work and small around the house trips (30 or 40 miles or so). I got a late start at 36 but I can atleast say I have never rode anything but a Harley, and yes even after all the BS I still love my bike. Having a hard time getting off of it even though temps are to the low 30s here in the mornings. Hope I can stick to the choice that this is this year's last tank of gas before the big tear down of this little sucker. Wants to do paint and some other needed upkeep stuff.

[ruffrider11]

I was born and raised in Bakersfield Ca, and started riding a Honda 50 and 10 years old then moved up to Honda SL 70, and 125 I had a little Yamaha 100 enduro all through high school Then I got a Honda 550-4 for a while then moved up to a Honda 750 4 fully dressed up Then I got married and had to become responsible I had bills lost a house went through divorce married again and had kids moved to Texas but that itch was still there my kids are grown and I make a good enough living so about 25 years after I sold my 750 I bought a used Harley a 2000 Fatboy, My wife and I enjoy riding She is even thinking about getting another for herself I am fixing mine up a little at a time to make it unique to me. One final note it dont matter what you ride just get out there and enjoy the rode and stay safe. I hope all who are at the Lone Star Rally are having a great time I was out there Thursday watching the people roll in but sadly I am working the rest of the week so I will wait for your pics and stories to be posted

[Hot01]

Right now I'm in New Hampshire. Next month it might be Colorado.

I started riding when I was 17. I learned on a chopped Sportster that I wrecked repeatedly until I got it right. I rode a bunch of other Harleys when I owned a small chopper shop with my first husband in North Georgia. I took a few years off (not because I wanted to) after moving to New York and raising my son on my own. I finally got the bike I have now, a 2001 FXST, new in 2001. I've put over 70,000 miles on it since then. Oh, 17 was about 28 years ago.

[skull2007]

i was born and raised here in NE PA. started riding off and on when i was a kid when bikes weren't all that popular like this day and age. rode mostly sm. metrics which belonged to others. never rode a harley in those days. then i got married and went in the military from 77-91. got out and got myslef a little honda 500 for a few hundred bucks put about 20,000 mis on it and gave to my kid. then for about the same price i picked up a rice burner of some kind that had just met up with a deer. i think it was a 1100 of 1400 it had 4 clylinders and was carbed and ran like hell, but needed alot work from the crash and wasn't really worth putting much money into it. at this point i told myself i'd never ride again til i could get/afford a harley. i was sick of having to hide my bike down the street to go in and have a beer. or parking at the other end of the lot and stripping anything off which could indiacate i was riding. hated it when someone would ask i was riding. so in in 06 i got myself a hertiage, fell hopelessly in love put another complete front end on raked to 39 degrees lots of chrome and put right at 20,000 mis so far. next harley will start with a frame and go from there

[2fastnaz]

Born and raised right here in AZ. My first real bike (with a shifter) was a Honda Z50. I got it when I was 10. I'd had more minibikes\gokarts than I could count by that point. During my teens I had XR 75, Yamaha 90, Hodaka 125, Yamaha 350 my first streetbike, Honda 550 four, Harley ML125 2 stroke made in Spain ( I wish I still had that one my ex sold it in 91), Elsinor 400, a Cushman scooter. The list goes on and on. Kids would bring me their junk to fix and some times it just couldn't be repaired till I owned it LOL.

My first street Harley was in 83 I got a 58 Pan chopper with a 6 foot girder front end (stolen from 32 street Naval base S.D.) Then I had a 84 FXRT (stolen from 32 street Naval base S.D.) Then I rode Viragos for a while, they were cheaper to replace.

[Tiny86]

Born in South Louisiana and raised in North Texas first Bike YZ-80 next YZ-125
Switched to Kawasaki had 250 400 did a lot of Motocross and Enduro courses
Bought my first HD 1989 and im still riding her today

[mwelych]

Born In Syracuse, NY... Got on a mini bike at 10, dirt bike at 12 ( can't remember much 'bout them).... Dropped outta school and joined the Army. Stationed in Germany, court martialed and sent to retraining brigade (Ft Riley, KS)... Went to Colorado, bought me a Kawasaki 750, had for a year before I sold it... Drank way too much too safely own a bike... Mechaniced for another 10 years... Sobered up, went to college, got a master's, moved to Cali for a year, then NC and bought a Sporty. Totalled it the day I proposed to my wife, and replaced the sporty with a '96 Heritage Softail Classic... After all that I have ridden about 6 years out of my 47 years of existence.

[voodoochild]

Ok, I'll try to make it short and sweet. Born in NJ, got my first bicycle at 5 years old, put extended forks on it at 7 years old and had the only chopper in the neighborhood, complete with tall ass sissy bar, got my first mini bike, a Honda 50 at age 8, had it taken away at 9. Took a hiatus from riding till I was about 12 when we used to ride my cousins XR75 through our neighborhood to get around. I didn't ride again until I was about 15 when I used to drag race my buddy's Honda CB550/four across the Denny's parking lot where I used to work. (I could get that b*tch up to 60mph across the lot without wrecking it) I rode my cousin's V45 magna a few times when I was about 18, and didn't ride again until my wifes best friend committed suicide and left behind her 2 bikes, a sporty and a low rider, both brand new, that was in 2001, I was 35. I only put a few miles on those two bikes because I would get freaked out riding it thinking she was with me or wasn't happy I was on it. I didn't ride again until I was 38 because my wife and kids bought me my 04 Dyna wide glide. (I was too cheap to buy a new bike because A-I couldn't afford it and B-I couldn't find a decent bike worth buying.) I currently have almost 7500 miles on it, and work so damn much I barely have time to look at it.
Ok, so here is the run down on where I lived throughout that time. Born in NJ, moved from there to Pa, then to Co, then back to NJ, then back to Co, then back to NJ, where I currently reside and will eventually die! In between all that time I moved about 19 times in NJ alone. Thats it, now you guys know more about me than 95% of anybody who I am friends with.....

PS. I hope nobody fell asleep while reading this......WAKE UP, POST OVER!!

PPS. I forgot to add, I bought a Suzuki 250 Quad new in 1990 (after my first divorce) and still have it, and also still own an 83 YZ125, which I bought about 9 years ago. Ok, now THATS it!

[hookerwrench]

Got my first Harley (an FXST) just a month and a half ago Before that the only bike I actually owned was a '85 Honda Intercepter. It was ok, but I couldn't ride more than 30 miles before my hands went to sleep. I've been riding anything with two, three, or four wheels since I was 7 or 8. I have to say.....I love my harley though. I put 500 miles on in the 8 days I got to ride her. (Had to come back here to Afghanistan)
As for where I have lived...I was born in OH and lived there till I was 12. After that I have lived in CA, OR, WA, ID, WY, AK, AL, HI, GA, KY, TN, VA, OK, Korea, and currently the beautiful Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan. But I think I will keep Georgia my home from now on...hard to beat a nice ride along the ocean

[Slimjim]

I was born, raised and still live in the Atlanta area. Spent four years in the Navy and it was the best investment of time I have ever spent. I was heading nowhere and the Navy gave me electronics training, responsibility and worked my ass off. Was an aircrewman on antisubmarine aircraft flying off an aircraft carrier, USS Randolph. That experience showed me I could, in fact, do something right. Met my wife in 10th grade biology class but didn't date her until I came home on my first leave from the Navy. Damn, she had grown up quick!! We've been married 43 years. Two grown sons, five grandchildren. Retired earlier this year. Life is better than I deserve.

Rode my first real motorcycle in 1963 just before joining the Navy. It was a 650 Triumph. It had a whole lot more power than I had sense. We both survived through the grace of God. Started riding a dual purpose in 1975 so I could ride with the kids in the dirt and go on the road by myself. Not a very good compromise. Bike did neither job very well but I enjoyed it.

Got a job that took me on the road a lot, kids growing up, pursuing a career and I got away from riding. Hunted a lot with the kids, shot a lot of trap and skeet but aways looking at motorcycles. About 3-4 years ago, a friend had a Harley and I kinda got the bug. Took the Riders Edge course to see if I still liked it and bought my "05 Heritage shortly afterwards. It's great therapy. Went out today and burned up 5 gallons of gas and feel a lot better for it.

I've always been a pretty good mechinic but this bike has been so reliable, I haven't had to do much to it. I plan to take on all the maintenance now and I'll be learning more about it although I hope it stays reliable. I love reading the forums and it's amazing how much many of you know but it's more amazing how willing you are to help out others. It's a great community and I plan on hanging around as long as you'll have me.
Slim

[mwelych]

You're welcome to stay as long as you want and I believe everyone else here feels the same... A bunch of good ol' guys... And Abby too!!!

[BigTommy]

I was born in Bay City, Mich., family moved to SW Mich. when I was three & haved lived there ever since. My first two-wheeler was a 150 Vespa that I bought for $10 (Well, the price was right). Next bike was a 150 Honda. Joined the Army in 1975, spent three years in the Stuttgart area in Germany, while over there I preordered my Sportster. Reassigned to Ft. Campbell,KY to finish out my time in service, so I took delivery of my Sporty in Paducah. Got out of the Army & came back home to MI. Still riding the same `79 Sportster.

[Texas Road Glide]

i was born and raised in wichita falls texas,i got a hardshhip licence at the age of 14, to ride back and forth from school. i rode to school on an xt 250.

at the age of 19 i went to daytona on spring break, and wound up staying in florida for 13 years, after a ugly devorce, i moved back to wichita falls in 1995,
then in 2000 i was in galveston texas on vacation, and decided that this was were i needed to be, so we moved here a week later.
i have had to many bikes to list, but i will say this, each one was special in its own way, just being able to have the wind in my face, gave my life some kind of purpose.
to all the vets and service men, THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE FREE!!!

tiny86 are you stuck in wichita falls???? smirking , and ruffrider11 do you work for BP,figure you live near texas city???
and yess the lone star rally was a blast....
chuck and his lovely wife were there and they too a bunch of pictures, hoping they will post a few....
cowboy was there too......but it was soooooooo crazy, i never could hook up with him, wich is ok, cause he lives close and can visit anytime.....lol
what a blast the rally was....

TRG

[Hot01]

Mwelych, thanks!

TRG, we were in Daytona at the same time. I wasn't there as long as you, maybe about a year in 1980. I supported the Boot Hill Saloon while I was there. That's when I got my first bike.

[Texas Road Glide]

Originally Posted by Hot01

Mwelych, thanks!

TRG, we were in Daytona at the same time. I wasn't there as long as you, maybe about a year in 1980. I supported the Boot Hill Saloon while I was there. That's when I got my first bike.

you i and i both suported that place as well as the oyester pub......smirking......i was young and handsome then, gosh those were some good times, i was riding a kaw z1r 900 back in those days.....looking back i remeber saying i would never own a harley, was i ever wrong, now i own two.
i was there a month ago, i must say it has changed, but i guess it is just progress.......


TRG