Well this is a story about how I've always longed for a motorcycle for the longest time. Thru-out my life, I've had hurdles come and go so I couldn't get a bike to enjoy my time on the road.
I've ridden on and off since 95 but they were just short trips up and down the road on friends bikes but nothing to ever call my own. I didn't know what I wanted in a bike so I was looking to get a cruiser of some sorts though. Crotch rockets didn't do it for me even though I've been 130 mph on the back of my brothers ninja with him driving and getting passed by our friend on his 750 like we were standing still, that make me uncomfortable and not want to go that fast ever again. Speed is fun but I enjoy the trees, rocks, hills, and other things nature has to offer me so cruising was the way to go.
I lived in the UK for 6 years, so close to getting my motorcycle license but couldn't convince the wife to let me do it for some stupid reason or another. It always ended up in a argument and just being mad at each other because she was scared of them. After moving back to the USA, I got stationed in Nellis AFB Las Vegas, NV and I finally convinced the wife I'm either getting my guns or a motorcycle right when we land. I was so close to a bike when sudden we saw a fatal accident on the main road we drive daily and that turned her maybe into a HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I got my guns hehe, bitter sweet victory.
So now we've been here for a while and I got my license on base without her knowing about it, what a jerk I am right? How dare I want to get some freedom . So made the trip to the best state in the union, AZ, and got my endorcement on my license so now I'm 100% legal to ride......with no bike in sight.
After deploying so many times and seeing the Harley Davidson dealerships overseas, I then decided I too want to stay american so it was an easy choice to get a Harley.....but how can I afford it? I don't have much cash but I do have some nice guns that I've built myself so I started the search on craigslist for people who want guns in trade for a motorcycle. After many attempts, I was about to give up on a hog because they were all high priced and nobody wanted to deal when suddenly I got a guy who was in the market for my guns and I for his bike.
After a few meetings, we swapped paperwork and we both got what we wanted. Since this is my first bike I had and still have no clue what to look for. It's an old 81, almost as old as the old woman in my life, so she can be ridden hard but has been in the past so I'm going to baby her until I can tear her apart and rebuild her myself so I know she'll be a screamer. So now I'm into this "ironhead" thing and am so clueless on where to go or what to buy for it so my first steps have been change the oil, add some fluid here and there, and just ride it. I'm in love, sorry wife!!!!
My kids hear the bike when I come home and they run out and start touching it, how do you tell them not to when you are doing the same thing, learing the curves, the feel of the bike, and oh the smell of the exhaust and hot heads? My daughter that night prays for the motorcycle during family prayer and my son daily tells me he loves the smell even though he's chicken to ride on it. I've cruised a few times around the block with my 12 year old daughter on the back and she loves it. I'm hoping to build it up enough so she can take her classes on it and if needed become her school bike....who doesn't like a woman who cna ride on her own? I'm building her up for some lucky guy, she loves guns and now motorcycles....I'm a great dad aren't I?
This is it for now, just loving life and trying to do my best with my little knowledge of what I have and since she's an 81, there's zero rocket scientist required to operate the throttle, thank goodness!!!! More to come in the future!!