I don't know how many of you remember me, or read some of my old posts, but I'm not dead yet. And, trying to give George Burns a run for his money. I decided to take my retirement shortly after DOT came out with "CSA-2010". I did not think it was just then, and I don't think it's just now.
I've really been enjoying myself. But of all the things I've done and learned, there's one thing I've never learned to do.... "NOTHING." I've taught a few people to work on small engines, and they turned out to be pretty good at it. However, now I have about the very best thing to do that I've ever done. I'm working on motorcycles for a school that teaches motorcycle safety. I get to ride my own bike every day, and work on some very interesting ones. Retirement was certainly not a mistake in any sense.
I still think about you guys out there, but between that and doing courses from MIT, I don't get a lot of time to come on here any more. I just turned 70, and thought I'd give you a look at life after trucking. Not bad. Not too bad at all.
I'd like to post some pictures of the things I do now, but it looks like I'm going to have to "re-learn" how to put pictures on here.
There's a 1937 Indian Scout that's all original except for the rubber and the belt that drives the generator, one very minor scratch on the front fender, otherwise the paint is original. There had been an offer of $10,000 just for the electric horn above the headlight... It's still on the bike, so I guess that was not enough. It's been bringing home blue ribbons from antique shows. This is the same year and model that, on the salt flats, held the motorcycle speed record for 40 years.
Suzuki GSXR-1000, 2006, with 6,000 original miles on it. Two weeks ago, it was a frame with two wheels and handlebars. Today, it's complete, weighs just under 400 pounds, and cranks almost 200 horsepower, with ram-air induction. Capable of 180 miles an hour, but I would not recommend going over 100. Even crouched as low as you can get, the wind resistance of your body sitting on the seat is enough to start bringing the front off the ground. We may have to come up with "spoilers" to keep the front end down.
Kawasaki ZX9R, 1998. Not fuel injected, but don't let that fool you. Don't respect the throttle, and it will climb out from under you. We've got one more "tweek" to do on the carbs, and that should get max performance out of it. I can tell you from personal experience, it doesn't take a lot of throttle to bring the front off the ground. I've done it a couple of times.
Kawasaki ZX12R, 2003. There's just one thought that has to go through your mind as you sit on it, getting ready to ride. "Crack that throttle too far, and you'll be sliding your butt on the asphalt, while the bike is on it's way over the moon."
And, then there's my bike. I'm kind of proud of it. I keep up with the big boys on poker runs, and I've had it up to 85 mph, but I get 70 mpg, and my insurance is just $70 for a whole year. Yeah, I'm smiling all the way to the bank. The "bad boys" on their big bikes put the nozzle in the gas tank about every hundred miles. and I've got 300 mile range before I even start looking for a nozzle. When I figure out how to put pictures on here, I'll post them to give you a look at them
In the mean time, take care out there. Winter will be over before long, and you'll find yourselves back in "road construction season".
This thing is trying to tell me there are two images that are coming along, but I'm thinking it's not working right. Let me know one way or the other.