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How I started riding

People frequently ask me how I started riding motorcycles. Here's the story.

2001 - Harley Fat Boy

In April of 2000 I was hired as the third assistant of the Harley Davidson 2001 bike catalog still shoot. We shot in locations around the Midwest and the first bike that I ever sat on was a Harley Fat Boy. The bike wasn't running - it was just being shot for the catalog. I was afraid to take it off the sidestand and put it upright. This was in Columbia, Missouri.

During the month-long job, the bike wrangler gave me a couple of rides on the back of the motorcycles that we were shooting. The first time I thought "This is fun!" The second time I thought "I can do this, and I'm buying a bike when I get home." And I did. I bought a 1974 Honda CB350 in the late summer of 2000. 

I tried riding the CB350 around my neighborhood and teaching myself to ride, but it wasn't working. So I signed up for the MSF course through Motorcycling Enterprises. I learned how to ride safely from licensed professionals, and I was finally able to tool around town on my CB350. In the fall of 2001 I knew that I had outgrown the Honda, and I started researching a bigger bike. I got some good advice to look at BMWs and as I went to various motorcycle gatherings and researched bikes on the internet, I fell in love with the BMW airhead styling. Fortunately they are also wonderful bikes.

1975 BMW R90/6

In the early Spring of 2002 I found a 1975 BMW R90/6 in the IBMWR classifieds. I needed the bike to be in-state so that I could ride it back. I made an appointment to look at the bike, but it rained that day and never having ridden on the freeway, I told the seller that I couldn't come up. Very graciously, he told me that he would hold the bike for me if I was interested, because I had been the first person to respond to his ad. He later told me that he had offers for the bike over the asking price. It was my first lesson in how wonderful motorcycle people are. Here is the picture that the seller emailed me when I inquired about the /6.

2002 Dells Rally

I took the /6 to work and back, and around town - never very far. In the Fall of 2002 I wanted to take a big trip though, so I got up the nerve to go the Wisconsin BMW Club's Wisconsin Dells Rally. Keep in mind that not only did I not know anyone at the rally, none of my friends and family rode motorcycles. I had no idea what to expect at a rally.

I reserved an on-site hotel room and rode part of the way with a co-worker headed to see family for the weekend. Here is a picture that Tom took of me on the way to the rally on the Merrimac Ferry. Note the jeans, work boots, black helmet and leather jacket! I still have the same Conspicuity vest though. I got to the Dells, checked into my room and registered for the rally, then headed to the beer tent. I got a beer, took a deep breath, sat down with a group of people and introduced myself. The folks I sat down with were wonderful, and I had a great weekend. It was another lesson in how amazing motorcycle people are.

2003 Riding Season

As a new rider, my 2003 season had lots of milestones: first group ride, first camping by motorcycle, first multi-day road trip and others. I went to as many rallies as I possibly could on the weekends, and went to my first BMW MOA National rally in Charleston, WV in July. Right after the National I joined the BMW MOA and became a member of its online Forum community.

When the 2003 Iron Butt Rally took place in August, I followed the IBR on the Forum through daily cross-postings of Bob Higdon's reports from an email list. Higdon's reports are fascinating and I encourage you to read them on the IBR site. Each day of the rally I waited for the report, and it was incredibly exciting. After the rally I got to have lunch with one of the IBR riders and hear about his adventure first-hand. Because of that meeting, I decided to try an Iron Butt Association SaddleSore ride. I wanted to see what 1000 miles in 24 hours felt like. My ride was successful and it was a turning-point in my riding career. It gave me confidence and made me want to do more IBA certified rides and see more of the country by motorcycle.