I was having trouble coming up with a title for this post so I just went with the first thing that came to my head. I have been thinking about writing in general, my Dad was a writer, and I have always had this idea that one day I would write the greatest thing ever written, without even trying; I would be "Inspired".
Perhaps it is riding that will inspire me.
In 1982, while riding on the back of a Kawasaki Z1 - 900 I was involved in an accident that left me thinking that bikes were not for me. If nothing else, I would never be a passenger on a bike again! Later that year, or perhaps it was the summer of '83, Randy came by the old farmhouse on Clearbrook Rd. riding his Kawasaki 440 LTD. He wanted to take me for a ride, he was so excited to have this bike, but my experience of slamming into the side of a pickup truck at 50 mph was still fresh in my mind; I declined.
In 1987 I bought a '78 Kawasaki KE250 for $800.00 from my buddy Paul's older brother. I got it 1 km down the road before it ran out of gas; I didn't understand the fuel shutoff settings. I spent 3 months riding the mean streets of Abbotsford, and some of the mean trails of Sumas Mountain, with my learner's permit only.
I wasn't inspired though.
The rains came in November and I put the bike on consignment at the local Kawi dealer so I wouldn't have to leave it outdoors over the winter. In early spring, while the rain still fell, it sold for what I had paid for it less the consignment fee.
Where is the inspiration?
Paul had a Yamaha Virago 600 and one day he needed my pickup, so he left the bike and keys with me at work, while he picked up (no pun intended) what he needed. After work, while I waited, I took it for a little burn in the parking lot at the factory where I was working at the time (14 years, 3 months, 13 days) but the bike was heavy and I had virtually no experience as a rider. Rather than destroy his ride, I put it back and waited for Paul.
He was cool with it.
I still wasn't inspired.
In the early '90s, my brother-in-law's brother-in-law bought a bike. I think it was a Honda Shadow...800...something like that. He had a shortie helmet and a grey-blue mackinaw jacket. It was a nice bike, but it didn't inspire me. He had it for a while, but it eventually was gone. Replaced with a '68 or so Firebird. THAT was almost inspiring, but I am not really a car buff.
When would I ever be inspired?
Last spring, Adam (fellow Rubber-Side-Downer and climbing buddy) and I started to talk at work about getting bikes. I was thinking about leaving the Fraser Valley, and I said that IF I could sell the house and get a job somewhere else, I would take the Class 6 course and get a bike. Adam was also all about taking the course and getting a bike. We talked lots about this, but neither of us really did anything about it.
I got a job in Calgary. I told my wife that I was going to do it, but I don't think she believed me. When I left my class itinerary out on the table one night, she realized I was going to do it.
I had made up my mind that I would buy a Suzuki Boulevard. I even found one in Calgary, an 800 with 1600km for $6000.00, that had the windshield, saddlebags et al. I was going to do this!
When I took the course, I realized that I didn't find cruisers very comfortable to ride. I did, however, like the Ninja 500 and I had my eye on the Suzuki GS500 and the guys at the course promised me that I would get to ride her when we went out on the road ride together; save the best for last.
During the class, I was getting inspired. We ended up calling our group "Snow White & the 6 Dwarves" and we practiced our trade in the parking lot of McMahon Stadium, home to the hated Stampeders. I wore my Lions toque every night! As we learned and practiced together, we became friends of sorts. Declan, Jordan, Terry and Cassandra are all people I would ride with beyond the safety of the proving grounds. I would ride with them in the Wilde (an inside pun there...). We would practice a skill, then pull up beside one another and there would be a smile in the eyes that looked out from under the visor. There would be warmth, fear, angst, encouragement and possibly inspiration in those smiles. There was much there to see...if only you knew to look.
The eyes are the doorway to the soul.
When test night came, we were ready and we were there for each other. Cassa aced it, no demerits. I had 1 and I believe that Declan and Terry also had 1 each. We took off as fast as we could to find the closest Registry that was still open, good thing Cassa had a phone book in her trunk, and got our licenses. We then shared a drink together in celebration.
We talked about the course, our lives, our inks and our piercings. We talked about our pasts and our futures. We agreed to ride together again.
Plus, I had changed my mind.
I wanted a Suzuki SV650S. But alas, there were none available and I NEEDED a bike...soon! I found an SV650 at Walt Healy's in the NorthEast. Yellow. Beautiful. Inspiration was fast approaching. But I realized that there were other bikes there too. Used, demos, new. I was experiencing buyer's remorse, and I hadn't bought anyting yet.
I called around some more. I spoke to Eric at Bow Cycle. "No, we don't have any SV650S's" he said. Apparently they are very popular bikes. But he did mention a bike he had left in the showroom. He told me that it was a little bigger, more powerful, than the SV. He said I should come take it for a ride. Perhaps, I wouldn't outgrow this bike.
Very crafty of him.
I still think of her as "the Hammerhead". Officially, her name is now "the Silver Jet" in honour of the Hip song with the same title. The renaming prompted Marty and I to have one of our "MSN Hip Jams" which I forwarded to the boys from Kingston.
They laughed. Fortunately, they didn't sue for copyright infringement. Advantage of the bloodline I guess. I have asked for some form of liner notes credit.
I have put 2100+ km on the bike now and can't wait until it is 21,000. Randy now has a '99 Kawasaki Drifter and is a little pissed off at me for waiting until I left Abbotsford to get my bike. Randy is my oldest and best friend. My only ally in the "great fight behind the bandroom" in 1978. Him, Dave Lordon (another Clearbrook Junior alum) and hopefully a few others will be meeting in the Interior this summer to ride some of BC's destination highways. I think I will bring along a notebook, and a digital camera, in case I get inspired.
I would still like to write the greatest thing ever written.
One day...
In the early '90s, my brother-in-law's brother-in-law bought a bike. I think it was a Honda Shadow...800...something like that. He had a shortie helmet and a grey-blue mackinaw jacket. It was a nice bike, but it didn't inspire me. He had it for a while, but it eventually was gone. Replaced with a '68 or so Firebird. THAT was almost inspiring, but I am not really a car buff.
When would I ever be inspired?
Last spring, Adam (fellow Rubber-Side-Downer and climbing buddy) and I started to talk at work about getting bikes. I was thinking about leaving the Fraser Valley, and I said that IF I could sell the house and get a job somewhere else, I would take the Class 6 course and get a bike. Adam was also all about taking the course and getting a bike. We talked lots about this, but neither of us really did anything about it.
I got a job in Calgary. I told my wife that I was going to do it, but I don't think she believed me. When I left my class itinerary out on the table one night, she realized I was going to do it.
I had made up my mind that I would buy a Suzuki Boulevard. I even found one in Calgary, an 800 with 1600km for $6000.00, that had the windshield, saddlebags et al. I was going to do this!
When I took the course, I realized that I didn't find cruisers very comfortable to ride. I did, however, like the Ninja 500 and I had my eye on the Suzuki GS500 and the guys at the course promised me that I would get to ride her when we went out on the road ride together; save the best for last.
During the class, I was getting inspired. We ended up calling our group "Snow White & the 6 Dwarves" and we practiced our trade in the parking lot of McMahon Stadium, home to the hated Stampeders. I wore my Lions toque every night! As we learned and practiced together, we became friends of sorts. Declan, Jordan, Terry and Cassandra are all people I would ride with beyond the safety of the proving grounds. I would ride with them in the Wilde (an inside pun there...). We would practice a skill, then pull up beside one another and there would be a smile in the eyes that looked out from under the visor. There would be warmth, fear, angst, encouragement and possibly inspiration in those smiles. There was much there to see...if only you knew to look.
The eyes are the doorway to the soul.
When test night came, we were ready and we were there for each other. Cassa aced it, no demerits. I had 1 and I believe that Declan and Terry also had 1 each. We took off as fast as we could to find the closest Registry that was still open, good thing Cassa had a phone book in her trunk, and got our licenses. We then shared a drink together in celebration.
We talked about the course, our lives, our inks and our piercings. We talked about our pasts and our futures. We agreed to ride together again.
Plus, I had changed my mind.
I wanted a Suzuki SV650S. But alas, there were none available and I NEEDED a bike...soon! I found an SV650 at Walt Healy's in the NorthEast. Yellow. Beautiful. Inspiration was fast approaching. But I realized that there were other bikes there too. Used, demos, new. I was experiencing buyer's remorse, and I hadn't bought anyting yet.
I called around some more. I spoke to Eric at Bow Cycle. "No, we don't have any SV650S's" he said. Apparently they are very popular bikes. But he did mention a bike he had left in the showroom. He told me that it was a little bigger, more powerful, than the SV. He said I should come take it for a ride. Perhaps, I wouldn't outgrow this bike.
Very crafty of him.
I still think of her as "the Hammerhead". Officially, her name is now "the Silver Jet" in honour of the Hip song with the same title. The renaming prompted Marty and I to have one of our "MSN Hip Jams" which I forwarded to the boys from Kingston.
They laughed. Fortunately, they didn't sue for copyright infringement. Advantage of the bloodline I guess. I have asked for some form of liner notes credit.
I have put 2100+ km on the bike now and can't wait until it is 21,000. Randy now has a '99 Kawasaki Drifter and is a little pissed off at me for waiting until I left Abbotsford to get my bike. Randy is my oldest and best friend. My only ally in the "great fight behind the bandroom" in 1978. Him, Dave Lordon (another Clearbrook Junior alum) and hopefully a few others will be meeting in the Interior this summer to ride some of BC's destination highways. I think I will bring along a notebook, and a digital camera, in case I get inspired.
I would still like to write the greatest thing ever written.
One day...
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