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Hello All

F

flattrkr

New member
Glad to be here….actually at 84, I’m glad to be anywhere ( rimshot )
I have been riding for a long time, and have owned many motorcycles…mostly sport, sport touring and naked…a few cruisers in the mix, and recently I picked up a CanAm Spyder. Interesting, but it’s not a bike. It just didn’t feel right NOT having a 2 wheeler. I had traded what I thought might be my last bike on the new Spyder, but in late October while yakking with my local Kawasaki dealer ( I was eying the Z400), I spotted a lightly used little R3 sitting in the corner of the showroom looking very lonely. It was like looking at a puppy at a pet shop. So, I bought it, and after one little zip around some familiar roads, I parked it for the winter. I’m sitting in Florida now, but looking forward to spring when I can get out with my small group of other old fogies, and visit some vintage bike shows, etc.
OK, I’ll admit it, the real reason I joined is because you have a “Watch Thread”. If you have ever marveled at the mechanism of a fine watch…
Regards to all, Harry
 
flattrkr said:
Glad to be here….actually at 84, I’m glad to be anywhere ( rimshot )
I have been riding for a long time, and have owned many motorcycles…mostly sport, sport touring and naked…a few cruisers in the mix, and recently I picked up a CanAm Spyder. Interesting, but it’s not a bike. It just didn’t feel right NOT having a 2 wheeler. I had traded what I thought might be my last bike on the new Spyder, but in late October while yakking with my local Kawasaki dealer ( I was eying the Z400), I spotted a lightly used little R3 sitting in the corner of the showroom looking very lonely. It was like looking at a puppy at a pet shop. So, I bought it, and after one little zip around some familiar roads, I parked it for the winter. I’m sitting in Florida now, but looking forward to spring when I can get out with my small group of other old fogies, and visit some vintage bike shows, etc.
OK, I’ll admit it, the real reason I joined is because you have a “Watch Thread”. If you have ever marveled at the mechanism of a fine watch…
Regards to all, Harry
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Welcome Harry. Nice to hear you're back on 2 wheels. Even better to know I won't need to get a Spyder whe I turn 84.
 
Hello and welcome.
You might be our oldesd member. But age is just a number.
 
Thank you all for the kind welcome. I was aware of GTAM, but didn’t look all that closely and thought it was specifically for Toronto riders. Now I see ”Ontario” in there so here I am.
GreyGhost, I bought my first Omega (a mechanical) at a jewelry store on Bloor St. just west of Yonge in 1965.
timtune, I belonged to the Ottawa chapter of the CVMA, so many of the vintage shows are from Kingston east into Quebec.
oioioi, I’m ok being the oldest member, but someone may chime in….
MadMike, just because I bought a bike doesn’t mean I’m getting rid of the Spyder. I had given up riding 2 up, but the Spyder allowed my wife to dust off her helmet and other gear, and now we’re back in the game.
I’ve lived in London, bought a Harley from Rocky’s, got to know Mike Inglis of Inglis Cycles, and bought 3 Triumphs from them.
I’m currently in Florida as I mentioned, but I have a home near Ottawa. Some great roads in the Laurentians, and in upstate NY in the Adirondacks.
I belonged to another motorcycle forum and if I mentioned other members, my wife would refer to them as my imaginary friends. So here I am with a whole new set……..: )
Harry
 
I'm 75 - still on two wheels at 84??!! (y).....nice goal to for me aim for
When you get rolling this spring head up to the Forks....lots' of riders to meet in person ...just don't go on the weekends
This was Nov 29th -
Screen Shot 2023-03-01 at Mar, 1 2023 1.47.19 PM.jpg
Marty's 75 ish and still riding to Alaska and camping out. The BMW on the right.

Welcome
 
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For a few years I belonged to the HD XR1200 forum. Great bunch of men and women, although the women were in a minority. They had an ”Age thread” and for the final category “80+“ the caption was “Be dead soon”.
I like to drop in occasionally to say….”not yet”…..
I don’t have a bike here in Florida but I’m going to Daytona next week, and the aging demographic at large rallies is pretty obvious.
I keep reading about the industry trying to attract young riders, but when a young rider finds that the insurance premium is more than the cost of the bike…..
Racing is still a young person’s game, so I’ll offset Daytona with visits to Shannonville, Calabogie, and what I still call Mosport.
harry
 
Hi Harry , which part of Florida ? We had a place for yrs near Clearwater , some family stayed there all winter , but for two or three weeks in Jan/Feb is sweater weather in mid FLA and we sold the place . I keep looking at south Florida, there are some fixer uppers in ft meyers……
The watch thread has been an unusual success , I’m a watch nut but have specific things I like in a watch , which unfortunately transfers into expensive.
Welcome aboard


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
 
flattrkr said:
I belonged to another motorcycle forum and if I mentioned other members, my wife would refer to them as my imaginary friends. So here I am with a whole new set……..: )
Click to expand...
When the Squeeze sees me on this site she says "are you having fun talking to your little girl friends?" Oh such a whit.
 
crankcall said:
Hi Harry , which part of Florida ? We had a place for yrs near Clearwater , some family stayed there all winter , but for two or three weeks in Jan/Feb is sweater weather in mid FLA and we sold the place . I keep looking at south Florida, there are some fixer uppers in ft meyers……
The watch thread has been an unusual success , I’m a watch nut but have specific things I like in a watch , which unfortunately transfers into expensive.
Welcome aboard


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
Click to expand...
I owned a property in Naples, and yes, that’s far enough south that it is rarely “sweater weather”. Of all the foolish things I’ve done with my money, buying a Florida property made me look very astute. I bought it when the dollar was at par, and prices were low, and sold last year when prices were soaring and the USD was very strong. Naples is a nice size, and because of the property tax revenue has an excellent infrastructure ( libraries, bike paths, etc). A huge Ferrari club, and lots of elderly ladies tooling around in Bentley convertibles.
The problem with fixer uppers is finding honest contractors. If you can do the work yourself fine. I’m renting in Fort Myers this winter, and made the arrangements before Hurricane Ian hit the city in September last year. Cape Coral, Fort Myers Beach and even parts of Fort Myers itself were just devastated. FEMA is only now bringing in trailers to house the people who lost homes in the storm surge ( you may have seen some videos). It will take a few years to repair and rebuild. I will be renting back in Naples next winter.
As far as watches, I had a nice collection of pocket watches. I say had, because I gave away most of them to a grandson (along with some fine fountain pens). I refer to him as my favourite ink stained wretch since he works for Torstar.
 
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