Wilno Tavern. Now I'm hungry. Is four hours to far to drive for lunch?
Share your fondest memory of motorcycling
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Wife and I rented a K1200LT in Vegas several years ago. Toured out to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon (South Rim) and back in a day.
While a little sketch being blown around by the winds that night on the way back, there is a core memory made while riding down the Interstate in AZ where the image of the road curving and undulating into the distance, with vivid red soil/green shrubs, the music that was playing over the bikes stereo and tapping my hand to the beat and seeing my wife bop her head back and forth in the mirror.
While a little sketch being blown around by the winds that night on the way back, there is a core memory made while riding down the Interstate in AZ where the image of the road curving and undulating into the distance, with vivid red soil/green shrubs, the music that was playing over the bikes stereo and tapping my hand to the beat and seeing my wife bop her head back and forth in the mirror.
Gaoler
Well-known member
Livin' on the edge...
Almost as good as stopping in Marathon Ont., gassing up and continuing 2.5 hours South to Wawa where you stop for a pee and a gas top up only to find... You have no idea where your wallet is.
You look in every possible pocket, carefully go through your tank bag, but to no avail...
You even phone the gas station in Marathon 'cuz maybe... You're hoping you left it or dropped it there and someone turned it in... No Joy.
Now your thinkin... I gotta GO BACK and look for it...
So you start putting yourself back together.. You aggressively flip the lid of your tank bag open to stow something and there, tucked into a mesh pocket you didn't even know was there is... YOUR F###ing wallet.
After many bike shows with kids in tow, I fell in love with Honda ST1100 ( I thought it was an updated Pacific Coast in error). On the Honda Pilot site I got in a side bit about motorbikes and ends up he rides an ST1100 and knows of a guy on that ST forum that is selling his, and the seller is meticulous about maintenance and care. Only thing he up Seattle way. I got the seller's email and went back and forth and said let's do it. Never been on a cross country trip before, but always talked about heading out west on a motorbike when in high school, but never happened. Sent the deposit and flew out. Seller picked me up at the airport and put me up for the night. Oh, did I mention I have never ridden an ST1100 before. Took it for a test ride, it was perfect, even though my feet could barely touch. We completed the deal at his bank with the US money order and we went to vehicle registrations and changed ownership. Back to his house load up my pack (I planned for all eventualities).
It was the last week in May and I never thought Washington state got so hot and humid. It was in the 90s and I was in stop and go traffic. Finally I pull off at a McDonald's to get an ice tea (best ice tea is in the US) and pack my backpad with ice. As I am looking at the map (no GPS back then) I thought WTF did I get myself into, I had so much distance to cover in a week to get home. Panic set in.
I slowly dragged myself into the heat and down the road. Traffic got lighter, my mood improved, the bike was flawless (except the loose nut behind the handlebars) and made it to Moses Lake. A very nice motel on the water and a great sleep. I got up had breakfast and hit the road, and it just became a joy to ride all day and stop here and there. I hadn't figured out that going on the small highways would be better and slowly discovered that. The rhythm of the day became addicting and talking to other riders or total strangers during these stops. Bike still had a Washington plate on it, and it became even more entertaining as I headed further east. Went to Yellowstone NP, Mt. Rushmore, Needles hwy etc.
This got me hooked on the West and I went out there 5 more times. Each time going a different way, both through Canada and the US. There is something about the mountains. Magic
It was the last week in May and I never thought Washington state got so hot and humid. It was in the 90s and I was in stop and go traffic. Finally I pull off at a McDonald's to get an ice tea (best ice tea is in the US) and pack my backpad with ice. As I am looking at the map (no GPS back then) I thought WTF did I get myself into, I had so much distance to cover in a week to get home. Panic set in.
I slowly dragged myself into the heat and down the road. Traffic got lighter, my mood improved, the bike was flawless (except the loose nut behind the handlebars) and made it to Moses Lake. A very nice motel on the water and a great sleep. I got up had breakfast and hit the road, and it just became a joy to ride all day and stop here and there. I hadn't figured out that going on the small highways would be better and slowly discovered that. The rhythm of the day became addicting and talking to other riders or total strangers during these stops. Bike still had a Washington plate on it, and it became even more entertaining as I headed further east. Went to Yellowstone NP, Mt. Rushmore, Needles hwy etc.
This got me hooked on the West and I went out there 5 more times. Each time going a different way, both through Canada and the US. There is something about the mountains. Magic
I think the ST1100 was actually a better bike than the ST1300 that replaced it. Lots of nice ones around if you look hard, they would make a nice daily driver.
TK4
Well-known member
And the VFR800 may be a better all-rounder than either of those two.
Actually happened to me a few months back when I had no gas gauge on the CB500F ( TFT screen failed ) I forgot a fill up and thought I had 1/4 tank. Only realized as the bike spluttered coming to a halt across the hiway from fuel. Nursed it in the next 100m and coasted to the pump. I'm still in disbelief as the fill up was just over 16L on a supposed 14.7L tank.
Except in hot weather when I felt I was riding an oven that was on....I think the ST1100 was actually a better bike than the ST1300 that replaced it. Lots of nice ones around if you look hard, they would make a nice daily driver.
But damn was it a fine ride at 150 kph on the back highways tho the bill to fill it up ran to $45 .....I still recall when my RD400 got to more than $5 for a fill up.
There is a VFR800 CrossRunner here for less that $5k....and I have no money.
410001661
Active member
Hot summer nights in Hamilton where my dad would take me to the Derry Queen on Main and Holton for an ice cream on his '74 CB350. One time he also bought a Banana Split for my mom and it was my job to hold it on the ride home (I was maybe 12 at the time). Anyway a car full of teenagers were cruising around and glob of whipped cream flew off the split and landed on their windshield and they thought that was the funniest thing ever. Simple times back then
Lots of great memories as bikes have always been a part of my life.
My first memory of actually riding was on our '72 mini trail and I fell down a hill getting my leg caught between the back fender and spinning tire. Ended up with a tire burn on my shin but thankfully it didn't deter me.
Our family was part of the Brampton Motorcycle Association and they used to do an annual family camping trip to Cape Croker. No one really rode there, but those weekends with the BMA were summer highlights.
Obviously buying my first street bike at 16 was pretty sweet and that's what landed me on this forum. Eventually lead me to the Streetsville Sunday ride group and my now husband
Racing was always a dream of mine having decorated my bedroom walls with the posters of any racers cut out of Cycle Canada magazine and posters picked up at the bike shows, so joining SOAR in 2015 was awesome. I've had lots of awesome moments over my 10 years with them some of my favourites are the kids and little girls that always cheer me on despite their dads being in the same race with me.
2024 season was 1000% memorable. I fought hard all season landing on the podium every round. Went in to the final race weekend with a 2 point lead in the Am Open Sprint championship, but sadly lost it. Was the most rewarding and stressful year of my racing life. Ended up 2nd in Am600 and Open, earning my Pro status and becoming the first female in soar to ever do it. That same season I was a part of a motorcycle TV show that will hopefully air this winter
Street wise, riding 1000km in Scotland. Did the North Coast 500 in rain and sun over the course of 5 days and it was the most amazing thing ever.
I could go on, but I should stop.
Oh, and I won a burn out contest for doing a burnout the week after my wedding in my wedding dress lol. And I got engaged the year prior trackside right after my first podium finish.
Now I'm really done. Only 33, so many years left to make more memories
My first memory of actually riding was on our '72 mini trail and I fell down a hill getting my leg caught between the back fender and spinning tire. Ended up with a tire burn on my shin but thankfully it didn't deter me.
Our family was part of the Brampton Motorcycle Association and they used to do an annual family camping trip to Cape Croker. No one really rode there, but those weekends with the BMA were summer highlights.
Obviously buying my first street bike at 16 was pretty sweet and that's what landed me on this forum. Eventually lead me to the Streetsville Sunday ride group and my now husband
Racing was always a dream of mine having decorated my bedroom walls with the posters of any racers cut out of Cycle Canada magazine and posters picked up at the bike shows, so joining SOAR in 2015 was awesome. I've had lots of awesome moments over my 10 years with them some of my favourites are the kids and little girls that always cheer me on despite their dads being in the same race with me.
2024 season was 1000% memorable. I fought hard all season landing on the podium every round. Went in to the final race weekend with a 2 point lead in the Am Open Sprint championship, but sadly lost it. Was the most rewarding and stressful year of my racing life. Ended up 2nd in Am600 and Open, earning my Pro status and becoming the first female in soar to ever do it. That same season I was a part of a motorcycle TV show that will hopefully air this winter
Street wise, riding 1000km in Scotland. Did the North Coast 500 in rain and sun over the course of 5 days and it was the most amazing thing ever.
I could go on, but I should stop.
Oh, and I won a burn out contest for doing a burnout the week after my wedding in my wedding dress lol. And I got engaged the year prior trackside right after my first podium finish.
Now I'm really done. Only 33, so many years left to make more memories
"You meet the nicest people on a Honda."Lots of doom and gloom on here, especially with the PMS (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome) season looming large ahead of us, so instead of all that noise:
What's your fondest memory of riding (or owning) motorcycles?
I have too many to just choose one, but recently, this came up on my memories feed:
We were staying at my buddy's banana farm for a few days and he had an old Honda 150 something or another from the 80s that he used as a runabout. Cosmetically, it had seen better days, but he got it cheap, nursed it back to life, and it was well-maintained and started right up on the first kick.
We took it out for a spin around the plantation (plantain-tion?) and had such rip-roaring fun, giggling as we flew past banana trees at a blistering 25 km/h!
My wife managed to take a picture while we were getting bounced up and down on that ole clunker:
Not one of our most epic rides, but just looking at our smiles, it ranks up there with about thousand+ other experiences which might take the title of "fondest motorcycle memory".
What are some of yours?
Like you I have a million of them. The attached picture is of my then girlfriend now wife of 30 years riding home from PEI when I first met her parents. They offered to pay her airfare back to Toronto every day she was there, but she held out.
She still laughs about falling asleep on the back of the BMW when we were on the highway.
So that's a good memory, but I think my favorite is when she and our friend Paul took Clinton Smout's off road course. Neither of them had any MC experience but both enjoyed it. I think her time on the BMW and her experience with Clinton has made her completely at ease with my continued riding and owning MC's in spite of the deteriorating conditions of the roads.
Attachments
2032 woohoo, you become a LegendNow I'm really done. Only 33, so many years left to make more memories
Only for the last round2032 woohoo, you become a Legend
Only for the last round
What year does the "Hubby" become eligible?
2029. But he is chubby lite eligible
This is the bike I bought in 1981, my last year of high school.I bought it from Sonic Motorcycles in Scarborough. I paid $2999 +tax, about $3300 out the door.Some of the best memories of my life were on that bike.
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