What event started you down the Sport-Touring road?

[spd2918]

What event / image / thing go you started in your motorcycle touring?  Photos are encouraged.  I'll start:



I spend much of my summers on my grandparents farm just south of Tomah WI.  My grandfolks were kind, hospitable Danish folks that opened their home to anyone who needed a place to stay.  I remember a young couple that stayed and worked with us for two or three days.  They each rode a big motorcycle with a round blue and white badge on tank.  I couldn't believe they lived off the bikes while traveling.  I thought "How cool is that?" and what freedom they must feel.

Years later, on a 10 state road trip with a buddy, we camped near a solo rider touring on another bike bike (same roundel on the side).  I told my buddy: "We ought to make our next big trip on bikes."  Within a year my dept. started a motorcycle patrol and that cemented it.  Now that buddy and I cross country once a year.

Knucklehead buddy in FL (don't ask about the helmet):

[karlfitt]

There wasn't really an event.

Whene I was 4 or 5, my dad rented a bike to bring on vacation so he could "run to the store for supplies" and such.
Next year he owned a bike, and bought one to teach us kids to ride.

Rode on the weekends in the dirt from 5 to 16.
At 16 when I got my first job, dad gave me the Honda SL 125 we had at the time so I could get back and forth to the job.
Bought my first bike at 19 (Yamaha XS 650)
Second one at 21 (Suzuki GS 750)
The road has been downhill since then...



I am a little late to the party getting my kids addicted, my son is 11 and my daughter 13 now that they have their first dirt bikes. Sorry world, I hope you'll forgive me for being a bad parent.

[Corbeau]

First bike, an EX500, couple of months with my license in hand and probably not 2,000 miles of experience. Rode solo to Parry Sound Sportbike rally, met some fine folks from STN, all in all a 750 mile weekend which hooked me on sport-touring ever since.

[phoenix]

2003 ST.N meet in Kentucky. My first overnight trip. I had joined STN 6 or 8 months before going on that trip. Met up with Dredhead outside Chicago and then met up with more weirdo's down in Kentucky.  

[radman]

The importing of the FJR into America.  Never ridden so much in my life.

[chornbe]

It took me 3 days to catch up to some dude on a Vespa who asked me when I was going to buy a real bike. By the time I caught him, I was 6 states away and I realized I was touring. I figured I'd stick with it.

[bogthing]

Uh, lets see...I've been absolutely batshit about motorcycles since I was old enough to walk. As a teen in the early seventies I became enthralled with motocross and enduro. In high school someone suggested we go up to New Hampshire and witness "Bike Week".

We did.

Anyone old enough to remember "Loudon" and the scene that occured every June in and around the track, can imagine the effect on a motorcycle mad teenager. In those first few years we met some extremely "interesting" folks, many who traveled across country on motorcycles, like it was okay or something. In those days there were many different camps in close proximity. I remember that those who wore lots of leather and preferred the American motorcycle were wildly entertaining from a safe distance, but quite scary and unpleasant up close.
Those that preferred the large German and Italian machine (and those shiny new CB750's) were a lot more fun to hang around with.  I decided that I had to be part of this whole thing. That is how it all began for me

[MK96xj]

For me it is really several events.

Growing up my family traveled. Every year was a road trip of some sort usually with trailer in tow.

I went to Germany several times as a kid. My cousin and uncle rode and would ride with them all the time. Every time I went there I would buy a new helmet. (back in the day when the US dollar was worth something against foreign currency)

My father got back into riding in 1978-9 with the purchase of a Honda Hawk 400. This would later be my first street bike.

I started dirt riding in 79-80 on an Honda XR75 and various other basket case bikes

Through all these and probably more events the combination of travel and motorcycles stuck.

[MadOzodi]

Uh, lets see...I've been absolutely batshit about motorcycles since I was old enough to walk.

LMAO, I haven't heard that expression in a long time!

I bought my first motocycle last May a week after getting my M endorsement.  5 months later, a weekend trip down to Arkansas and back pretty much did me in.  Riding with a C14 and Goldwing on my Legend with just a flyscreen *really* had me wanting a full fairing.  Within two or three weeks, at the beginning of Oct., I'd traded the Legend in for the Sprint.  Heheh, wh00psiez (kinda)  

[zer0netgain]

I always wanted to go cross country on a motorcycle.  Current bike had no real limits short of the fear of it breaking down on me.  I did rallies that were upwards of 800 miles away.

Got a newer bike.  That next year I went cross-country with it.  

[cultureslayer]

$2k could buy me an almost new bike or a complete POS car.  Wasn't much of a choice for my first vehicle.  

[CLAY]

SPORT-touring?  Having my Shadow and out-riding it on every corner I rode into.  I knew I needed and upgrade when I nearly wore through the kickstand "kick".  Plus I'm a bit of a hooligan.  

Bikes?  In the late 70's my dad's cousin lived out by us for a summer and worked on the farm- he had a CB750.  Then my dad bought a CB350 a few years later- riding on the back of those two things cemented my love.  As soon as I had the coin after highschool I bought my own- a early 80's Honda XR125.  Been riding off-and-on since then.  On hardcore for the last 6 years or so with no end in sight.

[Bogie]

When I bought this in 1977....



  I thought it was a "Highway Machine!!!" ...

[Rincewind]

Dad invited me to go on a tour with him.  I had started riding years before then, and my parents had been going away touring very often while I was growing up, but it wasn't until my sophomore year of college that I got invited to come along.  We rode down to NC, and I split off from them to visit friends in Charlotte.  I was to meet back up with them near Boone, and got there before them.  So I headed out and stumbled upon a mountain.  I believe it was Beech Mountain in the Blue Ridge Mnts.  Riding that to the top, I had sort of an epiphany where the road, the bike, the mountain, and me, just sort of blended together into one.  That climb sort of clicked it for me.  The next day I split off again and rode nearly 500 miles back to my woman's arms.

[scottzilla]

I learned the ground is really, really hard and decided I needed to balance sport with touring.

[Bogey907]

$6 a gallon for aviation fuel...

[Rabidsnipe]

STN got me started sport-touring!  Reading epic stories of cross-country travels really had an impact.  Heck, STN basically got me interested in motorcycles.  I had an interest in high-school but nothing more than thinking that Yamaha R6's were hot.  After my freshman year of college I bought a 79 XS400 Yamaha off eBay for $400.  It took several iterations of motorcycles before I got a VFR and actually started touring on it.  Thus far I've only been to a few states but "the night is young".  I'm only 25 and, hopefully, have plenty of time to indulge in long-distance travel in search of the perfect road.

And, as has been the case thus far, when I don't have plenty of time, Arkansas is only 200 miles away!

[Orson]

When I wuz about 12 years old, we were on the family summer vacation, sitting in the car waiting to board the BC ferry to Vancouver Island. The ferry docked and disgorged its cargo. First off the boat were two identical Kawasaki Z900s with sleeping bags tied on to the rear grab rail.

I was starstruck  

Those two riders, heading off to points unknown seemed like the coolest beings on the planet. The seed had been planted  

[SVTNate]

Reading STN and another touring forum.  I had a V Star, and as my abilities progressed as a new rider, I found myself scraping the boards and wanting more power.  I also wanted some storage space, but I didn't want sport bike ergos.  Reading about other peoples' tours inspired my, and I bought my '09 FJR.  Four months and 1,600 miles later, I haven't taken a tour or even a long ride on it yet, but that's an issue of not having the time, and winter coming... not the lack of desire.  

[skater69]

I was looking for a new hobby after getting bored with necrophilia.

[garry]

The PA RAT RAID in St Marys, PA (Aug 2003) was my first overnight trip by bike. It was cool to get farther from home, ride a bunch of new roads, and meet new people. That lit the traveling by bike bug. Prior to that I was just doing mostly twisty day rides, trying to learn where the good roads were.

[sagerat]

Sitting in back of my parent's 1973 Ford LTD Brougham heading east from Prescott, AZ, to I-17,  I became mesmerized by a single headling closing fast behind us as we drove this curvy two lane road.  Soon he was right behind us and I just turned around and stared and stared and stared out the back window as only 12-year-old boy can.  Then I was at rear passenger window as he roared past on a big black motorcycle with a blue and white roundel on the gas tank and the engine sticking out sideways.

Flash forward about 25 years and I'm a fledgling rider on a nearly 20-year-old Honda CB750F Superspoot with soft luggage bound for the Oregon Coast and the kid in the car is now watching me.  

Plus I found this asylum and peppered all with newbie questions.  

[bomber]

I'm not entirely sure Sport-touring had been invented. If it had, the only available bike was a BMW.

This did not deter a couple of guys in their late teens whose girlfriends were two states over for the summer --

Of course, not having any one to tell us that a Honda 305 Street Scrambler and a Suzuki Hustler were not touring bike helped . . . . . .

Ten cash dollars American spent at the Army Navy surplus store got us soft luggage, and the lack of Interstates going to our destination kept us on good two lane roads.

So, I suppose the same thing got me into sport touring as got most musicians into bands . . . . . . . girls.

[dorklord]

There was a dirtbike when I was a kid, followed by a bigger dirtbike. Later, my dad got back into riding, and I rode on some trips with him, including a trip to the Corvette plant and nearby museum (which was the coolest thing in the world to a 16 year old boy). I'm not sure where we stayed the night after going to the factory and museum, but we rode back the next day, met up with his GWRRA chapter and went on their weekly ice cream ride.

I was torn between the motorcycle thing and the muscle car thing after that, I sold my dirtbike to pay some bills when I moved out, but when my wife and I got a house, it was inevitable.

[stromgal]

A boyfriend in Denver, and me in Milwaukee. No car, but I did have an X-6 Hustler.  

[Geoff]

I'm attracted to sport tourers because I enjoy taking long trips at a spirited pace. I like the ergos, performance and wind protection sport tourers offer. My first sport tourer was a '79 BMW R100RS.

[ST-DocLizard1]

One of my patients took my wife and I for a ride on his brand new '77 GL1000. Neither one of us had ever been on a motorcycle before. We were out shopping for bikes the very next day. Started out on a '78 KZ400. Graduated to a '79 CB750L the next year and went down to Deals Gap on a 7 day tour. Despite the rain every day(we camped each night), I was hooked.

Doc

[sammyseaman]

I was 18 and got invited by my girlfriend's dad to go on a 4 day holiday weekend all over northern Mi. and the UP. So we packed my Yamaha Fazer to the gills with 2 sleeping bags, tent, clothes and riding gear. I wish I had a pic of that trip but I've never been a big picture taker   It was a great trip (her father was one of the nicest people you could meet) but it rained the whole time we were in da UP. But it always rains when I ride the da UP  

[CosmicCowboy]

Well, motorcycles for me had always been a fun way to get where I needed to go. Wasn't until I moved to TN that the thought of  hopping on just to go see some place new occured to me. It didn't take long of wrestling the big old Shadow through TN backroads to convince me I needed something better suited to the riding I was doing, so I bought the Katana, then moved on to the Strom.

[nevinfs327]

Moving to NYC where getting out for an hour or two only got me to some congested area of Queens.  Needed to get further away and faster which led to sport-touring bikes.  

I also spent a good bit of time with an MC as my only transportation, both in college at Penn State and in NYC.  I rode a lot in college but I wouldn't call it sport-touring really.  Cheap transportation and occassional touring without sport on my clunker GS550 would be more accurate.

Reading PASHNIT just fueled my imagination.

[RodeRash]

Never did much in the way of distance riding, I spent a lot of time doing day rides in the Colorado Mountains.   One summer, I wanted to go to Brainerd to watch the US GP race (back in the day when the Yamaha TZ-750 was king.)

At the time, I had a 79 Honda CBX with the sport control kit.    I added soft luggage and a tank bag.  I packed up some clothes, and a rain suit. Then, I bungeed a one man tent and sleeping bag on the back half of the seat, and headed East.

I absolutely loved it.   I've been touring on Big Motor sport bikes ever since.

The following year, I sold the Honda, bought a new Yamaha FJ-1100 so I could get behind a fairing.   I rode my first 1000-in-24 ride that year on my FJ.

[lionlady]

Buying a BMW - joining the local BMW club - in 2004. Many of my fellow BMWBMW members talked about riding here and there on their motorcycles. Always several hundreds of miles away.

What cemented it was hubby and I riding 350 miles, round trip, to attend the club's annual picnic down in the lower Shenandoah Valley on that f650CS (hubby on an SV650). I was sore as heck the next day, but knew I wanted to do "more" riding.

P

[Magnarider]

I was raised riding, and then shortly after that, touring.  Took my first ride in a kiddie backpack my mom was wearing while she sat on the back of my dad's XS750 when I was 6 months old, and took my first motorcycle-only tour on the back of my dad's '91 electraglide classic when I was about 7.  I was always riding on the back around town though.  So, effectively, I went from this:  



To this:



To this:  



To this:  



To this:  



You said you wanted pictures  

[knolltop314]

Too much $$$ in bank, too much time available, advancing age, and urge for new adventure.
 

[bomber]

we can hlep with 3 outa 4, easy -- given enough time, maybe all of em!

[antvq]

When I went from NJ to OK for school I picked up a used Yamaha to get around on.   Never did any touring, just running around.

Then I joined the Army and was stationed at Ft. Bragg.  Bought a brand new Suzuki GS650ES.  Used to jump on and head home 500 miles away at 5 PM Friday night.  Get home about midnight, say Hi to mom and hit the bed.   Would leave at around 3 PM on Sunday to reverse the ride back to Bragg.  That got old.  I'm 6'4" and at the time went about 250lbs. 

When I got out of the Army I picked up a used '84 Honda V65 Sabre with the factory fairings and such.  I was never so comfortable on a bike.   After that my trips got just a tad bit longer and much more comfortable 

Not mine, but it could be her twin sister.   I never ran across another one with the lower fairings still intact.




Now, of course, I have the Sport Tourer of the Decade.

[knolltop314]

Great idea for a thread.
Lotta good stories/reflections here.
 

[Wanderer]

Leaving a small restaurant in Gunnison, CO I walked by an '03 FJR in the parking lot.  I had never seen one before and knew at that moment I had to own one.  A few weeks later I saw one at my local dealership and my Shadow Aero was a fond memory.  
I loved my shadow, but 100 miles was a long ride.  The day I picked up my FJR I rode it all day, it wasn't until I had to stop for gas that I realized I'd ridden over 200 miles.  The idea of riding the 850 miles to my hometown was formed and solid in my mind before the tank was refilled.  
76k miles later that bike has taken me all over the western US.

[Meemuh]

Dad's 78 Yamaha XS1100 Special - full fairing, bags, big & fast.
Ma & pa left the kids & went up to Drummond Island on a trip.
That's when I was six, and the thought of having that much fun just getting somewhere stuck.

[Hardware]

Something about small, maneuverable vehicles has always screamed escape to me.  I remember falling in love with kayaks for the same reason as a young kid.

I had the whole Honda line brochure for '82 or '83...Jesus I don't even remember the year...it folded out into a large poster with every model on it.  I sat for hours with the stupid brochure unfolded in my lap, pouring over every spec, every curve of the tank on every bike.

My two favourites at the time were Sabre and that Honda watershed bike with the first perimeter frame, upper and lower fairing...  

[Meemuh]

Too much $$$ in bank, too much time available, advancing age, and urge for new adventure.
 

I'd kill to have those problems (I think we all got the advancing age thing working, though).

[dm_gsxr]

In 2001 I got back on a bike after being off for 10 years. I bought a Harley Softail Classic. I'd wanted a Harley for a long time (since the 70's) and a Softail since I test drove one in 86 or so. I joined the local mailing list (dc-cycles) which consisted of pretty much all sport bike type riders with a couple of Harley riders including me. The group was pretty friendly going on rides and discussing bikes. I went on a bike night and checked out the bikes and chatted with the other riders.

I also took it on a 2,000 miles ride down to Florida and back (from Virginia) and really liked it even though I damn near froze. In Daytona someone was showing Gerbing's heated gear. What a great idea. I'd been freezing on my way to work in DC, mainly my fingers. I was building a pseudo hippo cover with leather and a clothes hanger support.

I sold the Classic and a few months later bought a Softail Standard with forward controls. I took it on a 6,000 mile ride from Virginia to Boise Id, up into Canada (my first time; the motel clerk actually said ",eh" ), across Canada where I crossed the continental divide where water ran into Hudson Bay instead of the Atlantic, then south to Buffalo and home.

That was awesome.

While on the trip, I wanted Rita to experience riding. I knew she didn't like riding on the back of the bike; control issues along with a bad back. Her daughter's boyfriend had a Suzuki GSXR750W for sale. I talked to Rita and we bought it to help him and planned on trading it in to get Rita a bike. Turns out it wasn't going to bring much so we kept it thinking we were going to sell it later for a bit more. It was an extra check month so Rita got her Shadow (650). She got a windshield, tank bag, and saddlebags.

On the bad side, the Harley went into the shop again. Third time, once every 10,000 miles almost exactly. This time someone at the factory mis-assembled the bike and caused a lot of damage to the drive train. Took six weeks to get the bike back.

In the mean time I was riding the Virginia Railway Express to work downtown. Since it was fall, it was a time of colds and such. I decided I could ride the 750 to work. I got on the bike on a Saturday, leaned way over the tank and carefully rode down the street and back. It took a couple of tries to get the hang of it and I rode it to work on Monday.

Woah was that a fun ride. The speedometer didn't work but I knew I was going faster than I was on the Harley. It really was a fun ride. Heck, three times I got a *boop* warning from the police because I was moving a bit too fast

When I got the Harley back, I couldn't remember how to start the stupid thing!    I hit the turn signal  In riding it home, I hit the rev limiter for the first time, twice! I even called the dealer to ask what the heck was going on

From then on it was harder to get on the Harley and I looked forward to getting on the Gixxer. I eventually had to force myself to ride the Harley to work just to keep it going.

I rode the Suzuki to New York up the NJTP and I really liked it. Even when I popped the fuse in the Gerbings and started getting really cold. I stopped at one of the places to get some spares and now I always carry spares

When we moved to Colorado, I rode the GSXR as much as possible and finally sold it and bought the Hayabusa. I tricked it out as a SPORT-touring bike. Eventually I sold the Harley because I hadn't ridden it for a year. We had to push start it for the new buyer

I really like the 'busa and will roll over 100,000 miles this year. I haven't had a single major problem with it. Yea I've shot myself in the foot a few times (flat tire in Alaska, broken clutch lever in North Dakota) but most of the time it's a great ride and I'm looking forward to taking her down the California coast in July.

Carl

[2DFlyer]

When stupid money HD pricing chased me off to my first ZRX1100 in early 2000.  Hey mister.  How much is that 883 in the window?  How much you wanna spend son?  That's all it took.

[flips21]

At 15, I started riding the twisties of the San Francisco Bay Area.  Touring was unnecessary.  Moved to Seattle when I was 23 and realized I had to put in major miles to find some good roads.  That is when I started sport touring.

Now, I am back in the SF Bay Area, but once bitten, I haven't lost the sport touring bug.

Flip

[SuperHans]

In 2004 I bought a new FZ6. It was my first new bike after having shitty bikes off and on over the years.

I wanted to find out more about my new bike and started hanging around SBN since they had pretty much the only FZ6 related subforum around. Somehow I stumbled across STN and eventually decided I wanted to go to the 2006 National meet in WV. After meeting some awesome people and having a really good time at the event, I started taking more trips and ended up buying my FJR.

[mjrfd99]

Seeing 49 states on my 79 FX.    She's been STing for 31 yrs.

[Papa Lazarou]

What started me? Necessity.

I couldn't afford a car and I had to travel.

That's it.

[Brad1445]

A priest touched me.

Ever since I have tied luggage to my bikes.

[Mr Sunshine]

Laguan-Seca 2003.  

[Attack Pug]

I've always sport toured

[Yakiman]

l<< Bicycles - Exploring/racing/stunting/work >> Motorbikes - Exploring/racing/stunting/work >>l

l<< Hiatus - taking care of biz and family, nose to the grindstone. No bike/riding (mistake - save a little time for yourself. It's a gift to them!) >>l

l<< reenter, 49 y/o - Exploring/racing/stunting/biz. About 150k miles of duel-sporting. "Life begins where the pavement ends" >>l

l<< Advent of the V-Strom, arguably worlds perfect, no-brainer, all round sport-tourer - Exploring/pleasure/biz. About 180k mi. and running >>>>

In retrospect, it was all just preparation to be a better, safer, more pleasurable sport touring experience.  

[cultureslayer]

The V strom is not the perfect bike.  There is a huge flaw I can not overlook.

It's too tall for me.  

[veefer800canuck]

For me, I guess it was back in 1988 or so when I rode my '86 VFR to Oregon.

I found out that there was life beyond the "city limits" sign.


From that moment on it was "too many roads, too little money and too much responsibility". (sigh)

[Indianjoe]

I used to ride a Nomad, which weighed something like 800 lbs full of fuel.

One day, I was riding up hwy 26 around Mt Hood, where the road is fairly twisted with some steep grade thrown in for good measure. I was feeling pretty good with the Nad blapping along at 70 or so, and the pedals grinding lightly in the sweepers. (you get used to that real fast on a big barge) Just about the time the little "Yep, I'm pretty studly.." cartoon thought bubble pops up over my head, A group of grey-bearded gents riding an assortment of older BMW k-bikes materializes in my mirror. As a group, they swung out and passed me like I was standing still, and then quiclkly vanished into the distance.

The image of those guys, all riding so cleanly and effortlessly on such unobtrusive machines burned itself into my brain. It wasn't long after that that the Nad got sold and the Bandit took it's place.

Sometimes it takes a while to get on your true path.

[rgbeard]

$6 a gallon for aviation fuel...

I used to fly a LOT MORE than I do now.

[Yakiman]

The V strom is not the perfect bike.  There is a huge flaw I can not overlook.

It's too tall for me.  

 

[BigBeavk]

The 1st time I saw these 3 letters FJR.  

[Marcster]

Practicality.

When I knew I wanted to migrate from a scooter to a motorcycle, I didn't want to lose the storage capacity (practicality) that I had on the scooter (the storage bin under the seat and the handy bag hook on the legshield).

I actually found ST.N when searching on Google for motorcycle luggage options, and the rest, as they say, is history...

[Craigart14]

I convinced my parents to help me get my first car (a Triumph TR-4) partly by leaving motorcycle mags lying around the house.  The problem was that I read the damn things.  Then a friend who was moving away gave me (I'm almost ashamed to admit I accepted it) a Harley 250.  Yep, you read that right.  An AMF Harley made in Italy.  One cylinder.  I rode that around our farm with street tires, slipping and sliding all over.  Motocross hadn't really hit the US then; what did I know about knobbies?  Then a little Bridgestone with a rotary shift (you had to remember when you were in top gear and not accidentally shift into first at speed--or what passed for speed) a Honda 160, a CB 350, a CL 450, and a string of other bikes including a Silverwing (not the scooter, the mini-Goldwing) 650, a CX 650 Turbo, a CB 900, and now a '91 CBR1000f.  Haven't really done much touring, just a few weekenders, but I ride to work every day, so the other profs on campus think I'm nuts and the students think I'm (somewhat) cool.  What do they know . . . .

Expect I will do a little more serious touring this summer.  I have to teach in the summer to put my daughter through school, but I have a couple of short breaks.  When she graduates (or in four years, whichever comes first) , I'm buying a small bike in Europe, traveling in the summer, and storing the bike over the winter.  No more Georgia summers for me.

I also have a pilot's license, but riding feels more like flying than flying does.

Craig

[blackdeek2006]

I've been riding for about 10 years but got the touring bug when i read Jammin thru Alaska.

Such a great story of man and machine.

[sleazy rider]

It all started at one of our GWRRA chapter meetings.  This evil old cuss I happen to be friends with rode up on a VF1000F Interceptor.  I musta wore the pavement down about 3 inches walking around it again and again.  A year later, he's got it up for sale at a price I can do in cash.  The ride home was when I decided to get my first full face helmet too.     With wind induced tears streaming out the corners of my eyes, I did the 60 miles home and the Wing sat for two weeks while I got familiar with old roads at much higher speeds.  Some GW friends invited me camping a month later and to be contrary, I rode the VF with all the camping gear strapped on.  550 miles in two days had me hooked.  When it became financially necessary to sell all the bikes, it was the last to go.  A year later, I ended up with a Triumph Trophy 1200 and that was the beginning of a new chapter and an intro to hooliganism at 47 years of age.

[JIMLARCH]

It took me 3 days to catch up to some dude on a Vespa who asked me when I was going to buy a real bike. By the time I caught him, I was 6 states away and I realized I was touring. I figured I'd stick with it.

Not sure if the dude was riding the Vespa, or you were.  I had a vespa for 6 months in my youth, a lot of fun, as long as you didn't forget about it's tiny wheels.

[jhawk]

It was small UJM's until a riding buddy bought the first R90S sold  in this area....

[JIMLARCH]

I was looking for a new hobby after getting bored with necrophilia.

Those Italian necrophilia bikes were a pain in the ass to ride.  Not surprised that you changed to sport touring.

[JIMLARCH]

Flash forward about 25 years and I'm a fledgling rider on a nearly 20-year-old Honda CB750F Superspoot with soft luggage bound for the Oregon Coast and the kid in the car is now watching me.  

 

Good for you.  Just got some retro hard bags for my CB900f and am looking forward to a long trip this summer.

[DredheadV2.0]

A trip across Wisconsin with a buddy on our vintage/beater CB750's showed me there was more to riding that just to-and-from work.  Lookit!  Curves and hills and stuff!!  I think that was 1998.

[Kraz]

Got a good deal on a SV650N on ebay while I was in college and rode it back.  What's the big deal, NY to ND?  Sounded like fun... and it was.

Rode that for a while 'till I froze my tuckus off coming back from the '03 ST.N Nat'l in Custer... upgraded to a ZZR1200.

Now I'm on a naked bike again... wtf?  How'd that happen!?

[theWolfTamer]

I think it was always in the back of my mind.  I wanted a motorcycle from the time I could remember.  It was one of the things on my first list of stuff I wanted.

When I finally got one, I thought what now?  What was the point of owning a motorcycle?  I only knew one other person that rode and as far as I knew, he didn't tour.  I went on a day ride with him once or twice before I owned a bike.  Once I got it, we rode around town and out in the country south of town where it was warmer.  I knew nothing about the mountains.

Then I got a job in California.  I picked up and moved cross country begging my brother (who helped me move) to let me ride.  I figured he could drive the moving van while I rode.  He kept refusing until we got to El Paso, TX.  I rode from El Paso to Long Beach, CA.  Once there I joined Women on Wheels a couple of weeks before the annual Ride-In.  After a few rides with them (Oh, THAT'S what mountain roads are for!!), I just knew.  My first real trip was to the Laughlin River Run.  My second was to the next Ride-In...in Canaan Valley, WV.  I was hooked and now I'm always looking forward to my next trip.

[mcgillicuty]

My dad got me into riding we would go on long trips on our harleys. We would do a week long trip every year and do about 5000 miles in 7 days. In 08 I got tired of the rattle of the harley and bought a new kawasaki concours. He saw how much fun it was to have a sporttour he went and got a Bmw rt1200 now our one week trips are two week trips. We have done alot of trips together and would not trade it for anything.

[coho]

When I was 15 months old I freaked out the Mall Santa by clearly asking for a "Kawasaki Motorcycle".




Some years passed.  




Twenty five minutes after getting my endorsement I had a duffel bungeed to the seat of my '83 CB550SC and was on my way out of town.

Oddly enough, in half a dozen bikes and half a million miles I've never had a Kawasaki.

[jesse0192]

Just that the other sportbike riders were chumps  

[buls4evr]

 My first long trip from MI to VA in 1972 with my new bride on the back of a CB450 Honda got me into long distance touring. That was in addition to all the MX and CC racing I was also doing. Just got pretty old for dirt racing finally and so now I ride vintage trials and sport tour again on a BMW. Sort of re-discovery you might say.

[Goat]

Can't really pinpoint an event, dad always had bikes and I started riding a Honda XR 75 at age 6.  Back then you could ride anything on the street in small town Mississippi so I was off!  Have had a bike ever since and it's as much fun now as that first blast down a gravel road!  

[schmii]

hmm... rode a cruiser and sport dying from the noise, wind blast, vibration, fuel range, storage lack, light/heavy steering, reliability, soaked legs.  Needs were shaft and lower fairing... not many options.

[JimWilliamson]

I was born with the desire to see what's around the next corner and over the next hill - no matter the transportation.

A friend had a Yamaha 400 that was sitting at his P's place, outside, uncovered for six years decided to give the bike to me to get it out of the P's place. Before that set of wheels I had no burning desire for a cycle - but since I had it, along with the desire to 'see things' the progression was natural.

That step had another friend interested in getting a bike. He asked me to go with while he looked at bikes - always a mistake. I sat on an old Honda Magna and said "this fits me". So the wheel rolls.

[bungie4]

Been riding since I was 14. Back around 91 or 92 I was living in Toronto and went out for a ride on the August long weekend. I wasn't planning on going anywhere, just for a ride.

I ended up in Barrie. Day was still early so I kept going.

Stopped in Parry Sound for lunch. Realized I was halfway to our camp (cottage) in Sudbury. So I rode there. Spent the night. The next morning I rode out to the highway and realized I still had 2 full days off. I'd never gone down the highway passed the turn off to camp.

Through Sault Ste. Marie and on up Superior.. to Thunder Bay.

It was *STELLAR*.

After I got to Thunder Bay I realized their was no way in hell I was going to make it back to work in time Tues. morning. So I called my boss.

"I won't be in till Thurs.."

"Where are you?"

"Thunder Bay"

"Jesus Christ!"

How he knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be I don't know.

The ride back the entire way in the rain was the exact opposite of the ride up. I *SWORE* I'd never ride that far again, and I didn't.

I sold that old VFR after a woman attempted to paste me into the guardrail on Black Creek Drive. On purpose.

I went back to dirt bikes.

2002 I lost my mind and bought 750 Shadow and got back into street riding. Except for a trip or two down to Barrie to see my brother, that was the extent of my travels.

I always wanted an FJR though. Finally the time was right, the deal came up, I had money in the bank.

I've had the FJR two years and have put on over 50Km. Trips to Wisconsin, Quebec, West Virginia, Tennessee ...

Now I spend practically every waking minute planning and dreaming about the trips for the summer. I don't know wtf happened. I HATE LD riding!

[chomy]

When I wuz about 12 years old, we were on the family summer vacation, sitting in the car waiting to board the BC ferry to Vancouver Island. The ferry docked and disgorged its cargo. First off the boat were two identical Kawasaki Z900s with sleeping bags tied on to the rear grab rail.

I was starstruck  

Those two riders, heading off to points unknown seemed like the coolest beings on the planet. The seed had been planted  

Orson, I have to ask if you remember the year that took place as I grew up on the Island and two guys I went to school with who were brothers, Jim and John, had matching Kawasaki 900's, I am still in contact with them to this day and they would be tickled to hear this.

[bikerfish1100]

as others have shared, it wasn't necessarily an "event", but more just a progression.
I began touring around New England on my very first bike, a 1965 Triumph 650 Tiger one year after i bought it. Friends i rode with were mostly on harleys, and we all liked to get away- but never very far. A few more bikes, slightly farther/longer overnights ensued, but nothing beond a few hundred miles away.
Fast forward a few years to when I bought a 1978 R100RS beemer

, the original full-on factory-equipped sport-tourer. Summer arrived, I was done with under-grad, took a leave of absence from work, and left for a 2 month/14,000 mile solo road trip. haven't stopped since.

[Orson]

Orson, I have to ask if you remember the year that took place as I grew up on the Island and two guys I went to school with who were brothers, Jim and John, had matching Kawasaki 900's, I am still in contact with them to this day and they would be tickled to hear this.

My memory is hazy, but it was either '72 or 73'.

The Kawasakis were the ones with green gas tanks with yellow striping. I believe those were the second year Z1 paint jobs.

Hopefully, I paid it forward years later when I was riding thru Colorado on my FJ-1100. I came upon a car with a kid filling the rear window, waving a bike magazine at me with the FJ on the cover. I gave him a friendly wave before roaring past.

I wonder if I made a biker out of him  

[Giaka]

Back in 1982 (I was 20) I got off work early on a Friday (worked for Kawasaki dealer) and headed home. Decided it was a nice day for a ride and kept going. I had nothing but my leathers, helmet, wallet and my trusty KZ550. 300+ miles later I called home to tell my mom I would be on a ride for the rest of the weekend. Picked up a small duffel, a bungie chord and a pair of sweats to sleep in at a local store in Fairbanks. Rode from Anchorage to Fairbanks then over to Tok then back home to Anchorage. I took my time , enjoyed the site and slept in hotels. When I got home I knew I found a new "hobby:. Everyone at work thought I was crazy riding that far.

[FJRmgm]

I wuz born...therefore I am.

[RTFZ1]

For my riding it started in 64 with the “You meet the nicest people” Honda campaign and a little Honda 50 then a CA95 Benley TOURING  

Both bikes looked totally harmless to my parents, they refused to let me get a CB160 (looked like a motorcycle) Only “tour” on the Benley was to OKC, around 70 total miles.

No bike in college. At graduation I got a used Yamaha XS650 and took it on a one way 800 mile trip to Nashville to pursue my dreams in the music business. I always have felt that I would not have set out without the motorcycle adventure being part of that.

First year there I traveled on a 73 Z1 to Ames Iowa to visit old room mate in grad school there.  I bought the Z1 new, before I bought a car in Nashville   The next year  I tripped on the Z1 to Austin TX to see another roomy in grad school.

In 81 a friend in Nashville left his Gold Wing with his ex wife in Denver. I flew out and rode it back to Nashville by way of Yellowstone. I knew that kind of bike was not for some one my size and got a Yamaha FJ1100 as a Sport-Tourer that fit me perfect. The term Sport-Touring really came later, magazine reviews called the FJ1100 a “Superbike”  
In the 80's a FJ1200, Venture Royale and Suzuki GS1000 took me to all the National Parks out West, Seattle, PCH, Banff, Jasper and Vancouver.
Light weight  handling was what I liked the most,  add all day comfort and I’m a happy camper.
2008 FZ1 fills my needs now.

[mcgillicuty]

When I was 15 months old I freaked out the Mall Santa by clearly asking for a "Kawasaki Motorcycle".




Some years passed.  




Twenty five minutes after getting my endorsement I had a duffel bungeed to the seat of my '83 CB550SC and was on my way out of town.

Oddly enough, in half a dozen bikes and half a million miles I've never had a Kawasaki.

[chomy]

My memory is hazy, but it was either '72 or 73'.

The Kawasakis were the ones with green gas tanks with yellow striping. I believe those were the second year Z1 paint jobs.

Hopefully, I paid it forward years later when I was riding thru Colorado on my FJ-1100. I came upon a car with a kid filling the rear window, waving a bike magazine at me with the FJ on the cover. I gave him a friendly wave before roaring past.

I wonder if I made a biker out of him  

Yep that would have been the Young brothers, if memory serves me correctly they were the only two with matching bikes on the island at the time.

[Orson]

Yep that would have been the Young brothers, if memory serves me correctly they were the only two with matching bikes on the island at the time.

Cool beans  

Tell them I said "Thanks"!  

[DavidLSI]

I have told this before but it never hurts to give credit where credit is due....

It was TonyT who pointed me towards this site and the riders of the R4 region.

I had my bike less than 6 mounths, I was at work, lunch time and shining the metal.  When this guy (TonyT) walks up for some bike chat, he worked accross the alley where they make counter tops.

When the talk tuned to riding I metioned that I wanted to go riding with others but did not know anybody else.  My "Ride" experience to that point was a Bike Blessing and one charity run.   While I enjoyed them I had no idea what else there was out there.

He handed me an oval sticker that was black and red.  He said go to this web forum, and do not be afraid to post up.

That next weekend I went to my 1st coffee meet, met my first riders.  When they said we are going to ride down to Oregeon IL want to come along.  I looked at the GPS saw it was only 40 or so miles away and said sure.

Along with myself and son, several others followed Vivid1 along the Rock River, had lunch at a mom/pop diner.  I went farther from home than I planned.  I heard tales about riding out west at incredible speed from the mouths of those who did it. 

I was hooked from that day. 

Me before ST.N


Me with the ST.N influence and inspiration

[ol Rocket]

I'd rather ride dirt bikes, but you get dirty and stuff.  And I fall down a lot.

So I sold the Enduro and bought a GT550.  It would go farther.  And I didn't seem to fall down as much.

[pmax]

I had a bunch of smaller bikes from 13 to 16 years old.  When I got my license I sold off my last bike ('73 CL 350) to buy my first car ('70 GTO).    I started vacationing on Martha's Vinyard and Nantucket.  Cars are useless on the island so I bought a beater Yamaha 650 Special.  Motorcycles are first on and first off the ferries and no reservations were needed.  I upgraded to a Vulcan 750 then to the V-Max.  When my good friend from the Vinyard learned that I had the V-Max he planted the idea of a long ride.  Soon we were off to Robbinsville.  We were geared up for camping but never did.  Thank god because we experienced plenty of rain.  From that point, a couple of other long rides before purchasing the ZZR.

[stevent]

I was riding Harleys when I got out of the Navy and used to go touring on an FLH, on a visit to my inlaws in Blaine Wa in '84 I saw two Canadians on the all new K100 series BMW's. I thought they looked so cool i sold my FLH and bought a brand new '85 K100RS with bags and went from touring to sport touring....After a number of different bikes I finally sold my Bandit 1200 last year and bought another FLH. When my Trophy 1200 got clipped in '05 I had a change in perspective and decided to slow down a little and smell the roses. I've got a real jones for a Norge` I'm going to have to do something about though.

 

[15dollar]

A few years ago some friends decided to take a motorcycle trip as a vacation.  I had not been on a bike since I was 12.  Another friend had even less experience.  I took the MSF class with a friend and two weeks later was at the bike rental place ready for an adventure.  I rented a Sportster (I'm short) while my friends were on Road Kings.  I had a backpack and sleeping bag strapped to the back seat while they had filled their saddlebags with their stuff.      

We took off from Houston and rode to Big Bend.  It was an awesome trip and I was hooked.  The stretches on the highway, though, convinced me that I needed a bike with some wind protection and better highway manners.

That next summer I found my VFR.  For Christmas I got some saddlebags.  Our next trip saw us traveling to Northern Arkansas.  This trip sealed my fate as a sport tourer.  Smooth and fast on the highway, fun in the twisties with good fuel range to boot.  

I'm really looking forward to this year's trip.  Maybe headed East this time?

[pmax]

15,

How many Harley breakdowns on that first trip?

[Scoop]

Riding around town got boring very fast.  

[Tar Snake]

Like others said it wasn't one event for me:

1. My family always camped ~ one weekend a month and one long summer trip. Car and trailer, but it planted the travel bug.
2. As a young kid I was (am?) uncoordinated and afraid of my own shadow so my 1st motorcycle ride scared the crap out of me, I hated it. However when I was 11 or 12 my Aunt and Uncle came to visit on their BMW and my uncle gave us rides on the back, 1st corner and was hooked, not afraid at all anymore.
3. My older brother started doing illustrations for Cycle World, and got free copies when he and his wife lived across the street from us. By this time I had bicycles I'd find in the trash by combing the alleys of my neighborhood in various states of disrepair in the garage. Something with a motor in it was next logical step.
4. By the time I was college age I was living in Phoenix and took my first multiday trip when I rode home to So Cal for Easter on my CB550K.

[RangerG]

September 1981.  I got laid off from my job and I had a new '81 Yamaha 550 Seca.  I hopped on and made a three province, seven state tour.  Seventeen days without a drop of rain.  I was hooked.  I made a one province, three state tour on the same bike this past summer!

[con_ndrm]

...Bump...  (mostly so I don't forget to add my .02 at some point)