You will be loved!

Miss Love (I kid you not!) came into Paolo's life not long after I had put up the Vespa for sale.

I knew the looks she was giving him. 

It was love at first sight. 

It was meant to be. 

She didn't hesitate, and took him home. 

With a big happy smile on her face. 

A last embrace, a last round in the parkade for me. 

Then he was gone.

Bon voyage my little scoot. 

I'm sad.

Paolo's new Owner (Pics courtesy of Ms. L.)

The new V(espa)-Team.

 All geared up.

 And ready to conquer the world (or maybe Vancouver for starters).

All is in flux, nothing stands still

A Beginning with an End: 
Back in 2009 when I picked up riding I made the mistake to try and coax my better half into motorcycle riding. My Honda Hawk looked like a pocket bike on him. Roland gives the term 'knee dragging' a brand new meaning.

Bigger is better, I thought and got a 2006 Honda Silverwing for him. Didn't he look smashing on the bike? But Roland wasn't happy with it. He called it a heavy monster, and when he dropped it once in a slow speed turn maneuver he parked it, and went away. That was it... or not?

A Beginning - Redux:
Two years after what we call 'the scooter fiasco' the spousal unit fell in love with this svelte Italian beauty, and took her home without further ado. I was not unhappy with his choice. As a matter of fact we got a worthy companion for Bella, the Vespa GTS250.

Evolution:
It was all him, combing ads, and contacting sellers. I didn't have any part in it, and I didn't bring a helmet for the test ride. If hubby wants an upgrade he will need to figure it out by himself this time. Just picture me waiting, arms folded, and not commenting (it was tough for me but I managed.)

The test ride on the 2006 Piaggio BV500 left him disappointed. The single cylinder vibrations were annoying and the scooter's condition was rather poor, especially given the asking price.

Then Roland eyed a 2009 Yamaha TMAX. The engine sound was quite throaty, and a short ride around the block convinced him that the scooter is well balanced and easy to handle. The bike is barely broken in, in very good shape, and fairly priced. The spousal unit came back with that mystical smile that only befalls riders once they discover a bike they could come to like.

There is also a Suzuki Burgman 400 out there that needs to be checked out.

To be continued... 

And before you ask: Bella is safe. There are no plans trading her in for a bigger bike. She is going to stay in the family.

Time to say Goodbye

I am guilty of infidelity, and I blame it partially on the Italians. My riding statistics show 2,200 Vespa km (in 10 weeks) vs. 1,800 Beemer km (over 6 months), and as a bonus an abundance of quality time spent together with my better half.

With many ideas buzzing in my head, among others the investment in a new(er) bike, but also traveling abroad (for fun!), I felt that the time had come to say good-bye to my trusty steed.

I was determined to give Nella in good hands. This is when Deb, a young lady from Tasmania currently residing in Canada came along. She is planning a trip down the Pan-Americana, and was in the market for a reasonably priced, well equipped, and maintained bike that can do the job.

 Deb checking out Nella.

It was love at first sight, and Nella's fate was sealed.

It is always hard to see a bike go. Nella has been a sweet little re-entry two-wheeler, well balanced, easy to handle, fuel efficient, and already came with all the farkles needed for serious travel. It served me well during the past 8,000km, and didn't lose much of its value during the 14 months in my possession. The only limitations I had found were the vibrations coming with the single cylinder as well as the lack of power when fully loaded. Other than that, Nella was the perfect bike for me at that time. Good bye, Nella. Farewell miladies and happy trails.

Bonnie's new rival

It's the new 2011 Kawasaki W800. Another bike that probably won't make it to Canada, ever... what a pity. Triumph beware, this lady will make for an interesting competition. Also, this retro bike reminds me of my good ole Yamaha SR500.

The limited choice of new or used bikes in the Canadian market is somewhat frustrating. Maybe I need to return to Europe every once in a while, at least to get a look and feel of those other wonderful models out there...

And while I am at it, I am going to check out one of those... the 2011 Moto Guzzi V7 Racer. Oh, you sexy thing.

A Short History of Motorcycles (mine, that is...)

Taking up Geoff's challenge to find embarrassing motorcycle pictures I dug into my piles of old photos and memorabilia of my past... and came up with... nothing. Since childhood days there are not too many pictures of me. In fact I fiercely hated having my picture taken. Hence I can only contribute a picture of little me.

For photos with motorcycle related content it is pretty much the same. There is almost no visible evidence that I or my two-wheelers ever existed. I hold a motorcycle driver's license for almost twenty years, but alas, I didn't do a good job documenting this during the pre-digital era.

Other than Geoff, I had the good fortune of being born too late, and therefore the fashion of the 70's left me unscathed. My school uniform consisted of jeans, parka and sneakers. The attire hasn't changed much since, so instead of pictures taken in different decades, just imagine several younger me's dressed in exactly these.

I apologize to Geoff that I won't be able to return a few good chuckles on my account.

However, here is a complete list of my two-wheeled companions. You might notice, that at no time I have settled on a specific brand, model or style. See for yourself:

The first bunch: 1992 - 1998

1992-1993 '92 YAMAHA Virago 250
The beginning of my riding career

1993-1993 '89 SUZUKI DR600
No pic available, only briefly owned

1993-1994 '91 YAMAHA SR500
My beloved thumper

1994-1996 '88 HONDA XBR500
Where the heck is my ATGATT?

1995-1998 '95 VESPA ET4 125
My commuter vehicle, alas no picture of it

1996-1998 '85 BMW R80
My "Rubbercow"

***

Two-wheelers revisited: 2009 to current

2009-2010 '89 HONDA NT650 Hawk GT
My Ladyhawk

2009-2010 '05 HONDA FJS 600
Silver winging

2010-2011 '04 BMW F650GS
My (Citro)Nella, photo courtesy bobskoot

2011-2012 '06 VESPA GT200
Paolo, the little one 

2011-current '08 HARLEY DAVIDSON Sportster 883
Roving on Rover 

2013-2017 '13 VESPA GTS300 Supersport

Allons-y Alonzo

2010-current '08 VESPA GTS250
Bella, Roland's beauty.

SWing Gleaning

Bye, bye SWing!

It is curious how things sometimes work out for the best. Originally we had planned that I travel to Calgary on the Labour Day weekend in order to transport the SWing down to Vancouver for sale, since we didn't expect that there would be a huge market for this scooter in Alberta, where the majority rides dirt bikes, cruisers or crotch rockets. But we were proven wrong, and the bike got sold within a week.

It was a bit unfortunate that my fellow traveler didn't have the chance to get accustomed to the bike due to his shoulder injury. And so, I had to split my attention between my Ladyhawk and the SWing, which didn't work out to well for the scooter, and my moving to Vancouver didn't help much either. After 13 months in our possession it had only 1,200km more on the clock.

What a waste of a wonderful two-wheeler, because there is a serious touring bike hidden behind the scooter face. The fairings and a proper windshield offer good weather protection, and it has lots of inbuilt storage room. 600cc gives it enough umph to keep up with the big guys. I have never tested top speed but acceleration is awesome, and it does make up to 140km easily before the bike begins to feel a little wobbly. The automatic shifting is smooth, and the ABS breaks guarantee a safe stop. Fuel consumption could be better, but a full tank (16.3l) would get me between 350 and 380km distance.
With 250kg the bike is fairly heavy (like all Honda's) but the weight will help keeping it straight in cross-winds, and it moves surprisingly easy into corners. Other nice features worth mentioning is the center stand, the shaft drive, and the stylish design that makes it look like a 'real' bike.

If we kept the SWing the upgrades would have included heated grips, a throttle lock, and a top case to make it the perfect touring machine. All in all I have gotten to know this scooter as a comfortable and reliable (solid Honda technology) two-wheeler good for commuting, shopping or cruising, and it is one of the few scooters that would actually fit my husband's size of 6'7". If we were to have another scooter, we would seriously consider buying another Silverwing.

Nostalgia

The bikes of my life… so far:

1992 to 1998  A Japanese medley, an Italian on the side, and a German to settle down with.

2009 to ? Rewind, Replay, Repeat?

Aug 2009 to Sep 2010 : 2005 HONDA Silverwing FJS600 (my first ABS bike)

Aug 2009 to Mar 2010: 1989 HONDA NT 650 Hawk GT (another keeper)

1996 to 1998: 1987 BMW R80 (reliable, and a bit boring)

1995 to 1998: 1995 VESPA ET4 125 (my commuter vehicle)

1994 to 1996: 1988 HONDA XBR 500 (a keeper, nice voice)

1993 to 1994: 1991 YAMAHA SR 500 (my first love)

1993 to 1993: 1989 SUZUKI DR 600 (a flirtation with the rough)

1992 to 1993: 1992 YAMAHA Virago 250 (cheap and low)

Bikes I haven't owned but ridden on occasion:

1996 BMW F 650 Funduro (a rental in France)
1994 HONDA XL 700 V Transalp (my ex-boyfriend's bike)
1989 KAWASAKI ZL 400 Eliminator (my training bike)

Chopper, dirt bike, vintage look, cafe racer, scooter, tourer, naked... I had a taste of almost everything. Shouldn't I know by now, what I really want?

Be still my heart

Norton Commando 961: The prettiest bike ever got a make-over, and it looks even more beautiful, that is if you like Norton's in Cafe Racer style. Besides Triumph, Norton is one of the best motorcycle brands in the world. We Germans might (or might not) have the better technology, but the Brits got the style!

And look what I found: An old pic of my Honda XBR500. This is the closest I ever got to a cafe racer back in the mid 90's:

And well, since I will never be able to afford a Norton ever, I played around with Triumph Online-Configurator, and this was the natural result:

Fond Memories of 1996: Coming of Age

Bike-wise I seemed to have grown up. I was tired of chain maintenance and the greasy remainders on my hands, the vibrations of a thumper and the limited power of a 500cc machine. I traded my Clubman for an 11 years old BMW R80 a.k.a. Rubber Cow. She provided a comfy seat, a shaft drive, and had enough power to carry all my stuff plus camping gear. My then-friend had meanwhile swapped the Transalp for a BMW R1100GS. Again our travels would lead us to the south of France.

The R80 prove herself to be a solid, reliable, but rather plain boring bike. Like in some relationships, it wasn't love, it was pure convenience that kept us together for many miles. I didn't have any regrets when I finally sold her in 1998. I had regrets that I gave up on motorcycling, though.

1995 to 1998 Commuting = Scooting

For daily commuting I fancied a 125cc Vespa, easy to maintain, fast enough to keep up with the traffic, and just tiny enough to split lanes without annoying the cagers. Cagers were usually soft on scooters. As long as the roads were clear of snow or sleet, I went to work with this racy little play-thing. I eventually sold it after a promotion that gave me the benefits of a business car, but I still miss it.

Fond Memories of 1995: In France and Lucky in Love

I hopelessly fell in love with a Honda XBR500. To be honest, I got a little fed up with the otherwise trustworthy SR's kick starter and wanted to have an electric starter for a change. The GB500 was the closest I would ever get to a cafe racer. She was a beauty and I should have kept her forever. Meanwhile my then-friend called a Honda Transalp his own, probably the best multi-purpose bike, then and now. Obviously I liked her a lot, too.

Fond Memories of 1994: England - The Wet Side of Life

I took the little thumper on a ferry ride to South England and Cornwall, my friend rode on a Suzuki Intruder 800, that I never really liked. Maybe because I just don't fancy them pseudo choppers that much.

Together we managed to survive the choppy seas, driving on the wrong left side, riding in London traffic, and two weeks of rain. It was great! In the mother country of Triumph and Norton we were always welcome no matter how wet and dirty, offered a dry spot for our bikes (once even in a hotel lobby), and received encouraging words that kept us going despite the adverse weather conditions.

Together my then-friend, his Trudi, my thumper and me, we traveled through Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Germany, and became long-time companions - until...

(Note to reader: Those adventures were pre-digital, and many photos have been lost since in the rifts of time-space continuum, a.k.a. moving, separation and loss of negatives)

Fond Memories of 1993: Adolescence

Since the power of 250cc wouldn't longer satisfy me, and I wanted to go on longer trips, I started shopping around for a bigger bike. I ended up with a taller bike instead. I made the mistake to purchase a Suzuki DR600, a model fancied by my brother, which was fun to ride, once rolling. But heaven forbid I had to kick-start it on uneven grounds. I was vertically challenged with over 90cm seat height and this friggin' kick-starter, and ended up swapping it for a little thumper named Yamaha SR500 only a couple of months later.

Fond Memories of 1992: Late Bloomer

Most certainly I was not born to ride. In fact I hated bicycles, especially pedaling uphills. And from where I used to live, everything seemed to be uphill. A neighbor's son, Lothar, introduced me to the advantages of motorized two wheeling. I rode pillion on his Honda Monkey, and I had been a rider's back warmer ever since on many other occasions. For a long time I was happy with sitting behind, until my brother talked me me into getting my own motorcycle driver's license. Maybe he was just fed up with me asking him all the time, if he would take me for a ride.
Taking the classroom courses was mandatory but boring, since I had my car driver's license for several years. Needless to say that I passed the road knowledge test with flying colors. Also, I took 12 hours of safety training (eight hours were mandatory) on a Kawasaki Eliminator ZL400 during the Winter of 91/92. I only remember that it was dark, cold and wet most of the time and I had poor equipment. I passed the road test in April 1992, which got shortened because of sleet.

My new bike was already waiting in the garage: An almost new Yamaha Virago 250.

SWinging

And yet another bike, well, it's a Scooter. Since my fellow traveller (a.k.a. husband) indicated interest in riding, too, I got him a two wheeler, which he would be able to handle easily, even with little to no practice, because this vehicle comes with an automatic gearshift and a shaft drive. So it would be like bicycle riding (without the pedals, and with a curb weight of approx. 250kg). We purchased a well maintained 2005 Honda SilverWing with low mileage in Cochrane from a retired entrepreneur who was selling it out of his two million Dollar RV at a very reasonable price. For me, decision was a piece of cake. I saw it, I rode it, and I had to have it (for the purpose to get my fellow traveller into riding, of course).

Homecoming Queen

That's my Ladyhawk, a 1989 Honda NT650 Hawk GT. She has the right looks, is clean, street-fit and yet affordable. Since I am not comfortable with riding yet, the previous owner was kind enough to deliver, and now she's mine.

It took me five minutes on the phone to get insurance, I printed off the email confirmation, and had the bike registered in no time. Gotta love Service Canada, in my home country I would have spent half the day at the registry (at minimum).