Hello, My name is Julie. I am a motorcycle enthusiast and here is my story....................................................................................... When I was twenty one I took off with youthful enthusiasm to Florida. Youth is a synonym for stupid. And stupid I did in abundance! After 6 months I found myself broke and living in a tent. With a tax return check and the help of a good hearted person I purchased a salvaged 440LTD Kawasaki. We were perfect for each other, that bike salvage my down trodden heart. I returned to the midwest with my tail between my legs but with defiance, on a MOTORCYCLE!.............................Through the years, when things are at their worst and life doesn't seem worth living, motorcycling has continued to give me enthusiasm for life. Some people say you shouldn't ride when angry or depressed. They feel a poor mental state makes you vunerable and incautious, but I have found that it focuses my attention away from self pity, and suddenly without warning, without my consent, my mental state has become zen-like. ...................................I later had carb problems with that Kaw and being mechanically inept (also financially broke) I sold it. It was the greatest regret of my life. It took me 8 years to be in the position to buy another one.......................................On my 29th b-day I picked up my Shadow 600. Pretty, but not a very good motorcycle. A year or so later I traded it in on a Virago 750..............................Now that Yamaha was a trooper! Not only did I cross the country several times over the next 7 years, but also took Jason Pridmores STAR School at Heartland Park in Topeka and MSF courses. Later, on the Virago, while at an open track day in Hallett Ok. I passed a person on a Ducati in a corner they call the bus-stop (called so because of the tight off camber angle)......................................That Nov. I bought a 250VTR Honda.What a FUN bike! Red line on the tach was 14000 rpm. It was such an eager puppy and leaped out of corners. It didn't do so well on windy days.......................... In the spring of 2001 I Puchased a 650NT Honda Hawk. I was really starting to have a good time! Also, In March of that year a club member offered up his "crack" bike (250 Yamaha) to anyone in the club who was interested in trying vintage moto-cross. (The club members called it the "crack" bike cause the first time was free) I was one of the last to enjoy this special offer for he sold this bike soon after. No one should curse him for this impudent decision cause the guy he sold it to beat him at every race after that. Ouch!.............................................My first moto-cross race was in the rain and MUD! I crashed NINE times. The by standers were kind enough to pick the thing up, kick start it, and set me back on the track. Near the end I pegged my leg pretty bad with the handle bars and sunk the bike in 2 ft of muck. Boy did I feel great! Mike sponsered me the rest of the year with a 100cc Yamaha and another member joined us to create "Farts and Tart" Race Team....................................Sept 2001 I got my road race license in Hallett on the Hawk. That morning I placed 1st in one mock race, 2nd in the other, and got such a big head that I went out and crashed in the afternoon. Its a good thing I landed on my head or I might have broken some bones. Recovery from the concusion kinda took my edge off for a while............................................................ At this point I realized I needed a motorcycle that I could comfortably tour cross country on and still thrill me in the corners............................................... In 2002 I bought an F650GS...........I want to take a moment to warn everyone.. ......DO NOT buy this bike with a lower kit!!!! To make this bike accesable to short people BMW put a lower kit on it and this makes the thing UNSTABLE!!! See the thead about BMW listening. ...........................................Within 3 months the dealer applied 100% of my money to an R1150R. With the seat carved out , 'works' shocks, and handle bar risers it becomes a surprizingly light and easy to manuver motorcycle.................... This past Aug. while at the vintage moto-cross races in Chehlias Washington ( where I had the privelege to see Jim Pomoroy finally recieve his World Cham. Trophy, WHICH HE EARNED 30 YRS AGO) I bought a 1971 SL70 Honda. An impulsive buy, for I'm new to the Northwest and I don't have any way to get it to the woods and I know no one to go with............................................I sold the VTR and the Virago before the move so I only have 3 bikes, I do miss those 2 machines....................... I'd like to keep the SL70 if I can connect with any dirt bags,, Uh ,,I mean dirt bike riders in this corner of the world. .......................And a special thanks to this web site for helping me to stay connected with others who have the same affliction. Motorcycle obsession.