New Member in Texas

[txdaveski]

Hello, from the South-West side of Fort Worth Texas!

Everyone calls me Ski or Dave Ski, and No that’s not my real last name. You couldn’t pronounce it anyway - trust me this is easier! I’m starting a new chapter in life having retired recently and now I have a lot of spare time for riding and traveling and such.

It’s nice to meet a bunch of people with similar interests.

I started riding when I was 9 after rebuilding a 1964 Honda 305 scrambler basket case. That build started a long road of buying junk bikes (sometimes more than one of the same model), selling the leftover parts and the running motorcycle, then repeating the whole process. 32 rebuilds later I bought my first New bike, a 1980 KZ1300! After I discovered what an Orphan the Big Six turned into, I had to get another junk one to have enough spare parts to keep One of them running, so there I was back to my old habits...
That was followed by a couple dirt bikes and crotch rockets, and a Goldwing in 2007. Various Harley’s came and went and the ‘Wing finally left the garage earlier last year. The need for speed was strong so a new GSXR1300 slid into the garage alongside a Road King Peace Officer Special. Life was good!
Then I bought a 2004 R1150GS and a 2000 R1150GS, just to see what the fuss was about Adventure Bikes. Got good deals on them so I fixed them up and started riding them.
OK, I got hooked! Traded the 2004 GS and the GSXR1300 for a 2016 R1200GSA to park alongside the Harley. Life is Good AGAIN!

My career in Nuclear Power ended when I turned 59-1/2 last year, and here I am! Ready to get bugs in my teeth and wind in my hair (if I had any).
I have other hobbies that keep me busy but riding has always been on top of the list. Now I have time to do it right.

Thanks for listening

 

[royce]

Welcome Dave! You will enjoy life on the forum, I believe. My story is similar, but different, from yours. I rode early in life through high school, but quit when I went to university, graduated, got married, and went off to see the world on behalf of the US Army. Wife and I raised two kids and when empty-nest time arrived, I went back to riding motorcycles. My only hobbies now are community volunteering, riding my bike, and whatever my wife tells me to do. Not in that order.

I lived in central Texas (Fort Hood area, of course) for a few years and I was raised in Oklahoma. While I don't ride off-road, and ADV bikes are too tall for me to feel comfortable, I have ridden in all the lower 48 at least three times and on at least three different bikes. My current ride is the only BMW I have ever owned and it is a good one. At age of 74, I am definitely slowing down and taking shorter trips these days. Maybe we might meet somewhere down the road.

Good luck.