Another Good Cause

I love motorcycles. I have a passion for anything on two wheels.

My first was a 1972 Honda CL-350, a solid and dependable workhorse that had a solid mounted engine and would vibrate your hands to sleep in a half-hour or less.

My second (and third) were Suzuki GT-550's, two stroke triples that I had in full-dress garb. I logged a lot of miles on those two bikes.

My divorce present to myself was a 1988 Harley-Davidson FXRS-Sp, pictured here with her traveling clothes on. Many miles were also logged on this bike, and she is presently awaiting a well-deserved rebuild after almost 200K miles and just as many memories - good and otherwise.

The most recent acquisition has a bit of a story behind it. When I got the Harley, I also convinced a good friend of mine that it was time for him to get back into two-wheeling himself. In fact, I started him off with a Suzuki GR-650 Tempter like the one pictured here that I picked up for a song from one of my Navy co-workers. Over time he upgraded to a Suzuki GS-850G, which he owned until multiple sclerosis ended his riding days forever.

I was sitting at his kitchen table with him over a cold beer when I had the saddest conversation in my life. He asked me if I thought he would ever get over wanting to ride. I responded that I didn't think it was the sort of thing one got over. He said "That's what I thought. You had better take that Suzuki on away from here then before I try to get on it and hurt somebody."

My plans for the Suzuki are to get it dolled up and sell it at auction, donating the proceeds to MS research. After the Harley gets her much needed rebuild and her PGR duds, that is. I can't think of a more fitting use for it.

And speaking of fitting, SGT Eric "Sketch" Hanley has a vision of a motorcycle that will honor his fallen comrades. Stop by to his site, won't you, and throw a few pennies his way? He has big dreams for this bike, and a Soldier's pay won't do it all. This bike will be a rolling memorial to those who understood that there are things worth fighting and dying for, in this war and in the ones that came before.

I can't think of a better tribute than that.