My Scooters...

We're motorcycle people, so when the subject comes up, we like to talk about our trusty steeds. While everything else in our lives might look like a comic strip, our motorcycles are always there to pull us back to Earth. I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but when the presures of life hit me like a ton of bricks, the seat of my bike and my favorite road always manages to deflect some of the blows.

I've managed to collect a few bikes throughout my 30+ years of riding, and my current inventory (lol), is a diverse lot. I like to say, I have a bike for every mood and situation.

2002 Kawasaki ZRX1200R

Have you ever owned a bike, years ago, that you sold more or less against your will? Back in 1990 I was the proud owner of a Kawasaki Zephyr. I managed to hold onto this bike for about 2 years, before family needs took my toy. Out went the bike, but I always told myself I would replace it someday.

The ZRX has been a great additon, and in a way shoots me back to my old Zephyr days. I'm not a young guy anymore, and the more up-right riding position goes a long way. Nothing beats this bike for scooting back and forth to work, and up the canyons on the weekends.

BMW HP-2 Enduro

Yep, I'm one of those guys who took a look at this bike and had to have one.

My plan was to buy the bike and set out on a 95% dirt road/trail tour, leading me from the Southern AZ border, to the Northern border of Washington State. This ride has yet to happen, so it has limited riding time. I would ride it more, but it's a bit tall to be stopping at a stop light every mile.

Here's a quick story about the HP-2. I bought the bike and one of my riding buddies (who owned a KTM Adventure) talked me into an over night ride "Off-Trail". Who would think that in the middle of summer, in Arizona, that we would find over 12 river crossings? Needless to say, the bike hit the ground several times, as I failed to man-handle this massive machine. Riding one of these can be scary. Nothing like a dirt bike with a 1200cc 105hp engine. It never got washed down the river, but close. Of course I bought all the protective covers, after I needed them....lol.

BMW K1200LT

Yes, I enjoy BMW motorcycles. I bought my first LT in 2001. At the time I had a 1999 Harley Classic sitting in the garage with about 30,000 miles on the odmeter. My wife wasn't happy (two touring bikes sitting side by side in the garage might have been over-kill), but I had a thirst for a more "full featured" touring bike. I sold it in 2005, after a ton of great tours.

In 2007 I was asked to accompany my father and sister on a 5000+ tour to Jainesville, WI. I didn't have the ZRX yet, and only the HP-2 was in the garage. I had great luck with the LT, so off I went to the BMW dealer. I found a 2002 in great shape, at an OK price, and the rest is history. My plan was to sell it after the trip, but its never made it into the paper. Nothing beats it on longer trips, so I just don't have the heart.

So there you go. I think I have all my needs covered, well, for now anyway.