Hello Guys,
Long time lurker, newish owner, hopeful contributor. I live in Southwest Virginia, Blacksburg/Virginia Tech to be specific, but I travel all over the east coast for work. Currently I'm spending 2 to 3 weeks a month in Atlanta for work.
This is my long and not very interesting decades long journey into being a motorcycle owner. Feel free to skip.
I have wanted a motorcycle as long as I can remember. In high school my parents forbid me from getting one, even though my dad and grandfather were both avid riders in their past. In college I raced and worked on cars which took all free time and cash. Skip forward 15 years and I'm finally in a position where I don't listen to the people telling me not to buy a motorcycle, that I don't know how to ride, that I'll wreck and die etc.
About 10 years ago I was very close to buying an R1, as it seemed like the thing to have. In my research, I came to the conclusion that instead of a full fairing bike I wanted a naked bike. I can site two different magazine articles that pushed me to that decision, one was about how some Ducati was trying to be the best all around motorcycle and an Aprilla Turno beat it and everything else in real world driving, and the 2nd was a guy taking a Z1000 to the Nurberg Ring. Those two instantly became my front runner choices for the following decade. My want waxed and wained for many years. Last year I was standing in an airport in Western Canada on vacation and I saw on the cover of a magazine a Yamaha FZ-09, this was a preproduction test and I knew in that moment I had finally found the motorcycle I had to have.
After a summer trip to Europe my want/need for the 09 was rekindled. I started visiting all the local dealerships and reading this forum. Had I had to deal with the dealership I may still not have 09. Luckily I was headed to Pittsburgh for work and happened to search Craigslist for 09s. I found one just outside Pitt that seemed perfect. 2500 miles, full suspension already upgraded, brake lines, comfort seat, never wrecked/dropped all for $6500. Seemed too good to be true. I called, arranged a meet up. The owner was a guy who said no matter what he did the 09 hurt his back/balls. He swapped seats/suspension in effort to help back pain, and was now giving up so he would have time to sell and get something new to finish the summer with. He was a solid guy, money and paperwork exchanged hands and I'm now the owner of a Blaze Orange 09. Not my ideal color, but I won't lie, I don't love any of the US colors. I'd like one of those Matte Gray Euro tanks. Seemed like a great deal and I couldn't be happier.
I don't know any motorcycle people, so the learning curve has been a challenge. I bought gear and signed up and completed a few classes. I know the 09 isn't a beginner's bike, but I also know I'd never buy or be happy with a beginners bike. For the first few months I rode exclusively in B mode, mostly around my neighborhood.
Anyway, enough rambling. I enjoy this forum and look forward to being an active participant.
Safe Travels
T.J. Thompson
Long time lurker, newish owner, hopeful contributor. I live in Southwest Virginia, Blacksburg/Virginia Tech to be specific, but I travel all over the east coast for work. Currently I'm spending 2 to 3 weeks a month in Atlanta for work.
This is my long and not very interesting decades long journey into being a motorcycle owner. Feel free to skip.
I have wanted a motorcycle as long as I can remember. In high school my parents forbid me from getting one, even though my dad and grandfather were both avid riders in their past. In college I raced and worked on cars which took all free time and cash. Skip forward 15 years and I'm finally in a position where I don't listen to the people telling me not to buy a motorcycle, that I don't know how to ride, that I'll wreck and die etc.
About 10 years ago I was very close to buying an R1, as it seemed like the thing to have. In my research, I came to the conclusion that instead of a full fairing bike I wanted a naked bike. I can site two different magazine articles that pushed me to that decision, one was about how some Ducati was trying to be the best all around motorcycle and an Aprilla Turno beat it and everything else in real world driving, and the 2nd was a guy taking a Z1000 to the Nurberg Ring. Those two instantly became my front runner choices for the following decade. My want waxed and wained for many years. Last year I was standing in an airport in Western Canada on vacation and I saw on the cover of a magazine a Yamaha FZ-09, this was a preproduction test and I knew in that moment I had finally found the motorcycle I had to have.
After a summer trip to Europe my want/need for the 09 was rekindled. I started visiting all the local dealerships and reading this forum. Had I had to deal with the dealership I may still not have 09. Luckily I was headed to Pittsburgh for work and happened to search Craigslist for 09s. I found one just outside Pitt that seemed perfect. 2500 miles, full suspension already upgraded, brake lines, comfort seat, never wrecked/dropped all for $6500. Seemed too good to be true. I called, arranged a meet up. The owner was a guy who said no matter what he did the 09 hurt his back/balls. He swapped seats/suspension in effort to help back pain, and was now giving up so he would have time to sell and get something new to finish the summer with. He was a solid guy, money and paperwork exchanged hands and I'm now the owner of a Blaze Orange 09. Not my ideal color, but I won't lie, I don't love any of the US colors. I'd like one of those Matte Gray Euro tanks. Seemed like a great deal and I couldn't be happier.
I don't know any motorcycle people, so the learning curve has been a challenge. I bought gear and signed up and completed a few classes. I know the 09 isn't a beginner's bike, but I also know I'd never buy or be happy with a beginners bike. For the first few months I rode exclusively in B mode, mostly around my neighborhood.
Anyway, enough rambling. I enjoy this forum and look forward to being an active participant.
Safe Travels
T.J. Thompson