So Valerie and I both share a love of motorcycles and riding. My love started and a pretty young age, the summer after my sophomore year of high school. One of my close friends had this Yamaha RZ 350 a two stroke sport bike. I had no idea how to ride a motorcycle but I was hooked. The trade was I let him borrow my mothers brand new car while I took his bike out. Of course my mother never approved this, but I didn’t always make the best decisions back then! I learned how to wheelie it before I figured out how to turn. I spent that evening riding all over town. Luckily the car was returned without incident.
And thus started my addiction. My first bike was purchased in college. A 1990 Suzuki Katan 600. Had lots of fun with this bike. Sadly it’s run ended with me after a high speed chase when I was about 20. I left the bike and might have swam across a river to get away. But she was towed that night and I never saw her again. But that probably will be another blog maybe in the future…
So on to my third motorcycle. It was a 1989 GSXR 1100. It had a full race exhaust and was heavily modified. Probably a little too much bike for me at the time but I was 22 and figured I’d be all right. I literally tested it for 30 seconds and was sold on it. I moved to Arizona the next day. I had this bike about a year before someone turned left in front of me and hit me head on in an intersection. I was lucky and survived but had some pretty intense injuries.
After that I took about 10 years off of motorcycles and got into Jeeps. Having no doors or top and riding down the road was the next closest feeling to being on a bike. I ended up starting a Jeep parts business online. With this business I started selling imported ATV’s and Enduro bikes. That was my down fall. Of course I had to test an enduro out!
Soon I had purchased a 2009 Yamaha R1. This was so much fun to ride and ridiculously fast. I actually took this bike to a track day in Louden, NH. Was able to do laps hitting speeds up to 185 in the straight away.
I also took this to Oxford, ME and drag raced this motorcycle. Yes that is a snowmobile next to me. They would put wheels in the skis and race them on pavement. This run I lifted up the tire when the power band kicked in on the bike. I was at over 100 and had to let off the throttle at the end of the race. I might be a little bit of an adrenalin junky!!
The reality of the R1 was that it was not comfortable for me to ride longer that an hour. After my accident, where I broke my both bones in my wrist, it couldn’t take the riding position. Thus started my journey and love for Harley Davidsons. I traded the R1 for a 2011 Vrod. This had a much more upright riding position. But this was not meant for long distance riding.
The next spring change was in the air again! I traded my Vrod for a 2013 Wide Glide. This was much more of a cruiser. Not fast at all. But once I upgraded my seat. I could ride this for hours without getting uncomfortable. I started taking much longer trips. Eventually adding saddle bags as well.
After the wide glide the next summer I purchased an Ultra had that for a season then went back to a Wide Glide. After that a Street Glide. Eventually I landed back on a 2017 Ultra Limited Low. I wasn’t a fan of the colors but it ended up being a great deal at the time. So I couldn’t pass it up. This was the motorcycle I had when I first moved to Florida.
Shortly after meeting Valerie is when I picked up Serenity. My 23 blacked out Ultra Limited. I had had chrome in the past on my Harleys and I was ready for a little change. I purchased this on the east coast. Since picking up Serenity, we have put almost 10,000 miles on her. The week we picked her up we took our first trip to the Keys. Putting almost 1000 that week.
Soon the modifications began. Most of our trips were close to home. Just out for the day. I decided to purchase a quick disconnect for the tour pack. Then added a back rest for Valerie. This also came with a rear light relocation kit. Next was the upgraded seat. I got a saddleman road sofa seat. This was a much more comfortable then the stock seat. Although it did take over 500 miles to break in.
Of course upgrades continue on Serenity. Valerie and I have had a lot of great memories with her. Our goal is to be able to bring our motorcycles with us when we go camping. Still working on that solution. I have since upgraded my rear brake lights and added lower LED’s in the front. Taller handle bars are probably the next upgrade. In total since my first bike I have owned 11 motorcycles, and 1 Polaris RZR S. Since moving down to Florida I have loved being able to ride year round! I am sure we will continue to have lots of adventures on Serenity and will continue to share them with all of you!
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