It has been a long long time since my last "It's Been A Long Time" post. I've had plenty of motorcycle adventures since then but I didn't write about any of them. I led a long group ride out west from California to New Mexico. I did complete my "Ride Around Texas Insanity" ride - 3200+ miles in less than 70 hours with 19 required stops around the periphery of Texas. I bought a camping trailer I can tow behind my Harley and did a month up north, from Minnesota to Seattle. My son, Michael, and I did a big ride out to Washington state. He rode my KTM 1290.
I also started accumulating more bikes. Different tools for different purposes. I bought a 2015 Honda XR650L because I wanted to start riding offroad trails, especially the coast-to-coast TransAmerica Trail (the TAT.) At the same time, Michael bought a Yamaha WR250R to join me. I soon learned that the Honda was way too big and heavy for trails so I bought a Husqvarna FE450. I wanted Michael to do more long rides with me, (and I always wanted one) so I bought a 2012 Honda Goldwing.
Most noteworthy, I retired in February 2022, bought a diesel pickup, and started delivering RV trailers from Indiana all over the place. I did that for 8 month until I realized that I was ready to not be gone all the time. So I came home in November 2022 and have spent most of my time playing golf. Kelley and I bought a boat last year and, thus, my motorcycle passion went into hibernation.
A friend from church asked me one time, "Have you taken any great motorcycle trips since you retired?" I could only answer, "No, I haven't. I don't have anything to get away from anymore."
So I sold every bike but the Harley. No more Husqvarna FE450 because I fell on a rocky trail and broke two ribs. No more 2015 Honda XR650L because I needed the money. No more 2012 Goldwing because it served its purpose - I proved to myself that a Harley Davidson Ultra Classic Limited is the ultimate tall guy friendly big touring bike and Michael didn't have the time for long trips. No more 2015 KTM 1290 Adventure because, although it was my favorite bike for commuting around Houston, I'm retired and I don't commute anymore. All I had left is my Harley.
Side note: Back in 2010 I did an epic ride called the "Hoka Hey Challenge." It was a rally in that I had to follow a prescribed route. It was a challenge - we couldn't use a GPS, carry extra gas, or sleep indoors for the duration of the challenge. It was a ride from Key West, Florida, across the country to Arizona, back to South Dakota, and up to Fairbanks, Alaska, and finally finished in Homer, Alaska. It was grueling, incredible, and life changing. I found out last year that they are doing it again, following the same route, in August 2024. And they are inviting those who did it the first time back in 2010 to do it again.
Another side note: Last August I started filling in on Sundays for a church about 45 minutes from my house. I love it. I love the people. And I love that I ride my Harley whenever I go there. So I signed up for the 2024 Hoka Hey. It will happen in August.
Then, in early March, my son called me. "Hey Dad, let's spend a week riding around Big Bend National Park."
That's all it took. Now I need a bike for that. What shall it be?
My Honda XR650L came with me a few times to Big Bend. It was a little heavy for the sandy stuff but it worked out OK. But I don't have it anymore. I've always been interested in the Kawasaki KLR 650 but I've never ridden one and I think it would be even worse than the Honda for the four wheel drive roads in Big Bend. Michael rides a Yamaha WR250R - maybe I should get something like that.
So I started looking. Used Yamaha WR250R's are almost impossible to find. I couldn't find one. Honda has a line of bikes fairly close but I've always heard that the CRF250L's are pitifully underpowered and under sprung and the CRF300L's are pretty new so it is tough to find a new one let alone a used one. I saw several interesting bikes for sale but I was too late for all of them.
Whenever I buy a motorcycle it is a bit like a blank canvas. I am huge. It is hard to feel comfortable on a bike. I love motorcycling and I accept, even welcome, a measure of pain management when I ride. But I'm not interested in torture. SO it takes a bit to source, purchase, and install the basic things I need to do to a bike to make it rideable for me. I didn't have much time to get ready. So I bought a farm bike.
A 2020 Yamaha TW200. Small bike. Under powered and under sprung. Big fat tires. No fuel injection. Top speed of, maybe, 55 mph. BUT a proven bulletproof bike that will - slowly - go everywhere and do everything. So I bought it. Ordered a bunch of stuff to make it work. Installed it all myself. Now it is my perfect little trail bike and ready for our trip in April.
And now I find myself dreaming again of doing the TAT. Unfortunately, the TW isn't going to do it for me. I already changed everything on it that will make it work for me on trails. If I was going to do the TAT with it I would have to add things like an expensive seat, a luggage system, an after-market larger gas tank, and a windshield. All of which would still leave me riding nearly 8,000 miles at 50 mph.
So then I got what I believe will be just about the perfect bike for the TAT. A 2024 Honda CRF300L Rally. More on that later.
For now, I'm eagerly awaiting April 8th and our trip to Big Bend. Stay tuned.
