Where is Steve - My 2012 SPOT Track

Where was Steve - My 2011 SPOT Track

  My IBA Certified Rides
Jack Shoalmire Memorial Texas In-state SaddleSore 1000 October 15, 2011
SaddleSore 1000 from Houston TX to Port Charlotte FL August 18 2011
IBA Florida Gator 1000 March 10 2011
MTF Houston Regional SaddleSore 1000 June 11 2005

My Bikes - Current

2010 Concours 14 ABS

I bought my Concours on Feb 9 2011. My Gold Wing had been down with an electrical problem since December and I was going crazy not being able to hit the road. And I wanted a newer bike for my 2011 Big Ride.

2006 Suzuki SV-650

I bought her Jan 18 2008, the day I took my Wing in to get the transmisison repaired at Wild West Honda. I happened to park right next to the bike I'd been imagining - with dual headlights and bar end mirrors. Thru February 2011 I've put 6,800 miles on her.

My Bikes - Past

2005 GL1800

On May 3 2006, 17 months after I bought her, I rolled over 50K on the way home from work. On Jan 1 2008, after 37 months and 83K miles I blew 5th gear. Fortunately I had an extended warranty. At the end of June 2009, when I retired, I had 105K on it. Through February 2011 I've put 163K miles on it. In early December 2010, on a ride to Florida, I noticed my voltage fluctuating from 14 to 16 volts. I tried various fixes and finally took it to a dealer in mid-January 2011 telling them I believed the alternator was going bad. Unfortunately they couldn't reproduce the problem in the shop and couldn't see the problem on rides - which were in the daylight and they wouldn't believe the voltmeter. The district service manager and Honda's dealer service support line had never heard of the problem. After several more discussions they assigned the bike to another, older tech who immediately removed the alternator and tore into it. He found a stuck brush which had scored the rotor and a set of bearings that were all but worn out. With that info Honda authorized replacing the alternator under warranty. I got it back Feb 22 2011. By October it was obvious I wasn't riding her so I put her up for sale on a few boards. A trike dealer in Lamonte FL saw my add on GL1800Riders.com. Two days later I picked up his rider at IAH and after an exchange of cash and title he rode her out of the drive. I had her for 6 years 10 months 24 days and 162,487 miles. And if my wife rode with me I'd still have her. And if Honda had fixed the alternator when I took it in I still have her and would have been pushing 200K miles now.

1996 Honda Magna VF750C

I bought her in June 2005 to help me build my confidence. But a funny thing happened that October at The Dragon - my Wing and I bonded and I hardly rode the Magna after that. I rode her 4,000 miles in the four months before The Dragon; 1,200 miles in the six months after. My tech, Michael, bought her from me on May 3d 2006.

Ripley - A Yamaha VStar 1100 Classic

Ripley was my first bike. I bought her on April 24, 2003 and traded her for the Gold Wing on December 3 2004. I put 32K on her in 21 months.

Riding The Dragon