First off, you stole it for only $200. No matter what it costs to make it right. Your ride is testament to love of sport. I've ridden through most all of those conditions and while miserable when it happens, you'll have a story to tell for years. Do you realize you've put yourself among a rare group of people? Not us as a group but those who have RIDDEN. I forget who said it but the deal goes this way; For most a vacation starts when we get where we're going. For a rider, the vacation starts when we ride off... In your whole story I didn't hear any whining. Go to the head of the class. Back when I raced at Saturday night bullrings, a very astute driver friend once said that the people in the grandstand might be enjoying themselves but we're having all the fun. While most sit in front of the tube clasping a cold one, you have gotten out and lived. At my age most of my friends have gone on and they can no longer experience being wet and freezing. I mention this because even when you are feeling cold and wet, remember that because you can, you're alive. Live every moment. Oh yeah, the bike; you have a great one. We love them. When you've had enough ride for one day, it could go on forever. To get on a 25 year old motorcycle and ride so many miles is sign of trust in one's self and your mount. Most people wouldn't take a car that old farther than the corner store. Welcome to the group.
--- On Fri, 2/20/09, crosscountryhawker <[email protected]> wrote: From: crosscountryhawker <[email protected]> Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: displaced Southerner To: "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" <[email protected]> Date: Friday, February 20, 2009, 1:51 AM Hello, I'm new to the group. I couldn't find an intro thread so I thought I'd just jump in here. I got my 83 650SC the beginning of last summer for $200. A new battery, unsticking the front calipers and replacing the bent handlebars and I was riding again after nearly thirty years of abstinence. I found that everytime I went for a ride it got harder and harder to turn around and head for home. Finally, I decided to take a month long road trip, I left Sacramento on Sept 1. Now comes the weather part, it was 110 degrees the day I left. I rode over the Sierras into Nevada and thru the desert up into Oregon, sunblock doesn't work at 75mph. My face was so cooked, on morning two I bought a bandana and wore it like a bankrobber mask. The weather in Oregon and Idaho was perfect. I went over some mountain pass heading to Missoula and got frozen rained on, it stung like hell even through my bank robber mask. The only thing that kept me warm was my uncontrollable shivering. The next leg took me south to around Salt Lake City, another two day stretch of beautiful weather. Even heading east with Fort Collins Co in my sights the weather was perfect. Then I got to the foot of the rockies and it started raining. I rode over the rocky mountains in a freezing rain storm, the only scenery I saw was the inside of a bunch of clouds. Gorgeous weather through eastern Colorado and Nebraska, but there is a lot of cow poop in those two states. I got caught in a deluge towards the eastern edge of my journey, Kirksville Mo. It took me almost eight hours to go 95 miles. I had my rain suit on but the water coming off the Nighthawks front tire was splashing up onio my pant legs and running down into my brand new hiking boots. When I looked down at my feet I could see water running out of the shoe lace holes. I spent a few days visiting in Missouri then headed south and west the weather was really nice most of the way back, one monsoon in New Mexico and headwinds all the way through Oklahoma. The Nighthawk performed flawlessly for the entire trip, 6500 miles. It ran 4500-5500rpm eight to ten hours a day everyday. It's an amazing motorcycle. Thanks, Jay --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
