I have always enjoyed motorbikes. The last one I had was when I was a new Christian back in 1978. I had a Yamaha XSB650, which I think was the model before the Special came out. During the time that I had that bike the new Yamaha XV750 came out and I took one for a test ride. I was totally impressed with the bike and since that time it's always been in the back of my mind that I would like one. As a Christian biker I find that a good ride is a perfect time to spend time with the Lord that is quite different from any other occasion.
MY SON'S BIKE
My son bought himself a motorbike recently. It is a 1989 Kawasaki ZXR250. Because he didn't have his bike licence at the time I had it stored in my shed. Naturally I took it for a ride from time to time just to make sure it didn't cease up. :)
Naturally this renewed my old desires for a bike and that desire just wouldn't go away.
SO I ASKED GOD
The desire for a Yamaha XV750 just seemed to grow and grow, so I said to God "If it's ok for me to have a motorbike can you please organise some finance." I didn't really expect anything to come of it, but it was either later that day, or the next day that I received a pre-approved loan in the mail. Wow!
It was just a matter of time before I found the right bike. It is a 1986 Yamaha XV750. It had been deregistered for some years, so I would need to get it re-registered, which meant new plates.
THE NUMBER PLATE
I don't know why, but number plates have always interested me. I decided that I would like the numbers 3 and 7 on the plate, both being numbers of God, but didn't really decide on the letters. Imagine my surprise and delight when the numberplate was handed over and I read 37WSH. So I guess you could say I got my wish!
Even though it's old, the bike is a delight to ride and I enjoy it very much. It needs a little tidying up, but I will tend to that as time goes on.
As it was when I bought it
After a repaint, original bars put back on and some other fixups.
Note the numberplate.. 37WSH
Out with the old and in with the new.
My XV750 needed some money spent on it. It had the typical XV750 starter problem, leaky mufflers and a few other bits and pieces that needed sorting out. I decided that rather than spend the money on the old bike I'd rather buy a newer one. So I prayed about it and had peace about borrowing $4,000 off the bank for a replacement.
After a lot of shopping around (especially on www.TradeMe.co.nz) I came to realise that $4,000 just wasn't going to cut it. There was nothing around that I was satisfied with for that money. I was disappointed and didn't know what to do next, so back to asking the Lord for some guidance and advice.
The Plan
During the night I woke and had this thought that if I used $3,000 of the $4,000 that I had to pay off some other bits and pieces, then I would be a ble to afford to buy a more expensive bike. My reaction was "No, that would never work!" But the thought wouldn't go away and I struggled with the concept until I woke up in the morning and checked it out on a spreadsheet. I have all of my finances mapped out on a spreadsheet, so it was a small task to alter a few bits here and there and check out the feasability.
Wow!
I discovered that by doing what the Lord showed me I could afford to pay off a more expensive bike and be better off each month with the money left over!
The New bike
I have just bought this 1992 Yamaha Virago XV1100 (18 April 06). It's a dream to ride with plenty of power just waiting to be used.
The ride
I recently got invited by a friend of mine to go on a ride with some guys from Palmerston North. I thought yep, sounds cool so I accepted the invite. I kinda had this feeling that it wasn't going to be all that I expected, but I needed to go.
Apprehension
My friend (who rides a 1300cc Suzuki sports bike) and I headed off to Palmy to meet up with the rest of the guys. My first feeling of apprehension came when I noticed that my bike was the only cruiser. The 2nd feeling of apprehension came when i noticed that they were all wearing well worn full leathers. These guys were experienced hard out sports bike riders. Otherwise known as adrenaline junkies!
Off we go
Oh well, I was there and thought I might as well tag along. We travelled about 360 kms of windy backroads. The pace was fast and the sound and feel of my footpegs scrapping around the corners indicated to me that I couldn't really go too much faster around them. I was 2nd to last on the trip, not keeping up at all.
Cruising
The reason I bought a cruiser is because I enjoy the relaxation of cruising. It's not about speed or competition, just relaxation and enjoyment.
The Triumph
Sally and I went to Palmerston North on the bike not long ago. As we pulled into the bike park at the back of the Plaza another bike pulled in alongside us. Honestly, it made my 1100 look like a scooter! It was a shiney new Triumph Rocket 3. All 2300 cc of it! What an awesome looking bike! I had the chance to ride on on a recent visit to Hamilton. What an amazing bike to ride! Very nicely balanced with excellent handling and performance, as you would expect from a 2.3 litre motor!
Ben's new bike.. a 2000 Yamaha R1 (1,000cc)
This pic was taken at an open day on Manfeild racetrack, 4 March 2007
Another answer to prayer and another new bike.
As much as I enjoyed the Virago, there was a problem in that my wife found the pillion seat uncomfortable. So the search began for a better option. This was important because Sally and I often go out on the bike together and I wanted it to be just as enjoyable for her as it was for me. I tried out many new bikes and eventually settled on the Yamaha XJR1300. This bike had style, handled well and had a ton of power. More importantly :) the pillion seat passed the wife test.
The next issue was price. Anything worth considering was $11 - $13,000, which was abit out of my price range. Through a series of events I came across this bike (pictured below) which was within my price range. A real answer to prayer. It is a 2004 Yamaha XJR1300 with only 22,000 km on the clock.
Sally and I rode the Virago to Taupo (275km) on Friday 30th March 07 after work and then travelled on to Auckland on Saturday, a further 280 km. Once we had exchanged bikes we rode straight back to Levin. We encountered a lot of rain on the way up, and it only rained for the last 40 km of the ride home.
The bike is brilliant, although I'm still adapting to the difference in riding style. Having the shocks adjusted to my weight made a huge difference to the handling.
Well, after a couple of months I decided that this bike just wasn't me. It was too easy to go way too fast and the ride wasn't as enjoyable for me as the cruiser style, so it was shopping time again.
Shopping..
I searched bike shops, the internet and everywhere else I could find, trying to find the perfect bike. A lot of the new Jap cruisers were bigger than I wanted and none seemed to fit what I was looking for. Then I had a closer look at the Triumphs. With an engine size of around 800cc I thought it a bit small, but decided to have a look at them anyway. I enjoyed the riding style and the power was ample for cruising, so it was just a matter of which one and what specs.
The Shopping List
I decided on either the America or the Speedmaster. There wasn't a lot of difference. The Speedmaster had a 865cc engine as opposed to the America's 790cc. Also, the Speedmaster had a tachometre which was something I wanted. Whichever bike I chose had to have a comfortable seat and sissy bar for Sally, and also a pack rack or similar. I didn't like the standard pipes on either bike, so that was another consideration.
I wasn't really able to find the ideal bike in a bike shop that was affordable, so it was back to TradeMe. I found what looked to be the ideal bike, so it was off to Auckland again. I had my birthday off from work and flew up at 7am. I was met by a friend up there and we went to check out the bike.
It had everything I wanted. Even though it was the America, it had a tacho. It had after market pipes which sound absolutely choice, a comfy pillion seat, sissy bar, pack rack and saddlebags, and it was cheap!
Here's the latest, as from 23 May 07
2004 Triumph Bonneville America.
 The bike came complete with sissy bar, saddle bags, tacho, rubber tank guards, after market pipes and a screen (which never gets used). |
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 I picked up the little analogue clock on TradeMe. It was a steal! |
 I added the Triumph badge on the back of the sissy bar. A nice touch, I thought. |
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We went down the coast together and then parted company at Cromwell. |
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One of my favourite rides can be found here. It embraces some open roads with a good mix of the windy hills. I find the Triumph America ideal for this ride as it handles so well and has ample power for a cruiser.
I am amazed at how God delivers. Once again I have exactly what I asked for. I am stoked with this bike. It is a dream to ride and a real head turner. Thank you Lord for blessing me once again.
28 August 2009
What? Another bike? I was so impressed with the Triumph I previously owned, that it just had to be another Triumph!
Yep, but hey, I checked it out with the Lord first! His comment, this bike is a bit like a two edged sword. Yes, I will get the pleasure of riding it, but it will also be used to open doors for ministry. How? I don't know yet, but I know our Lord well enough to know that I will soon find out.
So.. the new bike. A 2010 Triumph Thunderbird. Took it for a spin today and was totally impressed with the power and the handling. The bike boasts 85hp, or 146.1 Nm @ 2,750 rpm. With a six speed box.. a very nice six speed box I might add, there is a smooth transition through the gears right through to overdrive (6th). Even in overdrive there isn't the need to chop down to pass. This bike just powers away. The 1600cc motor just purrs along at 2500 rpm at 100km. The handling is so good that the bike almost steers itself through the bends. I took it around the bays in Wellington before cruising the motorway to Picton and was equally impressed with both rides. All in all, a very smart looking machine that delivers in all aspects.
This pic was gleaned from www.motorcycle.com but I will put pics of my bike up soon.
The bike was bought from Motorad, Wellington New Zealand and I can't speak highly enough of them for sales, parts and service!
This is an avatar I concocted to use on MSN,
Kiwibiker,
and in a chatroom I visit from time to time.
Thanks for visiting - Oxy