Jeannie And Darcy: Riding Motorcycles... A Family Affair.

My dad got his first motorcycle circa 1953 when he was barely 12 years old, it was a BSA 250 (we are not quite sure if it was a B11 or a B33),he learned how to ride on cow trails in the family farm, the tradition of adventure, safety and long distance riding started. Over the years it would be very difficult to name and to count how many motorcycles my father has had, but the brands that come to mind spread all over the world from England to Italy, to Germany, to Japan and the US: BSA, Triumph, Norton, Matchless, Java, NSU, Zundapp, Vespa, Indian, Lambretta, BMW, Sears Puch, Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki. (And I am sure as my dad reads this he will remember brands I forgot to mention).

My mom did some riding on her own, she learned how to on a Honda CB 400A which was a 1980's automatic, great bikes, but mom never really got the taste for riding herself, but she loved to ride pillion with my dad, and together they have covered many thousands of miles. Kicking it old school with the Kawasaki LTD 750 4 air cooled.

My grandfather was also a rider, it is not very clear how many bikes he had, but we do know for sure that at one time he had a Italian Bianchi motorcycle as well as this 1934 Harley picture below, this is actually the only picture of my grandfather on a motorcycle. Check out the tag on top of the bumper, Darcy, his name my name its a family thing!

As I mentioned above it would be hard to name and also to picture all the motorcycles my father has had over the years, but for a while he was very busy at restoring them, some needed major work (like the Sears Puch pictured below) some needed small adjustments, sometimes tires and carb work was all it needed. He restored quite a few.

Here is a 1953 Sears Puch (Before)

And after:

Here are a few other honorable mentions: (I guess I am a little bias since these were my favorites) both Yamaha RD 400's two cycle "widow makers"

These days at 74, my dad enjoys short rides around his house, which happens to be just south of the North GA Mountains which is home to some beautiful roads. He said to me the other day "I started my riding days in a 250cc, I will end them in a 250cc" early this year he purchased a Suzuki GW 250 which is light weight for him, but at the same time packs a nice engine with plenty of power and torque for his fun rides!!. This was its maiden voyage up to the mountains Summer of 2015

We were very fortunate to ride this past summer up to the North GA Mountains and take this picture which shows 3 generations of riders, Dad on the left next to his GW 250, his son Franklin (my brother!) by his Yamaha Tenere and his grandaughter Samantha on her CB500X, 3 generations, I was happy to be the one taking this picture.

My brother Franklin started riding motorcycles at an early age, bikes that my dad owned, for a while he had a summer job at a Honda dealership where he learned quite a bit about the bikes of the time CB 400s, CB 750s, CB 350s. When my dad was restoring bikes my brother sparked interest and ended up restoring a 1974 Suzuki GT 750 Water Buffalo, unfortunately I don't have pictures of that bike but the picture below is a reference and not the actual bike he owned.

My brother went on to have two wonderful daughters and while raising them he took a hiatus from riding, and late last year after visiting the Barber Motorsports Vintage weekend, I think he got the bug again and soon purchase his Yamaha Super Tenere, his wife is enjoying our adventures while riding pillion and his daughter is now riding with us on her CB500x.

This year we spend a week riding the awesome roads of the Smoky Mountains.

I started my riding days when I was around 14 years old with a Mobylette 50V, also know as a Moby (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobylette) which is basically a two cycle moped with 40 miles per hour top speed. We used to ride from town where we lived out in the country where my dad had a farm. So my humble beginnings were on the dirt. Although the dirt is not my favorite place to be today. I also remember riding my dads CB 125 Honda once or twice, but wait!! I don't know if he knew that !! Ooopsss. Sorry dad!

These are not the actual bikes, just reference pictures.

CB125

Moby 50

I too had a pretty long hiatus from riding until around the time my dad started to restore bikes, and we would ride around on the bikes he was working on. I finally made a decision in late 2003 to purchase one of my dads bikes and this became my first personally owned motorcycle, a Yamaha 535 Virago.

By the end of 2004 I was hooked, and wanted to travel long distances and go places by motorcycle. So I decided it was time to upgrade, I found a home for my Virago and purchase my first BMW boxer twin the 2004 R 1200 RT Touring bike, and it was love at first sight. I have had lots of other bikes and brands since, but nothing gets me more excited than riding a boxer twin BMW, nothing!.It would take lots of room uploading pictures of all the bikes I have owned here, because like my dad there have been many, so here are some highlights.

2004 BMW R 1150 RT (My first BMW)

2007 BMW K 1200 LT

2007 Ducati GT 1000 Classic

2008 BMW K 1200 S

When I met Jeannie I did not own a motorcycle, there was 2 years where I did not have one but decided it was time to get back into, so I purchased a Honda Goldwing, this was the best and most comfortable bike I have had to date, and also a great place to introduce my new wife to riding, Jeannie loved our first few rides on the back of the Goldwing and soon was experiencing some long distance rides with me, together we have covered close to 50000 miles in the last 4 years.

Goldwing through the Dragon

This past summer Jeannie surprised me with the greatest birthday gift. The only american cruiser I would ever consider owning it, I do now a Victory Cross Country. I love this bike. I love my wife!!

Early this year, Jeannie came to me and said she want to register for the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course and learn how to ride herself, I thought it was a good decision because even if she had decided riding was not for her, she would understand what I do and become a better passenger, her instructor in the class called her a "Professional Passenger". Well Jeannie passed the course and decide she wanted to ride, I know that anything my wife puts her mind to it she can do it, in most cases better than me!! and so she put her mind to it and started to ride. We started slow in parking lots we spend most of the summer there until she was ready for her first foray into the busy streets. She has since ridden out of state into TN and NC and has ridden US 129 in GA and US 129 (The Dragon) in TN/NC her skills are improving with every ride. In 2016 we have a couple of long distance rides planned, and she will join us in the long distance motorcyclist club. I am proud of her.

Choosing a bike for her was hard, do you get something cheap that does not fit right is not safe and she will grow out of it in one season ?, do you get something that ends being too big?, too heavy and unnecessary?, or you meet in the middle. The F 700 GS will be a great bike for her for years to come.

This is her first long ride, out of state and into downtown Chattanooga, she did great very proud of her. Jeannie takes the experience in, she is calm and makes little mistakes.