I started riding motorcycles around 1969. During those years I owned four great motorcycles. My first bike was a 1968 Honda CB-350. I didn't know it was too small for the open road so I toured the entire USA east of Oklahoma on it for 6 months, including two round trips from Oklahoma to New England. Gas was $1.00 a gallon. During this time the Kawasaki 500 2 stoke triple was introduced. I had to have one of course, although the also new Honda 750 would have been a better or at least more logical choice for my cross country journeys. But you can't use logic on a 19 year old. About 1971 I began working at the Triumph Dealer in OKC as a mechanic. Soon thereafter I bought a Rickman Triumph. That was best handling motorcycle I have ever owned, and was a great long distance machine as well. I drove it from Oklahoma to Maine twice, taking the long way up the Skyline Drive & the Appalachian Trail. After the Rickman I bought a Triumph 500 Daytona. Not quite as thrilling but nonetheless a fine machine. About the same time I began working at a Honda/Kawasaki dealer, also in OKC. A great leaning experience & great fun. About this time (1979)Honda had just come out with their 2nd generation of inline fours (double over head camshafts). When I wasn't thrashing those, I was riding a CBX (inline 6 !) every chance I had to do so. After a brief stint in motorcycle sales I began a career in advertising producing TV ads and as a production consultant.
Thirty years later, thanks to the great recession of 2009, I've retired from advertising and am back where I started. Working on motorcycles. The people are great, a welcome change actually, and I actually remember a few skills that have come in handy.
Z.
