Tell me about your self!!

[Rick G]

Its been kind of interesting , discovering the skill, talents  and field that people ,on the forum work in . I think it would be great if anyone who wanted to gave us a little run down on what they do and anything else they want to share with us ,about them selves.
I'll start it off.
 I was born in Montreal, Canada . But grew up in Niagara falls, Ontartio. My family immagrated to the US  in 1958. so much for ancient history.
I started my working career as a bicycle mechanic,  but soon moved over to Motorcycles. I worked in the trade for  20 years,  evenually serving a service manager  in severl Southern California shops.before going to school to learn Heating and Air conditioning. I  went back into Motorcycle repair  2 years ago , working on many of the same bikes  i worked on before , only now there old clunks , not the latest thing.  
I am married and have 2 kids ( 32  and 38)  and my wife has 2 (28 and 34 )
 We live in Stayton Oregon, Pop. 7000,  and I really enjoy  riding in the Cascade Mountains  which are at our back door.

[Bo]

Hi
my real name is Laurent, I'm born in Paris, France (1981), and I'm studying in the University of Oklahoma on a master in Chemical Engineering. My father ride a motorcycle for more than 30 years and "gave me the virus". I've mainly been a passenger (he has a BMW 1100RT).
I'm single, and live on campus.

[Blake]

guess ill be next on this little bit.


Father was in airforce.. so... born in Warner robins Ga, then proceeded to..michigan, florida, mississippi, las vegas, colorado, Verona Italy, then virginia(DC area).  got my first bike at around age 8..a 1978 yamaha gt80 dirtbike.. immediately started tearing the engine apart.. and tinkering..  onec i moved back to italy started up with the bike again... my dad bought his mid life crisis bike (98 yamaha v-star, now mine) in 98, and then very soon after i picked up my vision for 100 bucks from one of his friends (had a melted connector out of the TCI..i wasnt even old enough to have a license yet)..  anyway..  joined this forum in late 99 (still have the original e-mail sent to Ron asking how to join..hehe)...i've been through the bike left and right all through highschool... learned it inside and out...and then some...as you all can probably tell from my "crazy" ideas...


and now..

I'm studying Engineering (bachelor in Aerospace, master in Mechanical..why not make use of my crazy ideas for the vision) at VA Tech down in blacksburg va where im currently at. 19 (sometimes seems like its a lot older), not married, no kids, but hey..if any of you older guys here have any daughters...hehehe...what better person then a fellow visionary ;D :)...


thats my story.. and im sticking to it

-Blake

[Walt_M.]

I was born in southern Ohio in 1948, was raised there. Drafted into the Army in 1968 where I was trained to repair obsolete helicopters, CH34 Sikorsky. Maybe that's why I still have my Vision.
Anyway, after completing my tour, in Germany, returned to Ohio in 1970 and got a job with an electric utility and trained as an electrical relay technician. In 1982, on the advice of a friend, I moved to Florida, same line of work, better climate.
I got my first motorcycle in 1971, a Yamaha RT1B. I've had several more, mostly dirt bikes-motocrossers. First street bike was a '73 TX500 which was ok but I got an RD400 in '76. Got my '83 Vision the year after I moved to Florida. I got an '85 FZ750 but, to keep my life and my driver's license, sold it.
I've been spending a lot of my spare time fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and only recently started thinking about the old Vision out in the garage. I've still kept up with dirt bikes, have a '98 WR400 converted mostly to YZ specs. It has an '02 front end and '03 exhaust cam(has the auto compression release).
I'm married, my wife has a daughter and we have 2 granddaughters.

[kiawrench]

well,, if everyone is going to write , i may as well.
 a, 44 now, spent majority of my youth bouncing from army post to army post. liked it so much ,i left for basic training the same day i graduated high school, spent 16 yrs in us army, did a little traveling and the rest is better left unsaid .
       i was in a car wreck a few years back, sort of got new look at the world. 16 yr old girl in a brand new mustang decided her lane was --- all of them. she lost control of car on dry road while talking on the phone. hit me head on. i got several bones in neck cracked, broken pelvis and 3 steel plates in my head to thank her for , if i ever see her again .
       after two years of being told i wan't going to be able to go back to work , i changed careers, got a degree and just went to work a different way . big change working on cars after dealing with explosives all my life .
  bought a vision from a guy on a rainy night in a wal mart parking lot, paid him ,joined the room , and not a day goes by i dont tear something off of it and clean it , or replace it . i am not a very patient person, but i really try. If i try something and it doesnt seem right , i will rip it down , start over .  i am still trying to figure paypal out,they have a few things there that dont make a lot of sense ,so if we make a deal; and use pay pal, bear with it , money gets there , just took me a while to figure out that i didnt have to transfer money from my account to paypal first. now i just have to figure out how to get the surplus funds back, so i can spend them on my vision. lol

[Sable]

     Well, my family is all from the Scranton, Pa. area, I however, was born in Northern New Jersey in 1975... Moved to New Hampshire in 1978 and raised to be a Yankees, Devils and Steelers fan. Was sent to a private catholic high school and was told I could not get a motorcycle until I lived "under my own roof". I spent 2 years in college to get a Criminal Justice associates degree, then joined the Air National Guard to use them to pay for my bachelors degree in Human Services.
     In 1996 (age 21) I moved into my own place, the first think I bought was a Kawasaki H-1. After miserable experiences with that bike, I junked it (had I known about E-Bay back then >:()
     In early September 2001, I was driving to my apartment and saw an odd looking Yamaha motorcycle for sale. After taking a quick digital picture, I found this site and did some research. A month later, the bike was still for sale, guy asking $450 or best reasonable offer. I went over and was not going to buy it unless it ran and I could ride it home. On October 2nd, 2001, I purcased my Vision for $225.00. I could not drive it home because of no clutch cable, but man did it run nice. Two days later, I was activated for the Air National Guard and was sent to Washington DC and other locations for almost two years.
     I recently just got off my active duty orders for the military and want to get the Vision back to working order. Right now, it has been sitting in a barn for the better part of 2 years.
     Oh, by the way, I'm a cop in a small (less than 6,000 resident) New England town. I am not married and have no kids that I know about ;D

[Brian Moffet]

Born in 1963 in Yokosuka Japan, Navy kid. ?Apparently almost didn't get into the US because the small pox wouldn't take (apparently I inherited immunity from my mother..) when I was 2 months old.

Was the nerd at school, but also a son of an amateur auto racer (Sunbeam Tiger to be exact). ?Starting riding a motorcycle in college after I wrecked a Triumph Spitfire. ?Bought the Vision for its look and ride in 1986 brand new from the dealer. ?Still own and ride it some 17 years later.

I now do digital media work at the local university, but I've been a physics lab technician repairing electronics equipment (mostly analog stuff, lasers etc..), computer programmer in a variety of fields, computer and network security consultant, systems performance alanysis, etc... ?This is, of course, in line with my degree in mathematics/physics :-)

I'm also a pilot (acrobatic when I can afford it), photographer, play clarinet moderately well, guitar badly... ?Too many hobbies to concentrate on any one 100 percent...

Brian

[h2olawyer]

Born in Colorado Springs in 1960.  Moved to Steamboat Springs in 1964.  Numerous jobs there: service stations, heavy equipment (coal mining) & semi truck tires, ski lift operator, summer ski slope maintenance, oak furniture mill and ski shop management.  Spent weekends in the Winter of 1999 - 2000 as a ski instructor as well.

Earned an Associate of Applied Science in Marketing & Management - Ski Business (Yes, Really! - my diploma says so) from Colorado Mountain College in 1984.  Moved to Fort Collins in 1987 and graduated from Colorado State in 1990 with a degree in Political Science.  In the fall of 1991, went to California Western School of Law in San Diego.

Moved back to Fort Collins and passed the Colorado Bar Exam in February of 1995.  I've had my own law practice here since then.  Mostly do transactional work and document drafting. Never married and no kids so I still live a recration oriented lifestyle.

First motorcycle was a 1980 Kawasaki KDX 175.  Bought it new and spent the next couple of years riding it and learning how to maintain it properly.  In 1984, found my silver '82 Vision sitting on the dealer's floor with 12 miles on it.  Sold the KDX and bought the V for $1399.

Always maintained my own vehicles.  Rebuilt several VW engines and a few domestic V-8s, including a diesel from a late '80s Ford pickup.  Even successfully rebuilt a TH400 automatic tranny once - never again- good education but the ATF gets everywhere and that unpleasant burned ATF smell is hard to get rid of.  Also spent time on a couple of friend's ranches rebuilding and restoring various tractors and haying equipment and fabricating tools and things - great place to learn to weld!

[yamy]

 :D I'll chime in, we all like to talk about ourselves...hehe  ::)

Born 1964 in NE Ohio, been here ever since (though I have traveled quite a bit). First ride was a 1970's Hodaka Combat Wombat, cut my teeth on this and an SL125 Honda riding in the woods and trails. Favorite color is blue, like to speak in parenthesis, and I am a self diagnosed obsessive compulsive.

Moved on to motocross, did this all through the eighties, traveled constantly racing in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia. New bikes each year (too many to mention). Honda CR's, Yamaha YZ's, and finished up on a Kawasaki KX500 (was AMA state champion 1990), qualified for Loretta Lynns amateur nationals (but got my butt kicked down there).

Amidst all that, started working from HS (1983 grad) at a multi-line mega motorcycle dealership in the Cleveland area, managing the parts department. Am now lead engineer at a well known aftermarket piston manufactuer. Work with many race teams in NASCAR, Pro-Stock, and all forms of motorcycle racing (MX, dirt track, road racing, etc.).  

Retired from MX after 1990, met my wife. Kept riding and racing occasionally after that, and am now into trials riding, which is a major rush and a challenge. Own a 2002 Sherco 2.9, and bought the Vision due to I wanted one when they came out in 1982 (but I was too busy spending time and money on MX). I then set about making it totally custom, see the gallery for Dave S's custom Vision (the yellow one). Love to tinker and fabricate, the family business is tool and die, so I like to spend time cranking a Bridgeport when I can.

Two kids, both boys, and the oldest rides already. The younger boy will be a madman, probably be doing backflips on TV someday  8) 8) 8)

[GAJim]

born in Beeville, TX 1969. navy brat Dad left the navy and moved to Harrison, AR, where I teethed on knobby tires at his Yamaha/Suzuki dealership.  Started riding at four started motocrossing at 5.  Dad got tired of the business aspect of motorcycle dealership as I was teenager and he retired I tooled around on a 81/82 920 Virago reminds me alot of the vision.  I went into the Air Force after High school where I spent 9 years traversing the globe.  Now I work for Philips Medical Systems and perform customer support for hardware and software.  I bought my 82 vision in 1989 in Sacremento, CA,  worst mistake I made was leaving it in storage for 6 years, it was almost distroyed when a snow storm crumpling the roof. so have spent the last 2-3 years restoring.  I live on the Georgia/Florida line so good weather for the most part year round.  Travel too mmuch on business but when time permits I am always messing with the vision.   Was hooked on it when I asaw the first 83 roll on the showroom floor as a 15 year old kid.

[CH3NO2]

My real name is Al. Born in Princeton, Massachusetts 1967. Lived there till I was 10 daydreaming about minibikes. No way was Mom allowing that! Moved to Fitchburg Mass. and bought a minibike frame for $5. Parents didn't care cause they thought I would never get it running. Dad comes home the next day and I'm riding it around the yard pieced together with parts scrounged from friends. Went to school for electronics and worked troubleshooting fire alarms and radar detectors for a few years. Then I went to work for a local automotive machine shop (I was 20 and still knew everything). I eventually bought the shop, moved it and ran it for 4 years building mostly drag racing engines (cars not bikes). The engines were sucessful, my engines still hold 2 national records, but I never made much profit. Closed the shop 2 years ago and I am now running the parts warehouse I used to buy my engine parts from. I still keep my hand in racing. I crew on an IHRA Topfuel dragster for a guy named Grant Flowers. My forum name "CH3NO2" is the chemical name for nitromethane. We finished 4th in IHRA this year. I bought my Vision in 1988. It had 2600 miles on it. The previous owner had spent $800.00 on the electrical system the year before I bought it. I rode it for 2 years and then it sat untill this year, sidelined by other projects. Now that she is running again I'm sorry I missed all those years of riding while she sat. I won't make that mistake again.

Thanks
Al

[Lucky]

Ok, born in Framingham Mass in Nov of 1963, grew up in RI, moved to Hollywood Florida in 82, began working at a Ford/LM dealersip while attending FSU, & later got my degree in business admin, but continued working for Ford for nearly 15 years.

I was born 'Peter', but became "Lucky" in 1985 when a small plane decieded to land in the bedroom of my apartment, I was asleep on the couch at the time, the pilot & I walked out without a scratch, & no one has called me 'Peter' since...  (probably one of you guys with a stator failure, lol)

Met and married my wife there, & we had our 2 boys.  We then decieded to move back to RI after Hurricane Andrew devistated everything south of us, and life became unpleasent.

My wife & I now own a small business, it keeps things interesting.

I've been interested in bikes a long time, but really only bought $100 bikes to fix, ride & toss, untill I saw my first Vision, sitting at the end of a driveway with a sign on it $100 OBO.  It had been sitting outside 9 years, abandoned by the guys son-in-law, unprotected. I fell in love, & well, here we are...

[RobTx]

Born in '60, seventh generation Texan, lived most of my life in Houston but now live in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.  I dropped out of college and played in the punk/noise/industrial band Culturecide.  It was pretty fun, got to play all over the US and some in the Netherlands and Belgium.  Worked as a mechanic for 8 years doing maintainence on a fleet of trucks for an A/C company.  Been working in restaurants since then.  Studying electronics in school right now.  Not sure what I want to be when (if) I grow up.  Married to a wonderful woman who has her own motorcycle (XS650).  I have no kids of my own, but 2 step kids 18 and 20, both live on their own so it's just me and the wife.  This is my second Vision and the latest in a long line of bikes.  Started riding on an old Honda 90 when I was 12, then a Honda CB100 road bike, got my motorcycle license at 15, then a Suzuki GT380, RD400, Honda 400 Hawk, 1st Vision, GPz550, GS550E, and now my second Vision.  After reading this sight, this one runs a whole lot better than the first one, which suffered from stumble, not charging and leaking oil from the left cover.  This one doesn't do any of those things.

[tryder]

Born in Portland, OR 1973. Moved around all over the country but unlike most of you was not in any way associated with military. Lived in Portland, Vancouver WA, Moraga & Walnut Creek CA, Richmond VA, among other locales. Spent my 1st 2 yrs in college at Savannah College of Art & Desgin in GA as an architecture major. I then decided I couldn't stand spending that much time inside at a desk so moved back to VA & got my BS (ya know what it stands for?) in Recreation & Park Mgmt. at VCU. I then worked as a screen printer, claims examiner, hardware store clerk, and bartender until landing a seasonal job with the Forest Service at the Gifford Pinchot NF in southern WA. Summers I work the front desk at the ranger station and spend my free time hiking, fishing, mtn biking, motorcycling, & replacing the stator on my V (just kidding). Winters I've been working as a winter ranger doing ski & snowmobile patrol on Mt. Adams & surrounding areas. I've been continually torn over keeping or ditching my V. I love the bike  ;D (mainly when it's running) and I'm sure I couldn't find anything better for the money but unlike most of you I don't have a mechanics background or an engineering degree so keeping the thing running can be more  ??? than I can give (although really hasn't been yet). Hence all my reliance on the great advice from ROV. That's my bio....

And Blake.....GO HOKIES!!!

[Silver_Bullet]

Here's mine.  Born May, 1959 in Crowley, Louisiana.  Got a Associate of Science and Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from L.S.U. (Go Tigers!).  Did a bit of drag racing with the local Goodyear Dealer as sponsor to fund college. Became a cop with local P.D. and moved to current P.D. in Opelousas, LA.  Bought first Vision new in 1984, traded in 1982 400 Seca.  Kept Vision until birth of daughter in 1995.  Found the current machine in Dallas TX (Bought the day Earnhardt died), and after riding it for a year, began resto.  Thing ain't run right since ;D.  Haven't had time lately, as my job has been Director of Training, which keeps me busy since 9/11.  Just returned from Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA training troops on counter-terrorism tactics.  They liked us so much, they want us back in December.  More vacation time gone :'(.  Am married now for 15 years, have stepson (24 yrs. old) and daughter (8 yrs. old) and granddaughter (3 yrs. old).  Looking forward to retirement in less than four years.  Might have bike running correctly by then ::).  Seriously, despite a better than average mechanical ability, the guys at this website have been a tremendous help, am trying to get the site recognized by Cycle World.  It's the least that you all deserve.

Mark

[RussD]

Keep meaning to add to this as well, but keep forgetting..... ? ::)

Born & raised in northwestern Ohio, early 30's. Been in banking, insurance & investments for the last 8 years or so......though currently in between jobs. I also have no affiliation with the military either, other than grandpa's who served in "the Big One" and a friend who's currently in the Navy for 10 years now. Couple of uncles who were in Vietnam.

Was basically raised on the back of a bike (and sometimes sidecar). Dad's first bike was a used 1976 Honda 750 four.....red with a white Vetter fairing. He loved it, though mom refused to even look at it for the longest time (boy did that ever change though)! Never gave him a lick of trouble as I recall. One of his buddies then went out and bought a mid sized Yamaha. Next thing you know, one of his other buddies has a full dressed Harley, he starts bringing over one of his friends with same, etc., etc. Group just kept getting bigger. Seemed like every weekend we had at least half a dozen bikes in front yard, staging to go on a ride somewhere, all started by dad or one of his friends making a phone call. As an only child, I remember always getting excited with all the activity.

Few years later, dad sold that bike and bought a brand new 1980 Suzuki GS1000G with the full Vetter tour package. He loved that bike as well......water cooled, shaft drive, fast!! Shortly thereafter, him, mom & the group took off for Missouri. We also went down to Smokey Mountains for Easter.....I rode on his 2 buddie's bikes. Kept falling asleep on back as we left on a Friday night & rode all night long, so they put a sleeping bag on each side of me, and duct taped me to the travel trunk, as they were having a hard time balancing the bike with me flopping all over the place in my sleep, and so I wouldn't fall off!! ?;D

Later, he & a couple of his buddies started planning a 2 week trip to California. Originally was supposed to just be he & mom again, but mom didn't want to leave me at home that long, so she gave up her kitchen remodeling money to buy sidecar for bike. The group took a "short" weekend trip somewhere WAY up in Canada to try out the sidecar. All I remember is that it was pouring most of the weekend, and everyone kept giving me grief because the sidecar had a convertible canopy top, & dad had rigged up a speaker for me from the stereo, so I had tunes & was nice & dry!! ? :)

Trip was planned for mid September (right after school/5th grade started ?;D) so we took a northerly route out there, hoping to miss the snow in some of those states. Got to see Mt. Rushmore, Badlands, Boystown (no....they didn't leave me there! ? :D), Wall Drug, but missed Old Faithful, as Yellowstone was already snowed in and only letting 4x4's or chains through. Dropped down & got to hang out at Circus Circus & see the Hoover Dam, Bryce Canyon & the Grand Canyon. Running joke on this trip was that they spent all this money on the sidecar, and I had my nose in a book the whole trip....in fact, leaned out too far past my windshield in the Mojave' Desert, and my book blew right out of my hands. Dad had to turn around & go get it (though I'm sure he would've rather just left it ?::)) and patch up the binding with the handyman's best friend......duct tape!! ?Still have that book!

Anyway......shot across the Mojave into Needles, CA, and turned around & started heading back. Bike broke down somewhere in Texas desert......blew a piston as I recall, so we ended up Greyhounding it home. Was really looking forward to seeing the Arch of St. Louis, but only saw it through the bus window. Longest 48 hrs. of my life on that bus (at least it was at that time)! ?

After that trip, dad got a used '82 Goldwing. Was a nice looking bike, and I think he got a good deal on it, but he always liked his Suzy better. Said it was quicker, and handled better. Plus the Vetter stuff was removable, like suitcases. He said the Wing was a nice bike, but a little too big & cumbersome for his liking.

I've been wanting to get a bike of my own for most of my adult life & recreate some of those memories as a grown up, but had 3 kids instead, so money was needed elsewhere. Also, my friends all kinda went their own way after high school/college, and wife and I moved about an hour south, so don't have the big group of friends like dad used to anyways, and only one of them has a bike. Wife wanted a new house, & wouldn't let me get bike 'til she got a house. So we made a deal......She get's a house, then I get to get a motorcycle without hearing anymore guff about it.

It's been 4 years since we got our house. Bought the Vision summer of 2001. It's ironic, 'cause I actually rode it 5 years before I bought it. Friend I used to work with rode it to work sometimes, and I begged her the one day to let me take it for a spin around the parking lot, even though I had virtually no riding experience. 5 years later she was selling it for $500, and he we are! I'm sure I've had more problems with mine in 2 years of ownership then dad did in 20+, but when she's actually running, I'm glad I've got her! ? ?::)

[Canadian_Daniel]

well, relative to all other members of this forum I am far younger. I was born in Toronto, Canada in 1987, so I am only sixteen years old and just bought my Vision off of E-Bay for $540 dollars, Can. Haven't really done much work on it yet, bought some mufflers off of Lucky (thnx). But once springs rolls around then I will be off to the races... oh yeah, I have lived in most of Ontario and just moved back from Dijon, France. But I will always be Canadian. 8)

[Paul_Jungnitsch]

Well I'm from northern Alberta originally, where I grew up on a farm. After graduating from agricultural college I spent five years working at a variety of jobs and travelling as much as I could. A full time job doing agricultural research where I could still travel came up and that's what I did until the time came to go back to school, where I am at present.

Proud owner of an '82 Vision, which has lasted for me since '87 and hopefully will last some time more! One of my summer trips I've put up here:
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/mytravels/motorcycle1.html

[fiddlesticks]

I guess I'll jump in here. I was born in Toronto Canada where Iv lived all my life. Have been working in the automotive industry for 5 or 6 years. Which is where I met my husband. We bought our first V off a guy I worked with because the price was not too bad and I knew that even though the bike was really rough looking at the time a little tlc would clean her up real nice. I just love the styling of the bike. It was way ahead of its time back when it was released. We then bought our second V as a parts bike. I cant believe how many bike parts we have now acuumulated. Our basement has probably got more V stock than our local yammy dealer. lol
In addition to riding the V I enjoy practicing martial arts, keeping aquarium fish, reading, and music. But mostly I spend my time hanging with my wonderful hubby and our dogs, which happen to be the cutest German Shepherds this side of the milkey way.
 ;D
Fiddlesticks

[silicon_toad2000]

damn this is long, why not add another drop to the ocean.
I was born in sydney australia, we moved to adelaide australia when i was three. I have been interested in mechanics since i was a little tacker, people were always bringing their cars around to my old man to fix (he was a farm boy who moved to the city and knew how things worked, a lot of city people don't have a clue).
When I was 12 I sat down and read the Readers Digest book of the car from cover to cover occasionally wandering out to the old mans mini to see a bit more detail than the pictures in the book showed. (wished he had a book of the motorbike too).
Now I'm 28, people bring their cars to me. If the money wasn't so bad I'd be a mechanic. Im actually an accountant. I had a flair for maths and did well in economics so i got myself a commerce degree.
First bike was a honda cbx 250, single cylinder. I fried the tci jump starting it off a car and sold it for 100bucks before i knew what I had done wrong.
bought the vision as the next step up, i rode a few 500cc ish bikes and was pleased with the performance of the vision. I paid $1800 for it which seems a lot compared to what you guys pay, but it was comparable to other bikes of a similar age and size over here.