Okay boys and girls. I just celebrated my 48th birthday. Which means I'm old enough to be the father of some of you youths!
I pulled into my garage the other night after a birthday celebration and looked at my beautiful hayabusa and couldn't believe it. I'm 48 years old and driving a bike that goes nearly 200 mph and is driven usually by folks 20 years younger than I and goes from zero to 60 in 2.4 seconds.
My reflexes have slowed but are still lightning fast from kickboxing for many years. My muscles are not as strong as they were but after two years and 13,000 miles (8000 of them in the last 6 months!!), I can say I'm finally comfortable on my busa.
My question to the wise (and perhaps older) folks of this board is.....at what point does one have to seriously consider that he's too old to drive the mighty busa? I've seen lots of 60 and 70 year olds on Harleys and Goldwings but monkeys will fly out of my ass before I ride a Harley and I don't think my soul would sit well with a Gold Wing. I guess I am asking, how many more years do I have on this freaking rocket???
Let me tell ya all a story
at Suzuki Of Cincinnati we had a customer I myself sold him over 100 motorcycles
His name was Raymond Kirtley
when he died he had 12 brand new Suzuki's
one he had just bought but was able to put 1150 miles on it in three days, folks he was 93 years old . The Day he bought the GSXR1100 Mr Suzuki himself was at the dealership
he congratulated Ray on his purchase, Ray was so proud to have met the Man as he said Of Mr. Suzuki
Ray also had a GSXR750 and several other katana's and the thing about Ray I asked him one Day Ray why buy so many bikes he goes Lannis your a good kid , but I have only a couple of nephews left he had oulived all the rest anyway he said they want nothing but my money, well they hate motorcycles and when I die I'm going to give them my Suzuki collection. This guy rode in both world wars as a messanger
in WW 1 he was the personal messenger for general perhsing
retired from post office and the rail road told me stories of snicking into the springfield mile he goes they raced that race on boards and would grin so big telling of getting to see that race , he couldn't pay to get in see he was black
not allowed, Ray was a super guy and he always paid cash
never ever bought a criuser. Im 45 now and remember my talks with Ray in fact I cherish all the stories and the rides together he'd say Lannie do one of them wheelies for me, he'd say you sure can ride I miss Ray but he got to do what he loved till ninty three
plus put it to the ones trying to take him for his cash he spent almost all of it with me and my dad Gentleman Jim
In fact we bought the casket and plot over five hundred from cincinnati area came to funeral not one of his family was there
so big guy keep on keeping on
like the post before your just getting started
Lannie Settles