Born again bike-hider…
I am a ‘born-again’ born-again biker: twice! My first jaunt was in the late 1970s to early 1980s on my first form of ‘freedom transport’, an AP50: definitely faster than Fizzies! This was followed by a 1972 CB250 that had dropped ’bars and was home sprayed black! Cars and girls interrupted until the mid-1990s, when I was born again with a quick DT125 and then I leapt straight onto a VFR750 Mk.1. This was followed with a Ducati El Paso, a ZZ-R1000 before back to a VFR Mk.2 for a good few years. Kids and a ‘think of the children’ moaning partner made me sell it. Then two years ago I was born again, born again, but my partner didn’t know. I started with a purchase of my dream bike. I loved the tech, of a GTS1000 that popped up for sale, followed by an immaculate VFR750 Mk 2 (again). But then I wanted to be James Bond, so a BMW R1200C got squirreled away, followed by a CBR1000F that was such a bargain I couldn’t say no, but it was a little rough. Finally a completely restored GTS surfaced and I couldn’t say no. All these are hidden away with the assistance of my local small independent motorcycle garage who stores them away until play time. When I became ‘born again born again’, I went to my magazine of choice to find it was irrelevant to me. I tried a few others and then I found YOU! It’s like a guilty pleasure when it drops though the door each month. Pages and pages of bikes that I always think: ‘I’d love one of those,’ and mechanical tips that I know I will never use but I am fascinated and so impressed with those that can. Please don’t ever go further back than 1970 and I don’t even think the 2000s should be allowed, yet, but keep up the good work. Oooh! And yes please to ‘Better Riding with Mackenzie.’ I would also like to see some articles on the basics: such as what’s best to oil (or wax) chains, how to clean/polish a bike, get rid of annoying marks or polish a bolt up! Something to improve the look of my machines. And finally Kar Lee’s GTS1000R: please write to Yamaha and force them to build one and please can I have your artwork for my wall? If I used my GTS as a basis, do you know anyone who could build me one? I am going to stamp my feet and scream, while throwing toys out of the pram, until I get one. Oh and you can provide the tyres! Bertie says: “We hope the ‘other half’ doesn’t see this letter then? We will sort a better riding thing in CMM in the spring/summer. We take on board the cleaning/ finishing ideas and – while we can’t guarantee what Yamaha will do – we can send you a pair of Bridgestone’s finest!”