Mike made riding wonderful once again. I was in Heaven while on the road. You see, I'm his FIRST motorcycle. Yep, he rescued me from a guy in Rockford, IL who used to beat me, rev my engine high and exceed the speed limit on every occasion. In fact, I hated that guy so much that the day I was bought by Mike, I ran out of gas on Jeff (my previous owner). Oops, I forgot to tell you that I ran out of gas on Mike that day too, but it wasn't his fault. Jeff didn't bother to tell Mike that I was on reserve fuel when he took me out for a test ride. Anyway, Mike was a recent graduate of the MSF Rider Course. I was very much enjoying the pampering and easy cornering. You see, I was owned by a new rider. Those new riders appreciate us so much. they change our oil, lube our chassy, wash and WAX us! Wow, pure motorcycle bliss.

One morning, Mike decided we needed to go for a little ride on his day off and we went to Monroe, WI to Wal Mart for some prescriptions. It was a glorious day! Sun was shining, the birds were singing and the asphalt roads were not too hot as to burn my tender little Dunlops. (eat your heart out Metzlers!) We rode the 23 miles to Monroe, and he left me in the parking lot next to an SUV. Can you believe the gall of that man? He deserted me! He parked me next to something that TOTALLY OBSTRUCTED view of where he went. You know, I was starting to get pretty attached to that guy. I had to keep tabs on him.

Eventually, Mike returned to me in the parking lot and we started home. We took a ride around the Monroe Square-- a down town square that goes around courthouse. When all the sudden, I heard mike say, "*&$#%". Sorry, I'm not allowed to say those words. He saw in the windows of one of the shops that my low beam headlight had gone out. (What I never told him that it was revenge for parking me next to that darned monster of a machine--the SUV. I guess that will teach me a litte lesson about revenge. Read on...)

He turned on my high beam--which I really like beacuse people seem to pay a little more attention to me when it's on. We rode home and I was parked in my own little space in my nice warm, dry two and a HALF stall garage (I was the HALF part).

Days later, Mike left me and drove to Freeport to get me a new halogen headlamp. The nerve of that guy! He just yanked my bulb out on a perfectly sunshiney day and took PART OF ME IN THAT CAR OF HIS!!!! But, I'm glad he took part of me along so I could monitor the situation. Ever heard of the BORG? Well, that's how us cycles keep track of things...through our parts. I found out that Mike was heading for Freeport Honda Kawasaki. I never dreamed what would happen next. Jeff Beam, the then service manager--he's at Monroe Honda now, sold him a new lamp and they started to talk about motorcycling, and their favorite bikes. Next thing you know, Mike said, "You know what I really like? Those Honda Pacific Coasts." BLASPHEMY!!! I take good care of him! I start every time, I run smooth, I don't leak on MY garage floor! Well!! Jeff furthered the insulting conversation with, "Yea, I like those too. You know we have a used one out back in the used showroom. I've been using it as my 'lunch-go-getter'. You know that they have a TRUNK, don't you?" OH *&^%#! Here it comes!! Mike asked, "What color?" "It's a white one", Jeff added. Mike's eyebrows raised, and he said, "That's my favorite color of those." I felt his palms get sweaty throught the bag that my lamp was in--I knew I was in trouble. Jeff added, "Let's go take a looksee, shall we?" I knew from then on, I was in some serious $#%^*! Mike really looked over that HONDA THING! He then said, "I'll go home and talk to Marlisa, and get back to you."

I'M SAVED!!! Marlisa isn't the impulsive one in their relationship. I figured I was home free! They just bought this new house and all, WHEW! I was stunned when she said, "Let's go take a look at it." (DRIP) Immediately, I started leaking oil from my front seal! Never had that happen before! What was happening to me? (drip)

Since they didn't take any of my parts along, I don't know what happened next. I tried for all it was worth, but I'm not a HD, and I can't just drop parts off like they can. But, I heard it all later. That HONDA THING told me all about it. Actually he BRAGGED about it! He said that the minute SHE walked in the door of the showroom, he KNEW he had her! Sitting there in all his pearl glory, he wowed her into submission after the two of them sat on him together. Braggert! He even told me that once SHE sat on the seat, she said, "OK, when do we take her home?"

Needless to say a couple of weeks later, IT arrived! I didn't even have MY license plates yet! I couldn't believe this was happening. They even ORDERED VANITY PLATES FOR 'IT' (IL - Video1). I even had to endure an outdoor photograph session with that WHITE THING. What a pompass %#$*! The nerve of IT to shine in the sunshine like that. IT had just been polished, and ME, I was just rode out there--dust and all. How humiliating it is to be put up against such a specimen like that PACIFIC COAST. I wish IT had stayed there--on the California Pacific Coast!

Yea, they MOVED me from my nice road accessible space in the garage to the further most reaches of the back of the garage, and put IT in MY SPACE. They even parked me with (drip) the LAWN MOWERS! How DEGRADING!! Then, the worst happened! The dreaded CLASSIFIED AD! (dRip, DRIP, drip, DrIp)

I was a gonner for sure! But, after pulling some strings, I managed to keep my space (well the space in the back of the garage). They never sold me while the ad ran! Whew. Then one day, Mike was talking to his father on the phone. He asked his Dad if he wanted a motorcycle. Since nobody wanted me for what I was worth, he said he would give me away! (drip) They brokered a deal whereby Mom and Dad Gunderson would come out over Easter and help Mike and Marlisa build their studio in the basement. When the project was completed, I would be on my way. By the end of the week, I was headed west. Now, my Harley brethren know this fate all too well--the dreaded eight foot coffin-- the pickup bed! What a miserable place to be. Everyone must have thought that I was old and ruined when they saw me there. A HD even tried to talk to me at a fuel stop--until he saw that I was NOT a Hardley. That was humiliating; a Hardley won't even talk to me! I even had to endure a SNOW STORM!!! Yes, they made ME sit outside in the SNOW--OVERNIGHT!! It was even too cold to...(drip).

Well, the day finally came and I got my first glimpse of my new home--The Bolt Bin (Art & Kay's business). Little did I know that Cody, Wyoming has one of the most beautiful views I had ever seen! Wow, they even had a nice big building that was MINE, ALL MINE!! 400 square feet for M'ui. SUZUKI PARKING ONLY, BABY!!! Pure unadulturated, indoor motorcycle bliss.

Art, that's my current owner, likes to ride me around town. He too tooke the MSF Rider Course. He too washed me, waxed me and pampered me! Until, about a year later, when IT arrived. (IT = the OLDER 1980 Honda 900 Custom)

Curses, foiled again!

I should have never complained about that new camper hogging all my space!

To be continued...