DAVID

My first sojourn into motorcycling did not start well.  It was on my mate’s 100cc Suzuki farm bike when I was about 11.  He explained how the clutch and throttle worked, I didn’t understand but wouldn’t admit as much.  I was out of control from the off and ended in the ditch about 3 seconds later.

 

2nd attempt was far more enjoyable.  I was about 16, my brother had a Suzuki PR175 and was hooning around on the dis-used tip next to our house.  I paid attention this time, without any ditches to crash into, I got up to 2nd or 3rd gear and really quite enjoyed it.  But, at the time I had grand plans for becoming a responsible adult so dismissed motorbikes as far to dangerous and poured all my hard earned cash into sports cars and Australian V8s.

 

Fast-forward to my early 30s and I find myself living in a small town in the middle of Iowa, USA.  Having previously got my kicks from surfing, I was at a loss as to how to get my thrills being 1500 miles from the closest coastline.  Then summer arrived and all these bikes (Harleys) came out of the woodwork… these guys looked like they were getting some good kicks.

 

I signed-up with the local Harley dealer for a weekend course held on the local runway using 500cc Buells.  License secured, the next weekend I hired a 1,450cc Harley Davidson, stage 2 screaming eagle tuning kit, and off I went.  The following weekend I chucked the girlfriend on the back and went for a tour of Iowa.

 

After a year in America, the bike-bug firmly embedded, I returned to New Zealand and bought my first bike; a brand new Honda VTX1300 cruiser.  I did a bit of everything with this bike, took it to the drags, did a lot of touring with my brother and even did a track day on it.  I spent $1000s on “customising” my custom; for most of it to fall off during our tours. 

 

Life’s twists and turns found me living back in England, I kept the VTX for a few years and did a couple of NZ tours on trips to the Mother Land; but the lure of the Italian beauties was too overpowering and I bought my first Ducati, an ST3S with full luggage. 

 

The Duke was a fabulous bike and opened up a world of European tours and track days. A few highlights were taking the newly wed wife on the back to the Le Mans 24 Hour Classic; two days on the Nurburg Ring and completing the Californian Superbike School course at Silverstone.

 

Over about 5 years I dabbled with ownership of the following: Buell Ullysses, Aprilia Futura, Ducati Monster 900SIE, BMW K1300S and a Yamaha MT-01. Wish I could have kept them all.

 

I’m now on my 3rd Ducati and also run a Benelli; both of the super-naked/roadster genre.  Being a family man now there isn’t the opportunity to get away often, so these bikes suffice for commuting and the odd Sunday outing and track day.

 

In 2017 I tried my first organised tour, heading to the Indian Himalaya with fellow boob, Neil;  a fantastic trip, challenging and rewarding.  This is where the idea started for getting away every couple of years for proper, once in a lifetime, biking adventures.