San Diego says hello!

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San Diego says hello!

Postby Docsabre » 12 Apr 2012 21:30

In two weeks I am leaving on a meandering ride from San Diego through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee. I will attempt to visit 12 of the memorials along the way. I have 24 days to get there and I plan to leave my bike at a family member's house in Tennessee. In the Navy we call that "pre-positioning". That way when I want to ride around the eastern states, I can simply fly out and pick up the bike.

My bike is a 1995 Honda Nighthawk CB-750. I bought it two years ago with 15,000 miles on the clock. I liked it so much I found another one just like it in February. It is a 1993 Nighthawk CB-750 with 10,000 miles. I got it for a steal, $1300. I personally recovered the seat, spooned on new rubber, put new turn signals on all the corners, a new battery and new clutch/front brake levers. It looks brand new and would probably bring $2300 if I wanted to sell it. Since I have two Nighthawks, I thought it was the right time to pre-position one in Tennessee. I figure I can save the transit times across wide areas of America on roads that are way too straight and flat. (No offense Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and a few other states with way too much flat land). I have a problem with narcolepsy and tend to fall asleep when the roads straighten out for a few hundred miles. Not good on a motorcycle.

Anyhow, about me. I am a physician in San Diego and have also been a member of the US Navy Reserve for the past 34 years. I am a flight surgeon with a C-40A squadron. I served on active duty with the Marines at Camp Pendleton from 1979-1981, then I joined the Reserves in 1981. I was recalled for Desert Storm and served overseas on active duty from 1990-1991. I have a wife of 36 years and two kids. My daughter has a BS degree from USC (go Trojans) and my son wants to be a doctor like his dad. He will transfer to UCLA this fall to get his degree in biology (go Bruins).

I have been riding motorcycles for 45 years. I have owned 2 dozen bikes including Hondas, Suzukis, Yamahas, an Allstate, a BMW and a BSA. I ride dirt, sport, touring and adventure touring. I estimate I have driven over 250,000 miles on motorcycles. My current bikes are 2000 Honda Shadow Sabre VT-1100 with 166,000 on the odometer, a 2005 Suzuki V Strom DL 650 with 88,000 miles, 1993 and 1995 Honda Nighthawks, and a 2009 Vespa GTS 250ie. I love long distance touring (but not "Iron Butting"). Why take a beautiful ride across America and spoil it by doing it in 24 hours while dead tired and unable to stop and talk to people or take in the sights? But I digress. Usually I do a month long trip every summer to places like Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, across the upper Mid West, or Canada. I take everything I need to camp (for free on BLM or National Forest lands) and subsist on my own. I do not stay in motels but will not turn down a friend's hospitality to crash at their home. I have not explored the North East on a bike, thus the pre-positioned bike for Tennessee. I grew up in Tennessee and know the south very well. I still speak a passable Southern dialect even though I have lived in California since 1979. I love the food at Cracker Barrel and always order fried okra and cornbread to crumble into my glass of buttermilk. And the only kind of iced tea worth drinking is sweetened.

I discovered that the iPhone does not allow one to upload photos from the phone onto this forum, so the photos I take on my ride will be put on my PhotoBucket account for general viewing if you care to see them. Whenever I post something new I will include the web address to go to in order to see the pictures.

The photo I have attached is the 1993 Nighthawk I purchased recently. I am taking the 1995 on my tour.

Ciao.
David
Image
2000 Honda Shadow Sabre VT 1100
2005 Suzuki V Strom 650
2009 Vespa GTS 250ie
1993 Honda Nighthawk 750
1995 Honda Nighthawk 750
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby 100cccer » 13 Apr 2012 07:45

Thanks for joining up, Dr! And thank you for your esteemed service.

Hope you have a great cross-country trip and hopefully you'll bring back some entertaining stories. Personally, I find your latest choice of bike(s) curious, after all the brands you've ridden. Honda dependability? Easy to work on? Ergonomics? Power-to-weight ratio? Classic looks?

I know I'm going to be looking out for them now... :-)
Ride safe,
Steve Brooks IBA259
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2008 HD Road Glide
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby Docsabre » 13 Apr 2012 11:46

The main reason I chose this bike is because I have two just like it so I don't need both in my garage in San Diego. I can use it better in Tennessee as a ready to ride bike for my trips back east. It is not as large and comfy as my V Strom or Shadow but I only plan to do 300-400 miles per day on curvy mountain roads. It gets 45 mpg around town so I am expecting 50 or more on the trip. It is an inexpensive (paid for), easily maintained (hydraulic lifters, oil changes, chain/sprocket changes, etc), and fun bike in the twisties with plenty of power. I have had this bike prepped with heavier fork oil and aftermarket Progressive rear shocks, tapered steering head bearings, a RAM mount for my GPS, windshield, cruise control, highway pegs and an accesory plug for power, electric vest, etc. I have a rack for my tent, bed roll and sleeping bag. I have soft bags for my few items of clothing, etc.

The other reason I am riding it is because I like to mix it up with my trips. I did a 2K ride on an XR600 through Canada and the Pacific Northwest. I took the V Strom 11,600 miles from San Diego to Prudhoe Bay and back in '09 and across the US in '10 and '11. The Shadow has taken me all over the western states and Canada. Someday I want to do a Cannonball Ride on the Vespa 250. It's all good!
2000 Honda Shadow Sabre VT 1100
2005 Suzuki V Strom 650
2009 Vespa GTS 250ie
1993 Honda Nighthawk 750
1995 Honda Nighthawk 750
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby 100cccer » 14 Apr 2012 10:58

For me, brand-specific conversations tend to get boring after awhile and am more drawn to conversations with those familiar with different brands and types.

Dirt? Cruising? Touring? Race bikes? Drag bikes? It's all good! :D
Ride safe,
Steve Brooks IBA259
Warriors' Watch Riders
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1986 BMW K100RS
2008 HD Road Glide
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby Docsabre » 14 Apr 2012 14:49

Indeed. Anything with a motor and two wheels is all good. Even better if it is dependable, inexpensive and fun to ride. I have owned several dual sports and enduros, naked UJM's, a Honda CBR929RR (wow!), two strokes, singles, twins, inline fours, and 2 scooters. I had a great deal of fun on a hopped up Yamaha Zuma. It had aftermarket 70cc cylinder, 21mm carb, expansion chamber exhaust, etc. I weigh 200 pounds and was able to get it up to 65mph!
2000 Honda Shadow Sabre VT 1100
2005 Suzuki V Strom 650
2009 Vespa GTS 250ie
1993 Honda Nighthawk 750
1995 Honda Nighthawk 750
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Joined: 12 Apr 2012 19:58

Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby MatthewHogan » 14 Apr 2012 19:28

Wow. All good stuff. Welcome aboard, thank you, and at least wave on your way through Kingman if you don't look me up.
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby kromdom » 22 Apr 2012 21:23

Welcome aboard, sir. Also a Navy guy here and also in the medical field (HMCM with 24 years in, an IDC currently at the Naval Hospital in Camp Pendleton). Have a safe trip and looking forward to your rider reports :)
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby 100cccer » 23 Apr 2012 09:32

kromdom wrote:Welcome aboard, sir. Also a Navy guy here and also in the medical field (HMCM with 24 years in, an IDC currently at the Naval Hospital in Camp Pendleton). Have a safe trip and looking forward to your rider reports :)

And welcome back, Romeo! Any JPAC tours planned this year?
Ride safe,
Steve Brooks IBA259
Warriors' Watch Riders
Tour of Honor
1986 BMW K100RS
2008 HD Road Glide
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100cccer
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Re: San Diego says hello!

Postby kromdom » 27 Apr 2012 22:05

100cccer wrote:And welcome back, Romeo! Any JPAC tours planned this year?


No request or taskers in the horizon for now but keeping my fingers crossed :)
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