Introducing myself

[Quiltzig]

Well, I've been lurking here for a while and started a post about my latest project, so thought an intro was well overdue.

My first bike was a Honda CT50 step thru with the auto clutch at age 15. I did some huge miles on that little 50cc beast, including a 2 day ride from my home town of Turangi through to the beach at Gisborne. Average speed of about 30 miles per hour... not bad for a bike that could probably only hit 50 mph downhill with a tailwind!
Next bike was a Jawa 2 stroke, which did not last long... it was just a bit weird and people lost sight of you in the blue smoke clouds.
It was followed by a Triumph Bonneville on which I got my very first speeding ticket. I was to get targeted by the local Hamilton coppers (mostly for no tail light) until I sold it and got a 750 Norton Commando. That did not last too long either as I got ensnared by the shiny Jap invasion in 1971 and bought my first brand new bike... a Suzuki T500 in lovely green. A change of rear shocks was required immediately after the first ride as it felt like the frame was made of rubber after the Norton. Anyhow, that bike did some large K's all over the country. Then I got bitten by the trail bike bug and traded the road bike in on a new Suzuki TS250. Dropped it on a gravel road the first day I had it - that front brake was way too good for a trail bike. Several other trail bikes followed, like a TS 185 and then a TS 125 for my wife. About this time family arrived on the scene, my job changed and I had to drive a van as part of our new fledgling business. The bikes could not even get used for commuting, so they were sold in order to get a deposit for a house.

Fast forward 20 years, and the bike itch was getting far too strong to ignore. 1997 was the year that I decided to get a bike again. One of my staff had a BMW K100 and so I started looking at BMW bikes. I took an R1100 for a ride and did not like the feel and balance at all. I next tried a K1100RS and that was just perfect for me in every way (except the weight) - but I got used to that, and only dropped it once on a very low speed turn. That bike was just a great long distance loper... I would regularly ride from Hamilton to Christchurch non stop (apart from the ferry crossing of course) - as we had a business down there.

It was sold in 2006 when we decided to build a new house, and it was going to take all of our time & resources. It took 7 years. In 2013 I got the time & funds to get back into it, and the first job was to find a decent K1200RS. I located one locally that was being sold due to a marriage split. It was a 2004 with full service history and only 36,000 kms. I have since pushed that up to around 80,000. My wife joined the K brigade with a K75S in 2014. I then bought a second K1200RS in a million pieces as a winter project, and this year bought a second K75S to use as the foundation for a Café racer project. We have one other bike in the garage, my wife got a Moto Guzzi Breva 750 after dropping the K75 a few too many times. The lighter bike is easier for her to regain her confidence on. It also allows me to retain the house rule of "No Chains allowed" - all our 5 bikes are shaft drive.

We love getting out on rides together, and each year we go down to the south island for at least 3 weeks of riding. We would love to ship a bike up to the USA to do some riding up there.

That's our story - thanks for being so welcoming and helpful. This is a great community.

[Brad-Man]

Welcome!

[Motorhobo]

 Welcome - when you say she dropped the K75 -- do you mean she laid it down or just dropped it at a stop? Just wondering how tall she is and whether she had the low seat model, and whether the height had anything to do with the dropping.

[Quiltzig]

Welcome - when you say she dropped the K75 -- do you mean she laid it down or just dropped it at a stop? Just wondering how tall she is and whether she had the low seat model, and whether the height had anything to do with the dropping.

She has dropped it 3 times at intersections or when stopped. Twice were on off camber road surfaces. She is very petite - 5'8" tall, and just 55Kgs. She does not have a lot of strength in her legs so if it starts to lean on her she just cant hold it up. It is a standard height seat. I think the height is part of the problem. She has another bike, a 750 Moto Guzzi Breva and has dropped that a couple of times too, again at low speed or stopped. I think as she gains confidence again she is getting better and has not dropped the Guzzi for a long time now. Funny - I fitted a set of engine protector bars to it about 9 months ago. About an hour after I fitted them we went to a motorbike club meeting. They have an off camber section of parking lot outside the clubrooms and she got all messed up with the bike pointing the wrong way across the camber instead of uphill, and dropped it ! That was the last time.   :falldown:

[jakgieger]

Welcome.  I guess you have already figured what kinda outfit we got here :deal:.   :hehehe

[The Dude]

Just up the road,Quiltzig.Welcome, indeed.

[Martin]

Quiltzig get her a pair of boots with the thickest soles possible, you can also add lifts, but try the lifts in the boots. You can also drop the front forks through the triple trees by 1/2". You could go more but you may encounter handling quirks and difficulty putting the bike on the centre stand. Same problem with adding a shorter rear shock which can be sourced. You can also get the stock seat shaved by an upholsterer that knows what he is doing. Or finally get a low seat.
Regards Martin.

[Motorhobo]

I

She is very petite - 5'8" tall, and just 55Kgs.

Dude -- are you calling me 'very petite? I didn't know everyone in Oz is 6" taller than the world average,but here in USA 5'8" is still just about average for middle aged males.

Anyway I can highly recommend the low seat K75 -- the next time you see one advertised anywhere do you yourselves a favor and go look at it. I can flat foot it with rooms to spare, being as petite as I am, you see.

Also, I met a woman a couple years ago who was 4'10" and had 6" platforms added to her riding boots. She was on a Ducati and had no tousle controlling it.

Good luck --

Your tiny little friend,
MH

[kris]

Welcome, Quiltzig, from another Hamiltonian from half way round the world! That's a great motorcycling bio you've got there. Kudos to your wife for sticking with it, but does she have to ride 750s? At that size any 500 would do her just fine. Two cents.

[Quiltzig]

I
Dude -- are you calling me 'very petite? I didn't know everyone in Oz is 6" taller than the world average,but here in USA 5'8" is still just about average for middle aged males.

Anyway I can highly recommend the low seat K75 -- the next time you see one advertised anywhere do you yourselves a favor and go look at it. I can flat foot it with rooms to spare, being as petite as I am, you see.

Also, I met a woman a couple years ago who was 4'10" and had 6" platforms added to her riding boots. She was on a Ducati and had no tousle controlling it.

Good luck --

Your tiny little friend,
MH

Dude, it was my wife that I described as petite - she is just 55 kilograms. She tried some high heels but that did not work either since she got the heels stuck on the footpegs one day and that lead to one of the above mentioned drops. She likes the Guzzi because it is lighter and lower. My new Café racer K75S will have a low seat, so she may like that as it will be at least 40Kg lighter than a stock K75.

[Quiltzig]

Welcome, Quiltzig, from another Hamiltonian from half way round the world! That's a great motorcycling bio you've got there. Kudos to your wife for sticking with it, but does she have to ride 750s? At that size any 500 would do her just fine. Two cents.

Thanks mate. My wife loves the Guzzi - and it is light and has a good seat height. She has had smaller bikes, but prefers the more solid and planted feel of the bigger ones. She tried a friends 500 Honda and did not find it much different to the Guzzi. She is getting her confidence back now and we have done a lot of low speed practise and she has been on some riding courses, all of which has helped.

[Martin]

Quiltzig not high heals, just thickest soles a nd add lifts she could gain 2''. I'm 5'7" and with boots, lifts, fork drop 12mm and a shaved seat I can flat foot.
Regards Martin.

[Motorhobo]

Dude, it was my wife that I described as petite - she is just 55 kilograms. She tried some high heels but that did not work either since she got the heels stuck on the footpegs one day and that lead to one of the above mentioned drops. She likes the Guzzi because it is lighter and lower. My new Café racer K75S will have a low seat, so she may like that as it will be at least 40Kg lighter than a stock K75.

I guess the reason for my (tongue-in-cheek) consternation is that you described her as 5'8" tall and petite...and I am 5'8" too, but I don't consider myself petite, I consider myself average height. I guess I always considered 'petite' to be a descriptor of height, not weight. Anyway, if your wife is 5'8" she should be able to flatfoot a low-seat K75, because I'm the same height and I can.

Anyway, I agree with Martin -- platforms on the boots help a lot with balance, stability, and confidence according to the young female rider I talked to.

And welcome to the forum, wasn't trying to be snooty, that was just my obviously failed attempt at humor.