MEMBER PROFILE – AUTUMN 2010

Name: PATCH

Bike: 2010 Softail Standard

Hi its Patch here, I was asked to do a members profile, so here it is ...

I started riding motorbikes in my late 30's, I always wanted to ride bikes when I was a lot younger and living in the United States could have gotten my license at 16, but my old man said it was too dangerous to ride there, he had ridden bikes himself.

At that age my dream was to have a Harley Davidson after seeing Easy Rider and the freedom and adventure you got while riding them.

First bike was an old Suzuki 250, now they are good fun, mind you it was a kick-start and it always started on the second kick and it was a great bike to learn on, but very fustrating, especially in a head wind or side wind, you got pushed all over the place. Then I jumped onto a Honda VF400 when I got my full license. Boy what a change that was, more powerful and no troubles with the wind, had that bike for a couple of years then sold it.

My kids were growing up and we needed another car to get them to their sporting events. Well I finally got my first Harley many years later, the usual things like separation and a few other major changes in my life lead to me buying a Sportster 1200, and I must say it was fantastic to be back on the bike and to get that feeling I had a few years earlier.

Since then I have been lucky to have several different types of Harleys and have just recently gone back to my favorite ... a Softail Standard ... now I feel this is where I belong. Plus riding with my mates and the adventures we have on the road and the people you meet through riding.

I appreciate this even more after recently being in hospital and I didn't think I would ever ride again. Now that I can, I am off on that adventure ...

Patch