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October 08, 2005

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You must be thinking, "Why is Danny posting a picture of his stupid motorcycle? Who cares?"
Well, please bear with me, I have a good reason.
Yes, this is my 1996 Yamaha Seca II. 600 cc, sport bike. But what's so special about this motorcycle? Well, ladies and gentlemen, it now celebrates its 50,000 mile mark, and is still running strong. Now that doesn't sound like all that much to most of us, as our vehicles can easily rack up to over 100K or even 200K and over. But trust me 50K is actually quite a bit for a motorcycle. Especially since many of these miles have some really interesting stories.
I had actually decided not to purchase the bike when I first saw it, back in the fall of 1998. It had been sitting in a Chrysler dealership, where a friend worked, for some time, with an amazingly low price of $2800. It only had 3,000 miles on it then and was just like new. I was told that the previous owner was a young guy in the military, and when his fiancée' came out to stay with him, she just said, "NO!". So he traded it in on a more reasonable, and safe vehicle. 
Well, my father passed away in December of that year. So, for some strange reason, I was compelled to buy it and, when I returned home, I went right down and bought it, and fortunately it was still there. Well, it was in the middle of winter, so naturally it was still there.
So I still didn't have a motorcycle license and hadn't ridden for many years. Then, a rather long story in itself, but when my insurance company told me that they were going to have to cancel my policy on it, if I didn't get the license, I rushed down, with snow on the ground, and took the test. Amazingly, and surprisingly to myself, I passed. Well, actually I aced it and still don't know how I performed some of those maneuvers, not having been that familiar with the bike.
So in April of 1999 I decided to test out my endurance and took a trip to Texas and back to Virginia. Cutting straight across, but taking a southern route back along the Gulf Coast. The ride proved to me that the bike was pretty sound, and I could actually handle a long trip.
That next winter I decided to store it, as you can see in the picture, in my apartment. Which I thought, for a single guy, was a pretty awesome piece of furniture.
After losing my job back in 2001, and then 911 hosing up all my other potential jobs, I just decided to take a break from life and the thought of a career. Then, as most of you know, in the summer of 2002, I took off on a four and a half month trip around the country, on the bike. Taking it more than 30,000 miles in that one trip. All stored on my web site, you can read all about it at: http://www.galixy.net/America/adventure.htm
Although it took quite a toll on the both of us, the bike endured the trip without any major malfunctions. A blown rear shock on the Alaskan highway, and several chains, a few sprockets and numerous tires later, it still ran like a champ.
For quite some time I didn't ride it and it wouldn't pass the Virginia inspection without the $200 + rear shock.
But after moving out here to Arizona in May of 2004 I have been riding it like crazy, and even took it on a trip to Oregon in August, which it handled just fine, and is currently my most used means of transportation.

I had actually considered trading it in on a larger and more suitable cruising bike. But this bike is still maintaining more than 55 miles to the gallon. So after all the recent gas price increases, and the fact that I totally own the bike, and it is running just fine, and seems to be indestructible. I have decided to keep it and ride it until the wheels fall off. 

But if I ever do get another bike. You can bet its going to be a Yamaha.

Galixy.net