10/4/2003 - 15 Years

[wheatonFJR]

15 years ago I walked into a Yamaha dealership in Downers Grove, Illinois...not knowing it would change the trajectory of my life.

I could fill a small photo album (or wastebasket) with the stories and pictures gathered along the way. I have met people, great and small, traveling about with my FJR or keyboard...but the great people I have met along the way, and the great times and laughs as I've travelled to places I've always wished to see or never before contemplated, are a treasure unknown at the time I opened that glass door.

I thought I was buying a motorcycle...and I was, one that far outstripped what my idea of a motorcycle was when I was a teenager...but the rush of speed, the thrill of mountain roads amidst the scenery of the peaks off in the distance, the friendship of fellow travelers on a cross country journey have made the past fifteen years a grand journey.

Downers Grove Yamaha in 1979 when I bought my XS Eleven, DGY Motorsports in 2003...yeah I probably paid too much...
...but how much are dreams worth?

[bungie4]

^ Awesome.

Same thing happened to me looking at a used bike in June 2008. A few months later, I traveled south to Lewisburg WV to meet a bunch of hoons for the first time. Its dangerous business stepping out your door in the morning.

[Uncle Hud]

Congratulations, brother! You started on an XS Eleven? Damn.

[Hppants]

Wheatie!!!! My brutha from anotha mutha!! We have more in common than you think.

I started out with Street bikes on an XS-11 too. Only mine had a missing cylinder. (XS750).

It sure is funny how one small change in the development of things can have an incredible effect on the overall outcome.

[wheatonFJR]

Congratulations, brother! You started on an XS Eleven? Damn.

Wheatie!!!! My brutha from anotha mutha!! We have more in common than you think.

I started out with Street bikes on an XS-11 too. Only mine had a missing cylinder. (XS750).

It sure is funny how one small change in the development of things can have an incredible effect on the overall outcome.

Just to clear up a misconception...Downers Grove Yamaha in 1979 was the place where I bought my XS Eleven...and is the same brick and glass dealer where I bought my first FJR. Nowhere did I say the XS Eleven was my first bike. It was my second bike.

CB550F (new) in 1977
XS Eleven (new) in 1979 -stolen in 1980
XS 850 (new) in 1980
Off of bikes from 1986 - 2003
Rented a GL1800 for two weeks in June of 2003
Walked into DGY Motorsports on 10/4/2003, purchased bike, rode home on said bike at 2pm CDT.
Quiet at the Wheaton Household for 10/4, 10/5, 10/6.....(asked forgiveness...did NOT ask permission as none would ever be given)
Proof that wifey is fine with it: look on the "other" board for 2-up RRs in 2012, 2013, 2016...

[bungie4]

Funny, I quit riding after an attempted murder from about 1990 till 2002.

One day in June of 2002, I got up, with no forethought whatsoever, and bought a 750 Honda cruiser.

[0face]

So we can all blame Downers Grove Yamaha for this? Ya couldn't just go to Chicago Harley Davidson like all the other fags.

[CraigRegs]

Walked into DGY Motorsports on 10/4/2003, purchased bike, rode home on said bike at 2pm CDT.
Quiet at the Wheaton Household for 10/4, 10/5, 10/6.....(asked forgiveness...did NOT ask permission as none would ever be given)
[/quote]

[bigjohnsd]

Quiet at the Wheaton Household for 10/4, 10/5, 10/6

First ever?

[wheatonFJR]

Quiet at the Wheaton Household for 10/4, 10/5, 10/6

First ever?

What are you saying John? First ever what?

[bigjohnsd]

Quiet at the Wheaton Household for 10/4, 10/5, 10/6

First ever?

What are you saying John? First ever what?

"Quiet" ?

Only met you once but "Quiet" not so much, LOL

[wheatonFJR]

That was the beer talking, John. It's hard to beat the geeks table at the EOM dinner.

[wheatonFJR]

So we can all blame Downers Grove Yamaha for this? Ya couldn't just go to Chicago Harley Davidson like all the other fags.

I believe there is photographic evidence THAT YOU did just that.

Hmmmm, now where is that????
Braaaaap. -fag! <southpark>
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ha ... ORM=WRVORC

[0face]

So we can all blame Downers Grove Yamaha for this? Ya couldn't just go to Chicago Harley Davidson like all the other fags.

I believe there is photographic evidence THAT YOU did just that.

Hmmmm, now where is that????
Braaaaap. -fag! <southpark>
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ha ... ORM=WRVORC

LOL... You're just hoping I still have the chaps.

[wheatonFJR]

Like I said...I've met people both great and small.

[ionbeam]

7/26/03.

I played the PDP game in February '03 at Freedom Cycle, Concord NH and waited until the end of July for my '04 ABS to be assembled. Added the FJR to the V-Max and Honda V-4 in my garage.

Pillion and I were out for a ride in '05 and saw a guy on a blue FJR. We waved and gave a thumbs up. About 2 hours later Fred W posts to the other Forum, "Were the people I saw today on this Forum?" The seed of NERDs got planted that day.

We made it to EOM '06. After reading about all the acts of speed, performance and farkling I was anxious to meet these daring young guys. We arrived and the parking lot was full of FJRs. Thing is, I couldn't find any FJR owners, there was just a large crowd of old guys milling around in the parking lot excelling at drinking hard.

In May of '09 we took several ferries to get out to Sag Harbor, NY to honor Jordan (RIP 4/22/08, Ramadi), visit his memorials and support his father Chris/Axman. While there we got to meet more FJRiders from across the country and made more friends which we still see at most FJR events.

In January '16 Jennifer (a Yamaha sales employee) I have known for years made me a deal I couldn't turn down for my 120k mile '04 and countered with an offer for a brand new, zero mile '15ES for about the same price as I paid for my '04 ABS new.

I went to yet another EOM a few weeks ago -- and met a large number of the same FJR owners that I originally met in '06. In fact, most FJR events we go to seem to have that same group.

This EOM I got to shake hands with a number of new FJR owners and a few long time Forum contributors from across the country. We got to sit and have a few drinks with Tyler from CA (again) and spent a day enjoying roads, scenery and food with Brodie from CA and Garyhouse from FLA.

Yup, 15 years...

[Snowflake]

15 years of FJR ownership coming up for me this August. I never imagined the fun I would have, the places I would go and the great people I would meet just because of the purchase of a particular motorcycle model. That's just how it worked out and I love it.

Planning the next 15....

[Geezer]

Well said Wheatie, and I am glad you brought this up.

I rode on two wheels since I was old enough to pedal, and got my first motor bike when I was 12 years old. I owned a variety of motorcycles over the years, but it was in 2005, when I bought an FJR as a commuter bike with luggage to carry my laptop and work papers that I really learned what it was all about. I blame the internet for really starting the addiction to long rides and group gatherings. In any case, it has been an important part of my life that I frequently reminisce about.

[danh600]

Right around the 5 year mark of owning an FJR for me. Got my 2013 sometimes in March of 2014.

Now the funny thing is I am not like most of you guys. No one in my family owned a bike. I never owned a bike growing up. Rode a couple of dirts bikes a small number of times. Growing up in Florida we gravitated more towards boats. When I got to where I could afford a toy it was a boat. I owned several boats. We had a boat when our boys were growing up. Then......boating got expensive, the boys grew up,the boat wore out, wife didn't like being in the sun, etc. So we sold the boat and never got another one.

Fast forward a couple of years and one day my wife walks in and says " I want to take the Motorcycle safety course." I tell her to go ahead. Then she tells me she doesn't want to take it alone. Well, street motorcycles were not really even on my radar. In the back of my mind I was scheming to get another boat.

We did the class. I loved it. We go to a dealership just to look at motorcycles, but not buy one yet. We leave with two motorcycles. Funny thing is it was the salesman's first day. We were his first customers and bought two bikes.

Fast forward a couple more years and I get an FJR. Honestly not sure what sold me on wanting an FJR. I didn't know anyone that had one. Never been on one. Really I remember trying to decide on whether to get an FJR or a Super Tenere. Dual sport riding is not great in S FL so I figure the FJR would be better.

Started posting in the other sand box and meet some guys from FL. We had some pretty active RTEs at the time. I probably met close to 8-10 guys. Don't get to see them that often but made some what I consider very close friends. I kept hearing about EOM. Finally went to EOM and SFO last year.

And the rest is history.

[extrememarine]

First bike - '85 Honda Shadow 500 (VT500C) hand me down - My older brother bought it new in '85, rode it some and let me ride it after it had been sitting for a few years; I started riding it in 1989. Also had time on my dad's Yamaha 750 Special (inline triple with shaft drive).

First FJR was the sourced used (a 2004ABS with 19k miles on it in September of 2006) - a "welcome home" gift from my wife after returning home from a stint overseas. January or February of 2007 I ventured to Dahlonaga, GA to meet Haulin Ashe, JWilly, Fencer and Scab for the first North Georgia Frosty Balls ride. All down hill from there...

Wayne