Below is a list of all the motorcycles I've owned over the years.

This bike here I never owned---the only one on this page I didn't actually own.
But it has great significance to my start of riding motorsickles.
The year was 1969 and I was working as a lifeguard in Dallas, Texas and this was in the parking lot.
I had never rode a bike before but talked the owner into letting me ride it.
So off I went in nothing but some gym shorts-------that's it---I got cockier and cockier riding it thru a field
and finally crashed in some sand---my bare leg was pinned between the front fender and the cylinder head.
And it burned me pretty bad and the cylinder fins left some serious burns on my leg and I thought they would
never heal before my mother saw them------she finally did see them and I lied about what happened. Told her I fell off
the merry go-round on the property (which I ran sometimes) and she never found out the truth.
So that's the truth about my first ride. And it just got worse after that.

 

 

 

So here is the first motorcycle I ever owned--------or I kind of ---don't think I had a title for it.
Probably a 50's era Chushman that I had in 1969 or so. It had no headlight or tailight---the kickstarter
was on the side like some old BMW's. It had a 2 speed transmission ------well kind of. First gear didn't work
and you shifted it with a hand lever of the left side of the bike.
It had floor boards like an old Harley with both a foot and centrifugal clutch-----pretty weird.
I had to keep it out in the country so as not to get caught riding it-------and being sure my mother never
found out I had it. She told me I'd never ever own a motorcycle under her roof---and it wasn't long I left
home (under good terms). See that big clutch on the right side of the motor ??? You didn't want to get your
pant leg caught in that---I suppose at one time it had a cover over it ???

 

 

Somewhere about this time I had a 1970 Kawasaki 500 Mach III.
Yes--------the fastest production bike in the entire world. Can't find a picture of it ---thank god I
trade it for a wore out dirt bike before it killed me. I had "NO" riding skills what soever.

 

 

1937 Harley Davidson UL 74 cubic inch.
Got if off Dale Walksler ----of Wheels Thru time museup fame--me and him were best of friends.
He died in 2021. I helped him "Barn Find" of lot of his bikes in his museum.
At one point I put a metal original sidecar on it.

 

 

 

I sold it too a friend of mine who promply gave it a total restoration.
That's my son Marty standing behind it----I suppose he was 5 years old or so ????

 

 

 

I raced bikes for at least 20 years---I loved Hillclimbing and was pretty good at it.
That's me on an extended frame 250 Sears-----don't know the year.
It had about 11 horsepower it seemed and ran like crap-----NEVER made a hill.
But man was it loud--which is all that seemed to matter back then.
"Back In The Day"

 

1963 Harley Davidson duo--glide 74 cubic inch panhead motor.
Went out West on it in 1984 ??? My son was 4 years old and wouldn't ride in the sidecar.
He insisted on riding with me. The rear wheel hub broke on that trip---I had to fix it
with a pipeline welder out in a farmers field in "somewhere" Kansas after surviving
a tornado in a tent behind an old gas station. I re-trued the spokes after that repair with the
wheel on the bike--no truing stand.

 

1967 BSA model A50---a 500 cc twin with one carb.
When I bough it the motor was completely apart in a box.
I got it running and my broher in law still has it---in 2021 anyway.

 

1969 Triumph tiger chopper. Our Honeymon bike.
The tiger had one carb--the Bonevilles had 2.
I traded a nice 1957 chevy for this bike---the bike was totally wrecked and me and
my future wife Debi built the chopper with what was left of it in a friends
garage with a dirt floor.

 

 

1971 Harley Davidson 1,000cc XLCH sporster----kick start only.
I loved the sound of that thing-------and my neightbors hated me for it.

 

 

 

Probably a 1969 250 Yamah DT1 ????.
I had a 360 too.
It was in the living room of my old apartment till I got married----- and out it went.
Along with my chopper.
In the background is our local race track "King City Dirt Riders"
We had enduro's, hillclimbs, flat tracks, hare scrambles and motocross here.

 

 

 

1973 BMW 750--my first BMW. I think me and Debi were at the Terre Haute, Indiana
flat track races in this picture---Debi was scared to death as she'd never been away from home.

 

1974 BMW 1,000 cc R90S--although all the "S" stuff was long gone.
My wife in the middle and son on the left.
I rode that bike all out west in 1984 I think ???. We were going to Mexico but never
got there---some border unrest---imagine that. We got seperated in Arizona and never
saw each other again on that trip--------no cell phones !!!! When we finally re-connected
with phone messages from home we were 800 miles apart. And I just went my own way.
I was scared to death. Checked in the entrance to the South rim of the Grand Canyon and was whining to the gal
at the entrance how I was all alone and she said---"You'll have more fun on your own".
And she was right.

 

 

Same trip ----probably in Colorado ????

 

 

My racing heyday.
Number 59 on 1975 or so Bultaco pursang---I raced the 200cc class.
I also had a 1979 Bultaco 250cc pursang that I put a 200cc motor in it to race the
200cc class------can't find a picture of it. It was blue and is in a museum in my hometown
to this day in 2021.

 

 

Yellowbanks enduro in Kentucky--me on the right--my riding and racing buddy
Mike Sandy on the left. We both rode Bultaco's of course.

 

 

 

A 1976 250cc Harley Davidson----bought it new and for $50 more
I got a free Holsclaw bike trailer---picture'd above.
That's a friend of mine on it----I sold it to him after having it for a short while.

 

 

1970 Hodaka "Combat Wombat"---was the motocross model.
I also had a "Wombat" which was the enduro model--both were 125cc.
These things didn't like water---if you spit in front of it the points would get wet
and it would quit. Neither one I had would stay running all day.

 

 

I think a 1974 or so BMW R90S---as of 2021 a friend of mine still has it.
I bought it to put a sidecar on --------but never did.

 

 

1962 BMW 500cc with Ural sidecar---my son Marty standing beside it---he would have been
about 4 or 5 years old in this picture.
This bike was highly modified and had a later model 900cc BMW airhead motor stuffed into it
with 12 volt electrics and an electric starter. It would out run my buddy's 1200 cc Harley Sidecar
rig and I never told him it was a 900. He was humiliated and I never told him that it wasn't a 500.
I later traded this even for a brand new BMW 1997 BMW K75S.

 

 

 

Somewhere along in this time period I bought another Harley shovelhead dresser that had a huge stroker
kit in it and I put a side car on it---thought that would be cool with the extra horsepower. Me, Marty and Debi
took off in that thing on a big trip and went about 80 miles and went back home. That motor seemed like it was
going to shake the whole bike apart. The big overbuilt motor pulling that extra weight wasn't a good idea and
I immediately sold the bike. It was absoulutely brutal to ride.

 

 

1976 Harley Davidson super glide---chestnut brown was the color.
Kickstart only---the last kickstart only the local Harley shop ever sold.
Yep--------that's me. I was "Capt. Hog" long before "BigDog".
I still have that jacket, Harley hat and chain drive wallet.
That bike was an AMF era bike and had to have the heads rebuilt at about
9,000 miles.

 

Some year of a Honda transalp transformed in to a "Rallye Alp"
A bad memory---got ripped off for a good $5,000 buying this bike from a "friend".
Liar Liar----pants on fire.

 

Same 1976 Super Glide--I had it painted in to a cop bike.
Here I am trading it in on something-------don't remember.
Oh yeah-----I traded if for the 1963 Harley duo-glide I had.

 

 

1976 Bultaco Pursang at a race.
I still have that sweatshirt from "Bonners Cycle".
Looks like my helmet got the visor torn off somehow.

 

1947 Harley Davidson Hummer.
Some called them "Poppers".......125c.c. 3 speed transmission.
My buddy Jerry Brownsburger riding it in front of our house.

 

 

 

 

Husqvarna 390 cc. CR automatic. The CR was the motocross model--the WR's
were the enduro's------------I loved that bike-----------till I didn't.
It was a monster. First one to the first turn----then finished last.

 

Same bike

 

 

 

 

1981 Honda Xl500S----boy that was a sweety.
Had a 23" front wheel -------very unusual.
Tried to buy this bike back from the guy I sold it too several times and he just loved
telling me "NO".

 

 

 

1982 BMW R80 ST
Maybe the prettiest bike I ever owned----the previous owner had installed a Paris Dakar gas tank and did the
awesome paint job. These bikes had a single sided swingarm and had "NO" drive train failures.

 

 

1982 Yamaha---my son's first 2 wheeled motorcycle.
It was in the yard when the school bus dropped Marty off at home.
His feet didn't touch the ground for awhile.

 

 

Twin 1982 XR's---my 200 was no race bike but nobody told me that.
I raced the heck out of that thing.

 

My best riding buddy.

 

 

 

 

My son's 1982 XR250--- picture was taken at Turkey Bay offroad area in
land between the lakes Kentucky.

 

 

My son on his 1982 Yamaha Y-zinger.

 

 

 

1983 Yamaha Y-Zinger

 

Yamaha introduced the Tri-Moto 225DX. This 4-stroke model was the world's first ATV to
feature shaft drive and electric start. Both proved instantly popular in the marketplace. The 225DX also
featured Monoshock rear suspension and telescoping front forks.
I can't find a picture of mine---so this will have to do.
My local Harley dealer (Dales Harley Davidson) opened up his shop on a Sunday and gave me one
in a box. I took it home -------put it together---went riding--and went in his shop a couple days
later and paid him.

 

 

My son Marty on his 1984 Honda 3 wheeler.

 

 

 

 

1984 XR80---this fit my short wife perfectly----I was teaching her how to ride a
bike on this thing-------but after so many crashes and times she forgot which way to
turn the throttle I had to shut her down before she killed herself.
She was so dissapointed.
Which reminds me-------I had an old Harely Hummer she tried to ride.
Can't find a picture of it.

 

 

 

 

1984 Yamaha Tri Z 250---2 stroke race bike.
I didn't own it---but the local bike shop sponsored me to race it.
The sponsor ship amounted to allowing me to ride it and maintain it.
That was a very short lived deal as I got my senses and went back to 2 wheels.

 

 

1987 BMW K75S----I put 125,000 miles on that bike in 3 years.
Picture taken somewhere in the smokey mountains. We had been camping that nite in
the cold--notice "MY" electric vest Debi is wearing is plugged in !!!!

 

 

A friend of mine still has this bike---it had racing suspension and was brutal
to ride. Man did that thing sounded good. I loved that bike--------till I didn't.
Traded my transalp for it. I got 2 speeding tickets on this bike in a short 2 week period.

 

 

 

1987 Honda Transalp and BMW funduro. I loaned the BMW to a friend of mine and
we went camping for a few days in Missouri-----The tent on my Honda didn't make it to
the BMW rally we went to---------Lost it on the road I guess.

 

 

1980 Honda XR600. My son loved riding this bike.
Bought this off my friend Tom Huff who today is a salesman at
Gateway BMW. We rode a lot of dual sports together "back in the day".

 

 

 

 

1989 Suzuki RMX 250-----I raced this bike a lot.
This bike has great significance to me and my riding career.
I was running first place in a local hare scramble and stopped at the finish line and
said out loud in my helmet-------"Man--this riding around in circles is so boring"
I never raced again.
And the adventure bug was born.

 

 

1990 BMW R100 GS/PD
Had a 9.4 gallon gas tank---this is the bike I earned my nick name that I guess
I'll carry to my grave.
BigDog

 

 

1990 Suzuki DR 350S---the bike that started the dualsport craze.
I had 3 of them and owned this one twice---belive it or not when I bought this one
the second time I didn't know it was the same bike for quite awhile.

 

1991 DR350---offroad model.
I was riding the River to River cross country bike ride in Southern Illiois in this picture.
A ride I did 27 years in a row---and was the only member in our dirt bike club to ride and finish
every one of them--------and have a plaque in my garage acknowleging that.

 

 

 

1993 BMW R65
Picture taken in Duquoin Illinois at the BMW National rally.
That's my son riding his mom---what a memory this is too me.
He didn't have a drivers license then.

 

1993 KLR 650

 

 

1994 Ducati SS/SP
Marty took mom for a ride---and I think he got chewed out for romping it up a bit---I'm sure of it.
This bike and the Guzzi were the best sounding bikes I had.

 

1995 ATK 605/DS
I bought it new and grew to hate this bike------but man was it pretty.
Marty loved it. I could ride my XR250 faster in the woods than this thing.

 

 

1995 KLR 650

 

 

1996 XR250----I made this bike street legal which opened up a whole new world for me.
You couldn't wear one of these out--------but I rode it so much that I did.

 

 

 

1997 BMW 650 Funduro. These were great bikes that didn't seem to catch on.
Me and Debi rode this 2-up all over all those famous Colorado mountain passes.

 

Looks like my 1997 Yamaha TTR250 made it up top of Flag Mountain in Colorado.
All my dirt riding buddies made fun of me because this bike had an electric start and no kickstarter.
Next year-----they all had electric start bikes.

 

 

 

 

2000 KLR 650-------put a good 90,000 miles on this bike. This picture is the day I bought it.
It had been sitting for 2 years and wouldn't start---the guy didn't want to fiddle with it and I just told him
"I'd take it"---as it appeared brand new. Put a battery in it and all was well.
Probably the best most reliable bike I ever owned------took me to Mexico several times and the TAT.

 

 

 

2000 BMW R1100 RT which I bought new----my buddy Kenny Gibbons on it.
RIP Kenny.

 

2000 Suzuki DRZS--I bought it new.
The first year for this bike.

 

 

 

 

2001 BMW R1150 GS

 

2002 Suzuki SV650S and my pretty wife Debi
That was a sweet bike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2002 KTM 520---I had 2 of these over the years.

 

 

 

 

2005 KTM 950---bought it new. I had 2 of these--the first one blew up at .9 miles. Let me say that again---9/10th's of a mile.
They ended up giving me another one which I put a good 90,000 miles on. I loved that bike.
Me and my buddy "Gaspipe" rode 2 of these up into the pacific Northwest and the story was featured in the "American
Motorcyclist" magazine------I still have a copy of it. Mark Hyde was on the cover--famous offroad rider who I've met and
rode with at dual-sport events.

 

2006 Husqvarna TE610---one of my favorite bikes. I was on this when me and "Gaspipe" rode the Trans America trail all the
way to the Atlantic ocean. That trip was on the top 10 ride reports on the Adventure rider website for years.
As not too many people had ridden the TAT ---or wrote about it. This was way before hardly anybody had a gps.
I may have been the first to use one on this ride---As I made a track log and route with maps and rollcharts Sam Correro gave me.
Also this same bike took me to Mexico 3 times !!!!! Once to Baja and twice to the mainland of Mexico.

 

2006 KTM EXC ????

 

 

 

 

The best bike I ever owned by far is on the right.
My son said it was the ugliest bike he ever saw and wouldn't ride it or even get near it.

 

 

This bike was my son's-----with mom giving him a hug.
Mom wasn't happy when he had this 'crotch rocket".

 

 

 

2008 Yamaha WR250R at the Salmon Glacier in Alaska. I bought this bike brand new.
I had a guy just the other day tell me this bike would't pull the hat off his head.
It was a worthless conversation and I never bothered to tell him it took me from the Southern tip
of Baja all the way to the Arctic ocean in Northern Alaska---he was clueless.
The bike had over 80,000 on it when I sold it----the motor had never been touched.

 

 

2012 Husqvarna 650 Terra---a really nice bike that just didn't catch on with too many riders.
They only made it for 2 years.

 

 

 

 

2014 KTM 690 enduro---I loved this bike-------till I didn't.
Blew up on me at 18,000 miles. I swore I'd never guy another one. But did.

 

 

 

2016 KTM 350 EXC----this was my BAJA Mexico bike.
I bought it brand new and it had about 10,000 miles on it when I sold it.
The only KTM I ever owned that never cause me any problems.

 

 

 

2019 Honda Africa Twin. Rode it to Alaska among other places.
Tried to ride it to Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territory of Canada--------but the road was completely
washed out when I tried. They just built this road and I would have been one of the first people to ride
a bike to this formerly isolated little town on the Arctic ocean. But it was not to be for me.

 

 

 

2019 Honda 250 Rally------one of the best bikes I ever owned.
I was a dummy for selling this bike---I guess I could say that about myself for most of the bikes I've owned.

 

 

2019 Honda CB 500X---an under appreciated bike. Traded my Africa Twin in for this bike.

 

 

2019 Royal Enfield "Himalayan".
A bike that was just awesome---why did I sell it ?????

 

 

2019 Yamaha SMAX and my loveley wife---some where in Texas.
Marfa, Texas campround I do believe.

 

2020 Husqvarna 701

 

 

 

 

 

2021 Yamaha XT250
Picture taken in Cave In Rock, Illinois high above the Mississippi river.

 

 

2022 Honda Grom
Yeh it's bad-----------and NO you can't ride it !!!!!

 

2021 KTM 390 Adventure
Awful Lot Of Orange !!!!

 

2022 Honda Monkey---5 speed



 

2022 Honda Trail 125--some call it a Hunter Cub???

 

2022 Honda ADV150


 

 

 

2023 Royal Enfield Classic 350
Bought new in 2023 from Gateway BMW in St. Louis, MO.

 

 

 

2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan
Bought new in 2023---this was a leftover 2022 model.
Bought it from Gateway BMW in St. Louis, MO.

 

 

Not my oldest model----started making these in 1951----will see when they discontinue it.