Don's Motorcycle Passion

Get Your Motor Running...

Boyhood passions run deep. As a teen I wanted to ride a bike, and my Father was more interested in keeping me off bikes and so was supportive in my purchase of my first car (1964 white Pontiac Laurentian). The desire to ride has never gone away, so in 2009 it was finally time to take proper formal riding lessons and take the exam. After lots of work, I got my license. Shortly after, a bike popped up through friends as being available and it worked out to get it.

While I trained on a Yamaha Virago/V-star 250cc, I knew from the start it wasn’t big enough for me.

When a 2003 Honda Shadow Spirit 750cc came onto the scene, it seems pretty much a match. As a kid, there was no such thing as a bike bigger than 750cc, and water cooling was a rare thing indeed.

The motorcycle is referred to as a Honda VT750DC (the DC is for chain drive).  It came with some aftermarket crash bars, a windscreen, and leather bags.

Since getting the bike I’ve done what everyone does – customize it to be “my bike”. That means:

·         New Bridgestone Tires/Tubes

·         Kisan SignalMinder (auto turn signal shutoff, increased brake light visibility)

·         Mustang Seat

·         OEM sissy bar and luggage rack

·         Viking bags with License Reposition

·         MC Enterprises crash bars

·         MC Enterprises highway pegs

·         New OEM mufflers

·         Billet handle bar risers (lift and shift back the bars for easier fit)

·         Kuryakyn helmet lock, handle grips and pegs

·         Clocks4Bikes bar-mount clock and thermometer

Naturally, normal and timely maintenance (major tune-up) is a part of all this, rendering the bike to be as close to new operating condition as can be achieved.

Staying alive is the name of the game, so this new adventure has included getting some serious road equipment including boots, DayGlo yellow jacket (armoured), insulated over pants (armoured), Bohn  body armour, and helmets. Ah yes – helmets with an “S”. I’ve tried full face, open face with goggles, and now modular. The modular seems to work best with prescription glasses, as long as any wear-over sunglasses have a top-cover to prevent sun glare.

Where does this all fit? In the garage you say? Well – there are two MR2’s in the garage, so it hides nicely behind one car right at the door – ready to roll.

Yep – time to get the motor running. It’s about time....

More about Don, and some of my other interests can be found at: Don's Home Page

Last Updated: 2011 January 7

·         Memphis Shades windscreen (replaced original worn one)

·         Aftermarket forward-controls