Well, it started about 3 weeks ago. I was released to day. I am sore, but will heal. I hope I am able to set up deer camp on Sept 27.
New to me Bike, or at least it was.
Any one want to buy a slightly used Road King? A few scratches, may polish out.
I have been looking for a bike for 3 or 4 years, but have not found anything that I liked. I do not like the bagger look, the huge bags make the bike look unbalanced. I do not want a Jap bike, don't want a crotch rocket and cannot afford a new HD or BMW, nor do I want a small bike. I do not really like the Sportster. And the chopper image makes me think of hells angels or brother speed or other 1% criminals.
I did not know what I wanted as much as I knew what I did not want. About 3 weeks ago I was in Pendleton, going by an independent bike shop. There was
2002 SE Road King
I just drove by, did not stop. On the way home, I drove by again, did not stop. I was in Pendleton working again and drove by. That time I turned around and stopped. $12,500.00. I asked about the bike, it was even better close up.
The pictures do not do this bike justice. In no particular order, custom paint from the factory, purple background with gray and silver flames, tach,27,000 miles, Road King SE, 1550 cc engine, 2 w/s, cruise, new seat, w/backrest in the middle, backrest/luggage rack at the back of the seat. Full disc wheels, chrome of course, crash bars, aux pegs, Rinehart mufflers
1995-2008 Touring Rinehart True Dual W / BLACK END CAPS 3.5 Inch Mufflers | Rinehart Racing , Redline oils, ( hold-on, I gotta get something to hold my right arm/shoulder up a bit higher. Nurse Dee brought me a pillow.) Tires have lots of miles left. HD fiberglass bags, with small leather HD (HD does not stand for Home Depot!) bags. There is more, this is a beautiful bike, never dropped. Two owners, present owner works at a bike shop, bike is always garaged. So the last week I have been on line, there are other Road Kings, $9,000.00 to $15,500.00. But none are special, just bikes. Yesterday, I stopped at the shop, and told Roy I was going to Pendleton. Then I looked him in the eye and asked if I could stay at his house if Dee would not let me in. I drove to Pendleton. I started at $9,000.00, and stopped at $10,500.00. I went to the bank and got a certified check for $10,500.00. I called my insurance company & told Debbie I wanted the best policy, with $25,000.00 medical. I chose the best full face helmet in the place. I left my Sprinter at the bike shop and headed down the road to the closest gas station. I was filling up the bike when the owner of the shop stopped and said he was going to ride with me a few minutes. Holy !!!!, did that thing haul *** !!!! I looked behind me using the mirrors, and the other guy must have thought I could handle it because he went home. His confidence was misplaced.
I Rode up Cabbage Hill. The bike did not corner at the same speed at the Sprinter, but it rode straight and true. I passed a couple of trucks and that was NO PROBLEM! But it did not corner as well as I expected. A few miles past the summit I pulled over and put my Carhartt sweatshirt under my denim jacket. This is an important detail. There was a truck coming, I pulled out on the freeway, and nailed that Road King. I hit 4th (5 speed transmission) and looked at the speedo. 80 MPH!!!! I have no idea what top speed is. Nor am I capable of handling the bike at that speed, 80 was too fast. I dropped to 60- 65 and cruised towards home.
I came into a section with some corners. I slowed down, way down, I remembered the corners going up Cabbage Hill. Damn, !!!!, I am drifting to the center divider! That is when it all went to hell! I could not get the bike back to the right. I do remember thinking, this is going to hurt. I did slow if down to abut 25 or 30 when I hit the divider. We started to bounce back to the right side of the freeway. When I stopped, the bike was stopped at the concrete bridge abutment. I was behind the bike, I was not sore but I knew that going change. I think I was on the bike, but am not sure. I do remember seeing the sky, then the pavement, but have no idea just when that was. I do remember the top of the tank was dented. The w/s was in front of the bike, on the road. The bags were torn up. I took my helmet off, and there were scratches on it. $120.00 was a great investment! A couple of people stopped and came back to me. One was an RN, one worked for Milton-Freewater FD, part of Metro West. One of them called 911, soon I could hear sirens and then a State Trooper stopped, & the La Grande FD ambulance. Then some forestry guys from Coos Bay. The bike was uprighted and left against the concrete, awaiting the next wrecker on the rotation. The ambulance guys helped me in, and we headed for the Grande Ronde Hospital. (one of our accounts)I got to ER and had them call Roy. I asked him to got get Dee and bring her to ER. He did. Now remember, I did not discuss this bike thing with her and did not tell her I was going to Pendleton look at it, again. She was not happy. She made sure that my allergy to narcotic drugs was noted on my chart. I had already been to the Cat Scan Room where they found 3 through 6 ribs on the right side were broken. I spent the night, and Dee came back to the hospital about 9.00 AM. We got home before our druggist closed for the weekend. I am on T-3 and it does not do as good at the needle did.
I think my work schedule is going to be changed for the next few weeks. I just hired a new guy, I will be working with him. My ribs hurt, my Shoulders hurt, chest hurts, my hands have road rash and are still leaking blood. My knees have road rash, But, I am alive and will heal. I am not sure about the bike, I think it belongs to the insurance company now. Sure glad I went for the more expensive insurance plan. The extra $400.00 will cover up to $25,000.00 of Medical expense.
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Douglas Hicks
. Crap, I completely overlooked Jeff getting married. A song for Jeff; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jYsyD3Hiw4 Uncle Bob
