Milestones and Return of an Old Friend

[Tkelly]

Milestones and Return of an Old Friend

   The summer of 1965 I closed my bank account and paid $460 for a ‘63 Honda Dream and became a motorcycle rider. Thinking back, that $460 is probably $5,000 in today’s money so the purchase was a big deal. Since then Deb and I have owned 2 - 750s, a 400, and 2 - 350 Hondas, a couple of big Kawasakis, 3 old BMWs, an Eldo, T-3, 50II, a V65SP, CX100, ‘94 Cal, 850 GT, a 500 Triumph, SPNT, ‘95 Cal carburated, ‘13 V-7 Special, EV, ‘14 Stelvio and a couple of dirt bikes. In 2014 Deb was reluctant to tour because she was still working and the Guzzis were getting older. It also occurred to me that I was 69 going on 70 and my chances of winning the lottery to buy my dream (Stelvio) bike were not great since I don’t play. What to do?

   The unexpected answer arrived at the Iowa rally in the persons of Doug and Nancy Wirt, owners of the motocycle shop of Watertown, S.D. Hearing my predicament (4 old Guzzis and not being able to buy 2 new bikes while I still had those), he proposed a trade. We ended up with the V7 and the Stelvio and he took ours.

   Fast forward (and you 70-somethings know what I mean) to 2020 and the corona virus. Being semi-retired , and bored, I decided to look on line to see if Doug and Nancy were still in business. Not only that, but they still had my SPNT. I immediately called and asked if they wanted my 98EV with 35,000 miles. Nancy said ok and I rode the EV 485 miles to Watertown the next day, arriving about 4 p.m. We exchanged titles and I prepared to head back when Nancy convinced me I was crazy, fed me dinner and put me up for the night. (She was right as I had only 5 hours sleep the night before.)

   When I got up, the west and north sky was beyond scary. I never saw such weird red cloud formations as were bearing in. The prudent move was to head south on Interstate 29 but I thought I could outrun it east on 212 as I hate the interstate, having ridden it about 200 miles on the way.

   I had a nervous few miles as 212 bears northeast toward the storm but luckily the road turned due east before the storm arrived. I filled the tank in Watertown because I was curious about gas mileage. I made it to the SW edge of the Twin Cities and gassed up after 200 miles, averaging almost 50 mpg.

   The rest of the trip was along the Mississippi and into Wisconsin’s driftless region where we live. I had forgotten how sweet the SP is on curvy scenic roads. It doesn’t have near the power of the Stelvio, my long-distance ride, but it has all any sane rider needs. The other nice surprise was how I enjoyed the last 200 miles even though my ass and body were screaming for mercy. Normally, the last couple of hours of a long ride are torture but on this bike were a pleasure.

   Doug and Nancy did a fantastic job getting this 72,000 mile bike not only roadworthy but beautiful. I had 2 Harley riders gushing over it when I stopped for a picnic and a woman Honda rider accosted me in a gas station for a close look after I had passed her car on the highway. They have several beautiful Guzzis for sale: 2 Centauros, an 850T, a Convert, a California Titanium, a Breva, a LeMans, a VII sport, an Eldo, and my favorite, a Strada with 3,000 miles. Nancy says their website is not up to date but several of the Guzzis are shown.

   All in all, it was a great trip and I have to say that if I had to pick one bike, all time, it would be the S-P My sons and I have ridden it from Prince Edward Island to Seattle and points in between over the years. I can’t think of a better event to mark my 55 years riding than to get it back and take that ride from Watertown.

[Ncdan]

Great read, thanks👍

[Testarossa]

Great story, beautiful bike. Thanks!

[wirespokes]

I like it! Let me know if you ever decide to sell it.

Love the luggage!

[80CX100]

     Glad you got your bike and it's in fine running order.

     Beautiful story, thanks for sharing.

     Kelly

[oldbike54]

 Oh man , that thing will look nice in Hewins Park next year 

 Dusty

[fotoguzzi]

Nice story Tom.. I called the Motorcycle Shop about their stock cause the website showed a V11 Sport..dang I just missed out on my dream Guzzi.. Nancy just sold her personal 2000 Sport greenie with handlebar conversion and only 10k miles.

[Texas Turnip]

Tom, Thanks for the post. You know you are doing something right when you have a motorcycle shop in Watertown. Continued success to you hard working people.

Tex

[Muzz]

A nice read.

Thanks.  You meet the nicest people on a Honda  Guzzi.

[e.cleven]

Tom, great story, seeing you with the bike is like like a flashback. I remember seeing you ride into the mid-west rally's on that bike a few years back.
Hope you have many safe miles on it.

Stay Safe

Earl

[drdwb]

TK somehow I knew you’d been to Watertown,congrats on getting your bike back. Doug and Nancy have always treated me well. How many ice cream stops did you make on the way home?

[not-fishing]

Thanks for the post.  I've always wanted to visit South Dakota and now you've just given me another reason.  Besides pheasant hunting

[Tkelly]

Can’t do the ice cream stops on a trip unless I plan on a snooze shortly thereafter.