This week I'm pleased to introduce a fellow blogger, Kano. He's from Oregon's State Capitol, Salem. That's about twenty miles North of me. So far we seem to have missed meeting each other in person. However, I'm pretty sure we've traversed the same roads. Like Kano says, it's possible we passed going opposite directions, waved, and never realized who the other was. May have to fix that soon. Be advised that no consideration was given Kano for his kind words about my blog. I mean, I like it, but that's certainly not a requirement to be featured here!
With that, here's Kano.
Dear Irondad, this email is in response to your invitation for people to send their stories to you for your blog:
I go by the handle Kano and I've been riding quite a while now. I rode off and on when growing up and in my early adult years and then when I got to be in my 40s the mid-life bug bit me hard and I got my first Sportster, an XL883C. That was about 8 years ago. I had to sell it to fund moving back to Oregon from Texas. But once I got my feet back on the ground I got another one, this time an XL1200C. A definite improvement from the 2001 model to the 2006 model I now have. Rubber isolation engine mounting keeps the shake out and the bigger 4.5 gallon tank from 3.3 gallon makes fuel stops less frequent.
When I started looking around the internet for motorcycle blogs, Irondad's was one of the first ones I ran across and have been following his excellent posts ever since. In fact I was inspired to start my own motorcycle blog and have been at it for most of a year now. It's called Motorcycle & Scooter Talk at Kano's Coffee House. I put up a link to irondad's blog and encourage my readers to check it out. Irondad brings the much needed perspective of a motorcycle safety instructor which is even more relevant and in need than ever. With the rising fuel prices comes a dramatic increase in new riders of motorcycles and scooters.
I've been riding steady, year around for the past 8 years now and in that time my riding style has changed. I've moved from a recreational rider and sometimes commuter to a daily commuter and infrequent recreational rider. The cost of the premium gas my Sportster takes has curtailed my pleasure cruising dramatically. I do enjoy the ride to and from work though and sometimes take the long way home. (Don't tell my wife!)
In addition to Irondad keeping his readers more safety aware, I also enjoy his humor and local riding stories. I'm just up the road from him in nearby Salem and enjoy reading about roads and places that I know and have been to. We may even have exchanged waves without even knowing it. Irondad, you'll recognize me this way; I'm the only guy around with a black Sportster, full face helmet and reflective textile jacket with body armor!
Kano
I know I'll be looking for that combination whenever I'm in that area, now!
There's been a few local riders here, lately. Don't hold back from sharing just because you live farther away. Amazingly enough, I have readers from literally all over the planet. We'd love to meet you. Drop me a line at intrepidcommuter@comcast.net and introduce yourself. I can help with putting the post together if you'd like. I'd be honored to have you grace us.
Miles and smiles,
Dan
7 comments:
Hey Kano,
I am finding more and more that the Harley is a victim of wrong impressions. They must have made some improvements.
Balisada
Kano; I've met a lot of folks who have evolved from the recreational sort to the daily rider. I hope that you are still able to get out and enjoy some recreation, the ability to ride everday as a commuter and then decompress on the weekends; that's just one of the luxuries I feel we have that, personally, over those who don't ride at all.
It's good to see someone evolving beyond the stereotype of the weekend fair-weather cruiser with no safety gear. Go forth and preach the gospel of safe riding!
Don't get me started on the engineering of Harleys & the attitude of most of the people who ride them.
(Not all people, obviously, just most of the ones I've run into in my travels. I also remember a rant by Dan after riding past a particularly obnoxious pack.)
Uh oh, Dan featured another sportster rider (like me). He must be slipping :) I check your blog frequently Kano, but wish you would post more. I started mine recently. Hope to get time tomorrow at work to post pictures and a write up of my weekend trip.
Thanks ya'll for your comments. I've had a good time checking out your blogs. Thank you irondad for having me!
Kano - great article. It's good to hear from another Harley commuter.
Irondad - you just know a wealth of good Harley folk, huh? Have we overshadowed the rubes like the one you met on the highway, yet? :)
Of course all of the '08 ST1300 ABSes are gone. Lots of Goldwings on the floor though. To me the difference in the two is a lot like the difference of a RoadKing and a ElectraGlide. The RK seems just perfect for commuting and long distance highway travel. Where the EG seems over the top for commuting. But that's just me. Your mileage may vary.
- Peace
We are happy that Kano is back blogging. We missed him.
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