Howdy, thought I'd jump on an introduce myself and say hello.

I'm a 45 yo business guy living on the Gold Coast, Australia with my beautiful wife and 3 kids.

I've just purchased my 2012 V Strom 650. (Her name is "Virginia". Hope that's not weird??!)

That was on a Thursday. The bike shop owner said "We're doing an Adventure off-road ride on Saturday - wanna come?"

I've done next to zero off-road riding (patches of 20 miles on gravel country roads), but have never let commonsense get in the way, so said "Sure, sounds like a great idea!"

$5,000 Damage, 5 Broken Ribs & A Collapsed Lung

1 mile in on the dirt and I "dropped" (cough) my beautiful new bike, caused $5,200 damage, broke 5 ribs and gave myself a partially collapsed lung.

So that wasn't the best start (he says in an understatement to rival "We're gonna need a bigger boat" in Jaws) - some of the lads on the ride picked my bike up for me, I pointed it back down the hill, got to the blessed relief of the bitumen and rode the 130 miles home.

(Just got the bike fixed for considerably less than the original quote after saying I was quite happy to keep the scratches as a mark of stupidity. Pick it up later today.)

Across The USA On A Harley

I've done a little bit of riding after getting my license 3 years ago - have done trips around Tasmania, Australia with friends, the North & South Islands of New Zealand and rode across the USA (LA to Miami) for a month in December on a big assed Harley with my 17 yo son on the back.

Not Exactly A Motorbike Expert

I know as much about motorbikes as I do about women, less about engines and have no discernible capacity to learn anything involving motors/machines/cars/motorbikes.

I plan to do overnight and weekend trips, along with an around Australia ride in a few months.

I hope I can contribute to the forum in some meaningful way ......ask me about anything other than motorbikes!

Cheers.

Welcome to the forum!

Shitty way to start out, but hopefully you've got it out of your system. These bikes are tough to get used to.

Happy riding!

Forgive me if I don't seek your advice on motorbikes OR women!

__________________

'10 Vee Adv
Multiple Farkles :
Stebel Horn with Screaming Banshee,Gorilla Alarm, Madstadt Bracket, RichlandRick's fork brace, accessory shelf and mirror extenders, PCV (Get one from b.layton@svracingparts.com) You'll wish you had sooner!, Twin 12v outlets, Twisted Throttle and PC8 Fuse Blocks, Admore Light Bar, GPS and Contour Camera Ram Mount, Bark Busters, 8k HIDS & an Omni-Cruise Throttle Lock.

I heard you Aussies knew how to have a good time.
Maybe stick to sheep and warm beer?

"Her name is "Virginia". Hope that's not weird??!"

My sister's name is "Virginia." It's weird.

__________________
New Crispy Snack Cracker To Ease Crushing Pain Of Modern Life

No no no Notacop you seem to have confused us Aussies with a mix of Brits, who like warm beer and Kiwis who, reputedly, 'like' sheep. Give me a cold beer and a warm kangaroo any day

keep going for the off road virginia and you can do it but please go alone dont take youre son! :P


Sent from my iPhone using MO Free

Give me a cold beer and a warm kangaroo any day

There's nothing so lonesome, so morbid or drear than to stand at the bar of a pub with no beer!

Welcome, I live in Virginia and my Mom's name is Virginia, never been to Australia but was close in 71-72

PS: I bought a used 06 last year, but it's still painful when I hurt her, had to get some welding done on it after a mishap doing a water crossing........

__________________
Tom
06 Red Wee
COG 6517
Virginia Beach, VA

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. Will be a doing a bit of off-road training before the next foray into the loose stuff.

Cheers.

That's the spirit. Get back on that horse and ride.

By the way.....I was born in Virginia.....and yes, that could be wierd!!

__________________
SGTBob
Currently own:
2012 DL650 Adventure and a 77 Honda CB750A (Automatic)

Many of life's failures are people who had not realized how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas Edison