How was your 2012?

[ArticusMax]

I think I should post something up here.
* 2012 seemed to go by pretty fast. No injuries or accidents for myself but starting to feel the effects of my adventurous youth.
* Our local vintage bike group lost a member abruptly. I go to more funerals than weddings now.
* Did a few rides around Alberta, Montana and British Columbia.
* 2012 was my year for getting caught in the rain with no gear.

The most significant things for me last year was a restoration of a 1974 Kawasaki H1 and a "storage shed" I built because I was running out of room for all my bikes.

This is the Kawasaki project done:


Here are some photo's of the "storage shed" project. Outside dimensions 20' long x 12' wide.

This is where it all started: ...................................................................Now the frame is up:


Door is installed: ...........................................................Ready for vinyl siding just as the first snow arrived:

[MikeH1A]

Hey Articus,

Those first coupla pics look like you are doing a repro of the Ark Nice idea to have some space just for the toys.

Great job on the Kwaka She looks lovely. I had a ride recently on a mate's 73 H1 and found it a very different beast to my H1A. It was a lot more stable and locked to the ground - felt more solid. I'm guessing the 74 is much the same, the acceleration seemed more usable than the early models. Enjoy riding her.

Mike

[ArticusMax]

Hey Articus,

Those first coupla pics look like you are doing a repro of the Ark Nice idea to have some space just for the toys.

Great job on the Kwaka She looks lovely. I had a ride recently on a mate's 73 H1 and found it a very different beast to my H1A. It was a lot more stable and locked to the ground - felt more solid. I'm guessing the 74 is much the same, the acceleration seemed more usable than the early models. Enjoy riding her.

Mike

Yes, my H1 is pretty tame. I am planning to get carb kit from Ivan to get some more action out of it. The frame is very good though. After all the stories I read about these bikes being 'widow makers' I was expecting more trouble but it corners fine (but it's no Ducati).

[Suzsmokeyallan]

Its all relative Art, for example a stock GT750 is supposed to be the flexiflyer with that wonderful hinge in the middle. However if you weigh about 200 lbs and strap about 40lbs on the rear rack and jack the preload on the stock shocks up to the hardest setting, the strange bendy feeling suddenly appears to go away to a significant degree.
These old girls are made to be ridden with respect due to the built in issues they have as part of their character.
Synopsis: Strapping jet engines onto a biplane does not make it better or faster for very long, but it can be fun doing it.

[Bloop2]

Some big moments for me in 2012, have finally finished my "shed", a dream of mine for years and 3 years of building, landscaping and putting in a shop, the bikes finally moved out of the living room after 4 years and into the shop:

shed.jpg

The new shop:

shop.jpg

Another bucket list item for me was the longest trip I have ever taken on a motorcycle, from Ontario, Canada to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico via the Baja Peninsula and the Copper Canyon. A trip that started in November the previous year, ended in Puerto Vallarta, left the bike there and the wife and I went to visit the Vstrom in February for two weeks, had a great time touring off the beaten path Mexico. The return trip was back through the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Copper Canyon in April.


Some how I think I'll plan my timing of the year a little better, the following pic of my bike is in April on the way back from Mexico, going through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and yes it did snow.

All in all, it was a great year with the exception of some back problems, ironic that for six months I could hardly stand but had no problems sitting on a bike for 12 hours. A lot of great riding last year, including a trip to the Smokey Mountains last fall. I'm fortunate enough to have a wife that understands my riding needs and actually tells me to get out of the house, go for a ride and come back when you feel like it.

Cheers.......Fred

[Joiseygirl]

OMG!!! WOW!!! AWESOME!!!

Congrats!!! Good for you!

The "shed" is fabulous! So glad 2012 was a productive year for you.
May 2013 be the same or even better. Continue enjoying your life to the fullest.

[johnakay]

shed?? its a friggin house from where I'm sitting

[two-stroke-brit]

bloop ,you had a fantastic year,difficult to see you topping that.

[ArticusMax]

Nice shed Bloop! Nice trip too! Good for you all around.

[tz375]

That's nicer than my house - and probably larger too. Very nice.

[titan performance]

Shed Bloop, are you kidding? That's a luxury detached residence here in England. A good 75% of folk over here would trade their houses for that. It's beautiful.Top job !
I've got a shed too.......6' X 4', and full of garden tools and crap, with a torn felt roof that flaps in the wind, and a door that don't fit.
What does what you call a house look like?

[Bloop2]

The house is not much bigger, whoever buys this place once I'm gone will probably tear down the house and leave the "shed" standing.

[jeff g]

shed?? its a friggin house from where I'm sitting

Looks bigger than MY house

As for my year...pretty much the same as all the rest with one major exception. I met a beautiful woman in September and we started seriously seeing each other in December. Now, since I've been a bachelor since 2000, I have a serious bit of cleaning/organizing/straightening of my house and garage to do. For some strange reason, women think that the dining room table is NOT for storing motorcycle parts.

[johnakay]

women think that the dining room table is NOT for storing motorcycle parts.

you know what that mean don't you. there are gonna be some changes around the how once she if not already moved in.

[parksie]

I finished 2012 above ground, vertical and still sucking air , so no complaints here
BTW Bloody top shed, I'd give my left one for a shed like that.