My name is Allan and I'm new here. I'm 53 and have been riding (continuously) since 1969. I started on a 4hp mini-bike and then graduated to a WELL used Suzuki AC50. I had my mother plate the bike so I could wear a dark bubble shield on my Bell 3/4 helmet and ride the streets long before I was 16
Like many of you, I knew I would be riding until the day that I die. It means that much to me. I had obtained the AC50 from a local motorcycle shop named (oddly enough) Suzuki of Los Angeles, located in Dayton, OH. In July of 75 I got my motorcycle and car temp permits. I rode further and further from home because now I had a license
In January of 76 I purchased a 1976 Suzuki GT250A (red w gold pinstripes) from Suzuki of LA. I think Bob Collett made me a special deal because he wanted to see me out of the shop and onto the road. I rode that bike everywhere and did things that probably should have killed me; but it didn't. I loved that bike, I still do, wherever it is. In May of 77 I joined the Marine Corps and after completing boot camp was assigned to a unit at Camp Lejeune, NC. I was immeadiately deployed and after returning stateside in March of 78 I took leave to come home. I wanted my BIKE! After a short visit home I packed my gym bag and strapped it to the GT. I rode that bike down to NC where I sercured the only place I could to store it, outside in a locked lot off base. (no mcs allowed on post then) I was deployed for most of my 4 years but always seemed to be back at base during the summers, which worked out well. I rode all over coastal NC and into the mountains as well. On one leave I rode NW of Asheville to a road called US129
This is a place I've since gone to many, many times.I also drag raced the GT at Coastal Plains Dragway and was the bracket champion one year. I ran high 13s with the help of some modifications at Rester's Bike Shop on New Bridge Street in Jacksonville, NC. John Rester is another good story; I owe him a lot as a mentor. After all my deployments I got out in May of 81. Had some babys with my new wife, got a GS650E and sold the GT. I knew it was a mistake when I did it, but I did it anyway. I was a young policeman on the Dayton Police Department and was trying to make ends meet. The GS650E served as our (my) second car.
Fast forward to 2008. I was one year past retirement but hadn't yet. I was recruited by a company to work as a private contractor embedded with a Marine unit in Iraq based on my prior USMC MOS and that I was assigned to SWAT and the Bomb Squad during my time at DPD. I retired on April of 08 to persue the new adventure. Shortly after I retired I recieved a letter from the Marine Corps thru the IRS (they had my address from returns) saying I might have cancer because of water contamination at Lejeune. I felt great and was in great shape but I still kept the letter. I took my employment physical in Sept of 08 and around the first part of Oct I was contacted by the medical dept that something was amiss. They offered to ship me but something was amiss. Again, I didn't feel bad but something told me I better get it checked out further. I took the letter and the blood test results to my doctor. A long story short, I had Renal Cell Cancer. R kidney, lymph nodes adrenal gland and lungs. After 3 surgeries and treatment I was in remission by early 2009. I have remained that way ever since although I am checked every 180 days. The company hired me for a domestic position (instead of overseas) where I currently work nearly full time. I am the luckiest man you will ever know.
One day when I was discussing motorcycles with a co-worker I lamented that I wish, out of all the bikes I've owned and ridden, that I could have a GT250A, That I could ride that bike that meant so much to me. He encouraged me to look around on Ebay and I did. A month later I had an original but a little rough GT250A in the same red my bike was
I'm in process of restoring it and also purchased a 1973 GT250K in much better condition that I'm currently riding along with my HD Road King. So I'll read everything I can here before I start asking dumb questions. I'm a fairly competent mechanic but wiring is my downfall.I hope to be able to bring something to the table for others who might have a need for information I might know. I can tell you about what having cancer is like, what long distance MC travel is like (I've ridden this continent fairly extensively including my old Super Glide up the Al Can and the Dalton to the Arctic Circle) or ever popular party game "Why did that cop treat me that way?"
So that's me and I'm all about getting both these GTs into excellent condition so I can ride them. Everytime I ride the 73 or look at the 76 in the garage my heart flutters.
Allan
19 months later I ets'ed and rode the Suzuki back to Ft Lewis.
, but all has been good just the same 
