Dreams, dream, dreams, don’t you just feel on TOP of the world when your dreams come true? Well, they did for Ron750.
One of Ron’s favorite TV shows as a kid was “Then Came Bronson” starring Michael Parks as Jim Bronson.
The opening scene shows a family man in a “station wagon” looking bored and overwhelmed with life while envying Jim Bronson’s total independence and freedom to roam the wilds on his Sportster.
Well, you guessed it. Ron spent the following 35 years picturing himself as the man in the station wagon, in awe of Bronson up until 2004. Yup, that was the year the Basic Riders’ Course hit the radar and was completed thereafter.
Ron750’s first bike you ask? A Virago 250 his friend lent him. Before you ask, I did not know what a Virago 250 was either. So, I had to look it up. It is a Yamaha. They look something like this below.
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But nevertheless, ‘ya gotta give Ron credit for riding that “around town” for 70 miles, before his Harley friend threw him on a ‘99 FLHT for a weekend trip , racking up 500 miles. He loved the Electraglide Standard, and was hooked, after that.
Ron rode the Virago for 500 miles, then bought a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 750.
Since then his riding ownership has been a 2004 Kawasaki Vulcan 750 from 2005 to 2011. Then he purchased his present 2003 FLHTCUI.
Of all of his bikes, he clearly deems this Ultra as his favorite. Correction, to put it more precisely………….he says, “I love my Ultra.”. [Bold italic added for emphasis.]
Ron’s wife being an ER nurse and referring to all motorcycles as “…donorcycles…,” absolutely, without question, that’s it period, refused to ride with him. Nope. Nope. NOT gonna happen. Not today. Not tomorrow.
At first, her refusal was a bit bothersome. But realizing how dangerous it is riding around deer and forever distracted drivers, his wife’s refusal to ride seemed a reasonable, if not a wise decision.
Well, <cough, cough> after Ron survived 7 years of riding and having a BLAST without her, she eyed the bike thinking……….hmmmmm, I want some of that fun.
His wife expressed the decision to ride with him. Ron said, that means I will need a bigger bike. And she replied, “Go ahead.”
As Ron750 was perusing used bikes, he zeroed in on a few Silver/Black Gold Key Packages. A salesman at Racine Harley said they were taking in a trade on one that had about 2,000 miles on it. That was when his search ended and a new life began with his present 2003 Electra Glide Ultra, accompanied by his wife.
Admittingly, the BEST of all of his rides was indeed with his wife in 2up trips. And likely of those rides, his favorite was a ride a few years back where they went from Central Wisconsin up through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and over to Central Lower Michigan.
The above photo was taken by Ron’s wife while crossing over the Mackinaw Bridge looking down through the grate to 155 feet below. YIKES!
Ron is particularly grateful he was born in America. Where else can you grow up in a place like the Brooklyn Housing Project, and after years of hard work wind up in the lap of luxury living on beautiful Lake Wisconsin with two boats, a Chevy truck, a car, a Harley and another car being a Mustang?
Oh, the Mustang is a car he talked his wife into buying instead of a motorcycle. That way she would be better protected, and you know……….it’s a Mustang because, well, that is just a cool car. Yeah, she needed that. A Stang. Yeah, that.
Ron has three children. Two boys and a girl. Like father, like sons. The boys are a firefighter and a veteran. When they took the Basic Rider Course at Sauk-Prairie HD around four years ago, SPHD had (and still has) a policy in effect that if you are a veteran or a first responder, your Basic Riding Course is FREE. I said FREE. Like, you pay nothing. What does that tell you about HD? What does that tell you about both of Ron’s kids?
While taking the Basic Riding Course, the instructor looked at both of Ron’s kids standing side by side at 6’3” or taller and weighing 230+ lbs plus. He couldn’t help but look at them in awe and nickname them “The Twin Towers.”
One son purchased a Suzuki C50T and the other brother borrowed the bike so Ron could share his riding knowledge and expertise with them both. As his children grew, got married and had their own kids, Ron discouraged the idea of his grandkids riding while so young. And while his sons were in their active “fathering” years.
As time ticks away, Ron has high hopes of touring with the his sons someday, after he retires.
Wishing the best to Ron and his family.
From The HDF Staff, CONGRATULATIONS Ron!
Last edited by BuzzCap7; 12-30-2020 at 12:39 PM.
Reason: Month correction.
10-08-2020, 11:14 PM
