My Spyder Obsession...

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

Some folks think I have an obsession about ryding my 2014 RT-S.
I do like to ryde it. But this has been a bad season. There was the
accident I had in late May. Then there were wear and tear parts
that needed replaced. Now the weather has turned here in Ohio.
My odometer has barely moved, only 18,463 miles this year. It
now has 160,900 total. But I know a 74 year old man who lives
close to me who rides a 2003 Yamaha FJR 1300. This particular
bike looks like it's never been washed, some parts held together with duct tape.
But it runs very well. It has 449,000 miles on it.
These last few years he averages over 60,000 miles a year. He
has changed tires, front and back 8 times this summer. He likes to
ride where I do, southeastern Ohio roads. If you see a silver Yamaha
with a blue tinted pulsating headlight with a snow white beard rider
wearing a Yellow helmet, it's probably him.
Here's to high mile ryders!

Chuck

[vindex1963]

I ride 24,000 miles a year and thought that was a lot, I'm pretty lame......

[jaherbst]

Might be bordering on Obsession. (or does not have a good Home Life)

​Jack

[Navydad]

I have put in at least 25,000 a year for several years and looks like I am a lightweight This year I only managed a measly 14,000 due to prostate surgery. Hey Chuck, I have met the old boy on the Yamaha a couple of times. Once on 555 and again at the miners memorial on route 78.
I don't mind the cool weather that has set in here in southern Ohio because I have riding gear for it, but this non-stop rain just screws everything up. I have good rain gear, but never did really enjoy riding in the rain.

[Woodaddict]

I just turned over 200K on my Honda NT700V in 6 yrs, 10 months and 3 days. I have a 49 mile one way work commute, used to be 56 miles one way for 2 of those years. longest vacation trip out west was 6,100 miles in 2 weeks. I believe its the first bike over 200K in US, they were only imported for 2 yrs, 2010 & 20111.
now I have another NT I just transferred over accessories, bought with only 508 miles to do same thing too. 200K was just a personal goal, has 201,111 miles and still runs ok, I will be selling
also has 2 Honda PC800 combines put on about 224,00 miles in 11 yrs

ps, spyder has 21,000 miles in 1.5 yrs of ownership

[Chupaca]

Your still in the ball park but the Yama-rider is definetly in the obsession range...

[ARtraveler]

Some folks think I have an obsession about ryding my 2014 RT-S.
I do like to ryde it. But this has been a bad season. There was the
accident I had in late May. Then there were wear and tear parts
that needed replaced. Now the weather has turned here in Ohio.
My odometer has barely moved, only 18,463 miles this year. It
now has 160,900 total. But I know a 74 year old man who lives
close to me who rides a 2003 Yamaha FJR 1300. This particular
bike looks like it's never been washed, some parts held together with duct tape.
But it runs very well. It has 449,000 miles on it.
These last few years he averages over 60,000 miles a year. He
has changed tires, front and back 8 times this summer. He likes to
ride where I do, southeastern Ohio roads. If you see a silver Yamaha
with a blue tinted pulsating headlight with a snow white beard rider
wearing a Yellow helmet, it's probably him.
Here's to high mile ryders!

Chuck

Good to hear about the high mileage. Your still up there in the top.

Kudos to you.

We managed to ride a little over 8,600 miles this season--covering 3 bikes and two persons. Hope to do a little better next year. Linda had some health issues and although I do ride alone, its more fun when both of us can ride somewhere together. Our weekend excursions were not that heavy on the mileage this year.

[sandeejs]

I usually have fairly high number of miles, but was set back this year due to crash and broken ribs. Bouncing back, but I got a new (to me) truck. Truck has XM on it; might not ryde as much as usual. ;~)

In general, the Spyder became my day to day vehicle. Amazing how many groceries fit on it when one is creative!

Just enjoy the ryde, everything else is gravy.

~Sandee~

[Floridian2017]

And I thought I was obsessed with mine
lol

[SteveLaoyster]

I'm certainly not obsessed (yet) but do enjoy a good therapy ride now and then. Went to the dealer for oil yesterday. About half an hour to the dealer and about 2 hours to get back home. I just couldn't seem to get pointed in the right direction! Happy Ryding to all the high mileage ryders!!

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

I can relate....

All the bikes I've owned over the years all seemed to have some kind
of homing signal, that meaning I'd best get home or when I do, I'll
catch it.
But my RT-S has no such signal. Instead it has a mind all it's own.
It just simply won't turn when it is commanded. Those 25 mile rydes turn
into 125. It's like a drug, one that's not harmful or even illegal. I wonder where
my Spyder emits it. Mine isn't the only one I ve heard of in this regard.
That's why, in the dead of winter, I'll dress up and take a ryde. These 64
year old bones don't mind until I get home. My drug wears off...
No matter, I got my "fix"!
Chuck

I'm certainly not obsessed (yet) but do enjoy a good therapy ride now and then. Went to the dealer for oil yesterday. About half an hour to the dealer and about 2 hours to get back home. I just couldn't seem to get pointed in the right direction! Happy Ryding to all the high mileage ryders!!

[gerald37]

All the bikes I've owned over the years all seemed to have some kind
of homing signal, that meaning I'd best get home or when I do, I'll
catch it.
But my RT-S has no such signal. Instead it has a mind all it's own.
It just simply won't turn when it is commanded. Those 25 mile rydes turn
into 125. It's like a drug, one that's not harmful or even illegal. I wonder where
my Spyder emits it. Mine isn't the only one I ve heard of in this regard.
That's why, in the dead of winter, I'll dress up and take a ryde. These 64
year old bones don't mind until I get home. My drug wears off...
No matter, I got my "fix"!
Chuck

I feel like you, Chuck I have been riding motorcycles all my life never quick as many miles per year as you. In the past I would average 25 to 30 thousand miles a year. But now at 81 years old I am doing more like 20,000 per year. The Spyder is different if my health holds out I will ride it much more that a two wheeler. I get on it just to run an errand and like you it will not turn on command. Just a short trip to down town ends up 100 miles. I just enjoy riding it, you don't have to hold it up at stops you can park any where and just back out to go. I have a three stall garage with two vehicles and my Spyder so when I am going a lone I just jump on the Spyder and go. It is easier to get out than one of the vehicles.

[LeftCoast]

I just started riding a few years ago. The worst part of my day is pulling in the garage!

[Buckeye Bleau]

Buckeye Chuck, I know of no other individual more obsessed with riding than you. Articles about you and your "Riding Without a Destination" in two different MC magazines.

Your documentation of each day's ride and weather on calendars, previous ownership of over 25 bikes, an average of 300 miles per day before the accident this spring, over 40,000 miles per year living in a northern state is all quite remarkable for anyone.

Then one has to consider that for several years now your severe physical handicaps have not slowed you one little bit. I know of no person stronger than you. It is truly my pleasure to have ridden with a person of such resiliant character, thank you for letting me call you Friend!

Joe

[jnt]

Yeah, Chuck!

That's what its all about!!!

[pegasus1300]

Buckeye Chuck, I know of no other individual more obsessed with riding than you. Articles about you and your "Riding Without a Destination" in two different MC magazines.

Your documentation of each day's ride and weather on calendars, previous ownership of over 25 bikes, an average of 300 miles per day before the accident this spring, over 40,000 miles per year living in a northern state is all quite remarkable for anyone.

Then one has to consider that for several years now your severe physical handicaps have not slowed you one little bit. I know of no person stronger than you. It is truly my pleasure to have ridden with a person of such resiliant character, thank you for letting me call you Friend!

Joe

for Buckeye Bleau or Chuck, what magazines would one find those articles in and what years? It's winter and I need extra reading material.

[Buckeye Chuck 54]

Thanks for the interest pegasus.
I have an older brother Ken Frick who is a writer and photographer.
Brother Ken has had several stories published in Cycle magazine.
He wrote about me in the October 2014 issue of Cycle. It's called
Chuck's Race, A Quest for Miles. It's about my battle with Muscular Dystrophy.
At the end of this story had a part about my desire of viewing the total solar eclipse last year.

The editor of Cycle Mark Tuttle since then has had many inquiries about what
became of me, he wrote Ken. So Ken wrote a follow up but for some reason
wasn't published.
Ken wrote another story that was published in the BMW "ON" (Owners News) that was
published in the second quarter issue this year. This magazine is a quarterly. Ken rides
a BMW R1200RT and I used to ride a BMW K1200LT that was converted to a Hannigan Trike.
This story is pretty much like the story written in the Cycle mag.
Ken lives in Columbus Ohio and he wrote a feature that was printed in the Columbus
Dispatch newspaper, but I don't recall when.
If you're interested in some good reading, type in Handicapped Motorcycle Riders on your
computer. It's amazing what some people will do to keep the wind in their faces.
My MD is a progressive muscle disease that I've had for over 30 years. My older brother
Bill also suffers from it. My mother had it and passed it onto us. But what's strange about this
is the fact Ken, at 70 years old runs marathons. He's as healthy as a horse.
I had the pleasure of riding along with Buckeye Bleau to Spyderfest this last spring. He
went way out of his way to help me along, as did the Blue Knight AKA Mike Long and Andy from
Florida. Thank you fellows for the assist. It's the last long ryde I'll ever take. I'll never forget it.
Buckeye Chuck

for Buckeye Bleau or Chuck, what magazines would one find those articles in and what years? It's winter and I need extra reading material.

[pegasus1300]

I hope you are wrong in your accessment of your abilities.
Thank you for the article information, I will see what I can find on the net. Hope to mee up with you some day.