Can I call this home? /Intro

[James III]

Congradulations to the Florida members for the board style change and main board addition. 
I'm Jim, moved to Tampa in 1974. Ridden motorcycles most of my life. Bought my 1998 Honda 1100 Aero new in 98'; it's my baby. Owned several other mid sized road bikes but always kept and loved my Aero so it shares space with my 1998 Valkyrie Tourer I bought about a year and a half ago. I had wanted a Valkyrie for many years and had looked off and on for as long. Found a low mileage bike (23k), checked it out, crankcase full of gas, got it home, replaced the bad petcock, fluids, filters, rebuilt the carbs and began learning what these machines are about.
Well, as all of you know, the Valk is very addicting so I decided in September it was time to start rebuilding my Valkyrie into my new road bike. Started looking for parts and info and came across the VRCC. Wow, so I'm not the only person that likes this type of machine. Found myself reading threads and posts from the Florida members. Grumpy, he's from Tampa, Tundra, he's across the bay and goes to Peggy's Coral, John's in Orlando and he seems to be a fellow motorhead(certainly no disrespect) so that's cool, several guy's on the east coast, and so on. Kinda getting the lay of the land so to speak. So I figured if you own a Valk, this has to be the place to call home.
So when the Inzane event was posted, I thought, nice long ride, should have bike in great shape by then, other than the color change; I'm in!
So I have another week on my Valk before it's complete makeover starts. Been gathering parts for months and my custom made Tour Tank should arrive this weekend.
Hope to meet up with a few of you fellow Florida riders soon. My door is always open.

[larue]

Hi Jim, i am laru and i am in orlando, have met all the guys you named here and many more, great folks and tremendous expertise in this machine. Nice to have you here and WELCOME HOME

[Tundra]

Welcome Jim
 Where in Tampa are you located?

[flsix]

Jim, welcome to the VRCC from Naples, Fl.
I'm also new to the site and have found the members to be very helpful with any questions I've had. Enjoy that new ride

[Thunderbolt]

Welcome and sure this is home for us.  Glad you are on board.  Years ago we would have a couple of rides a year for overnighters etc.  We even had a yearly gathering over Veteran's day in Panama City.  Had good turnouts from the folks from all over.  Maybe some new blood will get those type of things started again.   

[thewoodman]

Welcome Jim. I'm the woodman and I'm in Bradenton right down the roaqd from Peggy's Coral. Welcome aboard. Maybe you can meet up and have some lunch the next tim Doug and Bill put together a Wachula run.

[Grumpy]

Welcome Jim, I am east of Tamps, 1-4 and 75 junction, about 1/2 mile from there. Let us know when you get it back together, we do lunch rides quite often. Looking forward to meeting you.

[FloridaValkRyder]

Welcome Jim and, yep, you have found your Valk home here. My name is Jeff, I live in Apopka, just NW of Orlando. I ride a '99 green and silver Interstate. This is the greatest group of guys I have ever had the privilege to ride with. Just wish we did it more often. I believe Doug (Tundra) is doing a major refurb on his bike too, although we haven't seen any pics in a long time, DOUG! Bill has done some major work on my bike before as has John here in Orlando. So much knowledge on this board without even going to the Tech board and they all have some beautiful rides.  Glad to have a new member and like Terry said maybe some new blood will spur some future BIG events. Hope to see you soon...Bill, I do believe John said Sun-n-Fun was coming up pretty soon!!   

[James III]

Thank you all for the kind welcome and encouragement! Having eyed pic's of many of your machines, I believe we do share a common pride of ownership and the bar is high.
Tundra, I'm out close to Busch Gardens, just off Riverhills and 40th street. Wife and I call it the getto but it's really not. Lived here 22 years and it's safer than my big house across town in Pat Acres.
Because I've lived in Florida for so long I have been in each ones area's at one time or another except Thunderbolt's; other than up rt 301 going north.
Thunderbolt, you mentioned doing overnighters. I have been doing solo overnighters for a couple of years up into the pan handle, Georgia, Alabama and taken the autotrain north to Lorton, VA 2 times. (no, the autotrains not cheating when your H-D ridin' buddys are on a tight schedule and you can get to the Blue Ridge Parkway in one night.
I'm sure we'll all enjoy some conversations in the future.
My Tour Tank didn't arrive today but I did get a box of valves, fittings, hoses, locking gas cap from Coyote. I'm not sure how I'm going to mount this thing yet, a Wompus rack isn't out of the question but as my Tourer is a solo I don't want it to sit so far back as a Wompus rack would locate it. I'm thinking I am going to make my own carrier. It will need to be removeable, maybe 2 different top plates, one for use as a small luggage rack and one for use as the tank mount. I'm working on a few sketches. Any input, I'm all ears.
Thanks again,
Jim

[Tundra]

I know the area Jim, my wife grew up there. Good luck with your mods and hope you get her done soon as our beautiful spring riding season is just about here.
Hope to meet up with you soon.

[Valkahuna]

Welcome Jim. Yup, the Valk is an addicting machine alright. But it is all good! I'm over in Edgewater, and if you ever get out this way, let me know and we'll try to get together with you.

You'll enjoy InZane. I went to 11 and 12, but am taking a year off this year. I'm sure you'll enjoy your new home.

[Pappy!]

Hey there from Eustis. Thats next door to Mt. Dora, Leesburg, etc.
I see you have done the Auto Train a couple times. Was just talking about doing that.
Let us know how well it worked out for you.
When you are up in this area let us know.....good roads and rides available.

[James III]

  Thanks again men!
Valkahuna, yes I'm looking forward to riding up and back from Inzane and planning a few side trips as well as the Inzane activities.
Pappy, I ride up in your area a few times during the year.
The Auto train is great! Coach seat, bike, AAA discount, 2 carry-on's, $219.00 one way,  Leaves Stanford, FL at 4:00pm, checkin before 2:00pm. Bikes are secured well, but turn off fuel and keep your keys, the train rocks and rolls, but not bad. We fill our tanks there at Sanford right by the depot so when we arrive in Lorton, VA we are ready to ride. Train travels thru the night and stops for fuel and crew change, Arrival at 9:30AM. Train has bars, smoking areas, places to chat, and your coach seat. Dinner is provided as well as a continental breakfast, drinks are same price as anywhere else. For me it is very hard to sleep in the coach seats, and rest is really important upon arrival. With good company, it is a blast, and in September it has never been crowed for us. Give it a try! Lorton is 30 miles south of D.C.. We did a couple of Smithsonian's the first time. Bike security in D.C. sucks, if you go there, get out of the area to overnight. We ride Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge, as well as the Dragon.

[Pappy!]

Definitely interested in doing that.
Have heard that sleeping is a Bi___ on the train. May look into a sleeper so I can rest and have a shower before getting off the train. One of the guys I work with goes to Maine every year on the Auto train with his small SUV. They always get a sleeper and he always tells me you can tell the ones that don't have one (sleeper) by the look in the morning!

[Bert AKA,Valkaholic]

Welcome to the Wild World of Valkyries, form the Ocala National Forest.
Bert & Sherrie

[Tropic traveler]

Welcome to the madness!
St. Petersburg native here but now I reside in the frozen tundra of Marion County.  
It's too damn cold up here in the winter & the cold kills my beloved palm trees!  
I hear you guys about the Auto Train, rode that damn thing from Sanford to Lorton, VA way back with the first wife & MIL. Didn't use the sleeper so we got no sleep! WAAAAYYY to much noise with the doors between the cars constantly opening & closing. After arriving in VA, guess who had to do all the driving all the way to Michigan? ME. I was one tired dude.
Anyhow... looking forward to meeting you & all the newcomers to the "Valkyrie lifestyle".   Whatever that is.  

[James III]

Hey Guy's, yes sleeping is the major problem with the A Train however sleepers are not (ain't in our southern lexicon) cheep and you still have to pay the $209.00 price on top of the sleeper rate. So any fuel and hotel money you would have spent riding up to that point is a wash +. Will I do it again? Heck yes with the right "little" group of friends. It's not for everyone and with a bit of late night activities it makes the next day rougher than a cob.

[Tropic traveler]

Just some pics so you can i.d. us when we meet.
Plus I just like showing of our Valks!
Me.


Kim.


Us.


Now it's your turn!
In progress pics are more than welcomed!