Got a late start motorcycle wise.. My parents grounded me everytime it was discovered that I was riding motorcycles at my neighbors house. When I turned 18, I rebelled, earned enough money to buy my first bike and brought a 1966 Yamaha YG1 home. The parents didn't approve and thought I would ceratinly kill myself within the first week.

Started working in motorcycle shops after I graduated high school. Started racing in 1967 and got noticed by U.S. Suzuki Motor Corporation in Santa fe Springs California. I was hired as a service shop tech / testrider. The management at Suzuki wasn't really to happy about my racing (it was told to me that they hire people to race and they hire people to work on the bikes, I was hired for the later). The feeling was, that I might get hurt and not be able to work. I began racing under the name of "Bob Roberts" and entering the make of bike as Puch, DKW, Allstate or what ever struck me at the time.

Left Suzuki in May of 1974 and worked for California Suzuki, a dealer in Orange California for a time.

Worked for Yamaha International Corporation in Buena Park California from 1975 to 1977. Got laid off from Yamaha and worked at Yamaha Mission Viejo from spring of 1977 to June of 1978.

Went to work for the Palm Springs Fire Department in June 1978.

Retired from the fire service in 1997 after 19 years with the PSFD and moved to McCall Idaho.

Moved to the Coeur d'Alene area of Idaho in 2008. Thought that the riding season would be a bit longer at a lower elevation.

The ride to Alaska in July of 2007 on the V-Strom was incredible!! If you ever think that is the ride for you, take it.

Words and pictures just don't do it justice, you have to do it!!

One must see the inland passage between Haines Alaska and Prince Rupert BC Canada to appreciate the beauty of Alaska.

In February 2010, I was cruising Craigslist and found an ad for a 1968 Yamaha DT1 for sale in Spokane Washington. One hour and $100. later I had the beginning of the Mid-Life Crisis series... The Next in December 2012 was the 1978 Yamaha TT 500 found on the Vancouver Washington Craigslist for $500.

Don't be fooled!! Both required lots of work and rebuilding!

The end results were very rewarding...

Another Refugee, a 1980 Yamaha TT 500 now sits in the garage. In May of 2013, I bought it for $500. This will become the real racer of the two with R6 forks, Radian swingarm and a stronger motor!!