Meet Don Fisher, CAL's featured customer for January 2006

Customer: Don Fisher
Age (optional): I wish it was, but its not an option—I'm fifty five! To compensate, I bought an HP-2.
Riding Years: 35 years!

What do you ride?
(See motorcycles currently owned)—or do you mean something else?

Modifications to motorcycle
Often—just ask Paul in the parts dept. For some reason, I can’t leave a motorcycle in its stock configuration for an extended period of time. Ohlins and Race Tech (or equiv.) suspension and aftermarket exhaust/intakes are across the board, but I love to squeeze in compression and displacement when convenient. The R80Gs with Dakar tank has a 1050 cc package with Mikuni flat slides, rear Ohlin, Race Tech front. Definitely my most modified BMer. But the winner is the Harley FXRS(sp) with a 2 litre (124 inch) S&S engine, Ohlins on the back, Race Tech in the front, JVC aluminum swing arm, 18-inch (spoked) wheel on back, Harrison brakes and rotors, and on and on ...

Motorcycles currently owned
A few—I have been diagnosed with motorcycle disease! The moto collection includes a 1982 R80/GS, a 1996 R1100GS (with 196,000 miles), 1989 Harley FXRS(sp), 2004 Aprilia Tuono, an ATK 260 dirt bike, and a new R1200 HP-2. Also sharing the garage (and my maintenance attention and credit card) are my girlfriend Kilby’s R80ST and her new Moto Guzzi V11 Coppa Italia.

My favorite bike is
Silly question! If I had a favorite bike, why would I own six! Like girls, they are all different. However, I must say, the new HP-2 is an amazing motorcycle (imagine a perfect girl). With Dunlop 607s it handles the twisties better than any bike I've ever ridden. And as Kari knows from our romp at Clear Creek, it's a breeze to handle in the dirt with the Metzler Karoos back on (at least compared to other GS’s and riders our age. But if you've ever ridden a Tuono ...! But seriously, if I could only have one, the bike I would choose between all of them would be my 1982 R80/GS.

Dream bike
Even sillier question after just buying an HP2—My dreaming is over! And my garage is full!

The best ride I ever took was
Hands down, my 1976 adventure to Tierra del Fuego on a 650 Yamaha! But the recent ride to Copper Canyon with Kilby holds second place. After that, it’s just been one great ride after another. Have to admit, riding to Whistler with the snowboards on the back was fun.

Advice for new riders
"Get a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse that loves motorcycles. Sell your car!"

Advice for experienced riders
(see advice for new riders)