[Previous entry: "So why haven't I been riding much?"]

04/01/2009: "Robyn's Final entry"

We'll I guess I should catch everyone up on what's happened.

I had the Orthoscopic Knee Surgery to 'hopefully' help make riding easier on my knee.
Recovery was going along pretty good, but Robyn sat (unbeknownst to me) with leaky fork seals.

Well, one day after physical therapy, I'm feeling pretty good and I decide to take one of my favorite routes to work to get some twisty road action in before I got into the office. When I got to the 1st set of corners, I could feel the front end vibrating through the short right-hander I was in. Felt like I wasn't getting good traction but I didn't have a lot of time to think about it because I had to stand her up and tip her into a long left-hander.

As I was in the left-hander, I could fell the front end vibrating again. Just when I started to think I should stand her up to get some more traction . . the front end tucked.

Off I go at about 50mph. I got pretty banged up:
3 broken bones in left hand (2 just hairline)
Road rash on knees (yep, I was just wearing jeans)
Road rash on both hands (right through my gloves)

Robyn got pretty banged up too.
She just sat in the garage for a while after that.

I then found out I was going to be relocated to the Silicon Valley for work.
I packed up Robyn with the rest of my things and dropped her off the my buddy Steve.
I told Steve "Part her out and see what you can get for her."

By the end of the week Steve had figured out that, with some trading, he could re-build Robyn.
She wouldn't have some of the trick parts anymore, but she could be ridden.
So this is what Steve was able to do:


I rode her around for a bit, but the urge to get something a little smaller in displacement was still there.
Plus, after having a tricked out Robyn, she just wasn't quite the same anymore.



It just so happened that the zipper on my motorcycle jacket had broken. So, I decided to run over to a local shop and pick up a new one. When I got out the my Durago, I noticed a black Ducati 749 parked with the other used bikes for sale out front. I went in and found a new jacket and then ask the sales guy how much they wanted for it. The price he quoted me was in the right ballpark IF they would give me a decent price for the trade-in of my R1. I told them I'd be right back to let them take a look at Robyn.

I drove home, threw on my new jacket, jumped on Robyn and rode back over to the shop. After I got back with Robyn and they looked her over, they told me they would give my the Kelly Blue Book value for Robyn. That was good enough for me

So, I no longer own Robyn. She was a great bike that ended up being a good bike in the end. I still miss that top end rush that the R1 has a bit, but in comparison to the superb handling of my 749 . . I'm willing to sacrifice that extra horsepower that I can use almost anywhere for the improved handling I can get everywhere.

So long Robyn, you won't be forgotten . . or really missed that much either.


If you want to see the new bike, check out Duchess web-site.