It started in the summer of 2008 but in reality it was tested in Sept 2007 when I was riding a 2006 Kawasaki Concours. I had always wanted a sport tourer or at least a plain touring bike. Riding was one of my passions. Comedy is the other.
Could the 2 be brought together?
I had a corporate show in Edmonton, just 3 hours north. An easy ride but, I had to wear business attire. Having been a touring stand-up for many years I had learned the value of wrinkle resistant fabric. With my riding gear and blazer and pants I set off.
The show went well and the clothes did fine. It could be done but, maybe do some more casual shows if possible.
As we went into winter I started to plan. But on April 26 tragedy struck when my beloved Concours was murdered by a hit and run driver leaving me with crack ribs and a broken collar bone in the mishap.
2 months of healing and fighting with the insurance company I finally get my money to buy another bike. Far less than I had paid for the Councours just 5600 kms ago.
Lucky for me a nice gent named Howard (who later became one of my riding buddies) had a sport tourer for sale. A 2008 Suzuki Bandit 1250SEA. A special Canadian only model that came with detachable, factory labeled, bags (they are actually Givi and work very well),it was almost the same color, (just a nicer shade of blue) as my old one and within the money I had. The kicker is, it only had 237 km on the dial! Basically newer than my old machine and Howard was taking the depriciation hit in order to buy some bullet of a crotch rocket he just had to have.
Sweet! I had to take advantage of him...I mean, scoop this deal up! I was set to go as soon as my collar bone could take the stress of riding again.
That day was June 27. Day 2 of owning the new bike so I pointed it toward Toad Rock Motorcycle Campground for their big biker rally. A nice 6-7 hour ride (depending on motor homes in the way) Here I was to do show in front of 1000+ riders as a sneak peak to the KGB show there in August.
The ride was great and I finished breaking in the motor. Left hand turns had me a bit skittish as that was the side that got banged up in the murder of my old ride. (It would take most of the summer to almost work that fear out of my system).
2 days later I was back home and prepping for the next comedy trip. The new bike seemed more comfortable than my old one. A full day of riding was easily doable. It was time to start touring to gigs on a motorcycle and, ladies and gentlemen, THAT is how the World Motorcycle Comedy Tour began.
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