John Ryan in AR

[Kirrilian]

I went for a short ride on Veteran's Day, did my yearly Veteran's Cemetary stop in the morning and then on to the mountains of N Arkansas. It was cold and rainy but all the kids were in school and the wife was at work. Anyway, I stopped into a McD in Morrilton, AR to grab some lunch and noticed a FJR in the parking lot. The bike looked like it had been rode hard and put up wet and had this huge hump on the gas tank. I parked next to it (made mine look good!) and strolled on in. I saw a dude standing in line with ride gear on and nonchalantly said "Nice bike" and got in another line. I got my order and the guy asked me if that was my FJR next to his and I said yes, so we started chatting about FJRs and LDR. Interesting fellow needless to say, lotsa good stories too. I think he was headed out to SF to run some 1K intracity rally or something, I teased him about going 6K miles for a 1K ride

If you happen to see this John, hope you had a safe trip out there and a good ride around SF (over and over?!?!), give me a shout sometime you are passing through and I'll take ya up in the mountains and get you off that slab for a bit It was nice to meet you and chat with you for a little bit, I wish I had gotten a picture of your bike before you left though, to show all my sport bike buddies, they didn't believe me about the modded fuel tank LOL

Not really a LDR story but I guess John is well known in LDR circles so I thought I would post this.

Glen

 

[doug5551]

Hey Glen,

Just check out this thread, and the one referenced on ST.net for more info about John and his tank:

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=111062

 

[fjrb0]

I went for a short ride on Veteran's Day, did my yearly Veteran's Cemetary stop in the morning and then on to the mountains of N Arkansas. It was cold and rainy but all the kids were in school and the wife was at work. Anyway, I stopped into a McD in Morrilton, AR to grab some lunch and noticed a FJR in the parking lot. The bike looked like it had been rode hard and put up wet and had this huge hump on the gas tank. I parked next to it (made mine look good!) and strolled on in. I saw a dude standing in line with ride gear on and nonchalantly said "Nice bike" and got in another line. I got my order and the guy asked me if that was my FJR next to his and I said yes, so we started chatting about FJRs and LDR. Interesting fellow needless to say, lotsa good stories too. I think he was headed out to SF to run some 1K intracity rally or something, I teased him about going 6K miles for a 1K ride
If you happen to see this John, hope you had a safe trip out there and a good ride around SF (over and over?!?!), give me a shout sometime you are passing through and I'll take ya up in the mountains and get you off that slab for a bit It was nice to meet you and chat with you for a little bit, I wish I had gotten a picture of your bike before you left though, to show all my sport bike buddies, they didn't believe me about the modded fuel tank LOL

Not really a LDR story but I guess John is well known in LDR circles so I thought I would post this.

Glen

Damn, Glen, wished you had shouted at me! I would love to see this bike and talk to the fellow. Function before form....

 

[Randy]

Truly a small world. Amazing how many of us have run across John in various parts of the country.

 

[dcarver]

Truly a small world. Amazing how many of us have run across John in various parts of the country.

That's why we all need to ride more; to expand our circle of friends!

 

[Kirrilian]

Yeah, what are the chances of that happening? He was probably only there for 15 minutes to eat in that particular McD on that day at that time.

Freaky...

doug5551, I was wondering why his bike looked familiar LOL, cept he had his saddlebags on this time and I think it was a little bit cleaner

 

[Peter_MA]

I even keep running across mentions of John Ryan online...

John Ryan :detective2:

 

[doug5551]

doug5551, I was wondering why his bike looked familiar LOL, cept he had his saddlebags on this time and I think it was a little bit cleaner

All I can say is he must have run into some rain on the way. I briefly met John last March at the IBA Pizza Party in Jacksonville. He was a really nice guy who is really into riding.

 

[jwhite518]

I think he was headed out to SF to run some 1K intracity rally or something, I teased him about going 6K miles for a 1K ride

He's doing an intracity Saddlesore 1000. That's 1000 miles in 24 hours without leaving the city limits. The best way to do it in San Francisco is to ride from Treasure Island (technically in the SF city limits) to the last offramp of I-280 that's within SF. Turn around and go back to TI. A zillion times. I researched this ride quite exhaustively and came very close to doing it last year, but decided against it.

 

[dcarver]

I gotta say that JR's FJR is the FUGLIEST I've ever seen!

 

[Brian R]

John is one unique guy and I can honestly say he really lives to ride. He has done some amazing stuff and continues to challenge himself (Including the first Back/Back/Back BBG - now known as a "trifecta" and he did all that on the most beat up BMW K75 that you have ever seen). I think he is still working on some multiple BBG rides and other notable and extreme rides (although I do not think anyone will ever do 8 of those in a row).

I was there when that BMW gave up the ghost while he was trying to do 5 back to back BBG's and when he got that FJR I thought he would be freakin unstoppable with a superior LD platform. I'm not much for the altered fuel tank he uses but it does serve a function. He particularly likes riding in "City" traffic being a New York kinda guy and has completed a SS1K in Washington D.C., and another in the confines of NYC. Sounds like he has his sights on a SF 1K. Sure he will do it after doing something like 67 laps of D.C. Not my cuppa tea - would rather slice my wrists than ride around over and over again in city traffic.

Thought the LA Lane Splitting 1K put an end to that silliness.

Brian R.

 

[Khunajawdge]

John is one unique guy and I can honestly say he really lives to ride.
Brian R.

I have run across the name of John Ryan on a couple of other lists that I haunt. He does seem to keep an eye out for the frontier. The idea of adding an Aux Fuel cell directly over the bike's CG makes perfect sense to me, as does the auto body undercoating as a gas tank finish! Too bad we don't find more bikes and cars dipped in tool handle dip and grip! Mineral oil would make a great finish restorer after a good rinse!

Ride on John Ryan, and keep the rubber side down!

 

[Kirrilian]

I think he was headed out to SF to run some 1K intracity rally or something, I teased him about going 6K miles for a 1K ride

He's doing an intracity Saddlesore 1000. That's 1000 miles in 24 hours without leaving the city limits. The best way to do it in San Francisco is to ride from Treasure Island (technically in the SF city limits) to the last offramp of I-280 that's within SF. Turn around and go back to TI. A zillion times. I researched this ride quite exhaustively and came very close to doing it last year, but decided against it.

That's making me dizzy just thinking about it, now riding all over the mountains of N AR and racking up 1K in 24 hours would probably be a fun/rough ride!

Maybe I should start that rally LOL

NOT :assassin:

 

[Kirrilian]

doug5551, I was wondering why his bike looked familiar LOL, cept he had his saddlebags on this time and I think it was a little bit cleaner

All I can say is he must have run into some rain on the way. I briefly met John last March at the IBA Pizza Party in Jacksonville. He was a really nice guy who is really into riding.

If fact it was raining that day LOL

He mentioned something about cleaning it up for the rally in SF but I didn't believe him heh.

 

[Kirrilian]

John is one unique guy and I can honestly say he really lives to ride. He has done some amazing stuff and continues to challenge himself (Including the first Back/Back/Back BBG - now known as a "trifecta" and he did all that on the most beat up BMW K75 that you have ever seen). I think he is still working on some multiple BBG rides and other notable and extreme rides (although I do not think anyone will ever do 8 of those in a row).
I was there when that BMW gave up the ghost while he was trying to do 5 back to back BBG's and when he got that FJR I thought he would be freakin unstoppable with a superior LD platform. I'm not much for the altered fuel tank he uses but it does serve a function. He particularly likes riding in "City" traffic being a New York kinda guy and has completed a SS1K in Washington D.C., and another in the confines of NYC. Sounds like he has his sights on a SF 1K. Sure he will do it after doing something like 67 laps of D.C. Not my cuppa tea - would rather slice my wrists than ride around over and over again in city traffic.

Thought the LA Lane Splitting 1K put an end to that silliness.

Brian R.

I dont know about riding around in a city for a SS but that Prudhoe Bay run he told me about sounded really extreme, especially when he told me about the road up there and the critters he ran across. Crazy stuff that.

 

[Ryan]

I think he is still working on some multiple BBG rides and other notable and extreme rides (although I do not think anyone will ever do 8 of those in a row).

:lol:

He particularly likes riding in "City" traffic being a New York kinda guy and has completed a SS1K in Washington D.C., and another in the confines of NYC. Sounds like he has his sights on a SF 1K. Sure he will do it after doing something like 67 laps of D.C. Not my cuppa tea - would rather slice my wrists than ride around over and over again in city traffic.
Thought the LA Lane Splitting 1K put an end to that silliness.

Brian R.

There's nothing silly about it. The typical "LD" rider likes to criticize this, understandably.

Urban riding places constant, very high demands on situational awareness, something most motorcyclists are not comfortable with for even short periods of time. It's a different challenge, one that was conceived by Mike Kneebone and Dave McQueeney when they introduced the DC-1000 with the state rides two years ago. Those two guys know enough about long distance riding to understand that there's much more to it than riding around in the middle of nowhere.

"ride around over and over again in city traffic"!? This makes it sound monotonous, and it is nothing of the sort. Conditions change on every lap, there is always a crash, a distracted driver, spilled antifreeze or diesel, something trying to knock you off the bike. Plenty of entertainment.

No it isn't a "cuppa tea" that appeals to many, but I'll drink any "cuppa tea" in motorcycling.

Ryan

 

[Ryan]

If you happen to see this John, hope you had a safe trip out there and a good ride around SF (over and over?!?!), give me a shout sometime you are passing through and I'll take ya up in the mountains and get you off that slab for a bit It was nice to meet you and chat with you for a little bit, I wish I had gotten a picture of your bike before you left though, to show all my sport bike buddies, they didn't believe me about the modded fuel tank LOL

It was good to have met you, Glen, our lunch was a bright spot in what had been a very dull day. The ride went well enough, thank you.

The next time I'm in Arkansas with some time to look around, I will definitely let you know.

Thanks, and best regards,

John

 

[Kirrilian]

Anytime, I'm going to be doing some LDR starting next year. I'm thinking about a 50CC in spring, according to the IB site I can combine the SS1000 and BB1500 with it so 3 birds with one stone. There are some really fun roads to ride here with beautiful scenery as well, my sports bike buddies have shown me some roads I've never even heard of and I've lived here most of my life.

I have a feeling you will be coming back though again and maybe someday I'll head up that way and you can show me around NJ