Since it was my last trip on the Versys, I took a slower route, making it last a little longer. One of the best parts was riding through these orchards in eastern Pennsylvania.
After eight years, 11 months and 89,941 miles, the Versys has moved on to a new owner.
Frankly, there were times when I wondered how I’d ever sell it. In a country where the average rider rides less than 3,000 miles a year, there are plenty of low-mileage used motorcycles for sale, so who would buy one that’s pushing 90,000? As it turns out, the answer came to me with absolutely no effort on my part.
My RevZilla colleague, Spurgeon, partially credits his Uncle Bob with sparking his childhood interest in motorcycles. Recently, Spurgeon told me that Bob had sold his Kawasaki Vulcan cruiser and was interested in a first-generation Versys, but the ones he’d seen weren’t priced very enticingly. I immediately said, “Tell him I’ll sell him mine for $900.”
I sent Bob a long e-mail with a full description of the motorcycle’s flaws, links to my accounts of it here and the story about the one time I dropped it. I believe in full disclosure. He wasn’t scared off by the mileage or the battle scars. So we agreed that on my next trip to Philly I’d ride over, sell the bike to him, and fly home.
That meant one last ride across Pennsylvania on the Versys. How many times have I done that trip over the last five years of working for RevZilla? I could probably count them up, but I don’t think I want to.
Spring awarded me a beautiful day with lots of sun for the trip. It was still in the high 40s as I left my garage but rose into the 70s by the time I reached the outskirts of the Philadelphia sprawl. So I decided to take a slower, more leisurely route, rather than blaze efficiently across Pennsylvania on the unloved Turnpike.
I had a book order to fulfill, so while making a shortcut through the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, I immediately stopped when I spotted the Post Office in the tiny village of Prosperity. They weren’t very busy.
I’ve done just about every reasonable route over the years, and this one took me through the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania, an incursion into Maryland, then through the York and Lancaster area before sneaking into the city by the back door. There is no really satisfying way to get from my home to south Philly on a motorcycle, but this is about as good as I can make it.
Last part of the last ride. A scene from my morning commute into the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia.
On Saturday morning, we met at Spurgeon’s house to take care of the paperwork. It was the best kind of deal. Bob felt like I was giving him a really good price and I felt lucky to avoid a string of craigslist tire-kickers offering me $50 and a non-working Waverunner or asking me to finance the purchase for them. I threw in a tank bag and a few small spare parts to make myself feel better about selling a motorcycle that was due for an oil change in 59 miles.
I’ve ridden the Versys for longer than any other motorcycle except my Speed Triple. I rode it to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in the south and several times to Maine in the north, to watch or cover races from Indianapolis to Road America to Road Atlanta, plus almost all those business trips to Philly. Only once did it leave me on the side of the road. I definitely feel I got more than my money’s worth out of it.
Of course that leaves me with three motorcycles not suited to longer trips: one that’s quite old, one that’s too slow and one that’s too uncomfortable. So the first question asked by anyone who rides is “What are you going to replace it with?” The answer is “Nothing, in a hurry. Longer term, unsure.”
Motorcycle parking is never an issue at RevZilla.
Since this ends the longest spell I’ve ever gone without buying or selling a motorcycle (inheriting the Suzuki for free doesn’t count), the other thing I’m asked is “Do you miss it?”
How many tanks of gas have I run through this motorcycle since May of 2010? There’s no telling… but hundreds.
Not really. I don’t anthropomorphize my motorcycles. They don’t have names. I would have terrible feelings of betrayal if I gave away one of our pets, even some of my less favorite ones from the past, but I don’t treat machines as if they have feelings. I am happy, however, that Bob is going to be able to enjoy the Versys, and for a fraction of what he thought he’d have to pay for one.
Despite its age and mileage, I’m confident the Versys still has some good years left in it.
