Hi, my name is Mike and I've come into motorcycles late in life. I always enjoyed moto equipment as a youth, several of my friends were dirt bikers, but I was never allowed and had to sneak in rides with friends and family. I bought my first bike at age 24, an 1973 BMW R75/5. It needed a lot of work, for which I had no time or money, so I rode it best I could as it was until I ran down the middle of a deer crossing the road, high-sided and took a 150' ride on my helmeted head and Carhartted shoulders (I still have the jacket with the hole burned through the shoulder). The deer got up, I also eventually got up and the bike got up, got home and was never ridden again until I sold it after our 3rd kid was born. Many years later, I decided I wanted to buy a bike for on-road and off-road adventure and started researching the genre. I landed on the STen with the plan to take a cross-country tour for my 50th birthday. Reality is the arbiter of all grand ideas and so I have paired the plan into stages, first stage coming this summer with a ride from my home in SW Montana to a family reunion near Traverse City, MI. My plan is to ride back roads, off roads and state hwys, hopefully staying off the interstate. I'm looking forward to planning and learning from all the experienced riders on here! Thank you for having me! Happy trails!!