Oh All Right! Kia Ora From Aotearoa New Zealand

I've already started posting so I'd better intro myself I guess.

Young grandad who started riding at about age 12 and has never stopped.
First bike of my own was a Yamaha RD350B; it was scary and taught me a lot. I hotted it up and ran it for about three years before getting keen on chook chasers (trail and enduro). I rode YZ250's for a while and rode them as my road transport as well as race bike. I had a brief flirt with trials in the form of a TY175 but it was just too slow. The IT490 came next after a few years overseas and that still makes me smile when I think of it. I never won a MX or Enduro but got plenty of 3-5th places and did the same a few times in national events (I am in New Zealand BTW).
In 1981 my gal and I (later to become Her Indoors), moved to the UK and lived in Cardiff, Wales where I started a small bike courier company. I rode a Guzzi Monza 95,000 miles around the UK over the newxct few years freezing my arse off but having a lot of fun. In 1984 we moved home to NZ and that's when I got the IT490.
In 1986 I bought the very first Cagiva Allazura to come to New Zealand and my passion for Ducati has never waned although I've had many other bikes since.
I started road racing on the Cagiva and did pretty well nbut had to race against the big bikes in Formula 1 because it was 50cc too big for the F2 class. I got top 3-5 places anyway and started winning BEARs races.
A CBR600 followed and I won a couple of championships on that plus lots of 1 off races and top places. It kinda bored me though so after a move to Christchurch; the home of BEARs racing; I bought another Ducati; a 600 Pantah that I built up in the Britten workshop with some very special parts. That bike didn't get many rides and it was eventually sold but it was running 2nd in its very firts outing. I've been known as a bike bludger on many occasions; people lend me bike because I'd do well on them. Won quite a few BEARs races on a loaned Ducati F1 750 and also won the BEARs support class at the World Superbike Champs held in NZ in 1990 (also held in 1992).
I retired from racing in about 1997 and moved to China to study the lingo. That was about the only time I didn't ride but I did ride mountain bikes and always have. Lived also in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Canada UK again and Namibia and visited China many times.
Lots of road and dirt bikes since, current bikes are:

KTM 300 ECX 2 stroke with 20l tank for Adventure riding
KTM 690smc motard for pure adrenalin filled fun
Ducati 350 desmo because they are awesome (1974 single seat disc brake)
Ducati 821 Hypermotard SP for road and with She Who Must Be Obeyed on the back.

I ride every week for hundreds of km's and love gravel, dirt, corners and even just cruising cafes. Any time on a bike beats any time doing damn near anything else I reckon!

Off for another lap of my country next week with a bunch of ex racer mates and aquaintences. I won't drop names but NZ Champs, Canadian Champs, UK Champs, World Superbike top 3 plus some really good motocross riders who won here and internationally; it will be fun (we did it about 18 months ago and had a ball).

I've worked in the bike industry 3 times as salesman, service manager and general manager. I really didn't like working in bikes because it inevitably meant working weekend when my mates were riding or racing. I gave it up and earn enough to enjoy my passion with and without my wife. I can be a bit forthright and don't suffer fools but I'm also patient if I don't think someone's taking the piss. I'm a bit of a thinker and like to write everything down so I can experiment and establish what works best.

Now, do I get some kind of award for writing the longest bloody intro ever?????!!!!!!