It was with some misgiving that I bought my 2009 R3T from a friend, Jim Allen, early this year after trying to help him sell it for about four months. Jim was terminally ill. He just wouldn't advertise it though and finally asked me if I'd buy it. I was very reluctant to do so at my age because it's such a monster and I thought I'd be sizing down. I thought about it for about for several days before making the decision, with my wife oddly encouraging me to do it to help Jim out. I couldn't believe how grateful he was that I bought it. I guess it was one less worry for him as he arranged his affairs.
I've been somewhat on the fence about it since for the same reason, she's a real handful but a real beauty too, probably the most beautiful bike I've ever owned. My reservations are gone now though.
I received a call this afternoon from Jim's son to tell me that Jim died yesterday. He wanted to thank me for being a friend to his dad. We had just spoken last week and Jim wanted me to come over and take all of his music, vinyl, CDs, DVDs, a lot of it great jazz. I told him I couldn't do that. He would call me about once a week to see how I was healing from my surgery and we'd talk at great length about bikes, road trips, families and music. I thought he'd last into the spring and kept putting off going to see him until my knee was a bit better.
Jim was quite the guy. He was a high school music teacher but also a one time member of the Tacoma Symphony Orchestra, playing trombone, trumpet, coronet and other brass. He also had a MS in Computer Science. He was a respected session musician too, playing back up for singer Ray Charles years ago.
Now when I look at my Rocket I'll always think of my friend Jim and be glad that she sits in my shop, ready for some great riding adventures.