The issue was that I needed to land in Vancouver with the bike signed, sealed and in my name, prior to my arrival because I did not want to have to have to deal with any possible cock-ups that might arise. And the Agreement of Purchase and Sale had to be fully executed in order for that to happen. And the Agreement of P&S had to include the reference to the license plate. And the bike was being purchased in B.C. Which meant B.C. plates. Gigi informs me she would have to put a B.C. plate on the bike, reference it on the documents, and courier me the documents for signature.
Not good. That would have just created additional paper work and additional cost to license twice, because that would require a transfer to Ontario plates upon arrival home. I asked her to consider, instead, sending me all the information on the specific bike, including the VIN number. I would register the bike here in Ontario, buy my Ontario plates and send her the plate information. She could then complete the Agreement of P&S, referencing the Ontario license, and courier them back to me for signature. Not exactly standard procedure, but in the end, she agreed.
With the Acquisition-of-the-Bike part of the deal concluded, it was time to focus on the logistics of getting it home. Two other individuals wanted to be involved in the whole adventure to assist. And neither of them were Angel(s!). She felt the whole idea of an across-the-country purchase was ever so slightly whack. So she opts out. No, it was my brother and the Nut Bar with the Bimmer that wanted in.
Me bro' was living in San Francisco at the time all this came together. He elects to fly to Vancouver, hook up upon my arrival and rent a bike from Deeley. We would then spend a few days putting the required 1,600 kms on my hog traveling around Van, service the bike, i.e. new oil and fluids, before heading home. We needed to plan for a route that was 1,600 kms, round trip from Vancouver, before the first service. For the bro', all this is easy. Fly in. Rent. Ride for three days. Fly out.
The plan for the Nut Bar is a wee bit more complex. He decided he would leave Toronto on his BMW, drive straight to Vancouver with as much 'Non-Stop' as he can handle, meet up with us, possibly in time for as much of the three-day break-in cruise that he can and then, ultimately, escort me home to Toronto. Including the 1,600 kms breaking-in part, that is roughly 10,000 kilometers in 10 days. Now I have always adored long-distance rides, but I told him he's crazed just the same. He insisted that from an Iron Butt point of view, it was "a piece of cake".
The Iron Butt Association. Fifty thousand members world wide. And 50,000 of the toughest riders on the planet, according to their logo on their web site. These folks are extreme when it comes to long-distance endurance riding. I have no idea how long the organization has been in existence. There is little info available. What is available are the rules and regulations associated with earning the accolades from your fellow riders for completing incredibly difficult journeys. If you care for a taste of what these folks are all about you can read more here:
www.ironbutt.com/about/default.cfm
DO NOT try this stuff at home!!! I think you need to be somewhat unhinged to attempt this stuff. I would like to think that they are professionals and therefore completely capable but I'm not so sure. There are no membership fees. There are no prizes. And there are very few rules and regulations. All you have to do to gain entrance to this very exclusive club is prove you met the club's threshold and actually did the ride you claim, supported by gas and mileage receipts. And signed off by independent witnesses at both the Start and Finish Lines. NB had done all his research. He knew all about these folks and was convinced he would fit right in.
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