Meet Hoop:

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left: Hoop when he at least had some hair.

HOOP'S STORY AS CHRONICLED BY HIS MOTORCYCLES:

Having cut his teeth on a 1966 Honda S65 (bought new for $300.), Hoop traded up to a new 1968 Honda CL350. What you see hanging from the handlebars is the very first "Easy Rider" replica helmet in town! Hand-painted by Hoop, of course.

Greatly affected by the movie "Easy Rider", it was only a matter of time before he turned to Harleys. He started the 70's with this chopper built from a wrecked 1966 Shovelhead. With a '48 Pan frame and extended springer, shot-gun pipes & Sportster tank, it was the typical '60s chopper. This bike underwent almost weekly revisions as Hoop learned about mechanics the hard way. It had been abused by the previous owner, so there wasn't a piece of the thing, inside & out, that wasn't examined, removed, replaced or altered.

The last version had Sportster hydraulic forks, fat-bob tanks, pull-back handlebars. A SuperGlide before Harley had one! While riding his rigid-framer, Hoop came across a 1958 Duo-Glide in good running condition. In order to up grade some of the parts on the chopper, Hoop bought it for $1,200. I know what you're thinking, "pretty stupid to ruin a cherry dresser to build a chopper ", but back then it was just another old bike. Handled like a truck, bounced like a camel and accelerated like a Yugo. But what would you give for it today? Hoop sold it for $1,000! Wonder where it is today?

Hoop's first new Harley was this 1979 Low Rider. Of course, he couldn't leave it completely stock, so added a spify little fairing with a big 7" head-light to replace the puny one that came stock.

Somewhere along the way Hoop came across this oddity, which is still waiting a restoration. (It's a 1962 Harley Super 10, if you didn't know).

Desiring more performance, Hoop bought a second-hand XLCR that had had the S&S treatment. S&S Super carb, flywheels, stroker rods, pistons, valves, and extra chrome. 74" of hard acceleration, but shook so bad, he could hardly hold on above 70mph. It needed a rebuild with careful balancing, but before he could do that,

Hoop visited Daytona in 1983 and saw Freddie Spencer use the brand new Honda Interceptor to win the Superbike race. As soon as he was back in Texas, it was straight to the Honda shop to get one for himself. Fast bike with great brakes, but unstable front end. Spit him off hard one time for no good reason except hitting a little rough pavement. If not for that helmet, you wouldn't be reading this today!

Hoop put a lot of miles (50K plus) on this 600 Ninja bought new in 1986. Used to get a new bike every couple years, but with Moto-Mini, three kids, one mean mouse and too many cats to count, his next new bike had to wait.

18 years later he bought a 2003 Triumph Speed 4 as a replacement for the 1986 Ninja. It was short-lived, though.(don't ask). Two months later he was looking for a replacement

He found a lightly used 1996 Ninja 250. Rode it for a year or so and then traded it in on his latest new bike.

Hoop is now the proud rider of a 2007 Ninja 650R. Fast, but not "scary" fast!