Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Rider profile: Ed Kilner

Name: Ed Kilner
Find me on Earth:  Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Interview Date: Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Interview Location:  the Kilner residence
Scootcommute: When did you start riding, how old were you?

Ed: 1971, took the first rider safety course offered in Canada.  An Ottawa club & Honda went coast to coast giving the course. I took the one in Toronto. I was 26.

Scootcommute: How many motorbikes have you owned?

Ed: Three: a 1970 Honda CL350, a 2000 Triumph Legend, and a 2011 BMW R1200RT.

Scootcommute: What is your current bike, and is the current bike your favorite?

Ed: My current bike, the BMW R1200RT is by far my favorite. It’s the Cadillac of sport touring bikes.

Scootcommute: Talk to me about the most challenging riding skill you learned.

Ed: Avoiding tensing up – that kills control. I still do it sometimes when I have to make U-turns. The bike is big and heavy and I am still working on this skill.

Scootcommute: Are you a moto-commuter, a tourer, or a fair weather rider?

Ed:  I'm a tourer and otherwise a fair weather rider.

Scootcommute: Are you a solitary rider? How about riding in a group?

Ed:  Mostly solitary, or with one other rider. I have gone in larger groups, but it is not what I like. I generally follow the rules, but a large group loses cohesion sometimes and I don’t like passing the others – they give dirty looks. On the other hand, I like to keep the group leader in view. This is a conflict. Best to avoid large groups.

Scootcommute: I dare you to share an awkward or embarrassing riding moment.

Ed:  Just east of Pemberton BC last year, I dropped the bike on a hard left turn into a hairpin starting a mountain ascent.

Scootcommute: What is the best place your bike has taken you?

Ed:  Vancouver Island. See the blog.

Scootcommute: Tell me why you ride.

Ed:  I just like it. Give me a performance machine, twisty roads, fresh air, outdoor smells, temperature variations, even rain can be ok.

Scootcommute: If I could grant you one riding wish, what would it be?

Ed:  I'd love to ride from Bavaria south through Switzerland into Italy and down the coast; or, an injection of great skill; or, a larger inseam (already have peg lowering for knee pain reduction and bar backs for more upright position).

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