Rider profile: Ken Wilson

Name: Ken Wilson
Find me on Earth: St. Petersburg, Florida, sometimes
Find me Online: lostboater.com, Motorcycle Men Podcast interview and the Life on two wheels YouTube channel tnterview
Interview Date: Thursday, February 9, 2017
Interview Location: Cedar Key, Florida

Life on two wheels: When did you start riding, how old were you?

Ken: I bought my first motorcycle in Germany in 1970 at the age of 20.

Life on two wheels: How many motorbikes have you owned?

Ken: Not a lot. Maybe five or six.

Life on two wheels: What is your current bike, and is the current bike your favorite?

Ken:  I have three Vespas, an older GTS, a brand new GTS with ABS and traction control, and an older LX150. The LX150 is my favorite.

Life on two wheels: Talk to me about the most challenging riding skill you learned.

Ken: Riding 12” wheels in deep sand and off-road challenges.

Life on two wheels: Are you a moto-commuter, a tourer, or a fair weather rider?

Ken: I'm a Tourer for sure, and I prefer fair weather.

Life on two wheels: Are you a solitary rider? How about riding in a group?

Ken: I am definitely a solitary rider. I will ride with a few friends and some larger groups like the Cross Egypt Challenge but that is rare.

Life on two wheels: I dare you to share an awkward or embarassing riding moment.

Ken: Too many to list. One was when I noticed in my mirror I was dragging my luggage down the highway for a long way.

Life on two wheels: What is the best place your bike has taken you?

Ken: I was asked that in front of a camera and could not narrow it down. The best answer I guess is that the scooter has taken me to a whole new world.  Those who ride scooters will know where this is.

Life on two wheels: Tell me why you ride.

Ken: I don’t know....addiction?  It is a need that I have come to have. The Zen of riding solo though the back roads of America, I guess.  A old fat guy riding a little red scooter in the back roads of Mississippi or New Mexico opens a lot interesting conversations and doors.

Life on two wheels: If I could grant you one riding wish, what would it be?

Ken: That I do not encounter any more bears while riding. (Ed.: that is a cryptic reference to an unfortunate fender-shattering incident during the 2014 Scooter Cannonball.) 

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