Your first love never dies, and when it comes to my motorcycle life, that is definitely true. Are you ready for a love story? Although I've always said that one day I will ride a motorcycle, it didn't truly start until 2005, when I was 17...
Love at first sight
At the time, I was going to school, but during the weekends I worked quite hard. I did a lot of promotional work: handing out flyers, telling people about products at trade shows, that kind of thing. That's how I ended up working at the Motorbeurs Utrecht, the biggest motorcycle trade show in The Netherlands. I was working for Yamaha and during that weekend, I saw her for the first time: the Yamaha YZF-R6.
I was sold right then and there, and I vowed that one day I would take her home. From that day onwards, I started working every minute I didn't have to spend on homework. When I was 18, I started lessons for my driver's license, and when I was 19, I passed the test. One step closer to my dream bike!
First flirts
Before I found my first love, there was a bit of flirting with other bikes. At the time, you were only allowed to ride a 25kW motorcycle for the first two years if you were under 21. Just before I had to take the test, I was browsing on a Dutch second-hand marketplace and to my surprise, I found a motorcycle I could afford at the time: an '87 Honda VTR250, in the brilliant color scheme of white, mint green, and pink. Who cares! I owned my very own motorcycle!
That didn't last very long though. As it turned out, the VTR was more powerful than I thought and exceeded the 25kW rule. Within a month I sold it and instead got myself a Honda CBR600f with restricted power.
I'm not gonna lie, I thought it was a lot cooler than the VTR, so I wasn't sad about how that worked out. I had such a good time on that bike. I rode it all across the country and even took it onto the race track once! I worked as a marshall a few times during track days, waving the flags in a turn, and in return, I could join the next track day.
When dreams come true
Other than riding a Honda, I was slowly getting 'adopted' by Yamaha, as I like to say. After that first weekend working for them at the Motorbeurs, they invited me to watch the MotoGP at Assen from their VIP lounge and I got to meet Rossi. I met friends with Yamahas and even went on a motorbike holiday on the back of an R6. (Was it comfortable? Absolutely not. Did it matter? Hell no!)
I believe it was during that MotoGP race that I met the owners of Termaat Motoren, a Yamaha dealership in the east of the country. At the time, I was planning on going to university in their city and they told me to apply for a job when I did.
I never moved to that city, but a year or so later, I applied anyway. For several years, every Saturday I took the train, car, or motorbike to work and save money.
Of course, all my colleagues there knew what I was saving for. About a month before I was allowed to ride an R6, my boss came up to me, telling me something had just been traded in... yes, an '01 R6. MY R6!
The day I was allowed to ride it, I bought it. Damn, that was exciting! Unfortunately, the evening I brought her home, I got really ill and for about 10 days or so, I was lying in bed, listening to the bikers outside enjoying the first bit of spring, with the R6 waiting in the garage. But maybe a month or so later, we made up for that by taking her to France and Switzerland!
The breakup
More trips followed. A track day at Assen followed, which was actually one of the best days of my life. I absolutely loved that bike! But every good love story has a sad part, and this one is no different.
See, at the time, I also had a horse. I got her from my parents when I was 12 and by now I was fully responsible for her, also financially. Being in my twenties, fresh out of college, with those expensive hobbies, my R6 was my savings account and I'd always said that if the horse needed anything, I would sell the R6 in the blink of an eye to pay for it.
And one day, it happened. While I was in Brno for the MotoGP, she got a really bad injury. At the airport on my way back, I managed to find a buyer for the R6. A friend of a friend of a friend. A few days later, the bike was gone.
The horse went through a long process but recovered to the point where she was pain-free and I could do easy rides with her. Totally worth it, I never regretted my decision for a minute. Life without a motorbike went on and I got to have a few more years with the 1HP.
Together at last
Sadly in 2017, she did pass away. By then, I had started my freelance career and a few months later, I moved to Spain. And Spain, I can tell you, is like biker heaven. Endless mountain roads, good pavement, stunning views, not a lot of traffic, good weather, and good food at the end of every ride.
Once I was settled in this new country, I started thinking of buying a motorcycle again. After all, with those conditions and now the financial position to afford a bike again, how could I not?
And then it happened. On a Thursday morning I received a text message: 'Hey, your R6 is for sale on the online marketplace.' My R6 had some unique details, and it was absolutely my R6.
I texted the guy who bought her from me and yes, she was for sale. As if it was meant to be, I was actually flying to The Netherlands the next day for a weekend. I had basically one day to decide if I was gonna do it. I slept a night on it, because that's the wise thing to do, but how could I not buy her back?
And that was that. I bought her, brought her to my dad's garage, and a bit later she was transported to Spain. Although she is now accompanied by the XMax250 and the XT660R, she will always be my first love. And I can tell you, she loves the Spanish roads just as much as I do!
Great story
Oh my 😃 This story just touches my heart
I just dont read I truly felt this story all from starting to end through your each and every words and pictures I felt this world’s most beautiful love story of you with world famous and special R6. Felt bad for your horse but in the end it was happy ending with love 😍🤗
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story with us Thalassa
Wish you a great success in your life 🙌