SCRC Loudoun VA Featured Member - November, 2011


Name:   Hai Pham

Marital Status:  Been married to the same wonderful woman for 33 years. One Thanksgiving, I gave thanks to my mother-in-law for giving me a wonderful wife. She was moved!

Location:  Haymarket

Hometown:  Originally from Vietnam but Haymarket, Virginia has been our hometown since 1988

Children:  4: three sons and one daughter. The 2 oldest sons,30 and 28, still single, have good careers and are on their own; the third is at JMU; youngest daughter is a senior at Battlefield HS. My wife and I hope to have grand children soon but no signs of that in the near future.

Age:  62

Occupation:  I was a chemical engineer by training for many years but did not like the office politics so I became business owner by buying 2 Sir Speedy printing franchises.

Current motorcycle(s):  25th Anniversary Honda Gold Wing 1500 SE but still feel something is missing (in the garage).

How did you hear about the SCRC and when did you join?
I first joined another motorcycle group called monkeyriders but most of the riders were young and their rides were not very organized. After searching the internet, I am very glad to have found this Leesburg chapter of SCRC and joined about 2+ years ago.

How long have you been riding?
7 years total; the first 3 years were in NY and PA and about 25 years ago, the other 4 are current.

Have you ever taken a motorcycle safety course?
Yes, twice. The first time was in Pennsylvania when I just bought the Yamaha Vision; the second time was in 2007 in VA.

What was your first bike?
Honda CB750

How many bikes have you owned?
5: Honda CB750, Yamaha Vision, Suzuki Volusia, Kawasaki Nomad and Honda Gold Wing 1500SE

Why do you ride?
To relax, have fun and meet nice people. I especially enjoy well-organized group rides.

Have you ridden with an organized group before?
Yes, with a group called monkeyriders.

What modifications have you done to your bike?
I replaced the heel-toe board shifter with the original Honda pegs. This Gold Wing has lots of stuff on it except heated seat and heated grips. I was thinking about adding heated grips but decided to go the Gerbings route on the advise of a chapter member.

What accessories do you want to add to your bike?
GPS, and maybe windshield wiper, if available.

What is your dream bike?
I don't have one but eventually would like to try a BMW and a Harley.

What kind of riding do you like to do — straight-aways or twisties?
I like straight-aways and gentle twisties. I don't think I can relax on these hairpins and switchbacks, to me it's work.

If you have a nickname, how did you get it? Tell the truth!
I don't have one, seriously!

What is your favorite riding route?
Haymarket to Marshall, Middleburg, the Plains, Haymarket. The ride on Rt15 to Leesburg with beautiful farms on either side is also a nice and relaxing 20-mile warmup each time I joined the chapter ride at Roy's.

Do you ride your bike to work?
Occasionally on Fridays when the weather is nice and the traffic is light.

What is the fastest you’ve ridden?
80

What is your favorite time of year to ride?
Spring and Fall

Have you ever been down? If so, how were you hurt and what did you learn from the incident?
Lucky so far, I have never been down or dropped my bike on the street. But I have dropped my bikes a few times on my driveway when pushing them around.

Have you ever done an "Iron Butt" ride?
No, but I am not interested.

If not, what is the furthest you’ve ridden?
200 miles.

What was the worst weather in which you’ve ridden?
I was caught in the rain once but only for a short ride.

Do you know how to work on your bike?
No, oil change is about all I can do.

What is your favorite road song?
I do not listen to the radio or music when riding. I'd like to be able to hear the traffic around me. But I have my CB on channel 19.

What was your most adventurous ride?
Still waiting for one!

What rallies or events do you like to attend?
There were a couple of events that our chapter did that I would enjoy but could not do this year due to other commitments. State Rallies would be fun.

Is there someone who rides "two-up" with you?
I am afraid to have my wife or daughter riding with me although they would if I ask. I still consider myself a beginner rider.

Off the cuff from...Hai
I would like to take a multi-week tour across the country or at least through several states before the knees get too weak. This is on my bucket list. I think I will be able to do this within the next 3-4 years.