Farewell, Wee. We hardly knew thee.

Five years ago - July 2006 - Chris and I visited Williamson Honda in Mill Hall, PA so Chris could order a 2007 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS.  Five months later, the "Wee" arrived!  I can still remember following Chris home thinking to myself, "I bet he is grinning from ear to ear inside that helmet!"  

One of Chris' first rides on the Wee - January 1, 2007

38,000 miles and at least a dozen states later, the time has come to sell the Wee. Go ahead...hang your head and observe a moment of silence.  It's the right thing to do. 

Last July, we bought the Concours 14 for two-up duty.  At the time, I told Chris if we didn't need to sell the Wee that he might as well keep it.  I knew that he loved that bike and until he got a good feel for the Connie, I wanted him to have another option for solo riding.  Plus, he could brag about having two bikes!  :) But the sad truth is, once we got rolling on the Concours, the Wee saw very little action.  Chris would take it out from time to time, but the Connie quickly became his go-to bike.  

I know that selling the Wee is bittersweet for Chris.  He's ridden the snot out of that bike over the years.  It's only a 650, but as our friend Chris Hornberger said last year after the ST.N National Meet, "Thanks to [Chris] for proving wrong every 'it's underpowered' and 'it doesn't handle that great in the twisties' regarding WeeStroms. That guy should give clinics."

Chris on the Wee - May 2010
(photo credit Ken Denton)

Chris and Marty - January 2010.  Yes, that's SNOW behind them!
(photo credit Jerry Alderfer)

Chris heads out for a chilly winter ride - February 2010

Following Chris home from Knoebel's - May 2010

Pretty much the one and only time I was ever on the Wee.
This was a photo shoot for a book review I did for WPSU
about a motorcycle book I'd read.

Tonight we went to Marty's house to borrow his trailer so Chris can transport the Wee to his buyer in Ellicott City, MD tomorrow.  We brought the trailer home and promptly loaded the Wee.  While Chris worked to secure the bike, I removed the license plate and moved it to a place of honor in the garage.  Oscar supervised our efforts.

Oscar is an excellent supervisor!

Starting to strap down the bike.

Custom wood chock for the front wheel - a Chris original!

More straps!  Gotta make sure it'll stay put on the 3+ hour ride.

The Wee's plate above the garage door.

The spot in the garage the Wee used to occupy.  :(

Chris hangs his head.  He claims "it's just a bike" but I know he's sad.

On our way to dinner tonight, Chris told me, "That bike.  It's my first *real* bike.  Sure, I had the Bandit, but I think the furthest I went on that thing was Sunbury.  Sunbury...ooooo.  But the Wee...I've gone halfway across the country on that thing.  It was a good bike."  

It *was* a good bike.  It *is* a good bike!  Its new owner is very lucky.  Here's hoping he treats it as well as Chris did.  

The Wee at a campground during Chris' 2009 Blue Ridge Parkway trip.

Farewell, Wee one...