Tribute
This past bike week I found out an old friend passed away back in 2015. In the late 1990's and early 2000's there was a motorcycle group called Riders Club of Central Florida, RCCF. Bob Tucker was the elder statesmen of the group and extremely well respected. He really won the game of life having a military pension as well as one from the post office.
Bob and his wife Helen travelled the country going from bike week to bike week. At the time there was a bike night on 17-92 every Thursday and often Bob would pull in from the other side of the country. 'When did you get back?' 'Just now.' 'Oh earlier today?' 'No, literally just now, back from California.'
Bob was a legend in the Orlando area. he had a Yamaha Royal Star that he put over 150,000 miles on. Yamaha made him a goodwill ambassador and gave him the use of a Yamaha Venture for a year. That bike would eventually travel 253,000 miles. After the year was up Yamaha gave him a very good deal to by the Venture.
Around 2000 or so Bob's wife Helen became very sick and it really put a crimp on his motorcycle travels. She never really recovered and eventually succumbed to the illness. The first thing Bob did after his wife passed away was to go on a 10,000 mile motorcycle trip.
In 2010 I decided to get a new motorcycle and ended up getting a Royal Star Tour Deluxe in part because if it was good enough for Bob Tucker, it was good enough for me.
In 1998 I moved to Brevard County and did less and less with the motorcycling scene in Orlando. I would usually see Bob at the Yamaha tent during Bike Week and Biketoberfest. I missed the 2015 Bike Week and did not inquire about Bob at the 2016 Bike Week though I did notice his absence. In 2017 I asked about Bob at the Yamaha tent dreading what I knew the answer would probably be.
Bob lived to be 85 and had a full life. He also affected many people in a positive way. We should all be so lucky to have a fraction of the life Bob Tucker had.
Bob and his wife Helen travelled the country going from bike week to bike week. At the time there was a bike night on 17-92 every Thursday and often Bob would pull in from the other side of the country. 'When did you get back?' 'Just now.' 'Oh earlier today?' 'No, literally just now, back from California.'
Bob was a legend in the Orlando area. he had a Yamaha Royal Star that he put over 150,000 miles on. Yamaha made him a goodwill ambassador and gave him the use of a Yamaha Venture for a year. That bike would eventually travel 253,000 miles. After the year was up Yamaha gave him a very good deal to by the Venture.
Around 2000 or so Bob's wife Helen became very sick and it really put a crimp on his motorcycle travels. She never really recovered and eventually succumbed to the illness. The first thing Bob did after his wife passed away was to go on a 10,000 mile motorcycle trip.
In 2010 I decided to get a new motorcycle and ended up getting a Royal Star Tour Deluxe in part because if it was good enough for Bob Tucker, it was good enough for me.
In 1998 I moved to Brevard County and did less and less with the motorcycling scene in Orlando. I would usually see Bob at the Yamaha tent during Bike Week and Biketoberfest. I missed the 2015 Bike Week and did not inquire about Bob at the 2016 Bike Week though I did notice his absence. In 2017 I asked about Bob at the Yamaha tent dreading what I knew the answer would probably be.
Bob lived to be 85 and had a full life. He also affected many people in a positive way. We should all be so lucky to have a fraction of the life Bob Tucker had.
Comments
Post a Comment