Sportzilla, charlesb52 and the SON.

I’ve been riding motorcycles since 1978. I started on a Kawasaki Z400, then a Honda CX500, and in 1982 discovered my love for “real” motorcycles with the Triumph Bonneville T140E (Bonzilla?).

In 1991 I found the bike that truly suited me: the HD Sportster.

From 1991 to 2012 I customised and rode my XL883, converted to 1200cc, known as Sportzilla1.

Since 2012 I ride my XR 1200, Sportzilla2.

My bikes represent kilometers of riding pleasure in Europe; from Norway to the Picos de Europa, from Ireland to Appennino Abruzzese.

My Japanese friend Takayuki (Bon), introduced me to “Tanoshii!”, 楽しい!), meaning joy, a perfect description for my feeling about motorcycling.

In 2006 I founded the Sportster Owners Netherlands (SON) forum and club, a key part of the Dutch Sportster scene.

Today, 楽しい! still sums up what my XR is about: enjoying the journey, friendships, and the roads.