May 2024 - Daniel Wahl

Tell us about your riding experience while working with Cirrus Aircraft.
I found Aerostich as a matter of chance. I retired from the Army in 2007 and was hired by Cirrus Aircraft (formally Cirrus Design) to do off-airport marketing. My job was simple: I was to drive a pickup truck with an enclosed trailer housing an SR-22 Mock-up around North America and set it up to support our sales staff. The best part is that I am able to bring my bike with me so I can get around.

The bike (psychobike) you see here was mounted in front of the aircraft and had a ramp using the man door of the trailer to get it in and out. Many times, as my schedule changed I was able to pull the bike out and ride it home or even use it while the truck had unexpected services.

How long have you been riding?
I have been a rider since stationed in Alaska in 1994. Getting a job at Cirrus led me to find Aerostich which has been a lifesaver. One day I dropped off the equipment at work in Duluth and pulled out a bike and started my trip to the house in Big Spring, Kentucky. I was wearing a Roadcrafter suit and had a late start and bad weather to contend with, so I only made it to Wisconsin Dells for the night. The next day the temperatures were on the rise so when I hit Kentucky, I noticed most riders passing me in shorts and tee shirts. Now as the old saying goes most accidents happen within 10 miles of the house. I was approaching a car from behind that was slowing down to make a right-hand turn. It made the turn and then pulled a U-turn as I was passing. The speed was enough to total both my bike and the full-size SUV that didn’t see me. My biggest problem was the paramedics cut off my suit. I had no bruising at all.

Current motorcycle?

Being without a bike for a couple of years and with Covid slowing the world down I went bike shopping. I ended up with a BMW R1250GS. I pretty much replaced my personal truck with the bike as my daily driver.

This now resides in either my garage or in front of the aircraft in the work trailer on the way to the next adventure. Only two years into ownership and already has 50K miles on it. I have two adventure bike rallies with it at the Blackwater Adventure Rally in Beverly, West Virginia. I’ve ridden across country several times and hit many more off-road adventures as I challenge the depths of the BMW navigation app.

This has been a long, strange trip from the 1972 Yamaha 750 triple I owned up in Alaska until now. Back in the day, I would just enjoy the wind blowing past and now with a full array of music at my fingertips, I can add the soundtrack.

Motorcycle Story

I met Paul when I was driving back from my southwest tour with work. I was east of Albuquerque on the high desert plains with the temperature around 50 and drizzle when I noticed a fellow biker on the side of the road with things scattered all around the bike. I stopped and backed up to him. We introduced ourselves and he told me about his flat tire he was riding from Scottsdale to Pittsburgh. I pulled down the ramp of the trailer to see if I could secure him behind the aircraft. Knowing how much stuff bounces back there I asked if he wanted to ride my bike. He looked at me quizzically and said what bike? I told him that my bike was in front of the aircraft and it would be safer to tie his bike down up there. He was still geeking over the fact that I had an airplane.

He took my bike and I followed him to get fuel in Santa Rosa, NM. During lunch we found a tire for his bike in Tucumcari, NM. We exchanged numbers and he made the whole trip to Pittsburgh on a bike (or two). As you can see from the photo Paul also is an Aerostich rider. He turned me onto the Blackwater Adventure Rally. When I got there Paul told me I was riding with him. Now I only saw Paul ride once and he had to be mellow because I had his bike and all his stuff in my trailer so when he said I was going with him I thought I was going to see West Virginia at a slow pace. At 71 years old Paul challenged my riding ability both on road and off, come to find out he had been riding these roads for 50 years.

Hope this gives you some insight as the fun I have pretty much all the time around this country.