Hi Richard,
What a neat story about Newfoundland, a province unknown to many Canadians. During the mid sixties I worked as a floatplane pilot in Newfoundland for about three years, and enjoyed my stay very much. While working there, I flew a Cessna 180 on floats, and skis in the winter, from St. John’s to many small outports on the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. Three years ago my wife and I drove our motorhome from North Saanich, near Victoria, BC, to St. John’s and back. The total covered was about 18,000 km’s, including some side trips. We took the ferry from North Sydney to Port Aux Basques, and also on the way back. Wreckhouse was actually still occupied when I was living there, and I have flown past the location many times. Sometimes with a lot of wind, and a very bumpy ride. Wreckhouse has an interesting history. Your story brought back many memories from my stay in Newfoundland. You describe it so well, and with so much detail. I can visualize the many places where I have been from your words, and re-lived my stay. Now I am 72, retired, and live on Vancouver Island. I still ride a bike, currently I have a 1985 Kawasaki 454 LTD, a nice smaller cruiser. I enjoy reading the magazine and still have to write Stu, who I met on the ferry to Vancouver Island last year. All the best, Anton Laninga
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I recently read in the Costco Magazine that you did an article, unknown when, on a day in the life of a motor cop. I was wondering if I would be able to read that article online somewhere? I am a motor cop in Portland, Oregon and was curious as to the accuracy of the article. Thank you and I look forward to your response.
Brian
Hi Brian,
In the past we did a couple articles on motorcycle cops and both of the articles can be found at www.motorcyclemojo.com/store/. The first story is in the #14 September/October 05 issue titled ‘A day in the life of a motorcycle cop’ and the other is in the #19 July/August 06 issue titled ‘Class of 2006”. Hope you enjoy them. Ride safe, Glenn
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I really enjoyed the article about the 71 Norton in your March/April 06 back issue on the web site. It brought back memories of when I restored my own 70 Commando. It actually had sprinkler parts in the issolastic motor mounts. How much is a subscription to your mag?
Dave.
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Hi,
I am a member of a group that is all volunteers called Soldiers’ Angels.
I write to many soldiers, send cards and send packages to them. Several times I have requests for motorcycle magazines. Is there any way that you would be kind enough to donate some “old” issues of your magazines to me so that I can send them to the soldiers? I know that they would not care how old the magazines are. I subscribe to some women’s magazines myself and I often send those to the female soldiers that I write to, but unfortunately I don’t have any men’s sport magazines. Check out www.soldiersangels.org. Thanks so much. Jean.
Hi Jean,
On a regular basis we send 140 copies of each issue to our troops overseas. This is how Jody Mitic first laid his eyes on the Buell bikes he admired. Jody tells us that the magazines are put in an area where everyone can pick and choose what they like to read. So be assured that they do in fact have access to our magazine as well. Sounds like you are doing a great job in helping to brighten some cloudy days for our soldiers. I will check out your website.
Sincerely Gwen
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I just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that after reading what you helped do for Jody Mitic, I decided to sign up for a subscription. A friend of mine in Toronto pointed me in the direction of your website after he heard about Jody and I thought a subscription order was the least that I could do to support a magazine that would do so much for a wounded soldier. Keep up the good work and I look forward to reading my first issue! Sincerely, Steve M. Plainfield, IL.
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I just wanted to let you know how impressed I am with your help in providing the motorcycle to Jody Mitic. Not only is it gratifying to hear of someone doing something for a perfect stranger, it is great that the stereotype of ‘bikers’ gets a boost. Bikers tend to get negative press most of the time and it’s about time acts like your’s are publicized. Congratulations – you have my greatest respect for doing this. (PS – I’m not a biker myself by the way, I’m a secretary).
Joan.
Hello Joan,
Thanks for your comments, they are very much appreciated. The evening the bike was presented to Jody was easily one of my most memorable. You are right that bikers do get a bad wrap sometimes. Bikers though, raise more money for charities than any other sub-culture I know of. There are probably hundreds of charity rides every single weekend in the summer across the country raising millions. The Ride for Sight in southern Ontario alone raises almost one million dollars in a single weekend for research. Thanks again Joan!
Glenn
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You people are the best. What you have accomplished regarding Jody Mitic is incredible and will not be forgotten. I am an ex-soldier and ex-rider and after watching that video it reminds me of what used to be and what is now. Again, thank you.
Pat
Thanks Pat.
Attila at Freak~N~Leather in Newmarket, Ontario was the person behind the camera and did an amazing job editing the video for everyone to enjoy. There is also a new video on our site now of Jody out for a ride. Glenn
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Hi Stu,
Just read your insurance article. Some of it is great and some means nothing to a percentage of Canada, those of us stuck paying the Government for insurance. As you may not know a few provinces pay a monopoly insurance company called provincial govern-ment insurance. I laughed at the amount you pay for two vehicles. About the same price I pay for one. I have a professional drivers licence and a clean record. This is with the 43% Road Star discount. I won’t even get into the cost for my Harley. Let’s just say its only on the road for 6 months of the year. The other 6 its a great garage ornament. We don’t have a option for basic and liability but now have a option for everything else. This helps but is not enough. This cash cow for the government is far from going away. I and many others feel your pain. Thanks for the great mag.
Neil, Coquitlam BC.
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Nice job with the latest issue. My dad is a retired general with the Canadian Armed Forces and rides a scooter, at the age of 83. Keep up the good work! Mike R.
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These responses below are with regard to an article in the Toronto Sun dated July 29th regarding Jody Mitic’s condo owners threatening to tow his motorcycle away by 1 p.m. on July 31st because the condo agreement does not allow motorcycles to be parked in their parking garage.
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Hello to all, my fiance and I are huge fans of your publication. Upon opening the Toronto Sun this morning we found the article about Jody Mitic: It absolutely disgusts me to see Canada’s Heroes being treated this way and I wanted to make sure you folks and everyone of our brothers and sisters in the motorcycle community see this.
Thank you, Chad.
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RE: Jody Mitic Buellseye, Awesome gesture! Everyone that contributed are heroes. Now what can be done about Jody’s condo/bike situation? I can’t believe Canadians allow this kind of stuff to continue! Maybe we can’t fight with our soldiers, but we should be able to fight for them.
Rick.
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Hi Glenn,
I am sure you have read or heard of this one, however in case you have not here’s the link.l It is pure BS. What has this country come to forcing Jody to remove his bike. Cheers, Guy
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For details of Jody’s bike build and ‘Jody’s first ride’ video produced by Freak-N-Leather, go to: www.motorcyclemojo.com
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This was the headline of the Toronto Sun on July 29, 2007. By Joe Warmington
The Taliban took Jody Mitic’s legs. Then strangers gave him a custom motorbike. Now condo management is taking his parking space.
First a foreign enemy took away his legs and now back home someone is trying to take away his wheels. Master Cpl. Jody Mitic had his legs blown off in Afghanistan fighting people who are unbending in their ridiculous rules. And now Mitic is facing the same kind of austere stupidity here. Flashback to January, just a week before the 30-year-old sniper stepped on a land mine. “I was already thinking about life back home and I saw this great motorcycle on the cover of Motorcycle Mojo Magazine,” Mitic said. “I emailed them and said, How can I get one of those?” And then came that horrible day when he lost both legs below the knee, and many thought he’d die.
When the guys at Mojo heard about this, they got in touch with the owners of the bikes Keith Whipp and Cory Wickham at Barrie Harley-Davidson and the rest is history. With donations from many individuals and businesses a custom bike was built, specifically designed with Jody’s limitations in mind called Buellseye The bike was presented to Jody in April but he wasn’t able to ride it until a month ago. “I just wanted to wait until I was strong enough. What a feeling,” he said of that first ride. It was so special he went out and bought his fiancee, Danielle Still, a starter bike and the two have been learning together. “It has changed my life,” he says. But enter the rigid rules of a condo complex to the story. After several weeks of parking these motorcycles in their two rented parking spaces at their rented condo at Yonge and Sheppard, they have been told they have to remove them by 1 p.m. the following day or they will be removed for them. “Please be advised if you don’t remove your motorcycles… we regret to inform you we will have no choice but to tow your motorcycles,” reads a letter signed by “senior property manager” of Toronto Condominium Corp. #1362.
Now is this really necessary? If they were snowmobiles, maybe? But a motorbike? Talk about the highs and lows for Mitic in 2007. Turns out the condo building has grandfathered-in a rule that motorcycles are no longer permitted in the underground parking area. “I didn’t realize that,” Mitic said. “There are other bikes parked nearby in the same underground.” But there are exceptions being made for them because they were there before the new clause was put in. Mitic tried to get a meeting to explain that he is in rehab for just another month and then he will be moving back to his base at CFB Petawawa in his quest to get back over to Afghanistan. “I just want to see if they could make an exception for a few more weeks or at least until I can make some other arrangements,” he said. “The thing I am worried about is if I have to park this expensive bike on the street, it will get stolen for sure.” He said no one has been receptive in talking with him and he was rudely told “rules are rules.” Now Mitic is frantically trying to come up with somewhere to put the motorcycles. “They didn’t give me much time here,” he said. “I just don’t understand what they have against motorcycles — especially since they are fuel efficient and are not as bad with congestion. Mine are not bothering anybody where they have been parked!” It’s sick treatment since Mitic, with the help of the Canadian Armed Forces, pays $3,875 a month for the furnished apartment with one parking space and an additional $80 for a second space. The Condo Property Manager has not returned my call but if she does I’ll explain my philosophy for war heroes is to not kick their artificial legs out from under them and to do whatever you can to help them enjoy their wheels. joe.warmington@sunmedia.ca
Note: For now we understand the issue has been resolved and we thank everyone for their emails and calls and the many offers Jody has had for bike storage. He will soon be back in Petawawa and getting his life back on track and enjoying the open road once again. Glenn
Thanks buddy,
Danni and I would like to thank everyone for their support and I would like to let you know that it has all been sorted out. Jody Mitic
