Brent: History of the ZRXOA?

[Dallas]

I did a search for "history" and found zip.

How did the OA come about?
Who were the original players?
When/where was the first rally?
Was it ever in jeopardy of closing?
What was the membership rate of growth?

Enquiring minds.........uh.... I forgot.

[ZRXBubba]

Brent got banned from another Board and he said "By golly I'll create a place that will let me be a member"

[Dallas]

That's what I figured, but I wasn't sure.

[zrxoa1]

April 1999: I bought my new '99 ZRX1100

I went home, got online and looked around for info. Aside from a few Japanese sites, I could not find anything. So I made a webpage and added a message board and e-mail list and went hunting....

The very first person I ever contacted about the new formed ZRX1100 Owners' Association was Jim Bazz. I located him in an AOL chat room.... using the screen name ZRX11Jim (I was ELRrep99). I told him of the website and asked he come take a look.

He became ZRXOA#2

OVer the next months word got around and folks started showing up. Eventually a guy by the name of Calvin Crutchfield (a real pc geek... I mean that in a GOOD way) joined up and informed me he had a website by the name of zrx1100.com and he was going to post up part #s and how-to's... he wanted our sites to compliment each other.

I was now on my 3rd or 4th message board...trying different set ups. Now, I am NOT a pc geek and was struggling, typing every line of code by hand. My site was at a Geocities site. I had no clue how to host a domain like Calvin had done.

Calvin later decided he no longer wanted to mess with building a website and offered the zrx1100.com domain to me. As I had no way (or knowledge) to aquire it, we struck a deal and he actually hosted the site and was for a time, co-owner of the OA.

He eventually wanted out completely and by that time I had gotten Howard and Chuckc and Revrev and Jeff to help run the site.... see, I was spending 12-14 hours a day manually inputting all info to the site and the wife was getting tired of me being on the pc all day/night. I was also getting tired...

So once I was sure I had picked the right guy (Howard) and he had a handle on running the OA site, I "retired". I stepped down, leaving Howard as the Prez, and he made Chuckc the VP... the rest is pretty much well known....

Now, as for the 1st rally... hard to say really. There were several of us that got together at Mid Ohio... but also Hal and others got together at TWO in Suches, GA.... shortly after one of those get togethers, Hal passed away, thus the now known Hal Rally each Sept.

There have been alot of names over the years, alot of loss as well. But it has all been worth it. The growth rate? Well, it was varied... slow at first, then bursts here and there, then steady, then slowing. But I think we have done pretty well.

This is by far the best OA in the world.... all started by a great motorcycle, but kept going by outstanding members!

[EL'zREX]

April 1999: I bought my new '99 ZRX1100

I went home, got online and looked around for info. Aside from a few Japanese sites, I could not find anything. So I made a webpage and added a message board and e-mail list and went hunting....

The very first person I ever contacted about the new formed ZRX1100 Owners' Association was Jim Bazz. I located him in an AOL chat room.... using the screen name ZRX11Jim (I was ELRrep99). I told him of the website and asked he come take a look.

He became ZRXOA#2

OVer the next months word got around and folks started showing up. Eventually a guy by the name of Calvin Crutchfield (a real pc geek... I mean that in a GOOD way) joined up and informed me he had a website by the name of zrx1100.com and he was going to post up part #s and how-to's... he wanted our sites to compliment each other.

I was now on my 3rd or 4th message board...trying different set ups. Now, I am NOT a pc geek and was struggling, typing every line of code by hand. My site was at a Geocities site. I had no clue how to host a domain like Calvin had done.

Calvin later decided he no longer wanted to mess with building a website and offered the zrx1100.com domain to me. As I had no way (or knowledge) to aquire it, we struck a deal and he actually hosted the site and was for a time, co-owner of the OA.

He eventually wanted out completely and by that time I had gotten Howard and Chuckc and Revrev and Jeff to help run the site.... see, I was spending 12-14 hours a day manually inputting all info to the site and the wife was getting tired of me being on the pc all day/night. I was also getting tired...

So once I was sure I had picked the right guy (Howard) and he had a handle on running the OA site, I "retired". I stepped down, leaving Howard as the Prez, and he made Chuckc the VP... the rest is pretty much well known....

Now, as for the 1st rally... hard to say really. There were several of us that got together at Mid Ohio... but also Hal and others got together at TWO in Suches, GA.... shortly after one of those get togethers, Hal passed away, thus the now known Hal Rally each Sept.

There have been alot of names over the years, alot of loss as well. But it has all been worth it. The growth rate? Well, it was varied... slow at first, then bursts here and there, then steady, then slowing. But I think we have done pretty well.

This is by far the best OA in the world.... all started by a great motorcycle, but kept going by outstanding members!

Thank you for this fine place........

[Dallas]

wow....thanx Brent. Very cool story. I never knew who "Hal" was even after all this time.

What caused the inquiry was recently, seemed like we had more than a few announce they were selling their Rexes, then almost simultaneously, a group of newbies of equal or larger size announced they'd joined.

Yep, it's a fluid and dynamic thang.

Can I have a raise?

[zrxoa1]

wow....thanx Brent. Very cool story. I never knew who "Hal" was even after all this time.

Hal was one of our most entertaining and helpful members, in the early days. He was a BIG boy, but had a HUGE heart as well.

He got on the board just all giddy about the weekend he had just had at TWO and how he had ridden the best he had ever done. He was like a kid on Christmas morning... then he was gone.... had a heart attack and died. I attended the first ever Hal Rally... it was a really emotional weekend for everyone.

Yeah, you are right.... the OA membership is like a tide... it ebbs and flows. We lose some members, but quickly gain new ones.

Some show up and never leave.... like a stray dog.... we just keep feeding them and they hang around

[Dallas]

Rest in Peace Hal. Wish I could
have known you.

Stray Dawgs R Us.

[youngzrxer]

Some show up and never leave.... like a stray dog.... we just keep feeding them and they hang around

[Greg]

Rest in Peace Hal. Wish I could
have known you.

Stray Dawgs R Us.

Thanks for taking the time to post up the "History of the Board"

[kfoster]

Yes-----thanks much-----and RIP to Hal. Some of us have wondered about the creation of this community. A big part of the decision to get one of these bikes was the community of people who knew how the thing worked and had huge enthusiam for it. ZRX was on the short list 'till I found you guyz. That tipped the scales. This had to be a great bike if this many people were stupid crazy for it.

Have not regretted it for one minute. What ever happens bike-wise, this group will always have a place in my heart.

[ClayX]

The first ZRX rally was piggybacked with a GPZ rally in Virginia. We talked about it on the board, and decided to do it. There were only two people from the ZRX group show up. Hal and myself. Had a blast, Hal did a burnout on a wooden bridge and set it on fire.

One of the GPZ riders was riding in front of me and hit a deer at 90 mph. Spent the rest of the day in the hospital, with him. When we got back to the campground there had been a storm come through. All tents were blown over and full of rain. We all ran next door to the hotel and got rooms. Hal wanted me to share a room, but I knew I would get no sleep ( insert snoring emoticon) and stayed with a CEO guy from Chicago.

After his passing, I made the first Hal rally at TWO, and sold shirts for RevRev3. We had everyone sigh one and it's was on the wall for years. I think they took it down, as I could not find it last year.

that was my beginning.

[sillyhillbilly]

Brent got banned from another Board and he said "By golly I'll create a place that will let me be a member"

what he brought chuckc with him?????
i thought thats who he was escapeing from in the first place.

[chuckc]

what he brought chuckc with him?????
i thought thats who he was escapeing from in the first place.

the list is long and distuinghised
Treat others as you want to be treated
act a arse and get treat like many arses

[sillyhillbilly]

the list is long and distuinghised
Treat others as you want to be treated
act a arse and get treat like many arses

what did sumthung ust happin?



chuckc you still riding out to colorado?

[savedzrex]

I never new the history of the site.

Thanks for the story. I do appreciate all the hard work everyone has put in to the site..........and I DO NOT take it for granted.


THANKS

[Bob 37]

I attended the first Hal Rally and have Jim#2's 99 ZRX. Howard was the first guy I met from the site in person. It's been a great time, and I can't believe how it's grown, and changed, over the years.

[chuckc]

chuckc you still riding out to colorado?

Yup. me and you and a dog named Boo, if we can find one. I'll prolly hook up with you in western Tennessee.

[ClayX]

At the first Hal Rally my brother rode up from Atlanta on his Guzzi, and had a friend on the BMW. My wife Fran, showed up with our dog, while on a trip to Florida. Howard bought my dog (Doobie) an entire bag of chews which he devoured on the way home. This started a friendship on the board with Howard. I had to stay in town and missed most of the activities at the rally. Had a good time honoring a fallen brother (with illness?) There was a guy there from Florida with a NOS system on his bike and later left the board. I don't remember his name. Some young guy named Kyle? Todd, and Chuckc, plus many more. I met Mitch on the way back. He flagged me down on the side of the road in Selmar right after I got gas. This unknown gentleman was talked a blue streak. I did not know him from Adam and after a while I was ready to go. I had just gassed up and hooked back up with the wife. A 20 min. stop was enough for me, so I was ready to go. Away went.
Ever seen a guy in blue jeans, a T-shirt flying over his head with sandels, pass you at 135? He waited till we were next right next to a building on the 4-lane. Later it turned out to be the Police Station, no problem that day though.

Many more Mitch stories as well as other folks over that way.
Mitch completely overwhelmed me as he always has.

[dano]

And to think, that cause I was banned from a BMW forum.......for life, they suggested that I go to a ZRX forum. They even provided the link for me.

I guess they wanted rid of me that much......

Anyways....it was obviously a destiny thing for me.

It was interesting to read about the history of this forum. For me....it's still a Hell of a lot cheaper than therapy. Don't ask me how I know......

[Lau]

this place sucks ,im leaving.




















this is why im here,because most can be joked with ,without being a bitch.

[chuckc]

Some young guy named Kyle?

Kyle O, from Minnesota.

[BRUCE!]

When was the first Bruce! allowed on the board??

[Gary1129]

Dark and cold at 230 in the mornin in North Ga sittin in some town that looks like hell. Im walkin around smokin a Salem tryin ta stretch out and Im lookin directly at some abandoned copper mine I have a map and Im resonably sure that I am at least somewhere near TWO ...Ok I was sure I was in GA at least

I dont really know what to expect or even how to act

The only guy Id ever met Was ChuckC

I decided ta just be me and everyone else did the same and we had an absolute blast...good roads and great parties where everyone laughed and no one got into a fight....cool

Like a shot of Black Tar I wanted more.....

I need a fix.....

Thanks once again Brent and Jim

[Dallas]

I decided ta just be me and everyone else did the same and we had an absolute blast...good roads and great parties where everyone laughed and no one got into a fight....cool

Like a shot of Black Tar I wanted more.....

Well said Gary. I get emails from guys who want to "know" about KOTF.
That's eggzactly what I tell 'em. Now we can say "It's part of The Tradition".

Thank you sir.... and all the Original Hoolies.

[tool]

I sure would like to thank Brent and Jim for starting all this.

[Jims_rex]

First guy I met from here was Brent. I bought a Supertrapp ZX11 exhaust from him and since he only lived about 30 miles from my house I picked it up. It wasn't until a few months later that I found out why he was called the Grand Poobah Since that time I have met a lot of really great people here........ oh and Bubba too

[Greg D.]

The first ZRX'er I ever met was Pete Lane (plane) from Australia. He was on vac and going to be in the fingerlakes region of NY visiting his buddy so the wife & I rode out and got a room for the weekend. The meeting thread got going and it turned into meeting Pops, Super Dave, Tommy D & Sandman also. We had a great BBQ by the lake and just BS'd all day. 3 years ago I finally caught up with Mike153 (Fish) for the 1st time @ Americade then met the "Kawi Boyz" (Dallas, Fish, Kfoster, Little John, JBoz) 2 years ago organizing KOTF 06 (it's like 17 miles from my house and I didn't even know about it until I saw a thread on the board, contacted Boz to see if he needed more help being a "local" guy). The Boyz took me in and made me feel welcome right from the first email- THANKS GENTS! I've met some really great people during Americade too, Brian (TINDADDY, litterly chased me down the street in his F350 dump box work truck cutting people off & yelling his cell #)-crazy bastard! + the past 2 KOTF rallies and from just riding the damn bike down the street. You own a ZRX and see another REX'er, it's like an instant attraction to go BS with them, check some mods/ different paint & mention the ZRXOA site. Pretty cool I think, here to all who've made it happen and everyone who's ever been a part of it! --Greg D.

[ZeeBeast]

Kyle O, from Minnesota.

You remember he showed up with transmission fluid all over his bike! I don't remember what kind of truck he was towing with but it spit fluid by the quart. The poor ZRX was absolutely filthy. We used a whole can of Honda-Clean getting it clean enough to ride. :-)

[MonkeyPincher]

Good stuff.