Rob Matson

Rob goes back with me a few years now, he fell for the "Will work for Motorcycle parts" trick. Rob and his wife have been working with murphskits since we went with the OSCommerce format. Rob has become a true friend and confidant over the years, and has even made the trip from Washington to Manitou on his Concours. - Murph

First m/c was a Honda CR125, followed shortly by a 175 enduro. First street bike was a 1980 KZ440 standard. At 6'-5", you can imagine I kind of looked like a circus clown riding that thing. Next was a 1977 Suzuki GS750, then a 1982 GS750 (leftover in 1984). That was stolen in 1986, and I didn't get a bike again until 2002. That was a 77 Yamaha 750 that I got from a neighbor for $300 who was downsizing, to see if I wanted to ride a bike again. Once on the road it took about a millisecond to realize that, yes, I did. In looking for a parts bike as a spare I found a 78 XS750, this one with electronic ignition! Woohoo! So I ended up riding that one most of the time for a couple of years.

In the fall of 2004 Janelle and I were running some errands, and stopped at the local Yamakawazuki dealer to get a part for the XS. Just inside the door was a new Concours. I pointed it out to Janelle, and told that if I was going to get a new bike to last me a long time, this would be it. After looking at it a bit, she said I should get it. I hesitated, knowing that I could find a barely used version and save a good chunk of change. Through a stroke of incredible good fortune about 2 months later, I became the owner of a 1989 model with 6,000 miles on it. I stripped it down to the engine and frame and over time replaced all fluids, etc. It was a Canadian model that had never been registered in the US, and I had to go through some hoops to get that completed, but all in all not too big of a chore, and had it running and road ready about 2 months before the COG national in Centralia in 2005. I have since put about 50,000 virtually trouble free miles on it, including trips of 2500, 5500, and another 2500 miler. And I have of course met many great people and made good friends for life as a result of Concours ownership!

In the summer of 2008 I got a barely used 2007 V-Strom 650. It has become my daily rider, but I ride the Concours about once a week to keep it "fresh".

My other interests included first and foremost my wife and kids. As much as I love my wife, there is nothing I like more in life than being a Dad. I am fortunate to have a great son and daughter. I also enjoy snow skiing, hiking, and playing around in the dirt on my "gentleman" farm.

I've been working at an aerospace manufacturer in the greater Seattle area since 1985, getting my hands dirty putting together racks of test equipment and writing software to test power systems of different sorts. - Rob

Chuck Kimball

Murph's is proud to welcome Chuck Kimball to the crew. Chuck has provided hundreds of free hours of entertainment on the Conours.org forum, and also cooked up some of the best back yard Concours projects on the planet.

Chuck is world famous for his turbo Connie - The “Turbo Torch”. I admired Chuck's tech skills and true “can do” attitude. Plus just his honest nature. It is with great excitement we are looking forward to sharing our resources with this Texas Preacher.

Chuck will be sharing his expertise not only on some big time projects, but every day maintenance projects. Carbs, forks, water pumps, Turbos. Stay tuned! - Murph

Chuck's List:
• married 30 years
• two children ages 25 and 19 respectively.
• 26 years in the auto-body business
• custom painted vehicles that have been in Chevy Action magazine and another used for a catalog cover for old Daimler's
• raced bikes from about 1970-81
• raced cars from 81-2002
• some boat experience
• some tractor pull experience
• race engine building running on propane, gasoline, alcohol, gasoline and alcohol and N2O, NA and Supercharged
• built my own cars from tubing up
• Got into tournament fishing but became more interested in the boat going fast enough to get to the best fishin' hole first.

Oh, and I always wanted to do it cheaper than anyone else. - Chuck

Kevin Baker

Kevin came on board with us when we may have had a total of six products to offer. We both offer more than that now! - Murph

I started riding when I was nine, My dad bought my first motorcycle for me, a Honda SL70. Then I moved up to a Kawasaki KE100, and I started riding on the street when I was fifteen on a Yamaha DT250. Then life and children got in the way, and I did not ride street bikes for several years. I did continue to ride dirt bikes, though. I even raced cross country for two years.

I got back into street riding when I found a deal on a '94 Concourse. I rode it for a year, and since then I have had several bikes of all types. .. sport touring bikes, touring bikes, dirt bikes and dual sports.

I went into business for myself and opened K and D Machine & Tool in 2001. I made parts for my personal bike in my spare time. My friends in the Concourse Owner’s Group asked me to make after market parts for them as well. One thing led to another, and I met Murph in 2003. We started to do business together that same year. - Kevin

Dan Bergmen

I first started riding in the sixth grade in 1961 when I saved up enough money (4,000 yen) by washing cars to buy my first motorcycle, a Diamond Free which was a fore-runner of Suzuki.

My second motorcycle was a gift from my Dad at Christmas, 1961, a Honda C-115.

From here I worked up to a used 1966 CB-77 Super Hawk, then to a brand new 1968 Harley-Davidson Sportster XLCH. When the Honda CB-750 first came out I bought one of the first models to arrive in the US in July of 1969.

That’s me in front.

In the early 1970’s, I tried my stint at road racing by joining the AFM after buying a used Honda CR-110 from a newspaper ad and placing second in the final.

I rode CB-750’s until I bought a brand new 1979 Yamaha XS-1100 in the fall of 1978 which I owned for ten years and put more than 56,000 miles on it. Then a new 1985 Honda Nighthawk S (which I still have).

Next motorcycle is my 2003 Concours bought new in August of 2002.

Here is a recent picture of me on one of my many campouts in the Sierras.

I began designing accessories for the Concours in 2004 with my first gadget, the Cruise Control Switch Module Bracket for the Audiovox CCS-100 Electronic Cruise Control.

Followed in early 2005 by the Fuel Tank Quick Release Kit.

Next came the Manual Petcock Conversion Kit shortly thereafter.

In May, 2005 I installed the first prototype of the Spin-On Oil Filter Adaptor Kit

Followed by the production version after patent application.

My latest (and on-going) project is converting the Concours into the ZGRX 1200 Concours by installing a ZRX 1200 engine into the Concours chassis.

Jason Arnold

My wife, Agnes, got me into motorcycles; some of her earliest memories are of riding between her parents on a motorbike in Poland. We got our first motorcycle, a used 1998 Concours, the fall of 2001. The Concours took us over 80,000 miles across the US and into Canada. Funny after starting out on a large bike, we now have three bikes in the garage none of which are over 650cc.

I've done all the maintenance on our bikes. Initially, economic necessity drove this decision. Now, I keep doing the work to build my skills and prepare for the next adventures life may have for us. Been known to do repair work in the middle of parking lots, on stream banks, after bedtime, and even at times in the garage.

I make a living building and maintaining pieces of the Web. Outside of work, take care of aging parents, work on the bikes, steal away on a trip now and then, and play mandolin and guitar.

Agnes and I dream of riding in far off lands some day. The places we've seen, days we've experienced, and the people, especially our fellow riders, keep us always wanting to return to the road.

Current stable: Kaw Ninja 250, Kaw KLR 650, Suzuki V-Strom 650 - Jason