Oklahoma Biker - The Riders Ragazine Jul - Aug 2017 | Page 11

Larry rode Oklahoma, all of it!
Larry Sawyer is 74 years
young and has ridden
his 2015 Yamaha FJ-09
motorcycle every mile of
Oklahoma’s turnpikes,
interstates, U.S. highways
and state highways.
The journey took him
approximately one and
a half years to complete,
all without ever spending
a single night away from
home until Father’s Day
weekend when he had
to stay two nights in the
panhandle to finish up the
map. His motorcycle is
only two years old and has
74,700 miles on it!
time. When he was riding
Cruisers he never wore
a helmet, but when his
grandson started riding
with him, he decided he
would wear a helmet since
his grandson had to wear
one. Early in 2015, Larry
got hit from behind near
Stilwell, and knocked into
a ditch. He says the full
faced helmet saved his
pretty face. He believes
helmets are a personal
choice, and should not
be mandated by law.
”Everyone should be able
to choose,” he says.
Talihina / Broken Bow
/ Poteau areas are his
favorite rides, but he says
you can’t rule out Black
Mesa, either. Sometimes
he would ride more than
200 miles over roads
previously ridden just to
cover 50 miles of highway
he had not previously
ridden. He usually rides
alone, but will sometimes
ride with his son and
brother, who both ride
Harleys. Preferring to
pack food and water over
stopping at restaurants
(and never going to bars),
Larry has met lots of
interesting people while
dining at parks and rest
stops.
Larry wanted to give
a shout out to Pat
McDonald, and the guys
in the service department,
Brent and Cody, at K&N
Yamaha, for keeping him
safe and on the road.
Where is Larry Sawyer
going next? He says he
will be traveling to County
Museums across the state.
Be sure to watch for his
upcoming adventures in
Oklahoma Biker!
Larry was a shoe shine
boy in a barbershop
when he was young.
With the money he
earned he bought
his first motorbike…a
Cushman Eagle. He was
addicted immediately,
and has owned several
motorcycles since that
OKLAHOMA BIKER - THE RIDERS RAGAZINE
11