Member Spotlight: Kristi
You’ll often see her at member events or cranking on her Triumph in the garage. It’s been fun getting to know Kristi, and we’ve asked her to share a little bit about herself.
Without further ado, here’s how she came to be a fellow gearhead:
“I’m a Seattle native raised in the Magnolia neighborhood. I first became enamored with high-speed vehicle operations (technical term for illegal on-street racing) back in high school. We owned a 4 cylinder Datsun 310 and I used to love ‘racing’ the 70’s era muscle cars around the local streets. Beat them every time because everyone knows it’s not about the size of the engine… The high-speed bug really hit me in 1990 when I became a law enforcement officer. Imagine being paid to drive triple digits! My current 4-wheel obsession is my frozen black BMW M5. Not much to restore in this case so I’m focusing my efforts on making it track-worthy. The most recent modifications include Dinan exhaust and Pilot S4 tires.
Our family has had a variety of older classic vehicles throughout the years. I first helped my brother restore a 1940’s era rumble seat sedan in the 80’s and fabricated custom upholstery for a 1973 Porsche 911 that my brother converted to a 935 (ish). I’ve always loved vintage and historical vehicles. There’s nothing quite like bringing them back to life. Except for those first experiences, I’ve mainly been on the sidelines raising a family and working. Since learning about The Shop and having had the opportunity to speak with several other enthusiasts I’m encouraged that I can take a more active role in restoration.
I first learned to ride moto in 1986. Raised in a conservative (translation: chauvinistic) household, this was not encouraged. Fell in love instantly, taking long-distant jaunts around the state in my spare time. I found the moto community very welcoming and a great group of individuals. Decided to hang up my helmet after encountering a noteworthy number of vehicles determined to run me off the road and/or run me over in a fairly short timeframe. Figured it was a sign.
This past year I met an individual that enjoys restoring vintage BMW motos. Watching the progress over the past year and the amazing results, I decided it was time for me to get back into the game. Because it has been so long since I last rode, I bought an older Triumph America. My former ride was a Honda Interceptor so this was quite a transition. To say I fell in love with Triumph would be an understatement. When I first brought the bike home the beautiful clean lines were buried under gobs of gaudy gear/accessories. The first project was to strip everything down to the basics. Next is the installation of whitewalls and repair/replacement of assorted components.
Right now my favorite activity is to bring my babies to The Shop. I’ve had the opportunity to attend some workshops that have opened up more doors for me in my newly discovered passion for restoration.”