Thanks From Bill Schmitt's Brother

I want to thank you for all the support our family has seen from Bill's fellow XJ riders. I know Bill loved to ride and had a passion for his XJ. Please continue the relay for his card as it is a testimony to the number of people and lives he has touched and by all means RIDE! As his younger brother I knew him in a different light. He was a constant support and councel in times of need and as all sibling relationships a pain in the &(%$% at times. I will miss his wisdom and councel, but most of all I will miss the opportunity to enjoy our shared passions of riding and fishing. Your out pouring has been bitter sweet for me as I truly didn't know the scope of Bill's life and the friendships he had formed in various areas of his life. I met members from his work, church and now his riding communities. All shared of his willingness to freely help and be of service.

Bill had set up a ride with his local crew scheduled for the weekend after his accident and it was postponed. I have asked that his crew reschedule the ride as planned by Bill and I would like to join all his fellow riders for this event. I want to extend this invitation to any fellow riders who would like to join.

I would also like to request of the moderators for thie site to leave Bills account open in memory of him.
Events like this cause us all to pause and take account of our lives. I know that Bill would want two thing to come out of this. Bill would want us to Honor GOD and to learn something. For me my lesson is to be of service to others, and cherish the relationships we have. Thankyou again be safe and enjoy the ride. Dave Schmitt

 

To All Central Florida XJers. I got home late Sunday and Monday went to go for a ride, I was upset and really needed to rest . I stopped by the front gate to our community and express my thanks, turned off the bike and it would not start!! I have never had a problem before, perhaps my "Big Brother" watching over me still. So I went and just chilled for a while and went down to the gate with a new frame of mind and she fired right up. I took a nice casual ride to the ocean on a stretch of road I have spoken to Bill about often and looked forward to enjoying with him.
So as part of my healing process I am working on completing several rides that I had wanted to take with Bill. If any would like to join let me know. All makes are welcome I simply want to ride with others who share the passion for riding that Bill & I shared. I live in Crystal River Florida Thanks Dave

 

Welcome to XJbikes Dave....

It's unfortunate that it didn't come about under better circumstances.

Your brother was a kind man who shared a lot with this community in the short time he was here.

He will be missed.

Condolences to you and your family.

If I weren't on the other side of the planet I would join you... Ride safe

 

welcome and condolences....

 

Dave,

A bunch of us West Coast XJ riders will be sending you're family a card before too long. On the 23rd, the Washington area riders are getting together to sign it, then it'll make its way south through Oregon and California.

Welcome to the site!

 

Dave- thanks for stopping by. Bill meant a lot to this site and to the people he selflessly helped.
I dont know where the card we started to ride to him wound up, but I would be more than willing to help keep it on its way.

 

Thanks for your support. The forum has been a great help in seeing my brother enjoying his passion. His son Steven has found great peace in the responses from XJ bikers and I believe that the relays would be very healing for the family. Don't ride with a heavy heart but with the love of riding that Bill had, enjoying every twist of the throttle and twist of the road.

Bill spoke often and highly of you folks when we had time to chat, not as often or as long as I would have liked. But Bill was always a man of few words and long on action. I find myself enjoying the memories and learning about his life I wasn't a part of. My greatest sorrow comes from the plans to ride the blue ridge or to Va and fishing trips we discussed that will not be. But as Bill would say, "oh well, what are you going to do about it?" Well Bill, I plan to take every ride and fishing trip we chatted about, living life as you said, "with confidence of who I am and where I'm going"

Thanks for allowing me to post in the forums, as you can see I leaned on the site heavily yesterday. I hope you can accept a rouge VMaxer in the rooms.

May all of you ride safe and enjoy every mile.

Thanks, Oh yeh dwcopple.... GO GATORS!!!

 

I'm very sorry for your loss. If the card makes it to Michigan I will be honored to carry it to the next destination.

 

Condolences and welcome aboard...

I was looking forward to swapping info and stories of the Maxim XS Bill had recently acquired.... and I will be adopting his idea of grit tape on the brake pedal as a small tribute on my own

Not sure if the card idea hit this far east, but I'd be willing to hook up with Woot and PSteele ( and any others)here to help get one started on this end

 

Just a suggestion, Dave, but I can't think of a more fitting tribute to Bill than for you to hang around and carry the torch here. Hell, we don't care if you don't ride an XJ. The V-Max is one Bad Motorscooter and we'd love to hear about yours. Bill's presence will be missed terribly here, but please stick around and hang out with all his buds.
And again, our deepest condolences to you and your family.

 

And the VMax took over the forum

Glad to have you, Dave. I wish I could say something that hadn't already been said.

Your brother actually told me to keep hanging around after I parted out my XJ for the down payment on my VMax. He's weighed heavily in my thoughts, and I barely knew who he was. It must fill you with pride to know he touched so many people, and did it just by a good nature.

 

People on this forum are buying XJ's for peanuts all the time. Maybe you'll get lucky,too.

I'm glad we can be here to help share your loss. And Bill will be forever in our hearts. And you are always welcome here, even if you don't buy an XJ.

 

This community has been outstanding to our family and I plan to hang, but know that Bill was the "smart one" while I was the "crazy one". He would build things and I would "stress test them". so please don't expect me to keep the torch of knowledge burning, it could get dark real fast.

I look forward to chatting and riding with you folks, you are truely a great community of bikers.

As far as an XJ, I'll need sometime before I can cross that road. I was looking before the accident and I'm leaning on retiring that model from my list in honor of Bill. But I sure would like to find another 850 midnight special like I bought from him.

Hey Thanks again to ALL