A review to keep me honest. (motorcycle related)

[solo1]

I wrote this about a year ago.  Reading it again reminds me that my age doesn't always equate with 'knowing it all'.  It keeps me honest.


                                                                   THOUGHTS


The Riding for Summer is here and is a good time to collect and review my thoughts through the years.  A time for looking back and a time for looking forward.  Even a time for not looking at all, just a time for reflecting on the present.  Much can be said for reflecting on all the happenings in my 84 years of life but today I will be exclusive.  My thoughts are revolving around the exclusiveness of riding powered contraptions of only two wheels, or to be more explicit, motorcycling

The Summer of many years ago I enjoyed my first taste of powered two wheeling. A simple engine of 2 ½ horsepower mounted in the frame of a Schwinn bicycle, aptly named the Henderson. At the time, the name Henderson meant nothing to me.  It wasn’t until I visited the Schwinn factory that I realized Henderson was a name associated with one of the first motorcycles ever made.

My brief sojourn into powered riding started with that modest Whizzer. I graduated from that into a series of  motorcycles stepping up in cost and power each time.  My riding skills , by necessity, also stepped up.

The culmination of motorcycling reached the peak for me with the purchase of  a six cylinder motorcycle, a motorcycle that was designed by an enthusiast with me in mind. 

After 13 years of ownership of this marvelous machine, the amazing Valkyrie, I found that my skills were on a downward slope which was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in strength and purpose of my knees.  The bike was simply too heavy to maneuver any longer with my  degrading knees.  I found the bike a new home and a very deserving one. 

The Past is now memories of the wonderful experiences of motorcycling, The joys of wind-in-my-face, the grumblings while riding in bad weather magically turned into a“wow, that was great” rush, the rhythm of the road,  The long miles of almost boredom,  punctuated by threats of damage to me and my machine. All these, are in my memory.

However, memory can be a bad thing. As I get older I must constantly remind myself that there is a difference between remembering the past and living it. Remembering the past and sharing thoughts is MUCH different than living it.

Living the past can result in a down spiraling attempt to interject my experiences into the words and activities of others that are living in the present. . I have had my experiences, others are working on theirs and they must be allowed to do without interference from one who remembers the past but is relearning how to live for today.  And that’s me.  I must  try to live day by day..

Living for today, I am looking forward to riding my less inspiring motorcycle using my less inspiring body but still inspired by the RUSH of motorcycling!   I must admit that I’m not setting any kind of new record for my personal  satisfaction but the riding is all that’s necessary.

 All the things that I’ve had to prove are behind me, I no longer need to prove myself to myself and I am more relaxed.  I’ll ride when I want to, ride short or longer distances if I want to, and not ride at all if I want to. The joys of riding are still there for me if I choose to experience them.

After all, that’s all that’s necessary.

Solo1

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[Dubsvalk]

The sooner we "accept" ourselves as we are and live within the limitations we have the sooner life becomes easier and more simple to live.  The only thing worse than getting old is NOT getting old!
Dubs

[John Schmidt]

Wayne, I remember. In particular I noted the last paragraph, that really strikes a chord with me as well. When I look back over the years and some of the things I've done, I'm surprised(and grateful) that I've made it into my 70's. I've had my "day in the sun" and at this stage of my life I also don't find it necessary to prove myself to anyone, myself included. Rita's health precludes me from doing any traveling on the bike, which may well be a good thing now(although I still have a couple things on my Bucket List I'd love to do). But I am free to ride locally pretty much as the need and mood strikes me, usually within an hour or so of home. As you well know, with age...things change, and so do your priorities and opinions. Will I ever make those bike trips on my Bucket List? Probably not, but when I consider all the road seams that have passed under my wheels in the last 60+ yrs. of riding, I can't help but feel blessed. The same attitude applies to the restrictions placed on my wife at this point in our time together. It is nearly impossible for her to travel now and, barring any medical or physical miracle, it will remain unchanged. But when I think back over the years we've been together, we've had some wonderful times together in our travels. We used to take at least one long trip each year, often two. Many places we visited more than once because of its natural beauty. Traveling like that now is a thing of the past, but as with my riding...I think back over the years and experiences we shared and again can't help but feel blessed.

Another subject in your note also brought back some memories. When you talked of your 2 1/2 hp engine mounted on a bicycle, it reminded me of my first "very own" 2-wheeled contraption. All the others I rode prior belonged to others, but this was built for ME!    It was about 1949-50, my aunt and uncle lived on a farm in NE Iowa and didn't have electricity. So, to run her washing machine she had a little one cyl. Johnson motor hooked up to it, making wash day a noisy and smelly affair....even with a big muffler and an exhaust tube leading outdoors. Then one day, Reddy Kilowatt came to their home. That was the power company's logo, thunderbolts made up the body and I believe he had a round head with a lightbulb for a nose. I asked my aunt about the engine, what was she going to do with it since I overheard them talking about a fancy new electric motor that was to be mounted on her machine. I ended up buying it from her and another uncle and I mounted it on my big fat tire bicycle. I was restricted to using it on the farm only, but I often would sneak out onto the gravel road and "let'er rip." I now know my uncle had the pulleys done in such a way as to keep the speed to no more than about 15mph tops. But to me, as a 12 yr. old kid with their own "motorcycle" I was totally badass.    I also found out many years later that every time mom heard the engine start, she grabbed her Bible and went in the bedroom and prayed. I guess it worked. 

[Alien]

solo1, I've never met you in person but I always enjoy reading your posts.  My only disagreement with you is where you talk about not interjecting your past on to someone elses present.  I'm 37 years old and I would never take any offense to any advice that you have to offer.  Quite the opposite.  You are exactly what I want to be when I grow up - a motorcyclist in your 80's.  That means that you not only survived but also never lost the joy of the ride.  Your advice or interjections are always welcome in my book! 

Ride safe,

Scott

[Clark]

I too enjoy your poss Wayne... but "less inspiring"??  I guess you dont have the beautiful forest service roads we have that can take you into some breath taking territory with the opportunity to sit by a roaring river or a babbling brook and get out your fishin rod and see a deer, or some elk or maybe even a bear.. I love the BIG STROM and its ability to chew up both the asphalt and the gravel roads..

[solo1]

yeah, Tom, I looked at that phrase.  Didn't quite fit.  Maybe I should've said, not as awesome.  The Strom gives me every bit as much satisfaction in riding but with plain looks.  One advantage is that I haven't washed it yet .  It runs just as good dirty .  No chrome to worry about.

We don't have your scenery here,  we do have gravel roads but with my knees i stay away from them although the Strom is capable of doing them too.

[R J]

All I'll say is in 90 days I will be 80 years old.

I'll be cursed if I'm going to grow up.

It ain't in my vocabulary, sorry.

[solo1]

Too bad that the CBR is no more RJ.  We could've given you one heckuva party for your first octogenarian year.

[old2soon]

Wayne-you and R J and John draw an extremely straight bead on the situation as the 3 of you see it. I try very hard to live in the now and not my past deeds when i was younger and B T W-bullet proof. One of these days(the further away the better )my big green and silver I/S will need a new home. I hope and pray that i have and keep the facultys to enjoy riding even after my I/S departs. You three have been and will remain an inspiration to me. As always-RIDE SAFE.

[bigguy]

solo1, I've never met you in person but I always enjoy reading your posts.  My only disagreement with you is where you talk about not interjecting your past on to someone elses present.  I'm 37 years old and I would never take any offense to any advice that you have to offer.  Quite the opposite.  You are exactly what I want to be when I grow up - a motorcyclist in your 80's.  That means that you not only survived but also never lost the joy of the ride.  Your advice or interjections are always welcome in my book! 

Ride safe,

Scott

+1000
And don't let all of that knowledge and those great memories go with you into that good night. Leave as many as you can for those following you on this great journey.

[Spirited-6]

You OLD guys are making me cry.    I guess this is what I can look forward to when I get  "old" 

[Karen]

They are not old, they are just very well seasoned, and still making the same decisions they did when growing up, just with a wealth of experiences at hand to make better ones than they used to. Found myself asking why I was doing something I had planned, and the answer was "Because you can, A-hole, just do it". Have to appreciate whatever we have today, what we've experienced, and always have something to look forward to. Thanks for the inspiration, guys!

[Clark]

NOW...pass the stool softener

[Karen]

Sorry, I need what I have for myself...

[Paxton]

solo1;
Great writing... and inspirational especially for those of us trailing just behind you!

[John Schmidt]

You OLD guys are making me cry.    I guess this is what I can look forward to when I get  "old" 

HaHa....look who's talking!   

[solo1]

There is physical "old" and there is mental "old" and they do not necessarily 'track' with each other.

I live in a retirement community and you might be surprised how many 'old' people think young!

The lady in the apartment next to me can't wait to take a ride in a hot air balloon this summer.  She's 75.   The lady across the street worked in the pit crew at stock car races and wishes that she could do it again. She's 72.

The man directly across from me regularly gets his groceries at the food mart a block away and uses his wheels (wheelchair) .  He lost both feet to diabetes. He also thinks young.    He's about 73.

The lady at the end of the block is a volunteer at the historic theater in downtown Ft. Wayne.  She also thinks young.  I don't know her age. 

The lady at the end of the street sits in a powered chair and bends over to plant flowers outside her apartment, a real hardship for her but she keeps at it, even after someone dug up and stole all her flowers last week.  She was out planting some more yesterday,  No one was going to take away her pleasure in having flowers!

Perseverance is the key.

Don't ever, I mean EVER, sell the 'older' generation short. The collective experience and stick-to-it stubborness is heart warming to me.  it takes a lot of guts to keep a young attitude in the face of oldsterism!

[Hedgehog]

Hi Solo,

I'm in my 40s but I agree with a lot of what you say.

Physical and mental age do not necessarily go together (in many ways!). Some folks seem old before their time - always negative and seeing what can't be rather than what is and can. On the other hand there's others for whom life is still joyful even with declining strength.

What bare you riding now BTW?

HH

[solo1]

Hi Solo,

I'm in my 40s but I agree with a lot of what you say.

Physical and mental age do not necessarily go together (in many ways!). Some folks seem old before their time - always negative and seeing what can't be rather than what is and can. On the other hand there's others for whom life is still joyful even with declining strength.

What bare you riding now BTW?

HH

I'm riding a 2006 Vstrom 1000.  It's not as 'awesome' as the Valk nor as eye catching but it does the quarter miles in 11.8 seconds (I'm told) and it more than satisfies my quest for riding and exceeding the ton sometimes.

[steve 3054]

The one thing our society does like no other is disregard the old...I for one enjoy being around older people as I have my whole life...there are way to many mistakes to make not to learn from others who have been on your same path and marked the way...with that said I salute you, Solo and hope I am half the man you are if I reach your age..." Comparison is the THIEF of joy"

[solo1]

Don't forget John Schmidt and Russ Bullard.  John has also been blessed with the ability to ride at his age.  RJ has not been blessed as well.  The need for oxygen has kept him from riding MGM but he still rides his trike on occasion.

The individual miles ridden by ether one of these old timers FAR exceeds the number of miles that I've ridden.

I don't deserve recognition any more than John and RJ  just because I was born at an earlier  date.  My hat is off to them as well as any here that are 'older' physically!

[Hedgehog]

Gotta respect the spirit and gumption of you older guys. You give us younger ones hope.

Bless you all.

HH