Monday, February 9, 2009

I Think It Is High Time I Rode (Like the Demon That Drives My Dreams)


I miss my motorcycle. I miss my little scooter. I miss anything that moves on two wheels. The old Suzuki I had in college is long gone, but I really wish I had held onto that bike. It was a great one, and I have the energy and motivation now to really fix it up. I also have the sense to ride it, which I didn't really have then. I even took advantage of the lack of helmet laws in Ohio, which was dumb. Helmets are good.

I have less love for my little 50cc scooter, and I don't really wish for that back. I'd happily trade it for a bigger scooter, however. I really like scooters, though, and in that hypothetical future where I can afford it, I will have a nice one.

My true love is for motorcycles. I dream of a nice Harley, especially a Softail. The hidden suspension just cheers me up every time I see it. There is even a Night Train model that is made by Harley. And I could, of course, sing the haunting John Carradine song from the "Red Zone Cuba" while I cruise the byways of the country.

I have a special place in my heart for the post-WWII cafe racers, as well.Not that I want to race up and down post war Europe, fun as that sounds. But the look of them, and the cobbled together feel...I like that a lot. They did run from town to town drinking coffee, which is great. I love that coffee became the drink of choice because riding and drinking alcohol was too dumb to contemplate. The original straight edge movement, in 1950's Europe. I'm as straight as the line dividing East and West Germany!

My efforts to convince Jaime of the utility of a motorcycle for me have ended in failure. I'm not giving up, however, and I plan to get my certification renewed in April. For a woman like J, a certification being unused will nag at her like a sore tooth. She'll want that piece of paper to realize its potential, and get me a bike. That's the plan.

The 20k for a Harley will wait...there are ways... lots of ways...

Ways.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

To me, scooters and motorcycles just make sense. Traffic-wise, sometimes I feel safer on a scooter. You're smaller and can get out of the way of nastiness. In a car, you pretty much just have to take it.

And on two wheels, you don't drive, you ride. There's something much more interesting and exciting about that. I literally hate being trapped in a car. You can't see as much (another reason why I don't feel as safe).

I can't wait for spring.

Ryan Beggar said...

there is something reassuring about two wheels. i think part of it, for a good rider, is the knowledge of what you can do or not do. in a car, you just toddle along. i do it myself, and i'm a good driver. but on a bike, if you're sensible, you have to pay attentin to be a good rider.

you know i make fun of the girls and their horses... but we do have motorcycles...

Anonymous said...

We do indeed have motorcycles. But you can't put a big ass carb in a horse. Though... we do have horsepower. So, no idea where I'm going with this.

When you're in a car, it's easy to be a crappy driver. But when you're on a bike, you just ... aren't.

Unless the bike is a crotchrocket. Then all bets are off.