Time Machine
I've been casting about for a motorcycle for five years. And I've found a great one.
My first motorcycle was a 1968 Suzuki X250 Hustler. I bought it new for about $650. That was followed by a BSA 650 Thunderbolt. And eventually, a 1979 R100S BMW, which I took to Alaska.
But in 1980, I got married and settled down. My wife hadn't been around motorcycles and didn't have the desire pursue them. Plus, the family demands focused my priorities for time and money elsewhere. It was time to parent up. Love does strange things!
But what goes around, comes around. And sure enough, as my family responsibilities lessened, I remembered my motorcycle experiences. I headed to a cycle shop and was in for a shock, as things have changed, dramatically, over the last 25 years.
First, cycling costs have sky rocketed. When I left motorcycling, a good bike cost about half the average price of a good car. Today, they can easily cost as much, to more than twice that. In fact, they can cost almost half as much as I paid for my home. And that's an obstacle I refuse to cross. So, a new bike is out.
Second, the focus on cycling has changed. Twenty-five years ago, the race was on for more cylinders, more gears, more horsepower, more top end speed. The technology used in my R100S horizontal twin seemed antiquated, although its performance was more than adequate. Now, twins, and V-twins in particular, are in vogue. And hi-tech is ok if it doesn't interfere with a classic look. And that's ok. I don't desire to blast around above 100 mph. Some things do change with age :>)
Nothing hanging. Nothing dragging. This bike is a leaning machine.
So, I set a ballpark figure of $3000. And I began looking at used cycles. In Wyoming, the cycle season is about 3 months long. After that, most motorcycles end up parked in a garage and are forgotten until the snow melts. Opportunities develop for purchasing a good bike, at a decent price during the winter.
And after 5 years, I've found the perfect bike. It's a 1983 Yamaha Virago Midnite Special. It has 6400 original miles on it and no damage other than a two small scratches in the paint and a set of leather saddlebags that are shot. It's like a brand new machine. I'm the third owner.
So, I decided to surprise my wife. I bought it on sight for half my ballpark figure. And she sure was surprised :>)))
With a shop manual in hand, I went through the bike replacing fluids, tuning and tweaking it, and assuring myself a 23 year old bike would run down the road safely. In those intervening 25 years, I'd done all the work on my cars. Turning the wrench was rather mundane and sometimes even a pain. But turning the wrench on this classic was actually enjoyable. This bike was in great shape.
And this bike is a perfect match for my taste. It's light and narrow, with a combination of high tech frame, suspension, great brakes, shaft drive and a torquey, reliable, 920cc V-twin engine.
Riding this bike is a blast from the past. I enjoy the freedom, the wind. On a whim, I'll fill up the tank for a song, that's about $10 at $3/gallon ;>) Then drive for hours across the plains and through the mountains while surrounded by the sights and smells of the land. There's not much traffic in Wyoming, yet. So a motorcyclist is pretty much by himself. And that 3500 foot mountain behind my home, the one with all those switch back corners, well, I enjoy my light, narrow and torquey bike there!
Some may say I've entered my second childhood. And maybe so. But I think the value of some things endures the test of time. And motorcycling is one of those things for me.
And this motorcycle has brought about another surprise. The woman I love, grudgingly agreed to go for a ride. And while noticing herself in the mirrors, she found a great big smile on her face. She likes the motorcycle. She wanted to have her picture sitting on the machine. And that beautiful woman wants to go riding again! What could be better than that?
