NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2024: EVOLUTI0N.
The Evolution engine (popularly known as Evo and
sometimes as Blockhead ) is an air-cooled, 45-degree, V-twin engine manufactured from 1984 by Harley-Davidson for the company's motorcycles. No, not that Evolution.
They say that change is inevitable. That’s the Evolution I’m talking about. My wife says that I don’t like change. I reply that I don’t like changing something that works perfectly well just for the sake of change. Take thermostats for home heating and cooling systems for example. Do you remember when there was a big dial, and you could twist it to indicate the desired temperature? It seemed to work well enough. Now, we have to navigate through various programs using the keypad, and if we can unlock the damn thing, set it to the desired time, day of the week, AM or PM, and temperature. If there is the briefest power outage, the entire program is lost, and you have to reprogram from scratch. It just seems too unnecessarily complicated. Does it work any better than the dial? Maybe, but when the technology exceeds the capability of the end user what is the point?
I do recognize that change is inevitable however, and that the world we live in will not be reverting to days of old any time soon. Still, there are those of us who appreciate sampling the simpler things in life. Like old motorcycles. No fuel injection, antilock brake systems, navigational aids, hill assist, traction control, wheelie mitigation, ride by wire, blue tooth, etc. Just the rider, the machine, and the road. That’s what I’m talking about. But even in that case, Evolution is inevitable.
RetroTours began in the late 90’s as a semi-annual, informal ride for friends on a bunch of old bikes that I had accumulated. Basically, I needed help keeping them all running: alone, I wasn’t able to ride enough to keep them
all serviceable. By the turn of the century (i.e. year 2000) It was becoming too expensive and RetroTours Evolved
into a one-man “commercial hobby”. I never intended to actually make money, just to offset the expense of tires,
oil change, repairs and upkeep on 20 old bikes. It began as “big twins of the 70’s” because all the bikes had 2 cylinders and were of that era; bikes that I had lusted after but could not afford when they were new.
Well, the fleet has Evolved. It now includes three and four cylinder bikes, some from the 1980’s. Kick start only has become less common. Bikes like the Silk, the Rickman Royal Enfield, the Kawasaki W3, and the Yankee 500Z may have been too fragile or maintenance intense to be practical for the RetroTours fleet. Then there are bikes like the BMW R90s, the Moto Guzzi Ambassador, the CB500T, the Laverda, and the Ducati 860 that were such a blast to ride, but when the mileage gets past a certain point it’s time to move on. We still have bikes from as early as 1970, but to be certain, the fleet does not remain in a static state.
The clientele have also Evolved. Many riders who, like me, lusted after these old irons back then have become too old or out of shape to ride them; or sadly passed away. Kick start only is great, unless the bike is a 750 twin, and you are 75 years old with no original knees. Speaking of knees, how many 60+ year old riders want to ride much more than 150 miles per day on old bikes, maybe for several days in a row?
And so therefore, the Tours have also Evolved. Now there are more 1-day tours and multi-day tours don’t range out quite as far as they used to. It’s mid-August; Summer is on the downside and soon the best riding weather of the year will be upon us. There are still 3 tours coming after this weekend’s Gyro 14. If you are in good shape and love to rack up some miles, consider the Kinzua Skyway in September: 4 days you will not soon forget. Mid-October finds us admiring the foliage on a relaxed, low mileage, one-day tour with a 90 minute Chesapeake Bay cruise included. In October, it’s off to Chincoteague Island for the weekend, not too far, and serene in the off-season.
And yes, I have also Evolved (or maybe de-volved). I ride slower now, and my wife wants me to stop doing RetroTours so we can travel the world. I reply: “Been there, done that” and plan to keep riding but realistically, I don’t suppose I can do that forever.
If you have ever considered joining a RetroTour, I recommend that you act now!
RIDE A PIECE OF THE PAST
ON THE
PATH LESS TAKEN!
Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves.
