RETROTOURS NEWSLETTER SPRING 2022. Happy Easter, Passover, Ramadan, etc.
Last week there were a few days where the temperature hereabouts nearly hit 80°. Motorcycles suddenly appeared all over the place. People are calling about getting bikes recommissioned that have sat idle for years or decades. One fellow had me pick up his 1965 Honda CA95. He is the first owner and the bike’s license plate has a 1972 sticker on it. It hasn’t run in 50 years! Harry is no spring chicken and also has a new-ish Honda Aero: a big cruiser with fuel injection, disc brakes, a shiny paint job and lots of chrome. He is selling that one though; too heavy, too long, too much to handle. Harry wants to get the old 150cc “Baby Dream” running. I pointed out that the for the cost of getting the old rust bucket on the road, he could buy one that is already running, but that didn’t matter; it’s not just about the money. People do tend to develop an emotional attachment to their motorcycles that exceeds any dollar amount. I get that; I have 25 old bikes of my own. I can’t possibly ride them all. I need your help.
I have ridden most all of the new models, from big Harleys and Hayabusas to KTMs and Ducatis. No doubt they are better machines than their ancestors. More reliable, cleaner running, faster, better handling, more comfortable, and with better brakes and all sorts of electronic rider aids. But are they more enjoyable to ride than old iron? The hands on requirement of old bikes can be a turn off for some, but lately, I have enjoyed wrenching nearly as much as riding, and few things thrill me more than getting an engine started after it has been dormant for 30 years. The allure of asphalt adventure still has a grip on me though, and what could be more adventurous than heading out on an antique motorcycle, cruising the tiny back roads, relying on wits to overcome the inevitable adversities that arise, and meeting and sometimes relying on the strangers that one meets along the way?
Last night there was frost in the low lying meadows. It may or may not be the last frost of the season, but the flowers are up, the trees are budding, and spring will be out in full force very shortly. Every year I kind of worry that the flowers won’t pop up and the trees won’t bud. Will Nature refuse to be reborn one of these years as retribution for the disrespect we humans have heaped upon her? Well, it hasn’t happened yet. There is hope. Life springs forth eternal every spring for as long as any of us can remember. It’s really quite amazing, if not miraculous. The ferns die in the winter and pretty much disappear. Their bed looks like a dead mud bog in February. Then, one day in April, tiny shoots appear, all curled up like little yoyos. Unbelievably, within just a day or two, the yoyos unfurl and push towards the sky. In just another few weeks their elephant-ear sized leaves will unravel and spread out to gather energy from the warm sun.
The past 24-30 months have been a tough time for most of us. The f*%#ing pandemic, inflation, war in Europe, mass shootings (3 in one weekend!). Still, there is hope. There HAS to be hope. Don’t we all deserve a break? How about taking a few days off and let’s go on an adventure. I can’t promise that no one will crash. I can’t be certain that none of the bikes will break, and yes, it will be somewhat physically demanding, but whatever we encounter, we will put our heads together and deal with it. I swear to you that you are not too young or too old, not too poor, and not too busy. Do this for the thrill of it. Do this before it’s too late. Get your motor running. Head out on the highway looking for adventure. And whatever comes your way, revel in the (motor)cycle of life.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL ITS TOO LATE!
RETRO-ADVENTURE-TOURS.
Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves.
