This right here - is how yer marriage is supposed to work. The old lady is supposed to be on the back, and not beside the bike… but let us not quibble. Yesterday the Niglet and I ran into a friendly old Harley stubfart. He had a $60,000 cruiser with all the chrome and leather, all the options and Hannah just fell in love with him. The only problem he had with it wasn’t really the bike itself… but that the wife couldn’t ride with him anymore. She had hip problems and just couldn’t swing her leg over to get on it any more.
Now… I love my Kawi 1700cc road bike, the luggage and cruise and the stereo… and I love my wife too. But… I always preferred to ride alone. Given my druthers I’d have had a big ol’ stratobagger with one super-wideass seat and soft luggage everywhere - strapped wherever it would fit. Maybe some flat slammed handlebars, even? But… yeah.
Well after talking to the old fella I think maybe I should re-think that? Maybe I should drag the wife out for Sunday drive in the country after church? Riding alone may not be an option as time robs us as our years stack up?
My theories are all subject to change and revision as more facts and information becomes available. But for now … that’s where I’m at.
My wife has severe sciatica pain from a very young age. The one time I convinced her to ride on back, she lasted about 15 minutes. Sucks, but that's life. So yeah, lone rider here too.
ReplyDeleteWhat’re you driving these days Don…?
DeleteHonda 2014 CB1100 - last of the old school inline 4's, air-cooled. Looks vaguely 1980-ish in styling. The wife has a new model Honda Monkey for running around the campgrounds when we're out RVing, but she really doesn't take it on the roads.
DeleteBeen looking kinda at some new bikes, but nothing checks off that "GOTTA HAVE" box anymore.
My wife and I have a bunch of hours together, 2 up, on various Honda Enduros and 1, 1975ish, CB 360. She also had her own '72 XL 175 and a '74 XL 250. Oh yeah, and an '82 250R Honda, fire breathing, 3 wheeler (with Pro Link rear suspension). Her big ass made the perfect low center of gravity, 3 wheeler control assist! The guys loved to chase her off road. I clocked her at 67ish on the shoulder of a road with our pick up. The 250 was stock, but we were running 100/1 HPS 2 stroke mix (High Performance Synthetic, we called it High Priced Shit) . I replaced 2 spark plugs in the 4 years we had it. A friend that bought it from us, ran another 3 years until he over built it and blowed it up real good.
ReplyDeleteIn the 90's her back got bad enough to have to stop all that fun stuff.
So if she can ride with you, you should. Not much feels better than having a loving woman wrapped around you on a country cruise.
Agreed!👍
DeleteYes, although not a rider, I would concur. Share what you love with who you love soonest; this can be many different things, but the principle is the same in the offing.
DeleteTempus fugit, friends. What are you waiting for, after all?
JerseyJeffersonian
Sidecar?
ReplyDeleteMy wife is the rider in the family. She has ridden for some 20 years,and about three years ago acquired a Honda-Roadsmith trike conversion. She invited me to ride with her.
ReplyDeleteIt was my first ride on a motorcycle since college. To tell the truth. I felt like I was riding on a toilet bowl. I felt like everybody was looking at me.
Ride with her while you still can.
ReplyDeleteYears back my brother bought a used bike and the seller was in me and the old lady's neighborhood - South End, Toledo, Ohio. Anyway, little brother has never ridden before and he concludes that he can't ride it home, so I get to do it. I rode over to Main Lady's and told her to pull her jeans on, we were going for a ride.
And we did that.
My deal is the same thing I get from a sailboat. The urge to sell it all out, say fuck the rest, and just get on the bike and start riding is enough to be dangerous. Same thing with sailing... so I stay away from both.
But you, Glen Filthie, get the old lady on the back and take a nice afternoon drive.
I second your recommendation!...and wish I could follow it too.
ReplyDelete