I am in a rather off mood today and thought I'd post something we all may relate to.

When I started riding it was on Japanese Standard Motorcycles. This morphed into Japanese Superbikes from the 80's. Eventually Just going fast wasn't enough. It became time to look cool. Xs1100 choppers, bobbers with Gixer motors and no front brake on a springer. Eventually despite regularly doing 500 mile days on my hardtail jap bikes it was time to get some better comfort for the ride and I switched to my VS1400, suzukis knock of of a FXWDG. Plenty quick enough but the comfort sucked.

Got a Goldwing but the sound wasn't there. Blew up the gold wing and got a VTX1800. Perfect combo of sound and power but something was missing...Oh yeah it was the soul. The bike was Too smooth, too reliable, just too easy. It required nothing but fuel an oil change every 5k and tires every 10K.

Got rid of the VTX to my little brother and bought my 90 Evo Electraglide. Much better, smooth enough, decent power, and finicky enough to keep me busy. However she was an old steed with more needed TLC then I have money and honestly the windshield was turning me into a windbitch. Went down to the local dealer for parts and found what i needed to fix my soul.

Enter my 2001 FXST. Smooth, powerful, reliable. Perfect sound. Put on my apes and tires and ignition and pipes...after all we cant leave our new bike alone can we? Every morning the choke coxes her to life and she just rides.
Give her love and she returns it. Neglect her and shes a bitch. Forget the foreplay before the ride? Shes gonna let you know shes not happy. 800 mile ride with no windshield and the feeling is finally back, no more tying the beard so it doesn't stab you from the windshield draft. No more zero effort cruising. you hold your self up, gone are the backrests and windshields that made riding a motorcycle feel more like being driven on a motorcycle. 3k miles in two weeks and I am finally happy with my motorcycle again.

It makes me wonder...why do we start feeling older as we get newer bigger bikes? I think its because we stop having to put forth the effort. The bikes begin holding us up, they start sheltering us from the elements. Our muscles become weaker and so does our spark. But alas I digress. Time to ride. Stay safe, and happy.

-Mazz

 

I "start feeling older" because I AM getting older. Forty years ago I was riding across the USA with naked (no windshield) Honda GL1000, a shelter half, and a $10.00 rain suit. I'm older now. If I want a physical ordeal on a bike, I'll go trail riding on my old XR600 or get out the chain saws and clear some land.

 

and a $10.00 rain suit ... You were "splurging" ... I used my old army poncho and a bungee cord! It worked great for a "tent" too ... I'd just roll up in it for the evening :>)

 

To the OP...I don't know you but I gotta' tell ya', I like this post.

Sometimes less is more...just sayin'.

 

I did use an old Army poncho for my shelter half, no way was I going to haul a canvas one. I bought my $10.00 rain suit and $17.00 Snell Approved 3/4 helmet at a big box store when i was in the Army. That helmet saved my life a few years later.

 

RK4ME, you actually proved a point I was trying to make indirectly. It seems everybody now a days is telling younger riders they need big bikes to tour, loaded with gear. I can't count how many ultra classics I have seen this year wiped out with inexperienced riders on an over loaded bike. One on its side in a fuel station had a damn samsonite suitcase strapped to the trunk. After i helped the kid pick it up and asked him where he was heading he said to Plymouth ma from western ma. 98 miles he considered touring. Folks like you sir are exempt from the getting old comment.

I was on my softail in West Virgina on my hardtail and had a guy tell me he would like one, but couldn't justify a bar hopper. His old lady laughed and told him to check the plate. I just don't get this bigger is better mentality with long trips now. a tent on the bars, blanket on the bag and some tools and t shirts is good. Hotel reservations are nice now and then to.

 

^^^ Back then the only Big Bike out there was the Harley Davidson Electra Glide. When someone asks me "What bike?", I usually tell them to buy the smallest one that will do the job, and to buy one that they can pick up if it falls over.

 

Well, what was it. A Softail or a hardtail? If it was the Softail, you better make it a hardtail and get rid of those shocks, you don't want to turn into an old fart!

 

It was the softail. Damn auto correct.

 

LOL....my rain suit was a large hefty trash bag!