I Ride Motorcycles
Motorcycles were considered bad news in my family growing up. I had a mini bike for the back field, but when I was old enough for the road, my parents said no bike till I was 21 and old enough to pay my own hospital bills. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad. When I turned 21, I bought a Honda 550 4K. Rode that bike untill I went into the Marines later that year. My last year in, I came home to get the bike, rode the 550 miles to base and sold it to a buddy. With that money, I came home on leave about four months before getting out and bought a Harley Davidson Sporster. They were a 1000cc back then. For the last four months active duty, I parked the Sporster next to the washer and dryer inside our house. My mom was a neat freak. A place for everthing and everthing in it's place. Couldn't believe she let me get away with this. I found out later she had cancer, too far along to treat. A bike in the house was least of her concerns.
When I got out of the service, my soon to be wife and I would go on short rides. Just love the feel of the open road and a pretty woman hanging on from the back. Before I knew it I was married with three kids, looking at hospital and doctor bills. Needing money and with no time to ride, I sold the Sporster. It would be nearly twenty years later before I could get another Harley. For our twenty fifth anniversary, my wife and I each bought Harleys. She got a Street Bob and I got a Wide Glide. By this time I had carpal tunnel in both hands and couldn't ride more than six or seven miles before having to stop. I ended up buying two choppers before agreeing to have the hand surgery. I had a Thunder Mountain Custom Cycles Keystone, a nine foot chopper, 300 back tire, 45 degree rake, skull and flame paint scheme, and a Screamin Eagle 103 engine. Reluctantly sold this one. I still have a Ness Highliner, 300 back tire, 45 degree rake, candyapple red with gold leaf tribal flames, and an S&S 124 engine. Plenty of power to take me around the mountain roads of Pa and handle great (turning radius of a B-52 at low speeds though). Only regret- one seat. Still miss the feel of the wife holding on from behind. But she has her own bike to ride along side.
When I got out of the service, my soon to be wife and I would go on short rides. Just love the feel of the open road and a pretty woman hanging on from the back. Before I knew it I was married with three kids, looking at hospital and doctor bills. Needing money and with no time to ride, I sold the Sporster. It would be nearly twenty years later before I could get another Harley. For our twenty fifth anniversary, my wife and I each bought Harleys. She got a Street Bob and I got a Wide Glide. By this time I had carpal tunnel in both hands and couldn't ride more than six or seven miles before having to stop. I ended up buying two choppers before agreeing to have the hand surgery. I had a Thunder Mountain Custom Cycles Keystone, a nine foot chopper, 300 back tire, 45 degree rake, skull and flame paint scheme, and a Screamin Eagle 103 engine. Reluctantly sold this one. I still have a Ness Highliner, 300 back tire, 45 degree rake, candyapple red with gold leaf tribal flames, and an S&S 124 engine. Plenty of power to take me around the mountain roads of Pa and handle great (turning radius of a B-52 at low speeds though). Only regret- one seat. Still miss the feel of the wife holding on from behind. But she has her own bike to ride along side.
By:
deleted
Age:
26-30
