sidedraft36
Sceptically Optimistic Pragmatist
Hey,
Old cranky guy with an old Italian bike. I learned to ride when Jimmy the Peanut Farmer was President...been riding ever since. I love motorcycles...especially sharp, fast, little European bikes. Horsepower? Its ok, but handling is where its at, at least for me. 'Cause of that, I've always been attracted to Cafe bikes. That's what a real motorcycle looks like.
My bike? Well, I've owned a few in my day, but the one I'll die with, she's a 1977 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans (Mk1/series2.) Ever since I could read a copy of Cycle, I wanted a LeMans. In 1981, I found one languishing in the back of a car dealership. They'd taken her in trade on something and had no idea what she was. Paid them $2k for her (which was a sh*t load of money back then and worth every penny!) Since then, I'm the only man ever laid a wrench on her. These days, she smokes a little bit, leaks a little oil, but who cares? She still runs hard and corners on rails. I love that old bike!
These days, I don't ride her near as much as I should. My old man knees just take a pounding from those rear-sets. But, she never ceases to put a smile on my face...whether I'm out riding hot into some corners or sitting in the garage just looking at her.
It just blows me away that, all these years later, there's a whole rebirth of Cafe' Racers. Young kids are slapping clip-on and megs on old Jap bikes and everybody's all worked up, "Oh man, that's sick!" "Awesome ride, dude. FTW!" Makes me laugh. I have no idea half the time what the hell ya'll are saying. I don give a rat's a**, it just that...where the hell were you guys when I was young and the whole world was filled with Virago's and Customs? Yea, timings everything. Oh well, too soon old and too late smart.
Oh, want to see my baby? Here's an old pic of her:
Hope that works.
Old cranky guy with an old Italian bike. I learned to ride when Jimmy the Peanut Farmer was President...been riding ever since. I love motorcycles...especially sharp, fast, little European bikes. Horsepower? Its ok, but handling is where its at, at least for me. 'Cause of that, I've always been attracted to Cafe bikes. That's what a real motorcycle looks like.
My bike? Well, I've owned a few in my day, but the one I'll die with, she's a 1977 Moto Guzzi 850 LeMans (Mk1/series2.) Ever since I could read a copy of Cycle, I wanted a LeMans. In 1981, I found one languishing in the back of a car dealership. They'd taken her in trade on something and had no idea what she was. Paid them $2k for her (which was a sh*t load of money back then and worth every penny!) Since then, I'm the only man ever laid a wrench on her. These days, she smokes a little bit, leaks a little oil, but who cares? She still runs hard and corners on rails. I love that old bike!
These days, I don't ride her near as much as I should. My old man knees just take a pounding from those rear-sets. But, she never ceases to put a smile on my face...whether I'm out riding hot into some corners or sitting in the garage just looking at her.
It just blows me away that, all these years later, there's a whole rebirth of Cafe' Racers. Young kids are slapping clip-on and megs on old Jap bikes and everybody's all worked up, "Oh man, that's sick!" "Awesome ride, dude. FTW!" Makes me laugh. I have no idea half the time what the hell ya'll are saying. I don give a rat's a**, it just that...where the hell were you guys when I was young and the whole world was filled with Virago's and Customs? Yea, timings everything. Oh well, too soon old and too late smart.
Oh, want to see my baby? Here's an old pic of her:
Hope that works.
