I Don't Know What To Think

Over the weekend I helped a buddy move a motorcycle and a bunch of motorcycle parts out of a widow's shed. They were gathered by her husband and had been languishing for years. There was a basket case chopper with an Iron Head Sportster engine, a chopper frame and a cabinet with a few pieces of a Shovel Head. Then there was a 1970 Aerameccie Harley that was complete. I could see through the dirt and grime that the Sprint was actually surprisingly complete and straight. It even kicked over with compression. I asked the widow about it and she said that "her husband bought it on a whim, rode it around a little and then stuck it in the shed."

Here is the confusing part, normally I would find something like this and be actively trying to make a deal, Normally I would see an easy cosmetic restoration under the layer of dirt. I happen to like the old Aerameccie horizontal four strokes. They were pretty good bikes for their day. Normally I would be excited but not this time. This time all I could see were expenditures, new cables, new tired and tubes, new final drive chain and who knows what else. I asked her about the title and she said "she didn't know. It was probably around but she was not sure." You can get a bonded title in Texas but the tax office values any bike at $6000 and they want 8.25% in sales tax when you register it. Any bike, even one with zero value, will cost around $650 with the bond, tax and transfer fees. I already have a Triumph that I am way upside down in and do I really need neighborhood tiddler bike?

I am just kind of floored that a rabid passion that I have had since I was a kid has kind of played itself out.

Not sure of your age or health , me , I getting close to end of the road , it seems , especially the last couple yrs , I still look but have sold off all but 2 , one of 2 is leaving soon , I used to keep at least 3 in shed ready to go any time , plus a project … I know how you feel and can’t explain it , guess for me just winding things down , my wife and I have even talked on just one 4 wheel vehicle to share , just talk so far …. kinda funny how time do catch up to us all .,,, all the best !!!

Craig said:

Not sure of your age or health , me , I getting close to end of the road , it seems , especially the last couple yrs , I still look but have sold off all but 2 , one of 2 is leaving soon , I used to keep at least 3 in shed ready to go any time , plus a project … I know how you feel and can’t explain it , guess for me just winding things down , my wife and I have even talked on just one 4 wheel vehicle to share , just talk so far …. kinda funny how time do catch up to us all .,,, all the best !!!

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I am 65 and the wife was my child bride so she is just a bit younger than me. I seem to be reasonably healthy. I hit the gym 3 times a week and do cardio and weight training. I sit out in the garage and look at my bikes more than I ride although I do still ride. I try not to drive at night anymore as I have scared my wife a couple of time with bad driving decisions. People tend to treat me like I am old mainly because I have a full head of white hair coupled with a very white beard. My wife says I have the universal old man look.

The wife and I are having the same 4 wheel vehicle discussions. Right now we have two solid, but elderly cars and my 1997 Ford F150. I have been reluctant to let the truck go since that is my go-to transport for picking up bike projects, parts and the occasional dead bike on the side of the road but that all may becoming less of an necessity. It's just weird to find such a central part of my life drifting away. It's a bit like not knowing who I am anymore.

the other day I saw a laverda "shed" bike that was on craigslist near me for $500. It needed a lot of cosmetics and stuff like you said, new cables, fork tubes, paint, etc. I thought for second about it, then I guessed that I would be $5000 deep into it in a heartbeat..... I punked out and didn't pursue it..... the next day it was gone..

I am 63 now. My problem is I can’t find the time (still working as well). I got 4 bikes, 3 classics. I ride them all as much as possible, well not so much the BSA. The difference is when I was younger I was quite happy to ride as a nutter knowing the bike was not perfect ( I had a few bad crashes due to this stupidity and mechanical issues, like poor brakes). BUT now I am paranoid about everything being as good as it can be mechanically. That’s why I can’t have any more. It’s a time and $ hog. Well maybe just one more, but no more commandos.

Jerry Doe said:

I am 63 now. My problem is I can’t find the time (still working as well). I got 4 bikes, 3 classics. I ride them all as much as possible, well not so much the BSA. The difference is when I was younger I was quite happy to ride as a nutter knowing the bike was not perfect ( I had a few bad crashes due to this stupidity and mechanical issues, like poor brakes). BUT now I am paranoid about everything being as good as it can be mechanically. That’s why I can’t have any more. It’s a time and $ hog. Well maybe just one more, but no more commandos.

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That's another issue. My Norton has some nice modern upgrades like a front brake that works, mirrors you can see out of and turn signals. My Triumph has a typical 1960s front cable brake, mirrors that give a great view of my shoulders, no turn signals and a digital bicycle speedometer because it's accurate. I have been too chicken to take this on my usual 50 mile loop because I do not trust it to make it back (even though I have upgraded the electrical and ignition and it runs great.) I just kind of live in fear of being stuck or put in a bind somewhere that in my younger days I wouldn't have thought twice about. So I just ride it to the gym and back.

65 is still young, well with me any way, I still ride the same as I always have whether on the Norton or Thruxton, I know my Norton is reliable as I built it lol and it has never let me down in 47+ years I have been riding it well maybe 3 times 2 broken chains and one dead EI, but other than those 3 times.
At 65 I am still doing the same things I have always done but one thing that I find hard these days is if I lay on the ground I find it harder to get back up on my feet, got to do the roll thing with my body to get up lol.
I never will give up riding, well in my mind anyway, my Norton is going to be with me till I die even still kicking it, just not me even thinking about a push button starter on it, my hotrod Norton is a light weight and putting more weight on it is just not on the cards + the price for a ES kit is way out of my means, with the JH maggie its a one kick every time and the idea finding a place to put a big battery would be another problem.
But being retired for just over 10 years now I still haven't had the time to finish a few projects or do other things in my life even riding the bikes is no longer an everyday thing as I use to ride to work and all over the place, but when I do get out no matter what bike I take out it makes me feel young no matter where or how far I ride on the outings.
The day I give up riding will be the day I leave this life and hopefully I have many more years yet and I am not even going to think about it, just enjoy my life the way I have always done, nothing is going to change if I can help it.

Ashley

ashman said:

65 is still young, well with me any way, I still ride the same as I always have whether on the Norton or Thruxton, I know my Norton is reliable as I built it lol and it has never let me down in 47+ years I have been riding it well maybe 3 times 2 broken chains and one dead EI, but other than those 3 times.
At 65 I am still doing the same things I have always done but one thing that I find hard these days is if I lay on the ground I find it harder to get back up on my feet, got to do the roll thing with my body to get up lol.
I never will give up riding, well in my mind anyway, my Norton is going to be with me till I die even still kicking it, just not me even thinking about a push button starter on it, my hotrod Norton is a light weight and putting more weight on it is just not on the cards + the price for a ES kit is way out of my means, with the JH maggie its a one kick every time and the idea finding a place to put a big battery would be another problem.
But being retired for just over 10 years now I still haven't had the time to finish a few projects or do other things in my life even riding the bikes is no longer an everyday thing as I use to ride to work and all over the place, but when I do get out no matter what bike I take out it makes me feel young no matter where or how far I ride on the outings.
The day I give up riding will be the day I leave this life and hopefully I have many more years yet and I am not even going to think about it, just enjoy my life the way I have always done, nothing is going to change if I can help it.

Ashley

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I hear ya on the getting up issue. I keep a wooden stool beside me so I can climb it to get back up. It's also why I started to pump the Norton oil tank dry if it was going to set for more than a few days because I just have such a hard time draining the sump.

I also think money has a lot to do with my decline in motorcycle passion. I can't see pouring a lot of cash into something that is a net loss. My wife says "it's a hobby and I can't look at it that way" but parts have gotten so expensive and bike prices have flat lined in many cases.

Big_Jim59 said:

I hear ya on the getting up issue. I keep a wooden stool beside me so I can climb it to get back up. It's also why I started to pump the Norton oil tank dry if it was going to set for more than a few days because I just have such a hard time draining the sump.

I also think money has a lot to do with my decline in motorcycle passion. I can't see pouring a lot of cash into something that is a net loss. My wife says "it's a hobby and I can't look at it that way" but parts have gotten so expensive and bike prices have flat lined in many cases.

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You are not alone
I can't get up off the floor without great difficulty with nothing to pull myself up with

Big_Jim59 said:

I hear ya on the getting up issue. I keep a wooden stool beside me so I can climb it to get back up. It's also why I started to pump the Norton oil tank dry if it was going to set for more than a few days because I just have such a hard time draining the sump.

I also think money has a lot to do with my decline in motorcycle passion. I can't see pouring a lot of cash into something that is a net loss. My wife says "it's a hobby and I can't look at it that way" but parts have gotten so expensive and bike prices have flat lined in many cases.

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THAT is why I have always focused on function, and not spent $XX,XXX on "jewelry" for the bikes.
Never upside down, ($)

I see so many insist on bedazzled/bejeweled bikes. Great if that extra ten grand gives you that much extra enjoyment. Personal choice.

50 year old dull grey cad plated bolts are fine by me.

And spokes.

And, and, and....

Etc.

Food for thought.

JMWO

ashman said:

65 is still young...

Ashley

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Yes! Compared to today at 74, I was superhuman at 65 and didn't even have any bionic parts! Back then, working 16-18 hours/day was normal - today I'm worn out after 6-8.

If I ever get caught up with customer bikes, I'll probably put an e-start on my 850 rider or switch over to my Trident as my rider (much easier to kick).

My g

marshg246 said:

Yes! Compared to today at 74, I was superhuman at 65 and didn't even have any bionic parts! Back then, working 16-18 hours/day was normal - today I'm worn out after 6-8.

If I ever get caught up with customer bikes, I'll probably put an e-start on my 850 rider or switch over to my Trident as my rider (much easier to kick).

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My grandfather used to tell stories that started with "in my younger days" then we figured out he was talking about when he was in his 70s. My grandfather had a lawn mower shop for years and finally gave it up in his mid 80s.

When I converted my 850 Commando into the Featherbed frame back in 1980/82 I did it on the cheap without the bells and whistles and it was a very reliable runner so never threw a lot of money into it and it was an everyday rider, about 15 years ago I had a bit of spare cash and did a few upgrade to it, a complete Grimcia front brake upgrade, Lansdown frontend internals, and one of the best upgrade was the Joe Hunt magneto and RGM folding kicker for ease of one kick starts every time, also went for new PWK carbs but have since gone back to the old Amals, these upgrades just made the Norton better.
I also invested in a lift table about 7 years ago and a scissor jack for maintenance and no longer doing things on the ground, as we do age we just got to think a head and make things a lot easier for our aging legs, I retired early at 55 that was just over 10 years ago now but at 65 I have to keep active, each day I have things to do, my Norton is still reliable without spending money on it, my Thruxton has become my main rider as the Norton has done its life as a everyday rider, but it's still get ridden regularly, it's showing its age but that's the way I like it, shows everyone it's a rider and not a show and tell bike, I don't spend my days up in the shed looking at my bikes and dreaming about the days gone by, as well the less work I do on my bikes the better, yes I do all the maintenance when needed to keep them running sweet and over the years the Norton has had a few parts that needed replacing from wear and tear but that normal for anything, including our bodies lol, but for injuries wise I been pretty lucky, left knee 3 time, a fracture left arm and broken thumb when the front stock Norton brake let me down badly and threw me over the handle bars (did the Grimcia up grade while recovering from that slow speed accident).
Yes my old Norton could do with a refurbish, but its running so well and it looks the part with a few small dings in the front of the fuel tank, scratches and chips on the paint work, tank and frame, but that don't stop it running as sweet as it is, in the 43 years when I built it, it has been down a few times but its survived with only minor damage and easy fixes and few damaged parts on my body.
My 2016 Triumph Thruxton S still looks as good as the day I brought it new in 2018 (new old stock at a heavily reduced price and the old 850 Norton I brought new at 17 years old, it has winkles, burses and looking it age but it's the way I like it, its aging just like it's owner and hopefully we both will see each other out, I have had such a great bike riding life and I intend hanging around for many years to come, my hobby, my life and my bikes and my wife knew the bikes where and always will be number one in my life, she knew that from day one and she has no say at all when it comes to my bikes and my shed/workshop, she has the house I have my play area lol.
And I still have the 1960 Manxman project to restart, but life just gets in the way, just don't let old age get in the way, keep active and keep the worn bits moving, adapt to changes and keep upright.

Ashley

Change is the one constant in the universe. Maybe bikes just don't do it for you any more. It is what it is. I want to keep riding and figure that staying healthy is the best way to ensure more riding time. Exercise, good diet, positive attitude.

ashman said:

And I still have the 1960 Manxman project to restart, but life just gets in the way, just don't let old age get in the way, keep active and keep the worn bits moving, adapt to changes and keep upright.

Ashley

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The bikes look fantastic and quite usable. I guess I was a little bummed out dealing with the dashed dreams of a man now past his projects. Not only that but as I age I realize that my old riding buddies, the people I could hang with and share motorcycle stories are mostly gone now too. This is probably just a reaction to standing there and staring down in to the abyss. I'll take the Norton out and it will pass.

Having a positive attitude is also very important, if you think differently is when you will have problems, I am going to be around till I am 105 no matter what, but the good thing with my life most of my friends I grew up with are still riding bikes and we are all the same age and still get out together when we can, been riding with some mates for 50 years when we all left school at 15, got jobs and brought bikes, but I am the only one that still has a serous dirt bike, when I take the CRF450X out I ride it's like I was a young lad again except I don't do the big jumps, too hard on my left knee lol, but riding the dirt bike hard it gets the blood circulating and I feel so much better for it.

Ashley