I admit that part of my enthusiasm for moving south to the tropical climate of Florida was that I would be able to ride my motorcycle year-round. After moving here I learned there were only a couple of days that were too cold for riding, but the other 363 days of the year would be comfortable.
The weather was not an issue when riding a motorcycle – if anything there were days (especially in the afternoon) when the temperature was too warm. So we learned to ride in the morning and return home before the mid-day heat hit.
One problem I found with something I loved was knowing where to ride and how to get there without using overly crowded roads.
Another problem was we didn’t know any riders here, so we were stuck trying to figure out where to ride and what to do without the company of other riders.
The next problem we learned was having to deal with a large number of vehicles sharing the roads we were going to use to get to and from any selected destinations.
Then came my accident. Getting struck by a car traveling 35 miles per hour took a toll on my body – especially my legs – both remain painful while walking, and I imagine that isn’t going to get better with age.
The motorcycle sitting in my garage is a 2021 model – it’s over three years old. It now has 5,800 miles on it. To some people that might seem like a lot of miles, but to me it’s hardly any. I used to average over 10,000 miles every year in Minnesota. I’ve logged over 300,000 miles on motorcycles. Seeing this bike sit as much as it does got me thinking it might be time to sell it. I started thinking that way shortly after my accident, two years ago, but I couldn’t get myself convinced it was the right choice.
My better half and I still planned to take annual trips to different states – we had those trips to look forward to, but I had to take a hard look at how my legs would handle long days on a motorcycle.
Over the past weekend, we picked a place to ride to that was about 90 minutes from our house. We left before 8:00 a.m., planning to have breakfast and ride back before noon. The ride went fine, but my body told me I can’t do that much time without getting off and stretching at least once an hour – even then I’d be in a good amount of pain, so I had to do some serious thinking about how good I felt about having a motorcycle sitting in the garage and not being used much. I know for a fact that the days of riding eight or nine hours are long behind me. I also know there’s a better-than-good chance the discomfort in my legs will increase instead of decrease as I grow older.
I talked to my better half about this. We weighed our options and feelings and both agreed that this wasn’t an easy decision, and it was going to break my heart to not have the beautiful bike at my disposal, but reality tells me it’s time to sell.
After more than 30 years of riding and more than 300,000 miles, I’ve reached a sad day in my life when I have to admit to myself that it’s time to stop doing something I’ve loved for nearly half my life. It’s time to turn the keys over to a new owner who will enjoy my pride and joy.
I am truthfully thankful for the memories I’ve created while riding my motorcycles. I’m thankful for the friends I’ve made. I’m thankful for the places I’ve seen.
One thing I can tell you with all certainty is that EVERYTHING has been more enjoyable being experienced from the seat of my Harley-Davidsons.
Have A Good Week
