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Then and Now
Blatherings From The Editor Wasn’t too long ago that riding a motorcycle was pretty basic stuff. The bikes were rather un-technical (compared to today’s modern machines); and looking back, I was pretty much a basic and un-technical rider. Just going out to start the bike up and go for a ride is way different now than it was back then. Then: Go out to the garage, back the bike out, turn on the key, lift the choke, give the engine a couple of kicks, tuck in the laces on my Chuck Taylor All Stars, and color me gone! Gear consisted of jeans, a madras button-down-collar short-sleeve shirt, and those wonderful black sneakers that, believe it or not, are popular again! Now: Got to get the gear on first. Even socks have to be selected based on the season and where the riding is going to be. Boots over the chosen socks have to be capable of fending off road debris; need to be water proof to some unfathomable depth; have to have soles that grip foot pegs and slippery pavement like elephant snot; plus, they have to have ankle and toe protection that will protect you from ‘85 Caddys. Only special motorcycle boots that cost in the neighborhood of a used, single cylinder motorcycle will do. Jeans won’t cut it any more either, I’ve been down in jeans and they don’t hold up for a second (want to see my scar?). Nope, now it’s either modern plastics or old fashion leather pants with knee pads and hip pads that are CE approved (what the hell does that mean?). Question is, do I need the winter pants or the summer pants? Decisions, decisions. Actually, before the plastic or leather pants go on, you got to have the right undies. Comfortable, seamless under panties are hard to find. Some cotton briefs and synthetic fiber briefs come pretty close, but just one seam in the wrong place and…OUCH! Got to have the right underwear. Now the shirt…no question…either a SEAT short sleeve or a SEAT long sleeve…or both if it’s a bit chilly. Got to layer depending on the weather, doncha know? Shirts now days come in a variety of materials. Cotton and silk are my favorites; they don’t make me sweat as much as some of the synthetic fibers do. Don’t want to be stinky. Bug spattered OK…stinky no. Back then I didn’t own a motorcycle jacket. All those zippers and a belt loop…looked tacky to me. Now I have two closets full of jackets: Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall, Styling, and Kewl. I still have the leather one piece suit I did some racing in back then…not really that far back…or was it? Then comes the brain bucket. After I impaled my street racer into the side of a taxi cab at 75 mph back in the 60’s, I decided I might need to wear a helmet. My first was a Buco, cheapest thing you could get. For only a few dollars more I graduated to a Captain America open faced lid with stars and stripes a blazin’. Now, it’s got to be full coverage, quiet, light, flip up, intercom ready, white for safety, and properly fitted based on our round vs. oblong heads (or is that oblong vs. round heads, damn I forget). Suited up, it’s out to the garage, back the bike out, turn on the key, and push the little black button on the right handle bar. All of this after I’ve checked the water level, oil level, tire pressures and torqued the rear wheel lug nuts down just to be sure. Drop the sun visor, close the clear visor, plug into the Autocom, thumb on the PIAAs and we’re outta here! So, back then it took five minutes to get on the road and get a grin the size of Kansas. Now it takes about an hour to get on the road and get a grin the size of Kansas. Seems not much has really changed. Deryle and Wanda, remembering then, enjoying now.
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