That pesky PO

Everyone laments the "previous owner" or PO. The previous owner of your car, your motorcycle, your house, your motorhome, or even your dog, is notorious for doing the worst possible things. I however am more concerned about the "present owner." It's amazing sometimes how much damage I can do when I set out, with good intentions, to make a repair or an improvement. Ruining something or making matters worse seems to be almost a prerequisite. My rule of thumb is that I need to fix something three times in rapid succession or even slow succession to get it right. Even spelling the word succession in that last sentence took me three attempts. Of course all this is accompanied by several trips to Lowes or Mother Honda or O'Reiley's Auto Parts. I think I am the mother and father of all botched jobs.

I realize though that I am not the only one to fall into this loathsome mold of the "present owner." Sometimes I witness others doing the same thing. What is really discouraging is when I give into the illusion that I can pay someone else to do the job and then discover that they aren't much better. "And I'm paying for him to do this?" I don't like to see someone "learning as they go" on my dime. I don't like to see them reading a book on home repair. No, I want you to fix it now, in 30 minutes like an episode on the HG channel. How many "takes" do the TV people get I wonder.

So I guess the cycle of home/car/motorcycle moanership must continue. I will also continue to practice my cliches. If at first you don't succeed.....the third time is a charm...if you're going to do it, do it right....there is no try, do or not do... Thanks Yoda for that last one. Or my personal favorite, the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps. Maybe that only applies to the plants in your landscaping but I like that first part about sleeping. Yawn. the repairs can wait.

Naked Goldwing

When I graduated from high school in 1972 one of my fantasies was getting a Honda motorcycle and riding it from Iowa to California and back. But I was driving a 1940 Buick Special at the time and when I went to college I sold the Buick and bought a 1965 Mustang. Every time I thought I would buy a motorcycle I needed a better car a whole lot worse. So I never did buy a motorcycle and still haven't nearly 40 years later.

But I have two motorcycles that were given to me. Yes, they were given to me, as in free. My 1975 Goldwing is my main ride but it took me two years to get it up and running and I had a lot of help from friends. I never could have done it without my friends.

When someone gives you a motorcycle you don't look a gift horse in the mouth, but a Goldwing was the last motorcycle I wanted at the time. My impression of Goldwings was that they were an old man's motorcycle, a luggage rack on wheels, a motorized couch, and so on.

My gift Goldwing was a faded red, with a white Vetter fairing and it was as ugly as sin. My goal was to make it look nothing like it's former self. To this day I'm still not real fond of the stock Goldwing look on the early wings. I do like how mine turned out and I get real excited about the custom jobs that people have done on early Goldwings to turn them into cafe style, bobbers, street fighters, and bulldogs. The custom paint and fabrication along with the muscular look of that big engine, intakes and carburators gets my adrenaline going. Just google images for naked goldwings and you will find a feast for your eyes.

My Goldwing has been the making of a cyclist. I didn't know if I would like motorcycling or not but I wanted to try it and resurrecting an old cycle seemed to be a good way to start.

Is this interest something I'll give up in a few years after the newness wears off? I have talked to plenty of guys who have had motorcycles for a year or two and then moved on to other hobbies. I don't see that happening to me. My motorcycle opens doors for me and gives me something in common with people who I'm glad to meet. It has paid off for me many times over in the things that matter most to me, which is talking to people about what should matter most to them.