5-6-08
It's about choice. I am reminded of what Swarthmore College professor, Barry Schwartz, says in the Paradox of Choice. He argues that we've got so many choices in our society today:
"As Americans, we assume that more choice means better options and greater satisfaction. But beware of excessive choice: choice overload can make you question the decisions you make before you even make them, it can set you up for unrealistically high expectations, and it can make you blame yourself for any and all failures. In the long run, this can lead to decision-making paralysis. And in a culture that tells us that there is no excuse for falling short of perfection when your options are limitless, too much choice can lead to clinical depression."
And that's where I was for the first couple of weeks after my purchase-started smoking again, was losing sleep at night, wondering how I made such a bad choice; trying to rationalize it, feeling a deep sense of loss late at night when I thought about my big white Ultra sadly sitting in the back corner of the used bike section of a Honda dealer! In the end, I think that it was this panoply of choices with lots of great bikes on the market today at all price points and reading too many motorcycle magazines reviewing these bikes, that pulled me away from some fundamental truths that I always thought I understood. But in a brief lapse of judgment I was overwhelmed by choice and the possibilities and promise of a new shiny bike. In the end, on sunny days like today, I like my bike; it is truly a joy to ride. So did I make a bad choice? Yes. I should have sucked it up, made the sacrifice, and gotten a new H-D. Can I live with this one...sure...for a while, and I am certain that it will serve me well. The only problem is the speeding tickets that I've started accumulating.
7-10-08Bill and I left for Montana today. A 625-mile day. It was a snap on this bike. I felt like I could do an Iron Butt run at the end of this day.
7-14-08
Experienced a serious case of "monkey butt" today. Rode across Minnesota on Route 90 with a blazing sun the whole way. It was HOT! Besides noticing that a good bit of heat does come up through the fairing at the front of my seat, thoroughly roasting my "chestnuts," the bike ran strong. I really do appreciate the virtues of having a liquid-cooled engine.
7-16-08
Lots of Beemer riders in the campground; they are all heading to the rally in Gillette, Wyoming. Bill was a bit miffed that they were much more interested in my ST than his Road King. He placated himself by going to a car wash and then polishing his bike as the sun set over the KOA grounds. The Beemer guys still were not impressed!
7-20-08
Enjoyed all the wonderful scents and sights as I rode the Road to the Sun in Glacier today. The bike ran flawlessly and loved some of the twisties.
7-24-08
Lying in bed at the Comfort Inn in Toledo, Ohio on the route home. Thinking about whose bike was more trip-worthy on this journey, mine or Bill's? Mine was, hands down. I never had to be concerned about riding to fast, too hard, or too long. Bill was constantly complaining about the high speeds pushing his Road King's engine and kept saying that he was going to get a newer H-D with a six-speed transmission. And, with my 7.6-gallon tank, I almost never had to stop for fuel; I sure didn't have to be worried about it when we rode those long, desolate routes through Wyoming or Montana. Passing a slow-moving cattle truck on a two lane road-no problem with the ST; it kicked me in the butt when I twisted the throttle at 80 mph.
8-4-08
A beautiful evening for a ride, but my wife still isn't interested in riding on this bike. We used to ride the old H-D up to Maine at least once or twice each summer, but no more. That's it! I'm selling this bike.
8-27-08
Just watched a stranger ride my bike down the driveway. He was like an excited kid, nervous, even though he's ridden many bikes over his 60 years. As the bike, no longer my bike, disappeared down the street, I felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I remember having the same feeling when an old girlfriend moved out of my house many years ago. She was nice looking, smart, did everything well, and she sure could cook-but not in the kitchen! However, there was never a comfortable connection between us; there was always an uneasiness that I felt in my gut. When she moved out, I wanted to feel sad, but instead I felt relieved. I had that feeling tonight. So it turned out to be the same way with this bike. It was a sharp-looking and beautiful bike; strong, quick, smooth, doing everything I wanted it to do. No real complaints. There was nothing wrong with the ST, it just wasn't the right one for me.
Well, you can't change the past, but you can move forward. Guess I'll head over to the Harley dealer tomorrow morning. What have I learned from this adventure? When it comes to buying a bike, you've got to trust your gut and you've got to understand how important certain features of any bike are to you-in your heart. For me at this point in my life, I want to feel a machine under me. I want that machine to quiver and shake a bit when it idles. I want that machine to sound like a machine, with all of the clunks and whirls of the engine audible when I ride; a machine that reflects a certain timeless styling and one that moves me, not simply transports me to a destination.