Why we ride old bikes

[Jim M]

I have always enjoyed my old bikes because they are my way I connect to the past, to a simpler time. Something that most folks my age (early 40s) can't relate to. Anyway, I decided at the last minute on Saturday to ride my 46 knucklehead down to a local car / bike show. It was a 4 hour show sponsored by a local civic group for charity along with a local festival. My bike was the only one older than 20 years. Shortly after I arrived, an elderly gentleman walked up, leg in a brace staring at the bike. He had apparently had a stroke in recent years and was partially paralized on one side and had trouble with speech. But we connected quickly when he struggled to tell me that he had indeed learned how to ride on that very same model. He had a hard time talking so I asked him questions about the old bike he rode. He answered with enthusiastic nods or a yes or a short set of words. I could tell that he couldn't believe his eyes and his spirits were indeed lifted as he went back in time to remember those days. So much so that he began to cry and pat me on the back. It was like he saw an old friend after 60 years. I managed to hear him tell me that it had been a long time.

It is moments like that that make riding an old bike worth it.

Jim M.
46 Knuckle and 56 Pan

[AdminGuy]

Good stuff Jim, I've had simular experiences. It's great!

Thanks for shareing.

[INLINE4NUT]

Ahhh! One never knows what will happen that is the joy of our sport! Glad you made someones day! Just think before long that oldman may be you and I !!!!

[LouieMCman]

A couple years ago I rode my modern bike to a buddy’s house about 80 miles away who had met an old man who used to ride Indians. So we rode over to his house to see him. He was 80 years old and out working in his shop behind the house when we arrived. He took us in the house and pulled out a few photo albums full of pictures of him and his friends who rode their Indians to Daytona every year for the races. A few weeks later I returned to his house on my ’47 Chief, you should have seen him light up! The next thing I knew, he straddled the Chief, kicked it to life and rode off down the road. I thought to myself, well he got it running and rode off, he must know what he’s doing. After about 10 minutes he returned as we took pictures of him coming up the drive. That’s when his wife caught a glimpse of him on the bike and started raising hell, her exact words were “ I don’t want to hear you bitching about your back hurting and you not getting one of those things either!” Anyway the point of the story is the same as above, it really made the old man’s day not only to see the old Indian, but also get to ride it. The guy died about six months later and I still look at the pictures of him coming up the drive with a smile from ear to ear and hope it made his life complete. That my friends, is one of the reasons I ride these old bikes.
Louie

[axle]

wow! those are truly amazing stories. my buddies and i build and drive old style ford hot rods. in addition to that we dress in a 50's style.... and we have seen that "look in the eyes" that certain men have given us over the years. sometimes people dont need to say a word because a "look" says a million things!

[cheifrider]

heres one that i thought was almost unbelievable when i heard it .i was fueling up my 46 chief one day and an old gal came up to me and proceeded to tell me all about my bike.engine size gearing etc,after a few minutes of conversation she told me her and her husband(who was in their car .....the old timer had had a stroke and was disabled....allthoughy not enough to fail to recognize the bike)anyways they were married in 1946 and for a present for themselves they bought a new chief and proceeded to drive it from new york state to california and back for a honeymoon trip!i cant imagine what an undertaking this must have been in 1946.ps...she stood there as i started the bike and nodded and smiled as i drove off.