Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

Living Better with Scooters and Motorcycles

Little Juniata Machine and Cycle

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Two men standing next to a 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
Picking up the freshly serviced Himalayan.

Service Completed

I dropped the bike off on Saturday. The service was complete of Monday. I was thrilled to get the message. Being able to have the Himalayan worked on locally was something I wished for but firmly believed I only had three choices — haul the bike to the dealer a hundred miles away, do the service myself, or sell the motorcycle. None of those choices felt good. Finding Little Juniata Machine and Cycle purely by accident was an unlooked for gift.

My friend Howard drove my to Tyrone to get the Himalayan so I could ride it home. Brent Knarr, the owner and machinist/mechanic is standing on the right.

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Is It Time to Surrender the Royal Enfield Himalayan?

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan.
I can go anywhere and do anything with my Himalayan.

A Workhorse

Make no mistake, the 411 version of the Himalayan is a unique motorcycle. It looks different, sounds different, and acts differently than any other motorcycle I have ever ridden. Even with a meager 24 horsepower it far exceeds most of my riding abilities. And for the kind of rides I make it’s a nearly perfect companion.

Making this photograph of it in the driveway before a recent ride I wasn’t thinking about the positive aspects of ownership. Or admiring the camouflage styling.

I was standing there wondering, after four years of riding, is it time to surrender the Royal Enfield Himalayan?

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Sticker Shock and Other Puzzlements

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Steve Williams with his Pentax MX camera at Penn Roosevelt State Park.
A stop with an old Pentax MX camera to ponder the analog world. Photo by Paul Ruby.

Puzzling Economic Thoughts

Having a head full of 1980s prices leads to endless shocks when paying for things. Doesn’t matter if it’s a ribeye steak at the grocery store or a new pair of jeans from L.L. Bean. Thankfully I seem to be insulated and unconcerned about the price of gas at the pump. No doubt buoyed by fuel stingy two-wheeled machines and an insignificant number of annual miles on our four-wheeled vehicles.

Wandering around the past few months shooting film costs money compared to the mindless triggering of digital images. Even processing Tri-X 35mm film myself costs $0.55 each time I press the shutter button. For some reason I don’t flinch. But there are a few things lately that have strained the economic area of my brain.

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Riding-Based Winterization

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Vespa GTS scooter parked along a rural road on a foggy morning.
A pause to admire the fog and the scooter.

Accepting Colder Weather

It’s no secret that I ride in cold weather. There may be a growing element of secrecy regarding my feelings about doing it. While the 2006 Vespa GTS 250 scooter is still ready and willing to head out in the coldest weather I cannot make the same claim. Each year as winter approaches I feel a greater resistance to abandoning the warmth and comfort of home so I can continue with my annual riding-based winterization program.

The idea of parking the machine for five or six months did not sit well. Too many warm days during the winter that I would want to ride. And plenty of freezing days where the roads were dry. Twenty years ago I swear I never felt cold. Now I am chilled lingering too long in front of an open refrigerator. But if I am going to avoid draining fuels, pulling batteries, or adding Stabil to tanks, I need to keep riding.

The best method for me now is to start early, ride often, and ease into the cold.

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Frozen in Place

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan along a rural road in a snow covered landscape.
Riding despite the frozen weather.

Chaos and Procrastination

Despite the march of years I continue to ride through the winter. The goal is to ride all five machines in the garage at least once every two weeks for at least 15 miles. Enough time to drive the moisture from the oil, keep the batteries alive, and make room for periodic transfusions of fuel. It was much easier when all I had was the Vespa. I wonder about the wisdom of multiple machines this time of year. Or if I should “winterize” a couple. It becomes a chaotic swirl of thoughts in my head that can lead to procrastination and eventually a full stop in activity. I find myself feeling frozen in place.

If only it was limited to scooters and motorcycles.

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Scooter in the Sticks

Exploring life on a Vespa, Royal Enfield Himalayan, Honda Trail 125, and a Kawasaki W650

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