Scooter in the Sticks

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

New Tires for the Royal Enfield Himalayan

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Set of two new tires for a Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle.
The tires finally arrived after an extended search.

Indecision and Extended Searching for Tires

At the last Pennsylvania Safety Inspection for my 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle the mechanic pointed out cracks in the rubber and let me know that next year they wouldn’t pass. Two trains of thought immediately ignited. The first, driven by a sometimes irrational frugality, urged me to keep riding and wear them out despite already recognizing the rear tire no longer had the bite it once did. Especially on muddy roads.

The second train of thought led immediately to searching for the perfect replacement tires. An exercise that can easily become obsessive as I race from site to site, review to review, in the mistaken belief that there is a perfect tire. The whole time blind to the fact that my barely amateur wanderings on the bike mean that pretty much any tire with suffice. But the belief that there is a singular best choice can really dog my thinking.

Eventually two Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires arrived at my door.

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Frustration and Gratitude

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A 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan parked along a road.
A substitute for my injured Kawasaki W650.

The Mental Merry-Go-Round

Over and over I’m reminded that there’s little profit in holding too tightly to my plans. It was demonstrated again as I prepared for a long ride with my friend Paul and proceeded to rip the tire valve from a rear tire of my W650 before even leaving the driveway. Hugely frustrating because I had planned so carefully, visualized the map, and imagined how it would feel to be on the road with a friend on a leisurely ride to breakfast.

The frustration was strong and dominating my thoughts which in turn robs me of some of the riding experience as I replay events in my head, continually kicking myself for the stupid mistakes I made leading up to having to replace the W650 with my Himalayan. Gratitude was nowhere to be found despite the gift of having an alternative machine to ride.

Frustration was ruling the moment and blinding me to anything good or positive. A sad way to leave on a ride.

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Fog, Fuel, and a Long Ride to Breakfast

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Two motorcycles at a convenience store for fuel.
The fog was beginning to clear by the time we stopped for gas.

Morning Fog

A few things were different on this ride. It was the first foggy morning in a long time. I love riding in fog. Mostly because photographs appear more dramatic and ethereal. I wasn’t sure how Dave felt about it but since he was waiting on his motorcycle when I arrived at his house I figured everything was ok.

Thinking about fog I was reminded of a ride on a Kawasaki KLR in the fog and took a look at an old post that highlights some of the ethereal moments in that kind of light. If you don’t ride in fog you may want to have a look at what you’re missing.

And for once I didn’t need to stop for fuel. My plan was a relaxed sixty mile ride to breakfast but outdated information from Google Maps upended it and we ended up having to ride almost twice as far before sitting down to eat and having to choose between bacon and eggs or a bacon cheeseburger.

Bacon and eggs is aways the clear winner.

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Aging and the Desire to Ride Motorcycles

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A Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle parked at a forest vista.
Stopped at Wampler Vista in Rothrock State Forest.

As Old as I Think

The air was clear, the light brilliant as my friend Dave and I started our ride to breakfast. I can’t count how many times I’ve stopped at Wampler to take in the view, thrilled that the only evidence of civilization are motorcycles and the path carved from the side of the mountain. I’m still drawn to this place, visited many times as a simple destination for an evening ride to watch the light change, see a black bear cross the road, or listen to a hawk shriek overhead.

I’ve been speaking with a friend about getting old and what that means. The conversation highlighted the value of curiosity and adventure as a way to keep old age at bay. My body is aging but my mind stays young through motion, thought, and living. I wonder whether I ride to stay young or I feel young because I ride.

Whatever it is, the desire to ride motorcycles remains strong.

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Is 24-Horsepower Enough for a Motorcycle?

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan motorcycle parked along a farm field.
Simple, reliable, but too weak for serious riding?

Enter the Era of Downsizing Motorcycles

YouTube is currently full of content declaring the virtues of moving to smaller machines. The reasons vary but the changes are happening. Mostly because so many riders are older and perhaps feeling how much heavier machines are feeling. I’m familiar with those feelings.

The median age of an American motorcycle owner is around 50. In 1990 the median rider age was 32. And in 1985 it was 27. Not great news for manufacturers wondering where new customers are going to come from but no surprise the Boomers and GenXers, used to ever bigger and better SUVs and trucks, seem to end up with mammoth machines that are now getting a little uncomfortable.

Downsizing can be the result of wanting a motorcycle that’s just easier to handle. Or less expensive to own and operate. Or more fun. All that stands in the way of downsizing in an clear understanding of needs and an honest assessment of ego. Ego is a bitch to get past though. Just this morning I was talking with a fellow rider about Helite Turtle 2 airbags. Expensive. Probably useful. But when I saw the Hi-Viz yellow my first reaction was in how it would interrupt the elegant look of my Merlin Hixon II leather jacket.

Style before safety right? Turns out they do offer them in black.

Back to my 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan. I downsized to it from my BMW K75 because that motorcycle was feeling heavy for the kind of riding I was doing. And it had more power than I needed. Ultimately I wanted a motorcycle to ride in the dirt and gravel. The Himalayan was a much better choice.

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