Scooter in the Sticks

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

Learning Off-Road Riding at 67 — OUCH!

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Two motorcycles at an overlook in the mountains of central Pennsylvania.
The view from Winklebleck Vista in the mountains of central Pennsylvania.

Easy, Peaceful Riding

A recent ride in the mountains on my Royal Enfield Himalayan provided me with wonderful opportunities for personal growth. Specifically, a close look at the limitations of my off-road riding skills. And learning off-road riding skills.

My rider ego had its knuckles cracked with a ruler as I discovered the gap between off-road riding fantasy and the physical realities of that activity. During a recent relaxed ride in the central Pennsylvania mountains, a choice of a “drivable trail” led to riding lessons that are painful at 67 years old.

Before moving on, I need to thank Eric at “Kraken’s Garage and Adventures” on YouTube for the title of this post. He said it gets directly to the point! And indeed he’s right. Learning off-road riding at 67 was painful.

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Royal Enfield Himalayan on Dirt and Gravel

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2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan on a gravel forest road.
Is this the preferred environment for my Himalayan?

Dirt and Gravel

There was a week of unseasonably warm weather that I watched slip by due to things more important than riding. Finally, on a sunny, warm afternoon, a few hours before sunset, I decided to take the Royal Enfield Himalayan on dirt and gravel in nearby Rothrock State Forest.

The motorcycle has proved to be everything I hoped it would be — comfortable, capable, and a joy to ride. It is the right machine for me to finally explore all the dirt and gravel roads that crisscross the forests and mountains from the Maryland border north to the New York border.

I’m going to ride on all of them.

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Two Motorcycles in the Cold

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Steve Williams standing with two motorcycles on a winter ride.
That moment when you say, “Holy shit, it’s cold.” (Photo by Paul Ruby)

Cold Comfort

There are moments on the road when you realize your estimations of the day are wrong. What’s true in the driveway has become false in another place. As I stood in the middle of the road atop the Allegheny Plateau, it was apparent that the balmy mid-40s temperatures promised at home in the valley were not to come true here. Paul had expressed doubts about riding far when we left, he doesn’t have the winter gear I do and I can only guess he rides in the cold through grit and determination where I lean more towards the comfort of a riding spacesuit.

But even in the spacesuit, I could tell it was cold. Maybe it was the wind blowing in my face when I raised the visor to talk. The two motorcycles in the cold were stopped there because I wanted to record a piece for my next installment on my YouTube channel.

By the time we finished, we decided to turn back toward the valley and the warmth of someplace to get a snack. That’s what happens when you ride motorcycles in the cold.

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1st Ride on My 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan

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Snow on the Himalayan tires.
What possessed me to ride when there was still snow around?

Common Sense (less)

Since buying the 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan a few weeks ago it has been sitting in the garage. Cold temperatures, snow , slush, salt, and grit have made it a terrible time to ride. I’ve been visiting the motorcycle in the garage, admiring it, acting like a kid at Christmas who got a new bicycle but can’t ride because of snow.

So despite my better judgment and some patches of snow, I went for a short ride around the neighborhood. Just a few miles. After just a mile or so I knew I would be washing off the salt when I got home.

Still, I was dying to ride.

The tires on the Himalayan look nice and aggressive. But are they good for snow?

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Installing GIVI Engine Guards on 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan

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Super sturdy GIVI engine guards

Three Bolts — How hard could it be?

I learned a few things today while installing a pair of GIVI Engine Guards on my shiny new, 2022 Royal Enfield Himalayan. First, I’m no mechanic. I may improve with practice, but whatever skills I had at 17 rebuilding car engines and transmissions has evaporated over the last 50 years. Second, patience brings its own rewards. There was a moment during the installation that I had a pair of side cutters in my hand and I was seriously contemplating cutting the rubber hose in half that ran from the brake reservoir to the master cylinder. And last, I was reminded of the power of asking for help. (It’s like asking for directions only better.)

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