I ran across a thread on the Road Star Gallery about a rider with three kids, and one of them just moved out of the house.

He's always said that there will be plenty of time and space for a lot of fun when the kids move out, but then again, he's sad, worried, and perhaps also proud.

In our riding club, we have members with kids, and have had other members with kids. Quite often they can't go riding because they planned to spend the weekend with the family, or attend their son's baseball game, or watch their daughter in a parade, or something.

For the club, it's a difficulty, because we'd love to get these guys riding with us. But then again, you can't expect anyone to put a riding club over family obligations. Even though our club has a prospect period, where only the dedicated riders get patched, something happens to someone that changes all that, like a career change, or a divorce, or a chronic illness.

"When the kids move out, I'll have more time to ride".

"When the kids move out, I'll have money to buy that Harley".

"When the kids move out, I'm going to take a cross-country road trip".

How many times have we heard these statements?

And even when the kids move out, something unforseen happens that puts our dreams out of reach.

Labels: Family Life

Well, not my wife, but another guy's wife. That's what this guy told me today in the parking lot of a restaurant. His wife thinks he'll get killed on a motorcycle.

As my wife and I left a restaurant yesterday, I saw him crouched down behind my Yamaha Road Star, with his head cocked to one side, looking down the lines and curves of the bike.

He asked me if it was the Road Star 1100 or the Road Star 1700. I said, "Well, the 1100 is the V-Star. This is the 1700 Road Star."

"What year is it?" he asked.

"2004" I said.

He went on to tell me how much he wanted a motorcycle, but his wife was against it. She kept saying that he'll get killed on it.

I told him to just go get one. "If you buy one and bring it home, what's she gonna do?" He just kinda nodda and said, "Yeah, but it's not that easy."

He looked to be in his 50s, and told me that he had ridden motorcycles in his teen years, and just itched to get back on again. I suppose that's pretty much like most of us. I told him, "If you don't get one now, you never will."

This guy also said that he wanted something to commute back and forth to work, and something that will take him to Phoenix and back (to Southern California). I told him the V-Star 1100 will definitely do that, but my preference is the Road Star, particularly since that's what I've been riding.

"Yeah, the more I keep looking at bikes, the more my wife complains about it", he went on to say. I told him to just go with what you want. "It's not like you're cheating on her."

"If one day she came home with a $3,000 diamond ring, you'd probably throw a fit too. But you'd probably let her keep it knowing it made her happy."

"Just get the bike."

Labels: Family Life, Love of Riding, Stubborn Wives