moto musings

How did I start into the world of motobiking?
Well, actually the interest was sparked by my late father. He loved motorcycles. As told by my uncle, my father got his first big bike at the age of 16 courtesy of my grand father. The rest of his brothers at one time or another rode a motorcycle but he was the only one who preferred big and powerful bike, a Triumph Thunderbird,650cc British made twin. It was in the 50s. He rode the bike everywhere during his youth right into adulthood before he met and married my mother. He rode the bike as his main mode of transport came rain or shine. When I was about 3 years old, he had a road accident and broke his leg. The broken leg took six month to heal. The available medical technologies of the 60s was not able to correct his injuries properly. He ended up with one leg shorter than the other. His condition did not allow him to ride big and heavy bikes anymore. The bike was sold and he bought himself smaller Japanese motorcycle,a Honda C201. He rode that little bike until I was big enough to have a go on it. He taught me how to ride on that little bike on my 7th birthday. That memorable moment got me hooked on motorcycle to this day.
I did not realize that he still got the urge to ride big bikes and kept it to himself for years until one day....
After finishing college, I was working and staying in another town 120 km away. I was not able to afford a big bike then and I was only 19. I rode a 250 but had a friend who had a brand new 1100. I wanted to test his machine and decided to ride the bike to my parents home. With his permission, I rode the bike home one weekend to have lunch with my family. Reaching home, I parked the bike and went upstairs. My father was curious and was checking the bike, all the works. He came upstairs and was asking questions like how many cylinders? how many CCs but did not ask how fast or how heavy?. He dropped the bomb!could he had a go on it?.He took the bike for a short spin and came back smiling.....that was 32 years ago.
May Allah bless him.