JUNE 2022 RETROTOURS NEWSLETTER

My bikes are getting old (as am I). My wife says I have to sell some. I have a strong emotional attachment to many of these bikes which have served me well over the decades. Most of them have relatively high mileage. These are not trailer queens; they are bikes that can be and have been ridden. None of them are perfect. With 25 bikes in the garage, my goal has always been to keep them all operational and safe, if not perfect. Tires, brakes, lights, suspension, electrics are as good or better than when new. If a motor is using oil, we watch the oil level and add as needed, until consumption exceeds 1 quart in 500 miles, so long as the motor is running well otherwise. Eventually, of course, major overhaul is required, so at any given moment, one, two or three bikes might be out of commission.

Some of these bikes are kickstart only, which can be a problem for newer riders who have never kick started an engine. A Norton 750 is not necessarily the bike you want to learn kickstarting technique on.

Virtually all are carbureted. On a recent tour, a ‘newbie’ had difficulty starting the engine. On his modern fuel injected machine, there is no fuel petcock to switch on. The computer ‘turns on the choke’ and applies a small throttle opening as needed for start-up. He was quite clueless at first when required to do those things manually. I will say however, that he adapted quite well to right side shifting and even to race shift patterns: down-for-up. Apparently, being a new rider meant that left hand shifting, up-for-up, were not yet so ingrained into his muscle memory. Some very experienced riders have difficulty with alternate foot control locations.

So, my wife never said I couldn’t buy more bikes if I sell some of the current ones off. I suppose I should be considering electric start bikes, preferably with standard control layout. Then too, most of us who, as teenagers, lusted after “Big Twins of the 70’s” are in our own 70’s by now, and may find that long rides on old bikes are physically impractical. I do still get clients in their 70’s and even 80’s, but the ranks are thinning. Regarding my business model, one might say that the target market is aging out. What to do?

I have already started to update the fleet. There are now three and four cylinder bikes available, with several from the 1980’s. I plan to continue that trend: sell some off and buy in fresh blood. Maybe you would like to take over caring for one of these old-timers? With just one or two classic machines in your care, keeping up with mechanical needs would be simple. All the bikes have maintenance records, and of course, I never throw away anything, so some spares or ‘take-off’ parts would be included, as well as technical reference materials. Every one of the bikes can be ridden as is, though they all present opportunities for tinkering as well. I am quite realistic as to pricing. I don’t need to get top dollar, and I realize that a 50,000 mile example is not worth nearly as much as a 5,000 mile example. Feel free to get in touch if you would have an interest. BTW, I am not actively marketing any bikes elsewhere at this time. Also, I am willing to help with delivery.

In addition to updating the fleet, I am streamlining the scheduled tours to improve accessibility. Twelve day pilgrimages are a thing of the past, unless specifically requested. One and two day tours, maybe even half day tours will become more prevalent, with some 2, 3, and 4 day offerings still available. Everyone is just so busy, or maybe our attention spans have shrunk. Getting a half dozen riders to commit to a very long ride is just not happening these days, so let’s all enjoy shorter tours and smaller groups. And about those 350-400 mile days….I don’t think so. I promise to keep things light and enjoyable for everyone.

Remember too that custom tours are always available, tailored to your schedule and desires.

I think that one lasting effect of the Covid 19 pandemic is that we all get out less; socializing may be becoming a lost art. Old motorcycles on uncrowded twisty roads are awesome, but hanging out, adventuring, and maybe dealing with adversity with a small group of like-minded individuals just may be the best part of RetroTour-ing. 

                      
Sometimes we find ourselves in the middle of nowhere.
Sometimes, in the middle of nowhere, we find ourselves.