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o make matters worse, by and large, nobody likes trikes. Motorcycle guys think they are only for people who can’t handle a two-wheeler and car guys. Well, they just couldn’t care less. But at last, I’ve finally found one unlikely place where the bike seems to have gained acceptance, at the dump! This all speaks to the fact that, in most part, motorcycles are looked at as toys by those who don’t ride and are treated like toys by many who do ride. This “Toy” stigma is burned in so profoundly that people just don’t get that a motorcycle can have a job to do. They are only toys if you play with them. To me, motorcycles are “Transportation Tools.” Or, when traveling in the city make a sharp slice through gridlocked traffic, the term “Transportation Weapon” sometimes seems appropriate. Practicality and utility have been there
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June - July ‘21 - CYCLE SOURCE MAGAZINE
Article By: T. Everett Gracey from the start and remain. The fact that they are a “Fun Legal Addictive Stimulant” is just a byproduct. And one that I exploit to no end. Maybe now you’ve decided to ante up and try riding your bike to work more than one day a year. That’s great! I can tell you a few things
about it. I’ve found that it helps to have a bike that you like. Not a bike that you are in love with. My 69 Rigid Shovel served me faithfully for sixteen seasons as my commuter
vehicle. It went through sandstorms and flash floods, missed oil changes, and brake jobs. I even ran it until the tranny sprocket started shedding teeth. She never missed a beat. I got to feeling sorry for her. Loyalty should never be repaid with neglect. I know, I know, machines don’t have feelings: so maybe it won’t sound so cold-hearted when I say that I purposely sought out another bike with the full intention of not giving it love. I bought a workhorse, 1973 ElectraGlide, that has proven to be just as loyal as my Shovelhead. For some reason, it doesn’t bother me to run this one into the ground. It’s just a lot harder to bond with what started out as a banana brake, AMF, “Bowling Ball Bike.” What’s the best way to know your bike in its finest working order? While a lot could be said about regular maintenance and checkups, that’s not what I’m talking about. If you ride your bike every day, you’ll
