Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms end of any era?

Was into m/cycles long before I could reach the ground while seated on one, our family history includes the occasional m/cyclist, jeez even my aunt had one in the fifties...I held off as long as I could but by age fourteen an old 350 Matchless grabbed my heart and taught me the ways of the world up in the woods.. (-:

Never ever liked fairings on bikes, the IOM was a twice a year vigil as was mechanical involvement with a race mad pal so we toured the Scottish circuits for a while with a variety of machines. In time motoring took over as a necessity, for work as well as a growing interest. In my fifties I became a born again biker, my pal was a Honda Dealer, and the 750 VFR seemed to have potential to be a licence shredder, that, the fairing, and being bent over the tank somewhat caused me to look elsewhere, at the time the BMW R850R was relatively new to market and legendary BMW quality fitted my ideals, the almost straight up seating position helped by handlebar height that suited my old and much abused back sealed the deal.. I thought it best to refresh my biking skills and joined in with the IAM ride outs, I also red the Police m/cyclists handbook, hoping to offset being old and slow.. Other than in the company of the IAM guys, I much preferred to ride solo, for as has been expressed by others in company, the race is ON... Must be some sort of instinct that rises up on occasion and can be rather too dangerous...? On my favourite roads I would oft times be blown into the weeds by other m/cyclists doing crazy speeds, and when the roads became twisty I would on occasion pass them on the bends, all very satisfying, so it seems a degree of youthFOOLness still existed within me...Duh!

On a hot day cruising the lanes wrapped up in helmet and leathers is not quite the same as in shirt sleeves enjoying the same roads in a Morgan....one has to be "progressing" somewhat on a m/cycle to enjoy the experience, not breaking the speed limits, but progressing none the less and having thrown my Beemer down the road a couple of times in snow etc, yeah, the Morgan was indeed the more sensible option for an old duffer...

Harley..? Well yes I liked the history and the aura around the marque, but I had the option to ride a 850 shovelhead sportster with twin disc brakes that were less effective than the drum brakes on the old BSA 350 B40 I was running at the time, and on the same day I rode the sportster I had a short run on my pals 650 oil in frame Triumph twin, by comparison it seems simple to see why Triumph did so well in the US for so many years. For sure the Sportster felt like it could rip a tree trunk out of the ground BUT..!!!

Such is the effect of time that even my Morgan era may be near it`s end...sigh!