Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Is The Seven Year Itch At Play?

As we all slow down, with changing priorities and with a greater affinity for creature comforts than in our youth, often more financially affluent and astute now, backed by and had a life of experience and we slowly start to realise there are far more years behind us than ahead of us and its almost imperceptive but the glass switches from half full to half empty.............and we are looking to find things to fill the half empty glass with much more time on our hands to occupy ourselves with .

I've always had Harleys in my life, even if I never used them for periods of time, they stay in the garage waiting for that moment they fulfilled that need, just having them there to look at, was sometimes more than enough. Then 12 years ago, my knees went and with it my Harley riding days, having always ridden two up, they were just too heavy. Sue encourage me to keep them and ride solo, but it wasn't the same without her riding pillion.

Living so close to the sea, the salt air destroys everything, no matter what you do, so slowly I released the bikes the last to go was my Gray Ghost Fatboy, my favourite riding bike of all time. For a time I missed them, I would always scan the ads for another Harley but never bite the bullet, now they are just fond memories that will stay with me forever.

I was chatting with an old Harley friend I've known over 30 years, he's a just bit older than me, still has his Fatboy, but now after 3 unsuccessful knee and leg operations, is walking on crutches when he's not wheel chair bound. I count my blessings.

Sometimes its nice to keep a token of past moments and good times, be it a Ferrari, Porsche, Morgan or a Harley, to keep alive those moments, to try and perhaps rekindle them but most likely to kid ourselves we still are what we were back then. I've become a little more pragmatic, as long as I can drive a reliable car which gives me the 'open' air motoring I've always enjoyed since my youth, then I'm increasingly less fussed what form it takes. I'm creating some new memories whilst I can and sharing them with the ones that really matter to me. So as long as its an automatic, I less bothered as to what make of car it is, as looking like an silly arse (to others) driving roof down in rain or snow, is much less of an inconvenience these days when you have creature comforts like heated seats, airscarf and a bloody good heater to make it much easier on yourself these days . The spirit may not be as young, but its still as willing to have some good old fashioned fun.