Motorcycle Character

A couple weeks ago marked the two year anniversary of my purchase of a new motorcycle. My bike is a Ducati Monster 821. Overall, I'm thrilled with this bike. It's surprisingly comfortable to ride, really fast (possibly too fast), and hasn't had a single mechanical issue.

 

I'm definitely happy with my decision to get it. However, when I look back at photos of my old bikes, I find myself missing them. These weren't as technologically advanced and didn't come even close to having the performance that the new one has. With that being said, the thing these bikes had was character. The scrapes, scratches, and dents all told a story of the history of the motorcycles.

 

The imperfections of these motorcycles used to embarrass me a bit, but now I remember them with fondness. I can remember when I rode my old Ducati to South Dakota and the cheap tank bag I was using scratched the paint. I also recall when I was replacing the battery in my Harley and acid dropped on the mufflers and removed the chrome. These defects were what gave the bikes character.

 

So, don't fix every scratch or ding in your bike. Embrace them! Obviously, if damage is sufficient enough to compromise the performance or safety you should fix it, but otherwise enjoy the imperfections. After writing this I'm definitely looking forward to adding some character to my new bike. Don't worry, I won't be doing anything crazy like deliberately scraping it, but I also will not go entirely out of my way to keep it pristine.

 

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it." - Heywood Broun