deacon
minor bike philosopher
Somebody needs to say it. Since it sounds pompous and arrogant. that makes me the one to do it. There are certain Zen moments with the China girl bikes. I would think a quality 4 stroke engine would be a lot like riding in your car. You get in, turn the key, and off you go. Yeah you get the wind in your hair, but it's still just a hunk of metal between your legs. Yes I have ridden motorcycles and loved them every one.
The China girl bike is different it is the thing cults are made of. It's like the first thousand owners of VW in America. They got a weird kind of respect, mixed with a lot of why the **** would anyone drive one of those toys. Every part of owning a China girl bike is a religious moment for me at least. I am alone with the bike when I tighten the motor mounts and I'm praying the studs don't twist out on me. When I ride her down my drive for the first time to crank it, I'm praying it will start, every time.
When she does start, I make a joyful noise, if not openly then at least I hear it in my head. As I roar off in a cloud of grey smoke, I do not think of Al Gore and the planet, I think for a few minutes, I don't have a care in the world. I'm off for adventure, even if the adventure winds up with me pushing the bike home and cursing it. At that kind of moment I am reminded of Jobe and I wonder if the gods didn't send the China girl to test me. To see if I am worthy of moving on the the next plane of existence. No the next plane of existence is not a four stroke honda engine or it's clone.
I am like Pablo, I like to do the premix. It's all part of the experience for me. When my fuel filter in the tank clogged, I was in the parking lot of a service station. I thought I was out of gas, I didn't curse my luck. I wondered if they sold 2 stroke oil, and if not how I would transport the other 31oz home.
So there is a zen moment or two with the China girl. Oh yes, I leave you with this thought, It is the one I had after she threw the chain and broke most of the spokes in my rear wheel. I sure as heck hope it is a China girl not a China guy bike cause I have just been screwed.
The China girl bike is different it is the thing cults are made of. It's like the first thousand owners of VW in America. They got a weird kind of respect, mixed with a lot of why the **** would anyone drive one of those toys. Every part of owning a China girl bike is a religious moment for me at least. I am alone with the bike when I tighten the motor mounts and I'm praying the studs don't twist out on me. When I ride her down my drive for the first time to crank it, I'm praying it will start, every time.
When she does start, I make a joyful noise, if not openly then at least I hear it in my head. As I roar off in a cloud of grey smoke, I do not think of Al Gore and the planet, I think for a few minutes, I don't have a care in the world. I'm off for adventure, even if the adventure winds up with me pushing the bike home and cursing it. At that kind of moment I am reminded of Jobe and I wonder if the gods didn't send the China girl to test me. To see if I am worthy of moving on the the next plane of existence. No the next plane of existence is not a four stroke honda engine or it's clone.
I am like Pablo, I like to do the premix. It's all part of the experience for me. When my fuel filter in the tank clogged, I was in the parking lot of a service station. I thought I was out of gas, I didn't curse my luck. I wondered if they sold 2 stroke oil, and if not how I would transport the other 31oz home.
So there is a zen moment or two with the China girl. Oh yes, I leave you with this thought, It is the one I had after she threw the chain and broke most of the spokes in my rear wheel. I sure as heck hope it is a China girl not a China guy bike cause I have just been screwed.
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maybe I have been reading it too much...
