rubber_side_down: The Big Show

So I went to the motorcycle show Sunday, and bought myself a beautifully restored 1973 Norton Commando, and a 2009 50th anniversary Triumph Bonneville, along with a restored 1959 original, in matching colors.
Well, actually, I bought raffle tickets to win those bikes, but that’s the appeal of buying a ticket, right? You probably aren’t going to win, but it’s fun to think about until the drawing.
I’d post a picture or two, but I was on the road to San Mateo before I realized I had forgotten my camera. I took a couple of fuzzy shots with my cell phone, but I don’t think they would reproduce well.
The show was fun, lots of machinery to ogle, ATVs, watercraft and trucks as well as motorcycles and scooters. One surprise was the lack of presence by Harley-Davidson – I gather they had the demo fleet there, but it was raining, and there was very little on display inside.
They did have the XR1200, though, and that’s the one most people were curious about.
My son, a starving college student, liked the 250 dual-sports on display by the big four Japanese companies. Light, economical and relatively inexpensive, although he may have to graduate before he can afford one.
The Moto Guzzi V7 Classic was nice too – like the new Bonnevilles, a throwback to what motorcycles looked like when I became of age.
Both of us liked the new Suzuki TU 250 street bike, and were chagrined to see a “not available for sale in California” tag on it. A company representative assured us it would be available as soon as they get it certified for air emissions. It too has a retro look.
The Ducati pavilion was elbow-to-elbow, hard to even get close to the bikes. If they can translate that interest to sales, we should all buy stock.
The latest Land World Speed record holding bike was there, confirming once again that there are people insane enough to strap themselves into a two-wheeled aluminum tube with twin 900 horsepower motors behind them to go 360 miles per hour…average…on two runs on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Maybe that’s why I liked the little Suzuki. A little less intimidating than an 1,800 horsepower, 360 mph land-bound rocket ship.
One building was dedicated to scooters, and another to the history of the motorcycle, with lovely examples of BSAs, Triumphs, BMWs and Hondas, Kawasakis and Yamahas. I remember too many of them. Are they telling me I’m old, or am I just a classic?
The drawing for the Norton happens a day or two past my birthday – maybe that’s a good sign.