Kids stuff
I'll talk about instinct and motorcycling at a later date, but will describe
an incident which hints at the point. Rob Watson, head Honda Riders Club of
Australia (HRCA) bloke, hauled me in as the anchor man for a tug-of-war at the
recent 50th anniversary rally for the marque.
Instinct said use the left leg as a prop, while the brain said the right leg
was stronger. Following the brain's advice, I heard a whipcrack from mid-leg,
and limped away. I've been in pain ever since, and will follow instinct from
here on.
One of the ironies is that when someone sees me limping, they assume it's a
bike injury. In a way it is, but I delight in pointing out that there wasn't
a motorcycle in sight when it happened.
Twisted legs aside, there have been a couple of events recently which have acted
as a reminder of how damn lucky we are to be involved in this motorcycle thing.
The first was the Hinckley Triumph rally at Mt Beauty. For that gig we scored
a Triumph Oz T509 special with polished wheels, big pipe, and a T595 powerplant
– a predecessor to the current Speed Trip. Narelle Sharp, the ever-courageous
assistant on AMCN, Motorcycle Trader mag and Rider, hopped on the pillion seat
for the adventure.
Two people, luggage, on a Trip? Somehow it worked, mainly because the bike was
well sorted and we packed light. A tankbag for me and backpack for Ms N (who
apparently has nerves of steel).
I used to work for Triumph, but that aside you have to admire the ability of
the marque to haul in 450 people (staff and dealers included) from a relatively
new and very dedicated customer base. This was the best event of the series
– a credit to the folk who run it.
A few weeks later it was off to the 50th anniversary Honda rally at Jindabyne.
An exceptionally well-run gig with around 350 people on hand, it stuffed my
leg and opened a another door to the adventure that is motorcycling.
My partner for this trip was Althea, the younger of my daughters, and the bike
was Shaun the ST. Ms A is a very capable bike rider, aged 11.
The 'another' door was travelling with a person who happens to be my kid. If
you'd suggested the idea to me 15 years ago, I would have laughed. But having
travelled with both my daughters on motorcycles, I can say the experience is
enriching.
Funny thing is that, as someone who is paid to write, I'm struggling with an
explanation. The best I can do is that it's a combination of gut feeling and
seeing what I do for a living through fresh eyes.
The gut feeling part is potentially painful. As you hoot through a corner you
have to remember the life on the back seat, clinging on with growing hands,
trusting you implicitly. Assuming the parent/child relationship might last 50
years or more, you can not break that trust.
Which doesn't mean you have to ride slow – far from it. You do have to
ride smooth, and smart.
As for the fresh eyes, what better joy could you have than see the excitement
of a kid let loose at a well-organised motorcycle rally? It was good to see
Althea stroll up to Honda staffers and pinch their XR70 for one of the gymkhana
events.
It's long been my, and spouse Ms M's, belief that good motorcycle rallies are
by far the safest place to cut your offspring loose. Harley Owner Group (HOG)
rallies are a perfect example. There always seems to be a pack of urchins running
around, and anyone resembling an adult apparently has the authority to tick
them off when they're about to hurt themselves, someone else, or a bike.
It happens elsewhere, with the King River Rally, run by a Christian motorcycle
group, springing to mind.
If you're curious, there are some secrets to travelling long miles with a kid
on board. Ms A and I clocked up near enough to 700km each way, which is a big
ask for someone that young.
Tip one is to travel with someone else with a kid of the same age. I had the
good fortune of having John Crans and daughter Elizabeth along for company –
I met John through a radio show I did years ago.
Tip two is to stop regularly. If your butt is getting tired, imagine how the
passenger feels with no handlebars to play with. About 150km in good conditions
is the max. Regular stops is a quicker way to travel with a young 'un on board.
Tip three is to plan an ice-cream or chocolate stop for mid-afternoon. A sugar
hit is useful to keep everyone awake, and a handy reward when the "Will
we ever get there?" syndrome sets in.
Happy travelling, and take your kids along...
Guy "Guido" Allen
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