September is a time in the rest of the country where most bikers start noticing that first chill in the air that means the riding season is getting shorter and shorter. A lot of people decide that this may be their last time riding or that they are ready to upgrade. September I was in the market!

If you’re still reading this you may be like me, you like an old bike A bike with some history, some funk and a little motorcycle mojo. I had just sold my previous bike, a 2008 Zap! That The electric wonder bike, and was looking for something new to play with when I decided to open up e-bay. For this purpose, e-bay remains to be a great site because it contains all the things dreams, and sometimes nightmares too, are made of.

That day, I decided to entertain a bit of nostalgia and check out something from the 80s. The first thing on the list was what I like to think of as how the future looked to people at the time, a maroon ’86 Honda Helix! It had the appearance of being designed during a NASA engineer’s fever dream. Visions of Don Johnson, skinny ties, synthesizers, big hair, style and excess! In other words, it was perfect!

(I know, I know, it isn’t a Helix. I just wanted a cool picture of Miles Davis)

Okay…reality was a little different. The bike was on it’s second engine, it had 15,000 miles, scratched paint, rust on the wheels and a ripped seat but it started on the first try and runs like a charm!

Here’s the pic of how I first saw the bike that I would later name Yuki

Part of the reason that people like old bikes is that when you get one that isn’t perfect, it is very much like having a blank slate to work with. It isn’t perfect so you don’t have any fear of whatever you decide to to with it. It’s going to look better. It will drive better. It will slowly become your projection or reflection of what you want the world to see about you as a rider…. or it will become a clown bike… whatever, it doesn’t matter as long as you like it.

Stay tuned. I plan on updating you on sources I’ve had me of the adventures, updates and upgrades I’ve done since that time

Stay tuned and see you soon!