The Pleasure of Enforced Slowness
A vintage bike, like my 1974 Honda CB750, almost makes me feel skilled. I?m not quite at the edge of its performance envelope?but I can see it from here. The CB’s 1974 state-of-the-art powerplant churned out a fearsome?67 horsepower. Hey, it?s all relative! Photos by the author.
Lately I have been spending a lot of time on my 1974 Honda CB750. I enjoy the sit-up-and-grin riding position, the languid feel of the bike and the visceral growl of those four pipes?the world?s first true superbike.
But there?s another reason the old CB is so enjoyable: it never laughs at me. When riding the ancient four, there is nothing about it that says, ?Go faster, you wimp. Lean farther. Accelerate harder.?
Mostly, this is because it can?t do any of those things?at least with me on it. The fact is, the CB offers the singular pleasure of enforced slowness. There are no challenges to my supposed manhood. I go slow. I look around. I am happy. I think most classic bike riders, and many cruiser enthusiasts, appreciate their machines for the same reason. When it comes to riding prowess, we are collective underachievers. Things like an 8,000-rpm rev limit, slapping cam chains, skinny tires and a spark-throwing centerstand have a way of tempering one?s exuberance. Kind of like a longtime friend who keeps you from doing the tequila shots before you end up with a lampshade on your head, doing karaoke or in jail. It?s for your own good.
Hey, we all like to ride on the edge of our envelopes. It?s ...
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