Thoughts on young bikers 4th August 2009

I Was sitting on my bike minding my own business looking at the sea this morning when , with a screechy whine , some youth on a sports bike pulls up alongside and immediately starts telling me that I need a new bike like his repulsive yellow pseudo racing bike instead of my big comfortable cruiser. He tells me that his is faster ( 150 mph ) and handles better and has carbon brakes and a lightweight carbon fibre body. I point out that mine does 80 if I really push it but prefers to be kept around the 55 mark. Mine has a lot more comfortable ride position than his hunched over back breaker. Mine has twin disc brakes on the front that stop it eventually and a back brake that sometimes works. But most importantly mine is 27 years old and passes it's mot test every year with no problems. I couldn't help but wonder where his piece of carbon fibre and alloy would be in 27 years- cola cans most likely. At this moment two quite attractive young ladies came up and expressed an interest in my bike and it's history and comented on how well it looked. At this my young aquaintance thrust his bright yellow leather clad leg down and shot off with a squeel of rubber. One of the young ladies looked after him for a moment and then uttered a phrase most descriptive. " what a dickhead! ".
We must remember that as bikers we ride alone on our own choice of machine. We pick a bike that is comfortable and which we enjoy. Some find the need for speed is their main concern and are quite welcome to ride their racing bikes ( which can do 150mph in a country where the legal max speed is 70mph ) whilst others such as myself prefer a large cruiser that is comfortable to ride over long distances. Some ride in leathers that match the colours of their bike or their favourite racing team whilst I ride in jeans and a leather vest in sunshine or an old fringed leather biker jacket if it's cooler. It's all a matter of personal choice and I don't expect others to ride the same as me or to expect me to ride the same as them.
Next time spare a thought young man ( who oddly enough wasn't even as old as my bike ) for the fact that in thirty years or so when you are as old as me you too might prefer the comfort of a big old cruiser that doesn't bend you over double with your knees tucked under your chin ( I doubt that I could physically acheive that position if I wanted too anyway ) and that really you don't need advice from someone who has only been riding on the road for a few years and who hasn't yet learned that individuality is the hallmark of a true biker not conforming to the herd.