Follow Your Dreams!

Today, I'm turning my blog over to my husband, Ron Marshall.  He wrote this article last year, and I promised him I would post it in 2014, so I'm keeping my word.  I did a bit of critiquing, but most of this is in his own words. 

Seniors who are thinking of just kicking back and doing the daily thing of eating at home or out in restaurants, coming back and plunking back in their recliner and TV shows. Have any seniors ever given a thought about getting out in the fresh air and riding a motor scooter?

Well, now I know you think I have lost it, but let me tell you about me. I hadn't ridden a motorcycle since I was 16 yrs old and that was for a short period. Well in my third childhood I was thinking of buying one of those little Chinese motor scooters you see on the internet.

I was reading about them when I came across a scooter called Suzuki Burgman AN 400. The Burgman sounded better than one of those Chinese scooters so I started looking on the internet for one. I slid the thought past my wife, and she said in a lukewarm tone that it might be okay, but she was a little worried about a 77 year old fool like me wanting to ride a scooter at my age.

I started looking at a forum on the internet called Burgman Riders.Com. After reading their comments about the Chinese scooters versus the Suzuki Burgman AN 400 I became interested in buying one. My kids thought I was an old fool for even thinking about riding anything with two wheels. It was the motivation I needed to drive me to search around for a Burgman 400.

I found what I was looking for, a Suzuki Burgman AN 400 in south Kansas City at a motorcycle shop. I went out and looked at the 2008 scooter with just 287 miles on it, and I fell in love with it as soon as I laid eyes on it. The apple red color and size was just right for me.

 

Scooter, Ron bought.

 

Well you guessed it I went and bought the bike, and I was afraid to even ride it home, so I enlisted my brother-in-law to ride it home for me. I had it home for about two weeks before I got up enough nerve to ride it. With a little practice I got fairly good and finally allowed my wife to ride with me, and now I can't seem to keep my wife off the back of it. She loves to ride with me. I was searching around the Burgman loops for riders' my age and found that many over age of 60 and a lot more over age of 70+ riding them. One fellow told me that a man over in the U.K. age 95 still actively rides his Burgman AN 400.

Here's food for thought; if you ever had a passing thought about riding a motor scooter you might want to give it a try at your local scooter shop. If you don't like it then go back to the recliner that old people get into and watch those TV shows.

Frankly, I enjoy the fresh air and the looks and smiles at traffic lights that the wife and I get from other people when we stop.  It makes you feel like you are young again plus keeps your mind alert.

Well, we both know our age but you know it does give you vigor that one doesn't realize we still have until you try.  That is my story and I'm sticking to it.  In December I turned 78 and can't wait for spring to get here so we can go again on the scooter.

Photo of Ron on Burgman

 

Thank you, honey, for writing this blog.  Your words tell everyone it's never too late to follow your dream whether you want to travel, write, bike, or anything you have thought you would like to do. 

Have a wonderful week, and I'll see you next Sunday.

Sandra K. Marshall, author

http://www.skaymarshall.com