THE GOOD LIFE

Last night I got to thinking how great it is to ride around on the CB450. I simply roll her out of the garage, fire her up and away we go, together, on a little adventure. It could be a short trip to the Barn on a Sunday or a ride over to Devil's Bridge or a full day out touring around the North Yorkshire beauty spots. It's all good!

I know, you could perhaps say this about any bike, but there's something about this old classic that's much more appealing than some of the (many) newer bikes I've had. This bike isn't exhilaratingly fast and it doesn't do stoppies and it doesn't handle like a race bike, but it does put a smile on your face and allows you to enjoy the scenery which you're riding through. It's like stepping back in time a little. Perhaps this feeling is something that just happens to old duffers like me.

Last week was a glorious one for weather and it was so nice to pull up in the centre of Grassington and have a pub lunch outside with the sun streaming down from the skies, while passers-by poured over the 450 admiring her stunning looks and recalling their distant memories of owning one or wanting one. "Is that yours? It's stunning! My dad used to have one similar to it".  "That's  the first time I've ever seen a K1 in the flesh. Beautiful!". Etc, etc, etc.

Apart from the pleasures of riding such a beauty, it's also nice to know that the fun doesn't stop when you get home. Roll her into the garage, give her a bit of a checkover, an adjustment here and there, get the old Solvol Autosol out and make her gleam again, ready for the next ride. It's a partnership - you look after her and she'll look after you.

If I leave the bike parked at the front of my house while I'm working on the CB250 in the garage, people stop in their cars outside, peep their horn, point to the 450 and give me the thumbs up. It's amazing how much this bike stands out and how much people admire it. LOL
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