Season Clauss, Blah Blah Blah Motorcycles

Motorcycles have been a part of my family for a long time as evidenced by my brother perched upon our dad’s bike back in the early 70s. However, I didn’t encounter motorcycles until my mom had an opportunity to ride an old Harley in the early 80s on a friend’s land in central Michigan. I remember being put on the back of a dirt bike and being ridden around as our friend drove the dirt roads of Evart. 

Growing up over the years, I heard numerous stories of my dad and his brothers riding motorcycles. I learned that my dad stopped riding after an accident on one of his bikes in which he and my brother, then quite young, were thrown off. I’d stop too! Though this might explain some of my brother’s behavior now! My brother picked up the gauntlet later in life and even raced. I had great fun, coupled with great worry, going to the track to see his events. 

It took turning 30 and facing the end of a long relationship to open myself up to the idea of becoming a motorcyclist. I didn’t know me as an adult, I only knew me+someone as an adult, and I decided that I needed to stop being scared of what I wanted and give myself permission to take control. So I took my motorcycle safety course in Vermont and bought my first bike, the sweet silver blue Suzuki GZ250. My adventures on her took me around Vermont and then to Colorado. I sold her when I decided to move overseas to Vietnam, opening a whole new chapter of motobike riding. 

I landed in Vietnam, my home for the next 5 out of 6 years, and I saw what was simply called a ’67. This was in reference to a specific year of production for Honda’s S90, or Super Sport 90. I fell in love with the simplicity and general coolness of the bike. It took 5 years of living in SE Asia before I had a chance to buy my own off my friend. I rode that slight and speedy bike for a year! Unfortunately, there was no way I could bring that bike home with me as the numbers had been scrubbed off the frame and couldn’t be matched with any title. 

I returned home to the States bike-less and with no idea that I’d get so involved with essentially the same bike. However, one year after being in the States, I had my own 1967 Honda S90, a rebuild project because of meeting this guy named Fred. He has such insight into bikes and at these early stages, my eyes would begin to glaze over and all I would hear is blah blah blah motorcycles. 

Since then, I’ve acquired a more reliable bike, a ‘21 Himalayan, and the ability to blah blah blah motorcycles with a bit more skill.