Riding My Wife For a Harley!

Finally... but it took years!

After I graduated H.S., I purchased a new Kawasaki S2-350-3cyl. I drove it from Ilinois to Colorado Springs and back just before joining the Navy in 1973. When I first arrived in Guam in 1974, I purchase a new Kawasaki F9-350, and mastered the island with it - on and off road! When I arrived on Guam the second time in 1978, I knew I had to have a bike so I bought two: A older Yamaha 100, just to play in the dirt with and a '74 Honda 750-4cyl, which I drove almost daily to work and back. Shortly after moving to the Philippines in 1983, I again bought a new bike - a Honda Magna 700. Then I met my wife and didn't buy another bike for 27 years!

During those 27 years, we worked our way towards retirement, with nary two wheels to show. Then after we retired and moved to the Philippines in 2013, a motorcycle became a necessity... so now it was okay to buy one! A Honda Supremo 150 and oh wow!... how excited I got about the idea of having only two wheels under me again! We used that bike for our transportation needs for about a year until we purchased a car. She took the car and I kept the bike for my own adventure! We left the Philippines for Guam in 2017 and I've since bought a new Honda Click 160 for the Philippines. And it stays covered up while we are gone.

When I first proposed buying a Harley Davidson to my wife, it's an understatement to say that she did not look pleased. It's the kind of look that most men know all to well, and they know to just turn and walk away (well, the smart ones do anyway). Over the years, it's almost become a moot point trying to get her to even have a conversation about buying one. Then one day she surprises me with "If you kill yourself, I'll never talk to you again." She even went as far saying she wouldn't even attend my funeral! All of a sudden, I knew this was an approval... disquised as a "mean-tempered" affirmation! The answer I'd been waiting years to hear was delivered to me as a threat... but hey, at least I finally got my answer! The caveat... I just have to stay alive so she'll talk to me.

She knows all too well I've been riding bikes most of my life and she finally gave in to me buying a Harley. But I did have to promise to take her to Thailand to buy her some gold. So I got my ride, and she got her gold, and I think it was a good trade off. After all, it wasn't just jewelry she got... it was a diversified investment. Me... I just just got a new toy!

Now she wants a new seat!

One Month Later

On the day of our anniversary I asked Teri if she wanted to go out for lunch, then quietly mumbled "...on the Harley." She skeptically replied "Where?" and just by the curious tone of her voice I could sense that she really wanted a ride. Though, I think I just presented her with the opportunity to break out and wear her leather jacket that has been hanging in the closet the entire time we've been on Guam. Oh, and her leather boots as well. If I knew that a little gold and leather is all it took to get her on board, I would have pushed the Harley idea harder when gold was cheaper!

After we finished our ride that day, she later suggested that I should upgrade the back seat for a more comfortable ride. The planets could all be aligned... or something, but I just think it's the leather. 🤗