Sentimental Motorcycle Parts

Yesterday (Saturday Nov. 22nd, 2014) was an interesting day.  I started off at 7am driving towards Minnesota in heavy fog.  My destination was to my friend Pat's shop for aluminum welding on some parts for a motorcycle engine I'm restoring.   As I look around the shop, I see all kinds of "sentimental motorcycle parts."  All my own bikes are made up of these parts.  Parts that people gave me, or sold to me at very reasonable rates because they like me and want me to have it.  They know I'll fix it, and run it on my bike.  No such motorcycle I own has more of these "sentimental parts" then my '52 Panhead Chopper.  As I'm driving back from Pat's . . . I get a phone text message.  It's from my friend Willard who remembers this day - as the day 32 years ago he lost his dear friend Stumpa, a lifetime brother - and fellow member of the Nuggets Motorcycle Club.  Stumpa was from Cambridge, Iowa - and was in his 20s when he passed away.  Long gone, but never forgotten.  The front wheel on my chopper was sold to me (on easy payments) from Willard.  It's Stumpa's old wheel from his chopper.  It has guided me over 5000 miles so far.  I run Willard's old custom risers, Willard's Bates headlight, Critter's old fork brace, DAs fender, Bromie's sissybar . . . it goes on and on.  All the parts have some kind of history.  It's really cool.  Go to almost any shop - and look around.  You will see sentimental parts.  They are usually cool, unique, old . . . and they draw your eye to them.  When the owner reaches up and takes this part off their wall and hands it to you - it's quite an honor.  I take it seriously.  I will use it, or give it back.

As I got back into town, I called Willard (who was in Charles City today) and we went out and visited Critter's gravesite, had a drink for Stumpa, had a drink for Critter, talked about life, talked about bikes and parts and engine building and racing and choppers and everything motorcycles.  The sun was setting as I went home.  The fog came rolling in again.  We've lived a lot of life the last 32 years.  Seen a lot of sunsets.  Sentimental motorcycle parts are an important part of friendship - and the preservation of history.  For without history, what legacy do we leave behind - What proof?  Just to let the next generation know, that we were here, we rode hard, we partied, we existed.  Their spirit lives on.