My first ex-wife (may she rest in piece) could not careless about what I did. She didn't even know, or care what I did in the Navy, let alone what I did when home. That is part of the equation of why she became my ex.
I traded her for a newer model that not only cared about what I did, but wanted to become me; she took flying lessons and became a medic for example. However, our taste in motorcycles were not in alignment. I generally rode dirt bikes then (she thought of these as little boy toys and not fitting a grown man), and cruisers/standards; i.e. Magnas, CBs and Viragos... She wanted me to get a 1000cc sport bike of some sort, primarily a CBR (One of her ex-boyfriends rode one and she often tells the tales of her riding on the back with just shorts and a helmet). After about 15 years together, I bought my very first "New" bike, a 2006 VMAX. This was my 26th machine over the years. She called it an 'old man' bike just like all the others. I could not convince her what a muscle bike is.
A year later, I bought her an EX500. She wanted a Ducati as they are the best sport bike now and since she is of Italian descent, it just makes sense. I said, let's get you a reliable, less expensive bike to learn on. She agreed, after all the little Ninja is 'sport bike'. (I didn't have the nerve to tell her it wasn't, that it is a standard with fairings.
Well, as time go on, she decided to become my second ex-wife.
Enter my Pretty Pillion of the last 11 years, (our anniversary was the 25th). We met after I had totaled the VMAX back in Colorado. She listened to my many tales of two-wheels and told me she was terrified of them stemming from falling off the back of one in the Philippines as a teenager. However, as I am a traveling story teller, I was able to change her mind about these machines. She went with me to buy Bike #27, a 2002 FZ-1. I called this bike "Blue" and it was my rehabilitation bike after the VMAX crash. Pretty Pillion eventually accepted a ride around the block at slow speed. The next day, she rode pillion to get ice-cream three miles away. The next weekend, she rode with me while I ran a route through the mountains before leading a group the following day. She was amazed at how much more she saw from the back of Blue than when she was in a cage. The next day on the group ride, she had became so comfortable on my bike that she started falling asleep back there.
A year or so later, I met Bambi on a wooded curve here in Virginia and totaled Blue. Two years go by and I am finally able to buy bike #28, my second brand new machine, a 2014 Triumph Rocket III Touring (Brahma). Pretty Pillion really liked riding on the back of this bike. We rode several day long trips with much merriment. Then a long group ride from the Pentagon to MCY ruined her for a few years. This was the 911 ride to remember the fallen from the attack. It was hot and slow, she was unamused.
A friend gave me an '81 XS650 that was rusted from 2 decades of sitting in the elements. She named it "Rusty" and said she would help me restore it. She even went so far as to say that rebuilding the carbs looked easy. Well, Rusty didn't work out for me and was let go. A cousin in Texas gave me his 2006 Stratoliner with 117K miles on it; he was getting too weak to hold it up. On my first ride with Pretty Pillion up to Gettysburg for lunch with a forum member, she let me know that scrapping floorboards on roundabout curve was unacceptable and that I will never do that again.
She went with me to buy Buzzy, my daily ride 1982 XS650 and thinks it is a cool looking bike. Reminds her of the machines back in the Philippines.
Pretty Pillion has removed snow from the bikes in winter, and helped me do some maintenance on the bikes when I need an extra hand. She has bought me new gear as presents for birthday's and Christmas. She even provided motorcycle ornaments for the Christmas tree. Just yesterday she gave me another small motorcycle figurine. Sitting at my work desk right now, I see five scale models of bikes she has given me. She does indeed support my habit of riding and tinkering, even though she doesn't understand why three motorcycles are not enough to own. She is satisfied though when I say I only need one Pillion rider...
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