Can I Sit On It?
Can I sit on it?
Last week the job required that I visit some of the local courthouses and inspect some state owned equipment. The most interesting courthouse was the one for Desha County, Arkansas, which is Arkansas City. Arkansas City is located on a spit of land (Choctaw Island) surrounded by the Mississippi River.
There is a truckload of history in this little town. Arkansas City was a major river port for the Mississippi after the Civil War. Nearby, in the middle of the Mississippi, was the town of Napoleon, which was a major river port before the Civil War. This is also the location of where the Choctaw Nation crossed the Mississippi River in 1830-32 on their way to present day eastern Oklahoma. Col. Warton Rector, Paymaster 2nd Cavalry, was in command of that operation.
I arrive in Arkansas City aboard the Interprize, this is my 2005 Silver VFR800A model named Interceptor. The town of about 200 souls appeared to be deserted. I pulled into the parking lot and as I was taking off my helmet, some children ran up to me. I counted seven kids all below the age of ten some where white, some were black and some were of Chinese decent. (There is a complicated story concerning the immigration pattern for Southeast Arkansas.)
These kids were gushing over the bike, they asked the usual questions of what kind is it, how fast does it go, and every answer was replied with the exclamation of 'Sweet!' One small boy asked to sit on it and I picked him up and let him sit on it. As you can imagine, he was saying vroom, vroom while leaning forward and twisting the throttle. The other children were saying 'Me too, Me too'. Everyone got a turn and the crowd grew as folks leaving the courthouse stopped by to see the 'purty motorcycle'.
I then got into a conversation with another gentleman about my age about his Goldwing (GL1100) that he has been riding for over twenty years. The next thing I know there is a tall lanky teenager sitting on the Interprize and he has the sidestand up. As the old guy with the John Deer baseball cap talks about his Goldwing, I carefully watch the teenager and double check the key to the Interprize in my pants pocket. Suddenly, I am uncomfortable with people sitting on my bike. I am not sure why.
I start telling folks that I need to go inside and get to work. Soon, everyone is moving on and wishing me a good day. I take care of business and move on to the next county. I had fun and was paid mileage too.
Later in the week I take my 1990 CBR1000F to work. After lunch, one of our secretaries informs me that her fiancé had been sitting on the CBR, making vroom, vroom noises and saying, "I have to get one of these."
I have to admit that I felt a twinge of frustration /resentment about this young man sitting on my bike without permission. I do not mind little kids sitting on the bike if I am there but I do not like 'grown ups' sitting on my bike without permission.
I suppose the general public thinks that is unreasonable but, I have concerns that the bike will be tipped over or worse that the poser will be hurt. Those of us who ride understand this, I think.
A little over a decade ago while in Saudi Arabia waiting on a war to start, a TV reporter used my bunk to interview a girl without permission. I really felt violated and I raised holy hell about it. The reporter and especially the cameraman thought I was being unreasonable. However, there is a long-standing tradition in the Army that you never sit on another persons bunk without permission.
That is how I feel about my bikes.
Robert Bashaw
www.RideHSTA.Com
LoweST Arkansas
CBR1000F
ST1100A2 STovokor
VFR800A5 Interprize
Sport Touring Calendar = http://www.lulu.com/content/1901567
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