Two-Wheeler

I used to watch every episode of “American Chopper” that I could catch. After each episode, I dreamed of one day getting the chance to own one of their works.

I am by no means a gearhead. List down the specs of a car or a motorcycle and I will stare at you blankly. But show me a picture of what you’re trying to talk about and most likely you’ll get my attention. I’ve always been drawn primarily to design. If it’s sleek, I’d probably consider buying it even if the specs don’t amount to anything or even if gearheads give their thumbs down.

Lately, I’ve been thinking of buying a motorcycle. Or rather, dreaming of buying one.

My girlfriend and I almost bought our friend’s van which, considering its age, was relatively well-kept and was priced reasonably. We ended up not buying it, despite our earnest desire, because of a few reasons.

First, we were living in an apartment building and parking was sparse to non-existent. Sure, we can take the gamble and leave it parked in front of the apartment building and hope that nobody keys it.

Second, we reviewed our finances. On paper, we can afford to buy it. However, maintaining it was an entirely different thing. Because of its age, it is highly likely that we’ll have to fork out a sizeable fortune when one of its spare parts gets busted. Up to this point, the idea of buying a vehicle and maintaining does not really add up to our financial circumstances or goals. Sure, we can afford to get a decent secondhand car but we would rather use that money elsewhere.

Third, my girlfriend and I work from home and we only get out during the weekends. And if we do get out, we go out for groceries or to simply dine out. It is more convenient for us to simply get a cab.

Of course, these do not stop me from fantasizing about the prospect of buying a bike. I’ve been following a few Facebook pages related to cafe racers and I must say that if my decision to buy a bike was not without financial consequences, I would have bought a decent secondhand bike and had it modified.

Also, I’m deathly afraid of figuring in a road accident.

I’ve had a streak of being a daredevil when I was young. Nothing really unusual for a boy but I’m pretty sure that I made my mom’s and dad’s hearts skip a little every time I went out for my post-school bike rides.

But when my daughter was born, all that throwing caution in the wind was gone. I mean, I want to live long enough just so that I could bring my daughter to the altar when she eventually gets married.

Plus, I don’t think that I’m really cut out for riding any motor vehicle on any road. I’m a scatterbrain and often lose my focus when I’m outside that I have to be especially mindful of my surroundings.

Of course, all of these won’t stop me from scanning adverts for used bikes. A dude can still dream.