GAINING AGE WITH THE DIGNITY OF EXPERIENCING LIFE . . . . I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED SEEING INANIMATE OBJECTS GROWING OLD AND SPORTING THE SCARS AND PATINA OF A LIFE WELL USED . . . . I RECKON THE VINTAGE BIKE THING IS A BIT LIKE BUYING SOMEONE ELSE'S COOL.

. . . . AND THAT'S COOL, I'VE DONE IT, I DID IT WITH THE SHOVEL AND I'VE DONE IT WITH T120's AND A T140, I'VE EVEN GOT THE SECOND HAND COOL OF A '68 HONDA SS125 DOWNSTAIRS IN THE GARAGE, I'VE HAD A '71 TORANA GTR, A 1970 FORD FAIRLANE, A '78 F-100 AND I STILL HAVE A '65 VALIANT AWAITING A REBIRTH . . . . BUT I ALSO POSSESS A 2010 'FORTY EIGHT' SKIRTSTER, YEP, EVEN THE NAME'S KINDA EMBARRASSING TO SAY TO MYSELF, BUT I KNEW IT WOULD BE AND WENT AHEAD AND GOT IT ALL THE SAME, AND NOW, COMING UP FOR THREE AND HALF YEARS OLD, THE PURPLE PENIS IS SHOWING ITS AGE, IT WAS ONLY EVER BRAND NEW FOR ONE DAY, NOW IT'S JUST ANOTHER USED BIKE.

THERE IS NO DISHONOUR IN OWNING A MODERN BIKE FROM NEW . . . . HOWEVER, THERE IS GREAT SHAME IN NEVER HAVING USED IT AS THE MAKER INTENDED, TO RIDE THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF IT, AND SERIOUSLY ENJOY DOING IT . . . . TO MAKE IT YOURS, TO IMPRINT YOUR SPIRIT INTO AND UPON IT, TO WEAR IT DOWN, WEAR IT OUT, REBUILD IT, REJUVENATE IT AND KEEP ON DOING IT . . . . THAT'S WHAT YOU DO TO A NEW BIKE TO MAKE IT AN OLD BIKE, AND ATTAIN THE 'COOL' THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.