Well I'd been toying with the idea of buying a bike for a couple decades now, and finally this February I decided it was time to put up or get off the pot, so to speak. I'd had a vague idea of something Italian and fast, but I'm the type to ride it like it's meant to be, so I realized I'd probably end up as a squishy spot on the road. So when I walked into the dealer that I have to pass every day on the way to work, I knew 3 things; 1) no Harleys (didn't want the image), 2) no crotchrockets, 3) nothing Japanese. Dad rode a BMW and a Husquvarna back in his misspent youth, so that's where I started in my thought process. Husky only makes dirtbikes so that was out, so off to the BMW place. Great bikes, but none of them said "hey buy me". However, that same dealer happened to have a couple Bonnevilles, a Speedmaster, and an America. The Bonnie grabbed the Steve McQueen fan in me (yeah I bought a Mustang with my Iraq money too), so I started seriously pondering Triumphs. Looked at Victory, went blah. Even got dragged by my coworker to the dark side and actually kind of liked the Springer. But that America was sitting there quietly calling my name. I thought about the Speedie - cause I like fast things - but that America just gave off that "cool guy" look, and sitting on it was like that favorite recliner or an old pair of cowboy boots. And how can an Army guy not get a bike that says "America" on the side?
The funny part is that a big reason for me getting a bike was an old photo of my dad in his twenties with his bike and a motorcycle jacket, easily pulling off a Brando thing. Didn't know til after I'd bought a Triumph that Brando rode one. Add to it that Dad's favorite movie was "The Great Escape". There's a symmetry to it somehow.
