For the past few years it’s been my mindset that around now would be the time that I begin a new personal endeavor. My daughter turns seven in a couple months and shortly after that will enter the second grade. She is entering a phase of life where intensive attention and engagement are no longer required. I have seen her through the early years of her development and have given her the skills and maturity to handle greater autonomy and responsibility. This now leaves me with some time and energy to dedicate to something new, something to build our future with.
Last month I purchased a ’79 Honda CB 750 K. The previous owner had removed the original airbox, replacing it with bulb filters, and chopped the exhaust off at the foot pegs without doing any work on the carbs. He also replaced the tank and seat with some awful pieces, so while it was in the shop getting the carbs done I passed the time scrolling through pictures of mods on these bikes searching for inspiration as to what I want it to look like. Passing ideas back and forth with an old friend, I posed the question, “Could I make a living doing this to bikes?” His response was resoundingly positive, but with the caveat that I also build a strong internet presence.
This is kind of uncomfortable for me. Growing up as an early adopter, sandwiched in that small space between Gen X and Millennials, social media became passe for me long ago. It’s been well over a decade since I’ve had any sort of online presence, and things have changed dramatically since then. Just trying to create one Instagram post, I was confronted with a dozen buttons I’d never seen before. I don’t even actually know what a story is. These changes are not only practical, like which buttons to hit, but also cultural, as in the way it all functions within society. I’m going to try though, both to build quality bikes and produce quality content. If I strive for excellence in these areas, the rest should fall into place.
My hope here is to build something that you all find meaningful. To draw inspiration from the past with an eye towards the future. To connect with others through fatherhood and motorcycles. To have fun, to learn, to grow. To take all that life has previously offered me and create a synthesis out of it. Thank you for visiting, I’ll talk to you soon.