I love Lenore. I really do. But today I was idling at a stoplight when a dude rolled up next to me on a sweet, black Harley-Davidson Fat Bob. The rider looked over at me, looked down at my bike, gave me a nod. The light changed and he roared off.
It was like being [...]
Posts Tagged ‘shadow’
Bike Envy
On Customer Service
Customer service is simple: make it as easy for customers to hand you money as possible, and make them happy to do it so they keep coming back.
A local bike shop doesn’t seem to understand that. I bought my helmet there, happened to see Lenore at the same time, and bought her about the same [...]
Itching to Ride
I think the motorcycle obsession has finally taken hold.
Every time I pass Lenore in the garage, I feel the urge to fire her up. Wet, cold Illinois weather is not always conducive to riding, however, especially for a relative rookie. I can’t tell you how jealous I am right now of friends like Weston Ochse, [...]
The Christening
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!’
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!’
Merely this and nothing more.”
– Edgar [...]
Lady in Black
‘03 Honda Shadow
Originally uploaded by MikeOliveri.
Here she is, the lady who’s already drawn a few envious stares from folks around the neighborhood.
I’m still surprised she’s as clean as she is for being six years old, especially since the folks at the bike shop referred to the previous owner as a kid. There’s a tiny chip [...]
New Ride
I rode the new bike home today, and man is she sweet! Eve’s a fun little ride in town, but this bike felt far more comfortable on the open road. The throttle response was about the same, but she held her line much better and even the winds from the open fields and from passing [...]
It’s Like I Shot My Dog
I just posted Eve on Craigslist. I did consider hanging on to her, but I really have no use for two bikes so there’s no sense keeping her in the garage when I should be picking up the Shadow within the next couple days.
People often ask me why I gave her a name. They say [...]
“You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Bike”
One of my co-workers has a Honda Shadow that I’ve envied for a while. Its 750cc engine is three times the size of my bike’s engine, and it outweighs my bike by about 150 pounds. I asked him how different it felt from my bike. He promptly handed me the keys, so I took her [...]
The Secret Lives of Teachers
Most people don’t think of teachers as bikers, but as it happens five of us at the school district I work for ride. We’ve been talking about getting a picture since the school year started, and today we finally made it happen.
The Rocket is our school’s mascot, so we thought it would be fitting to [...]
Two Wheels of Terror
I’m giving serious thought to purchasing a motorcycle again. Specifically the Honda Shadow VLX.
The out-of-control gas prices are what made me think about bikes in the first place, and it’s become a stronger argument this summer as prices continue to creep upward. According to this chart, I should expect to get about 50 miles per [...]



