By Alyn Adrain
It’s suddenly December and riding season is pretty much in the rearview mirror. I don’t know about you, but for me, once again the season has left me wanting more. Why does it go by so fast? And why do I never seem to have enough time to get in as much wind therapy as I would like? Every spring I start with a feeling of excitement. “Yes! It’s spring! I have three full seasons ahead and I am going to get lots of great riding in!!” I did get some great rides in this year. I joined the Razee Alzheimer’s ride, attended Carl’s infamous Vanilla Bean ride, enjoyed breakfast at the Whistle Stop, more visits to the Vanilla Bean, and wandered aimlessly through the hilly twisted backroads of RI and CT. Life is certainly good!
But meanwhile …winter. What does a motorcycle enthusiast do with winter while dreaming of spring? For me, it will be continuing a practice that started many years ago between Tracy Karasinski and Mike Burns. Those two shared a love of restoring vintage motorcycles to their former glory. Together they created a lot of beauty from pure wreckage. In the process, they forged a lasting friendship that began with a mutual appreciation for old machines.
When Mike departed this earth two years ago, he left behind a few fix-it tasks and one big unfinished project. Tracy was committed to finishing his last project and she asked if I’d like to help. She said something like “I have to finish this one for Mike. And if you help me with it, the bike is yours.” How does one say no to that? Mike’s last project was a 1965 Honda S90. It was in pieces, some freshly painted, some missing, some scattered throughout the house, garage, and shed. The Honda S90 had a special place in Mike’s heart. That model was his very first bike and he wanted to revisit it. He also thought that Tracy would find it a hoot and wanted her to experience the joy of riding it.
Anyone who knew Mike, knows that he was a tall, athletic guy and my mind’s image of him riding this diminutive bike by today’s standards makes me smile and nearly laugh aloud. But in the 1960’s, he rode the heck out of a S90 and he loved it. It was Mike’s start of a lifelong love for motorcycles.
Mike’s S90 was a project! We scoured the internet worldwide to find all the parts needed. Who knew that Honda changed the thread pitch on various screws in the mid-1960’s?! Maddening! We eventually finished the assembly and were dumbfounded when it fired up on the 2nd kick! The S90 is named “Mike” in his memory. Mike and Tracy’s passion for breathing new life into restoring old junk has lured me in.
So….winter is upon us. While I await the return of good riding weather, I am looking forward to working on our current labor of love, a white 1964 Honda Dream CA72. Her name is Angel. I’m told she comes from Seattle and was loved by Tracy’s friends for many years. There is a ton of work to be done and we have barely scratched the surface. Parts are scattered everywhere as usual. However, with every part that is painstakingly cleaned, polished, replaced, sought, and wrangled with reassembly, I am learning. I am developing a deeper appreciation for the joy of motorcycles and the engineering behind them. Mike’s legacy is being passed on. Spring will come, and in the meanwhile, there is much work to be done!!!
