Backfire

4. Backfire
       
Tastes in art are highly individual. As anyone will tell you, “Beauty is to the eye of the beholder.” Be that as it may, not even a few appreciated my praise of Schmidt’s Spirit. One letter suggested that there are thousands of Spirits that look better than that “abortion on two wheels.” Another member with a more liberal point of view, Scott Spayer, allowed that “everyone has their idea of what looks good and what doesn’t.” Still, Scott didn’t think the Spirit was worth the praise I gave it. Sam Rodriguez called the bike “hideous” and said that “nothing flows with anything.”  Another member advised me to “educate myself.”

Well, OK, guys.  What can I say?  I still like Schmidt’s Spirit. It’s purple and it’s cool. It has a nostalgia buzz for me: sorta like a three quarter version of the old-school panhead and shovelhead choppers I used to admire outside Pepe’s Pizza on Telegraph Ave where I used to hang in Berkeley in the 1960’s. Bikes that belonged to the guys who were early innovators and inventors of the chopper concept. But more than that, I admire Paul Schmidt’s spirit of returning to moto-cruising and moto-customization after a hiatus of a quarter century—and taking his lady along for the ride! That is where my praise for Schmidt’s spirit truly lies. It’s the lure of the bikes, bro’s. Irresistible.

Still, we at Cruiser Customizing truly do appreciate all your responses. We are a forum for all riders and there is certainly room for all sorts of opinions. Thanks, Cruisers for the feedback. It’s been a lesson in post-graduate customization, for sure. And the beat goes on…

In our April 1st Newsletter “A New Type of Motorcycle?” we promised you a picture of this revolutionary bike. We finally received it, view picture. Happy April Fools everybody.

Cruiser Paul Mink sent in these profound words: “With drivers it’s about the destination, but with riders it’s about the journey. One is daydreaming, while the other is experiencing. Longing for… vs. grateful for… I am grateful to be awake and enjoying this journey…”

Big Uwe dug this up for us and was in a mood to sh-a-a-a-re: “People are more violently opposed to fur than to leather because it is safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs.”

Thanks, and keep sending those e-letters.
Cruise and be happy,
Miles Davis, (Pavandas)
Editor, Cruiser Customizing News