I Became A Biker At 57 Years of Age

I remember when I was in elementary school, my best friend would often ride dirt bikes with his dad, and I wanted to join them so badly. It looked like an incredible amount of fun, and I would do my utmost to keep up with them on my BMX bike, but of course, I was always left far behind in the dust. Riding my bike was immensely enjoyable, and I would spend entire days outside, but I always knew deep down that riding a motorcycle represented a whole new level of excitement and fun. Unfortunately, riding a motorcycle as a kid never became a reality for me because my parents could never afford it, nor were they willing to allow me to take that risk at such a young age.

I still vividly remember the day when I was in college, and I stumbled upon a sleek Honda Hurricane. I wanted to learn how to ride that bike so badly. But then, I heard the words that would resonate with me for years: “If you buy that bike, you are no longer my son.” In that moment, my dream felt like it died on the vine, or so I thought. As time passed, life continued to unfold—I started a career, welcomed a child into the world, and dedicated myself to the daily grind of advancing my career and increasing my salary. The thought of purchasing a motorcycle rarely crossed my mind during those busy years, and I convinced myself it would be too difficult to take up motorcycling later in life.

I was talking with my beautiful Natalia, my wife to be, and she talked about how she loved motorcycles. It reminded me of my long time dream of riding a bike and now, at 57, I thought, why not? I am firmly in control of my life and Natalia was also very supportive. In retrospect, I didn’t want to get even older and regret that I didn’t even try so I made the decision right then that it was time to start learning to ride. No more excuses, no more doubts, so let’s do this now.

I quickly signed up for a MSF course at the local Harley Davidson dealer in Sacramento, got my learners permit from the DMV, and through pure luck, I was able to buy a nearly brand new Triumph T120 Black with only 1800 miles on it. This was the dream bike I had envisioned many decades ago when I exited college. Two days after my successful MSF pass I went down to Brentwood and drove my motorcycle nearly 80 miles on my first ride to Sacramento. All of this took place within a three week period. I was determined.

So, last October (2024) I became a biker at the age of 57 and all of the great feels of riding a motorcycle are there. Most importantly, I am very proud that I embraced the challenge of learning something new and keeping my mind and spirit active and excited for the next ride and the photographs that will come along the journey. As of today I have put in over 1000 miles on the bike and will be sharing my adventures.

After some modifications, this is my beautiful Triumph Bonneville T120 Black