Hold my beer!

How did I wind up here?

Many, many… many moons ago, I began wrenching. I suppose it started with my first bicycle that, as best as I can remember it- my parents bought for me, from a local guy that took different bikes and put them together to make pretty cool, custom built bikes. Now, there wasn’t a “custom bicycle scene” back then, no, this was back in the late 1970’s and a custom built bike was cheaper than a mainstream bike like a Schwinn, Huffy or Mongoose. I didn’t truly appreciate it until years later, when I realized that it was a one-off bike and that no one else had one like it. I still have it, by the way. 

Back then, a kid’s bike was his ticket to explore the world. We could go as far as our little legs would take us, as long as we were back home by the time the street lights came on. It was awesome growing up in the ‘80’s- no cell phones, no computers, and no video games (yeah, we had Atari, but we weren’t that interested in being inside when there was a whole world of stuff to get into). We climbed trees, went fishing, looked for weird bugs and played in the dirt- life was grand and summers were the best time of the year. 

But, even the best bikes got flat tires and, we were at a time in our lives when we were growing… so dad’s tool box was one of our best resources to fix those flat tires, tighten the chains and adjust the seat heights and handlebars of our trusty steeds. My dad’s Craftsman tool chest was the best, too. Before I was born, dad worked as a welder and a mechanic and he had a tool for just about any job. When we moved South, dad had to sell off a lot of his heavy-duty stuff, but he kept the essentials and I grew up using those tools, as much as (or maybe even more than) he did. I went from turning wrenches on my bikes, to working on go-carts, dirt bikes, and ultimately- my cars.

Growing up

I’m not a mechanic, not by trade, anyway… not anymore. I grew up in a single-income household, so we didn’t have a lot of money. Don’t get me wrong- it was glorious- dad worked and supported the family while mom stayed home and took care of the house, the kids, the meals and keeping it all together. They worked together- each doing their part and both making sacrifices to ensure the overall success and happiness of the family. As a result, we never went hungry, we grew up close and we grew up with a sense of security. But, not having much money, meant that we didn’t have a lot of material things- our cars were older and dad was the repairman for, quite literally, everything that broke- appliances, cars, lawnmowers, you name it. You see, when you don’t have a lot of money, you have to do be the mechanic, the contractor, the electrician, the plumber, the cook… you get the idea. As a result, each of us kids learned a little about everything, and a lot about some things. I took to mechanical work like a duck to water. I found an incredible sense of gratification from replacing a water pump, or rebuilding a carburetor. It seemed to come naturally to me… I didn’t mind getting grease on my hands or busting my knuckles on an exhaust manifold. In fact, I considered it a badge of honor. In junior high, I met a girl that I knew was going to be my wife one day, and by graduation, she was my girl and she knew it, too. 

I didn’t have any real plans for the future, but I knew I was good at mechanic work, so for our first anniversary, she bought me a huge Craftsman mechanic’s tool set! I worked a few jobs after high school, a couple of them being a non-certified mechanic jobs at local shops. I enjoyed them, but as life tends to do, my career goals changed and I found myself trying out a few different jobs and ultimately, found myself being called to a “job” that would ultimately become my career for the next 24 years. I never gave up wrenching though- from oil changes and brake replacements on the family trucksters, to body work on wrecked vehicles, to repairing and maintaining motorcycles- all using that same tool set that she bought me all those years ago… with a few extras that were added along the way.

A couple of years ago, I was able to convince my boss to send me to Harley-Davidson University in Milwaukee for some motorcycle tech schools. Those classes not only helped me in maintaining our motorcycles at work, but they have also given me the knowledge, confidence and experience to work on my personal bikes, and the bikes of friends, too. I’ve also been blessed with becoming a certified motorcycle operator and instructor… something that has benefited me a hundred times over.

Hold my beer

One of my fondest memories as a kid, was dad saying “hold my beer” as he showed me how to fix something. I would hold his beer, as he showed me what to do, then he’d say, “now, your turn.” I’d finish replacing the brakes, or the alternator, or whatever it was that we were working on, as he carefully watched (and often corrected me) to make sure I did it right. The feeling of accomplishment when the job was done was incredible! The “I did that” feeling is something that I still chase to this day. In my chosen career, it’s not the same. The “things” I have had to try to fix over the course of my career, aren’t often tangible things…not like replacing brakes or rebuilding a carburetor. 

Over the past few years, though, my reputation for being “the motorcycle guy” and someone that is pretty handy with a set of wrenches, has given me the opportunity to recapture that feeling, once again. Several years ago, I bought a second-hand air-over-hydraulic motorcycle lift in order to help me work on my personal motorcycles. Having a lift makes all the difference, by the way. If you’re one that does his/her own maintenance… it will pay for itself after just a few riding seasons. With my reputation of working on my own bikes, my experience working on the bikes at work, and my passion for two-wheelers, I’ve had several friends, and friends of friends, reach out for help on their bikes. As I’ve been able, I’ve been happy to help. For a friend of a friend, I’ll charge a reasonable fee for my time, but for a friend, I’m hesitant to ask for any money. I wasn’t raised to try to profit from friends or family. Now, to be completely honest, that’s been to my detriment more than once, but I counted those as lessons learned and sometimes, a lesson learned is more valuable than money. 

As a dad, I’ve been able to see my sons apply those “hold my beer” lessons they got growing up, to their own adult lives. My oldest  has decided to put his repair skills to work as a professional automotive (and soon to be motorcycle) mechanic and my youngest, has applied his repair skills to a profession that allows him to fix people. I don’t think I could be more proud of the men they’ve become, and I know my dad was, and would be, proud of them, too. 

The next chapter

As my current career path (my “payin’ gig”, as I call it), nears it’s natural end, I’m looking toward the future with anticipation of what’s to come. I have a couple of prospective job offers that I’m hoping will pan out, because honestly, they would be awesome. I’m also looking forward to doing a lot more writing and a lot more riding. I can even see myself doing a bit more work in my garage, earning a little beer money and maybe even having some “hold my beer” lessons with my friends who want to learn how to wrench on their own bikes. I’m even looking forward to going to work, part-time, working on motorcycles (and getting paid to ride them, again) and hopefully, being able to teach new riders once again.

Regardless of what pans out over the next few months, or what doesn’t… I’ll still keep turning wrenches, twisting throttles and sharing my experiences with my loyal MotoReaders. 

Until next time…

Ride safe and “hold my beer.”

Abita Springs Mystery House

The Abita Mystery House

What in the…?

You may be wondering just what the hell is in that photo… well, as the small sign says, that’s a “Wolverinegator.” That is just one of many, many…many… weird taxidermied creations at the Abita Mystery House, located in the quaint little town of Abita Springs, Louisiana. Your next question might be… is that real? If you are questioning this… then you should probably go visit the Abita Brewpub, the local brewery located on the other side of the round-a-bout. The short answer is, it’s as real as it exists in the Mystery House. 

Why?

The better questin is… why not? This country used to be full of roadside attractions that were weird, quirky and downright bizarre. With the introduction of the Interstate system, many small towns like Abita Springs were bypassed… sometimes by just a few short miles. These bypasses proved to be devastating for small towns all across the country… and to be completely honest… a lot of the charming personalities of small town America were lost to the history books… all in the name of “progress.” Fortunately, for those of us that appreciate the creativity and, let’s face it, plain ole weirdness of small town creators… some of these fascinating exhibits still exist for our exploration and enjoyment.

John Preble

According to their “about us” section on their website-

The Abita Mystery House also known as the UCM Museum - Louisiana's Most Eccentric Attraction  About Us If you are looking for things to do in New Orleans, the Abita Mystery House is less than an hour north in historic Abita Springs. This roadside attraction features a vintage service station, a 100yr old Louisiana Creole cottage, an exhibition hall of memorabilia and junk, and the much photographed House of Shards. Come see handmade folk art animated scenes of Southern life by Louisiana inventor / artist, John Preble.  With the help of over 50,000 found and recycled objects, Preble created his own fantastic worlds: there's a Mardi Gras parade, a New Orleans jazz funeral, a rhythm and blues dance hall, a haunted Southern plantation, and much more! This joint was built with concrete, glass, wood, water, vision, and invention. Bring a sense of humor and an open mind.

Mr. Preble must be one interesting dude. He’s an artist, and apparently one that works in multiple mediums, as his biography clearly notes. Aside from his music, which I’ll admit- I haven’t heard… the eccentric and creative mind that sees an old gas station in a tiny town… and makes it into a roadside attraction that has become a staple for roadtrippers and explorers of classic Americana, is clearly one that sees the world a little (or a lot) different than the rest of us regular minded folks. 

The town

I’ve been through Abita Springs, LA many times, but last month was the first time my wife and I decided to check out the famed “Mystery House.” The weather was perfect, and the vibe was right… as it was just before Halloween. We decided to take the MotoWriter Road King, in order to take full advantage of the beautiful Southern weather. We saddled up and hit the road and, after a relatively short ride, pulled into the quaint, charming town known for it’s “free-flowing, artesian “healing water.” As the legend goes… 

”a handsome native Orleanian of Spanish descent named Henriquez was visiting the area of Abita Springs, and met and married a beautiful Choctaw princess named Abita.  Shortly after they married and moved to New Orleans, Abita became very ill and Henriquez was told by advisors to bring his bride back to Abita Springs to drink of the healing waters and to bathe in the bubbling springs. She was cured in a month's time.”  

The crazy thing? In 1887 a scientist actually tested the artesian waters and found them to “contain minerals with good medicinal properties.” While I don’t know how accurate any of this is… I do know that our world is full of elements meant to heal our ailments, but each generation seems to get further and further away from these natural remedies, relying more and more on laboratory concoctions, instead of those naturally occurring treatments that our ancestors relied on.

The Brewpub

After your visit to the Mystery House, at only $5 per person to enter, you’ll surely have enough left over to go grab a bite to eat, or a pint to drink, at the Brewpub. We took our time walking through all the exhibits of the Mystery House… because once you see an alligator head sewn onto the body of a dog, you want to see another alligator head sewn onto the body of a bass. The Mystery House also had a few out buildings to explore, that were full of weird, cheeky exhibits… especially the dioramas (don’t forget to push the buttons to see them move and light up). After all that, we decided to go around the round-a-bout to the Brewpub for a bite to eat and a cold brewski. We got full on some delicious food, and enjoyed some refreshing, and locally brewed (on site), beers. I can’t really say enough about the service- in true southern charm, the folks at the Brewpub were friendly and accommodating and our food was fresh, hot and delicious. After enjoying our early dinner, though, it was time to head out.

Mandeville’s Lake Views

The sun was getting low in the afternoon sky, so we decided to saddle up and head toward home, but not before taking a small detour toward Mandeville, LA… located nearby on the northern most shores of Lake Pontchartrain. We rode to the lakeside and took a slow, scenic, ride along Lakeshore Drive- a beautiful road that skirts the edge of the lake, and is adorned with ancient oaks draped with Spanish moss- a truly southern experience. We’ve visited here before, but it’s beauty never ceases to amaze me. While the Lake’s size of over 600 square miles pales in comparison to the Great Lakes of the Midwest, it’s grandeur cannot be denied… especially when you traverse it’s 23 mile long bridge that connects the Northshore to New Orleans.

Final thoughts

As we made our way back home, I was inspired to share our visit, and a lot more of our photos, with all of my MotoReaders. After further contemplation, however, I decided to leave you with my words alone… and of course the above photo of the Wolverinegator. Why? You might ask… well, the answer is simple- you really need to see it, experience it, for yourselves. At only $5 bucks a person, it’s more than affordable, and some crappy phone pictures won’t truly allow you to appreciate the weirdness of it all. 

So get out there and go see Abita Springs for yourselves… drink of the “healing waters”, imbibe some of the locally brewed beer, and stop in the Mystery House so you can experience a little bit of roadside Americana… before it, like so many others before it, becomes nothing more than part of the local folklore of this storied town.

Ride safe and… explore the weird.

 

2026 New Model Lineups

It’s that time of year again and, while I’ve been super busy at my payin’ gig… I didn’t want to miss my chance to weigh in on the new model lineups from our favorite motorcycle purveyors. So, without further ado… let’s get into it, shall we?

First up… Harley-Davidson

The MoCo has teased us for months with the return of a name that many of us know from the past- the Sprint. The rumors of this “new” model being offered in the $6,000 price point has whet many of our appetites to see just what’s been going on in the R&D offices. Well, in their “Chapter One” release (well played, guys… well played), they dropped the first of what they are promising is going to be a whole new lineup. While I appreciate that they have some new colors and some slightly larger displacement engines, in my humble opinion- the first drop was a flop. No new models… yet, just some different versions of what we’ve already seen for the last couple of years. Don’t get me wrong, I like the new Street Glide and Road Glide designs, for the most part, anyway. I’m not crazy about the new hand controls or the digital screen as the only option for gauges, but I suppose this is what the market demands, so I understand that they have to keep up with the demands in order to stay relevant. 

I really, REALLY hope that the new Sprint isn’t the Chinese “X” bike that has just been re-badged for US markets. With everything going on in the world right now, and all of the tensions in the political communities, I’m afraid that a Chinese Harley-Davidson could drive many MoCo loyalists away… and that could be devastating for our new top guy, Artie Starrs. If you look on the H-D website… they are teasing us with the “chapter two” bikes, but none of the black cloth draped bikes are in the “Sport” category and the names of those that are teased, are more CVO models. I really hope this is just some tricky marketing, because unless H-D is planning to drop the prices (significantly), the vast majority of their customer base can’t afford to drop $50k on a motorcycle. I for one, wouldn’t (even if I could), because let’s be honest… while the Custom Vehicle Operations division does make some decent performance parts, most of the CVO bikes are gaudy looking. You know who buys CVOs? Guys like Jochen and Artie… and that rich old guy that lives down the road from you who wears a pastel colored polo shirt that is tucked into his khaki shorts (complete with belt) and loafers, who drives a Corvette to go golfing. The rest of us- the jeans and t-shirt guys that make up the majority of Harley-Davidson riders- would rather get higher performance parts at a fraction of the cost from aftermarket companies and are more concerned about buying affordable maintenance parts over… one more chrome cover that serves no real purpose other than reflecting the side of the ‘Vette as they sit in the garage. 

The marketing gurus in Milwaukee are dangling that proverbial carrot in front of our noses though, for the “next chapter” which is supposed to be revealed on January 14th of the new year, so we’ll have to bide our time and be patient to see what’s next. 

Next we have- Indian 

In an interesting turn of events (but one that I saw coming several years ago), Polaris has sold off Indian Motorcycles to a private investment company, Carolwood LP. This is really the biggest news out of Springfield with our beloved rival company. Look folks, I make no bones about it- I like ALL motorcycles, but I DO favor Harley-Davidson. I’ve been to Milwaukee several times, I drink Miller beer, Wisconsin cheese is delicious and while the Cheeseheads of the Midwest may not have invented the Bloody Mary, they sure did perfect it. With that said, I have loved those long, sweeping fenders of the Indians of old since I was a kid. I loved how Indian and Harley-Davidson always kept pressure on each other to advance and become better and better. But the last real Indian motorcycles were built in 1953. There were several attempts to resurrect the brand over the decades that followed, a couple of which were very promising, but the best chance they’ve had has been with Polaris as their adopted mother. To see Polaris file the Indian name in their 86 file, alongside Victory, just plain sucks. While I really hope that the Carolwood folks can breathe continued life into the company, my more realistic self suspects that Carolwood will join the ranks of IMCA (aka, Gilroy) and Stellican as failed resuscitators.

With all that said, there’s not a lot in the “new for 2026” lineup in the Indian camp, either. They, like H-D, have increased displacements a bit and are offering some new colors, but with the sell off… is any of that even going to matter? I suspect that most new buyers are going to stay away from their loan officers until the dust of Carolwood settles. Who can blame them, either? Nobody in their right mind would want to buy a $15-$30k motorcycle that might not have continued support for parts, warranties, repairs, etc. 

What about the other major brands?

I usually keep my eyes on the “other brand” horizon to see if anything really stands out. If anything really “popped” then I’d absolutely detail it here and give my thoughts, but in reality, no one has really broken any new ground for 2026, so until someone releases something new, it looks like this is the end of this post. 

What about this past 3 month hiatus, you may be asking…

As many of my loyal MotoReaders know, the last few months has been the second busy “season” of the year for my payin’ gig. But, as I’ve spoken about and eluded to in some recent posts and ponderings… that may be changing soon. I won’t get into that here, but I’ll keep you posted on any changes that may be taking place for your humble MotoWriter, over the next few months. If everything works out, you should be seeing a lot more activity on my little corner of the interweb. Maybe when H-D drops the curtain on their “chapter 2” reveal, I’ll be able to cover it in real time, instead of a week (or more) later. 

Regardless of what may come for 2026… I just want to take a moment today to say that I see how much my loyal readers check in, even when I’m not here, and I am truly humbled by the fact that you guys have checked in to my site to read my words, over 180,000 times, with over 21,000 site visits last month alone! When I started this blog over five years ago, I never imagined that it would have a worldwide audience.  So, from the bottom of my heart, I say “THANK YOU!” 

Until next time, MotoReaders… ride safe and make good choices!