The Ride that inspired Me

A few months ago, my 92 year old great grandpa handed down his 1966 Montgomery Mojave motorcycle. It hadn’t run since 1979, and he gave it to my dad to see if he could bring it back to life. My dad isn’t a mechanic, but he has a lot of connections. Through his work organizing events, concerts, festivals, and weddings, he’s met people from all walks of life. One of them happens to be a motorcycle mechanic. Amazingly, this mechanic was able to track down the right parts, and against all odds, the motorcycle came back to life. Yesterday, March 23, 2025, my dad took the bike to Camarillo as a surprise for my great grandpa’s 93rd birthday. He had no idea it was running again. When he saw it, he was completely stunned. He hadn’t ridden it since 1978, the last time he did he broke his arm in a fall and decided never to get on it again. But despite that, he had always cherished it. My Uncle Eddie, who has a motorcycle license and has been riding his whole life, decided to take it for a spin. We watched as he rode off, but after about ten minutes, he still hadn’t returned. It turned out the front brake wasn’t working, and he ended up falling, spraining his ankle in the process. After that, my other uncle gave it a try, but he played it safe and didn’t go too far, relying on the functioning back brake. Then, my dad who has no motorcycle license and had never ridden one before decided to get on. I was nervous, but something inside me told me I needed to experience it too so I hopped on behind him. I don’t know how to describe it, but the moment we took off, I felt something I’d never felt before. Feeling the wind blowing through me, the pure freedom of it I was hooked. Right then and there, I knew I wanted that motorcycle for myself. My great grandpa decided that the bike should stay in the family, so he’s signing it over to my dad. And my dad made me a promise, if I get my driver’s license and then my motorcycle license, the bike will be mine. I should have gotten my license by now, but I never fully committed to it. Now, though? I have a reason to. This motorcycle has given me the motivation to finally take that step.