On the 4th July this year, American Independence Day, I celebrated my birthday over a quiet lunch in town with SWMBO and, as you can imagine, our conversations traversed our yesterdays and what the future offered us.
Over the last few years SWMBO and I have, with our advancing years, faced a few significant health challenges and these ups and downs had impacted heavily on SWMBO’s golf and my motorcycling .
Fortunately, in my case, radical robot surgery completely removed my cancer and I am now totally free of the big C. During the same difficult time, SWMBO emerged from a series of brain scans to be greeted with the wonderful news that no nasties had been discovered.
Over my birthday lunch we decided that the past was the past and realised we had plenty to look forward to.
That was when SWMBO presented me with my birthday present, a T-shirt with this fantastic message emblazoned across the chest:
I couldn’t help myself, I put it on and swanned around the restaurant like a kid with a new toy. Some of the patrons in the place were quite amused whilst others obviously weren’t. I couldn’t give a hoot. I could see a whole new chapter opening for SWMBO and myself.
Now for the past three years my beloved 2014 Harley Heritage Softail Classic has hardly been out of the shed. My new T-shirt convinced me that had to change.
Accordingly SWMBO and I prowled motorcycle dealers, kicked a lot of tyres and became more convinced than ever that I’m a rusted on Harley Davidson rider.
We visited a couple of Harley dealers within a 200 klm radius of home and a few weeks back as we entered one dealership, SWMBO’s eyes lit up and she indicated an Olive Gold softail that had caught her eye.
Sure enough, it fitted me like a glove, was a little lighter than my Heritage and most importantly, SWMBO told me I looked good on it. Plus I liked the colour and loved the logo.
For the past twenty five years I’ve always dealt with the same Harley dealer and with one phone call, our deal was done.
A week ago today, my brand new 2017 Harley Davidson softail FLSS was was delivered to our door. What a ripper of a motorcycle.
Now, am I a happy little vegemite? Am I ever! The bike’s colour is Olive Gold Denim. I understand it’s a little complicated to maintain but it’s well worth any extra effort.
I was sorry to see my Heritage Softail taken away, it was my 5th black Heritage and I was really attached to that model Harley but, as my new T-shirt says, ‘never underestimate an old man with a motorcycle who was born in July.’
Just for the record though, one last image of my beloved 2014 Heritage Softail Classic. I hope it goes to a good home.
Hoo roo for now
PS. Don’t ask me what it’s like to ride. Everyone knows that you don’t take your Harley out when the weather is crook. Therefore it is still standing, unridden, in the exact spot where the scarcely ridden Heritage stood.
CREAKINGBONES 
Congratulations on the new H-D. I hope to see more posts of your adventures on that good looking bike!
Thanks, it’s my intention to get about a bit as the weather warms up. I’m looking forward to reading about your 4,000 mile adventure. Should be a ripper.
First off – belated birthday wishes, here’s to many more!
Hmm Softail Slim eh!
I love Softails, as my passion for my own sort of shows, they are just so “civilised” and lovely to ride. I’m sure that you’ll notice the weight difference, when I get off my big UltraLimited and onto the Softail, I’m always in heaven! Gonna take her to the Dolomites in September!
I tried one of the “Slims” last year and like you I like that paint job, but I would change the “drag” style bars for longer trips, just my own personal view.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy many, many, happy miles on your new steed.
Ride safe my friend and keep the shiny side up!
Dookes
Thanks Dookes. Bars certainly change handling and riding position. On every Heritage I’ve always changed to Fat Boy bars. The originals only go back on when it’s trade in time.
C’ant wait to read about your Dolomites adventure. Happy days in the saddle are ahead for both of us. Hoo roo for now.
Ooo, very nice–that scheme catches my eye whenever I see it in my dealership… Congratulations! I look forward to the blog posts.
Thanks Ry, it’s certainly different, reminds me of the WW2 Harley colour schemes. When the weather clears I’ll wear away some of the tyre pips..
Congratulations, Perc! Ride on!!! 🙂
Many happy returns on your birthday. Like the bike, happy trails…
Thank you Julie. Since the bike arrived, every day I’ve been going for a ride the weather has been awful. For the last couple of weeks we have had wind gusts of up to 60-70 miles an hour. Not good for two wheel travel. The bike is still shed bound but better days ahead are predicted. My fingers are therefore crossed.
Belated happy birthday 😀😀😀 So I gather it was brain cancer? You lived in Cronulla when you were younger, I think I remember? I have 4 friends who grew up in Cronulla in the 60s and 70s who had cancer in the brain. I wonder if something there is causing it because it seems a largish number.
G’day mate, back in the early 50’s if my memory serves me correctly there ws a large noxious chemical dump in the sand hills north of Wanda and near the road to Kurnell. As kids we stayed clear of the place and stuck to Boat Harbour and the coastal fringe north of Wahda. Years later, in the late 1098, our ne[xt door neioghbour was struck down with cancer and she had lived close to the noxious tip location. Fortunately she survived.
We have been lucky, my wife had the brain scans following massive headaches. Nothing nasty found. I was the cancer sufferer, everything seems OK now after the radical robot surgery. Someone once told me that getting opld weasn’t for sissies. They were spot on. Hope all is well in your world and the job hunting will soon bear fruit.