My financial woes are an inherent (and endemic) part of this whole motorcycle journey. Lack of money is greatest of my frustrations because it is so difficult to resolve. Unlike other life obstacles, money cannot be cajoled into being.
It’s a very American mindset, I suppose, and one I don’t see as often from people here. In Wales – the UK region in which I live – nothing has happened entrepreneurially or culturally since the late 1980s, when Margaret Thatcher shut down coal mines. People here got knocked down; they still have not picked themselves up because they lack self-belief.
The “maybe” is because of money. I can go through the licensing process, I can get my wife to warm to the idea of motorcycles, but money – that’s a harder thing. I’m trying, though. And lately I’ve taken to tightening my belt in any way I can. For example, recently I decided I would start taking my bicycle to work. But the most drastic thing I’ve done is quit drinking.
Think about how much money you spend on booze. In my case, I wasn’t a heavy drinker but I was shelling out at least £10 (US $15.84) a week. Add that up over a month and you’ve got enough to pay for bike insurance and a little bit of petrol.
My wife says a motorcycle is a luxury. Maybe. But so, too, is alcohol. And if I’m going to be forced to choose, you can expect to see me at the pub drinking water.