I’m basically a penny-pincher, so I’m in the camp that likes to keep things clean.
I don’t really worry much about the original paint job either, and I think as long as the bike looks reasonably clean, that’s good enough.
Some people maintain their bikes like they’re always fresh off the showroom floor. That kind of effort just wears me out.
I figure it’s fine even if the tank gets dented.
I understand why everyone wants to keep something pristine or spotless when it’s brand new.
I’m the same way. You buy a new phone and—whoops!
It happens.
But honestly, I don’t sweat it. Things get scratched and worn down when you use them—that’s just how it goes. It’s almost like fate.
My GS1000S has been dropped more times than I can count, and I’ve had accidents too.
Fortunately, there’s been no major damage, but the tank scratches and frame scuffs are really a history of owning that bike.
A touch-up pen and some good polishing can bring the shine back, and every time you see a scratch, you remember—”Oh, that’s from when I crashed over there”—and there’s something charming about that.
A bike that’s been ridden hard. The heel grip has worn through the frame coating, leaving bare metal exposed.
But strangely, that spot shines like it’s been buffed to a mirror finish,
and I think to myself, “Now that’s a bike that’s really being used, really being ridden”—and I find that genuinely cool.
Doing this kind of work, I believe parts that were made and born should be used to their limit. *While maintaining budget, safety, and cost-effectiveness, of course.*
I feel the same way about my boots. I beat them up hard during work, then give them a thorough polish on my days off to let them rest, and then I move on to the next pair.
When they tear, I get a cobbler to stitch them up and keep going. Even when the body is all beat up like that, once the sole wears down, I get it replaced and keep wearing them. They’ve been worn so much they’re soft like sneakers now, molded perfectly to my lifestyle—they’re a tool that fits me.
I’m getting off track again, but—do you have things around you that you’ve kept for five or ten years?
In reality, there probably aren’t many.
Taking the time to really commit to something and live with it can be a worthwhile experience.
