Friday, July 10, 2026

Why I Continue to Resist Four Wheels

It's not that I don't think about giving up the motorcycle for a car or truck. I do, every once in a while. But then I come up against the difference:

  • You can still buy a motorcycle, new or used, affordably, that runs on a carburetor instead of fuel injection, rocks analog gauges (including an actual float rather than an electronic sensor in the gas tank) and involves little or no computer stuff. In fact, they're cheaper than the ones with all the "ride mode" nonsense, touch screen, etc.
  • In order to get the car or truck I want, I'll have to find a 1970 to 1980 vehicle in decent shape mechanically and body-wise. And those seem to be very, very expensive.
I am not a skilled mechanic, but I'm pretty sure I could easily get back on top of things -- do my own oil changes, my own tune-ups, replace my own brake pads, replace an alternator or starter, etc. -- and not have to go to the shop for every little thing.

These days, it's a bunch of computer diagnostics, and if you have to replace something it seems like often the car's computer has to be flashed or trained to accept the new part, etc. You can't even rely on a trouble light, because it may just be a bad sensor rather than whatever the sensor is supposedly measuring.

But if anyone knows of a 1974 Oldsmobile Delta 88 for sale, in good condition, at a reasonable price, let me know. Best. Car. Ever. Other than the gas mileage, of course (12 mpg on the highway, 8 mpg in town).

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