Why You Need a Second Bike

If you’re here reading our little blog, you’re probably jazzed on the concept of modifying motorcycles. If you’re a traditional chopper-er, you probably have a Twin Cam-or-earlier Big Twin or a Sporty. If you’re not, you’re probably in possession of something a little more recent; probably a Milwaukee-Eight Softail or a bagger.

In either case, I think you need another motorcycle.

In the case of you folks with the older machines, your motorcycle is probably on its second go-around, and you’re doing something somewhat major to it; fork and brake swaps, engine goodies, or maybe major frame surgery. You saved money on the motorcycle, but you’re spending a lot of time and money modifying it to suit; that’s the typical plan.

New bike guys? It’s likely you want everything to be just so—parts go out for expensive coatings like chrome and powder, and if something doesn’t fit right or more parts are needed, the bike needs to stay apart until it’s right. Let’s also not discount how complex the recent machines are, and especially in the case of a dresser, how much stuff needs to come off the bike to change things up. (A handlebar or a stereo install is labor intensive; there’s no two ways about that.) And of course there are the unknowns—really late-model machines often have changes and unexpected surprises that require additional parts and perhaps unforeseen trips to the dealer for parts.

And this, friend, is where Bike Number Two comes in.

What you want in the stable is a daily rider, a reliable something-or-other that scratches the itch to go turn a few miles. I’ve played this game for a while, and I can tell you that the nicest modified machines are put together by riders who aren’t hurrying through a job. Often that hurry is caused by a desire to get back in the saddle and start riding. If you have a second bike in the stable, scratching that itch is easy—ride Bike Number Two until Bike Number One is done correctly.

Rushing causes mistakes, sloppy work, and worst of all, compromises. I don’t hurry on customer bikes because that’s not the right thing to do. Yet many of us (self included) will allow ourselves to get in a tizzy when working on our own bikes—the ones where we are ostensibly the customer! It leads to stress and unhappiness with the final outcome, and that’s not the goal.

So remove the stressor: If you have the money and the room, get a second motorcycle to ride. You’ll elevate your game.