A big hello and thank you from Scotland!

Dear members of My China Moto,

My name is Alberto and although I am from Spain, I've spent almost the last two years of my life in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Some of you might know me from the Scottoiler and the University of Strathclyde project.

This research has taken my group and me the whole semester and the fact is that without this forum and your help guys, it wouldn't have been the same.

Before contacting Crazy Carl, to whom I would like to say many thanks for his help, I had already spent a great deal of time reading in the forum, getting to know not only about motorcycling in China, but also about everything from maintenance, Chinese brands (thanks Felix!) and motorcycle riding culture.

Before this I couldn't have considered myself a motorcycle person, but the truth is that after these months, I feel part of this community somehow and very proud of that.

Now I have decided to introduce myself properly as part of the community, since the first time I did it was just as part of the Scottoiler research in the maintenance forum.

This is also a way to thank you all for your help.

When I started thinking what I could write about me, something interesting for you (and of course related to motorcycling), I have to confess that I felt a bit lost.
I don’t live in China and I have never ridden a motorbike in my life (my father's answer was an emphatic no), so I wasn't sure where to start with. Then, it was as easy as just sitting back and starting remembering childhood memories.

It was surprising to find out that there was a lot to tell about me and especially about my family related to motorcycles! So, I started writing emails to my family in Spain and together we brought back some really interesting anecdotes.

My first encounter with a motorcycle is still a clear memory in my head. I was about to turn 10 and my father's brother had got a really amazing BMW motorcycle. After contacting him last week, I found out that it was a BMW FS 650 from 1995. The bike had a stunning red color. One day we were at my uncle’s place and he took me for a ride up to the mountains next to my hometown, Murcia. I was wearing a helmet bigger than me and I remember the sound of the engine and the power of the bike going up dusty paths. I was so impressed that I couldn’t stop hugging my uncle like a koala praying for not being ejected from the bike! That ride is deeply imprinted in my mind. It was something special.

- My first encounter with a motorycle: BMW FS 650 (1995)-
Attachment 7401
Courtesy of "Trail Aventura Forum".

My father’s brother was and still is very passionate about motorcycles. Before the BMW, in reverse chronological order, he had had a Yamaha FJ 1200, a Bultaco Alpina 350, Montesa Cota 348 and Bultaco Sherpa 350. The last bikes were mostly classic trial and motocross models very popular in Spain during the 70’s and 80’s. He even bought a motorcycle Bultaco Chispa 25 to my cousin when he was 7 what led my uncle to have some arguments with my cousin’s mum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RyNAnyJ_M4 (He's not my cousin, but it's the same bike).

- The Spanish classic Bultaco Sherpa 350-
Attachment 7402
Courtesy of "Segurojoven.com"

Although my father rode a small 50cc motorcycle when he was young, my mum’s brother had without a doubt the most interesting motorcycle-related anecdotes in my family.
At the age of 15, he was dreaming of having a motorcycle. At that time there were three models of motorcycle very popular among young people in Spain. These were the Puch Cobra 74, Montesa Cota 74 and Ossa Enduro. However, my uncle’s favorite bike was the Montesa Enduro 74. It seems that after insisting one hundred times on my grandfather buying him the bike, he finally convinced him.

The problem was that since he was only 15 he was not legally allowed to ride the motorcycle. As a true rebel he did what he was not supposed to and started riding the bike. One day, and after only a month since he had got the bike, my grandfather sent him to pick up some flight tickets to the city center. He parked the bike in front of the tourist agency and just blocked the handle as it was going to take him one minute. When he went out of the agency, the bike wasn’t there anymore. It’s easy to imagine the moment he went to tell my grandfather what had happened. They went together to the police and had to make up a story as my uncle was not legally allowed to drive the bike. The following days were horrible for my uncle. He couldn’t even sleep or eat just remembering the moment he had left the bike parked in the street over and over again. All his teenage dreams had gone. That weekend he went to the cinema with my aunt and couldn't even pay attention to the film. One week later, police phoned to say that they had found the motorcycle in Cartagena town, 50 kilometers from Murcia. Apparently a soldier “had borrowed the bike” as he was running late to come back to his military base.

-My uncle Toni and his Montesa Enduro 74 (Murcia, Spain, 80's)-
Attachment 7403

That was a story with a happy ending for my uncle and despite the fact that the bike got stolen a couple of times more over the years and my uncle had some minor incidents with the Spanish “Guardia Civil” and “accidents” trying to impress some girls while riding, he enjoyed his young times taking his motorcycle up the mountains in Murcia and travelling to the beach with my aunt to inaccessible spots. And the best thing is that he still keeps the motorcycle in his garage. It’s a true relic!

-My aunt riding my uncle's Montesa (Murcia, Spain, 80's)-
Attachment 7404

I hope you have enjoyed these stories as much as I have.

Since I have developed very nice friendships with some Chinese classmates, well, who knows if one day I will have the chance to pass each other on the streets of China!


Thank you so much again for everything guys and see you in the forum!

Alberto

Dear Alberto,

Many thanks for introducing yourself through the stories of your family. Well written and thoroughly enjoyable!

Is your father's prohibition still in force?

cheers!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by euphonius

Dear Alberto,

Many thanks for introducing yourself through the stories of your family. Well written and thoroughly enjoyable!

Is your father's prohibition still in force?

cheers!

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Hi euphonius,

You're very welcome. I'm happy that you enjoyed the motorycle stories of my family :)
I really did it as well and my uncles were really excited about remembering all these anecdotes together.
They wrote quite long and detailed emails! Time flies, but good memories never fade.

No, the "do what I say, not what I do" style prohibition expired some years ago I suppose! :) I'm already a grown-up person, I guess.

All the best,

Alberto