I thought this was a great article about bikes and relationships:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/facts-and-arguments/i-love-motorcycles-she-loves-dogs/article1331317/

Here is the text:


I'm an avid motorcyclist, so it's not uncommon in social circles for the topic to gravitate toward bikes – and the subject of motorcycle ownership.

I am always amazed when some guy spills the beans and says, “I'd love to have a motorcycle, but my wife won't let me.”

I usually bite my tongue, but my thought is always the same: “Man, you obviously married the wrong woman.” That may sound harsh, but there is definitely some truth in it.

Many years ago, when my wife Irene and I were dating, I had three motorcycles in my fifth-floor apartment. A beautifully restored 1965 Honda CB160 was parked strategically in my dining room. My tidy enclosed solarium balcony housed two additional vintage bikes. We're not talking greasy Harley engines in the bathtub here. The point is, she knew what she was getting into and it was highly unlikely, at age 34, that I would change much.

Time has marched on and we have now been happily married for nearly 19 years. I still own five motorcycles. One of the reasons we are happily married is that we respect and support each other's interests. One Christmas, she even bought me a rare Honda CB450 Black Bomber motorcycle to restore. I found it in rough shape and negotiated a purchase price of $250. She insisted on buying it for me as my gift. That's when I realized, wow, I married the right girl. Which brings to mind an old miner's saying: “Once you strike gold, you stop digging.”

It wasn't just the Honda purchase. She also got her bike licence when I was a motorcycle safety instructor. This was not an easy task for her. She didn't pass right away, nor did she give up. She persevered and practised until she was successful. It was obvious to me then just how committed she was to our success as a couple.

Obviously there are two sides to this relationship business, and so I have to be respectful and supportive of her interests too. I'm a licensed aircraft mechanic, so my passions all have engines attached to them – motorcycles, cars and aircraft. Hers are a little more eclectic – gardening, live theatre and animals. For the record, when I say animals I am referring primarily to cats and dogs.

Here is a good example of how it works. A few years ago, we travelled on vacation to England. I took her to tour a few aviation museums, and she took me on a couple of garden tours. The beauty of this exchange is that she now recognizes the difference between a Rolls-Royce Merlin and an Anzani Radial aircraft engine, and I appreciate the difference between a rose and a rhododendron. She took me to see Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avon and I took her to Paris (Ontario – for the vintage bike rally). We both support each other's interests and in the process expand our own horizons.

We are married, so this scenario can at times push us each to the very boundary of our limits. Irene grew up on a farm with lots of cats and dogs running around. Consequently, her need for a dog was intense, but not just any dog. It had to be a dachshund – you know, the long legless type, the dog world's version of a low rider. This particular breed captured her heart because of Fritz, a beloved dachshund from her past.

I had always promised her that when I retired she would have another, and sure enough she called my bluff. Little Lola recently entered our lives, much to the surprise of Blue, our slightly used, low-mileage cat. Irene is over the moon with her new baby dachshund.

We still attend Woofstock and various dachshund rescue picnics in an attempt to keep her “additional” cravings at bay. Still, I know it's only a matter of time before we collect both Hondas and dachshunds. Perhaps when we are both retired we can set up a joint business venture – Sam's Vintage Hondas and Reenie's Weenies. Sales slogan: Get 'em while they're hot.

I often wonder about those guys with wives who won't allow them to have a motorcycle. Do they then get to deny their wives some passion like tennis or shopping? “Okay honey, I won't get a motorcycle, but no more designer stilettos for you.”

The bottom line is, when it comes to relationships, it boils down to give and take. Currently, our little urban jungle consists of one cat and one dog. They seem to get along just fine and so do we. All is well at least for now, with no additional dachshunds in our immediate future. Thank goodness, despite my ongoing commitment to relationship compromise, I have never been a big fan of motorcycle sidecars. Especially when one sidecar could potentially carry dozens of dachshunds.

Very well put. My wife and I have a similar set-up which I have discussed on here before, where she gets to spend an equal amount on jewelry and shoes as I do on the bike and vice-versa. Marriage is a matter of give and take on both sides. Those that only give or only take will soon be alone or bitter.