Happy (almost) spring, and welcome to the March/April issue. I hope the weather is warming in your neck of the woods and that your bikes are serviced and ready to get out and enjoy the better temps.
The bike I’m most looking forward to getting out of my garage on the first nice day is my 1973 BMW R75/5. I’ve been messing about with it the last few weeks, replacing a few gaskets in the intake system that were old and dry. It was time to replace the battery, flush the fuel tank, and fill it with new gas. I also changed the oil in the engine and gearbox and lubed all of the cables. It was nice to give the bike a good once-over, checking on all the normal things that might need attention since it wasn’t ridden for most of the fall and all of the winter. In fact, it sat for a few more months than I really intended, but such is life. This may also be due to the fact that my 2006 Triumph Bonneville is closer to the garage door …
Spring is bringing all sorts of new things, both for me and for you, dear readers. As this issue shows up in your mailboxes and newsstands, I’ll be moving on to a new position in my town, helping our local technical college with its marketing and community relations. I’ll still be around behind the scenes here at Motorcycle Classics in my new role as Editor-at-Large, possibly penning the occasional column and helping with the transition as your new Editor-in-Chief, Christine Stoner, takes over.
Christine is a lover of all things mechanical, a motorcycle rider and a past airplane mechanic. Most recently, she’s been the Editor-in-Chief of our sister publication, Gas Engine Magazine, which focuses on stationary gas engines of all sizes and makes. Christine has also been Associate Editor of MC for the last 4 years, so she definitely knows her way around the place.
I am a believer that change is good. It awakens the mind, and with a new person guiding Motorcycle Classics, I look forward to seeing what the magazine can be.
I have appreciated my time as Editor-in-Chief these last 5 years. It has been a pleasure working with all of our writers and photographers, and especially you, our readers, who have sent many kind notes and letters. We’ve had some great conversations, and I’ve made a lot of new friends. As always, thanks for reading Motorcycle Classics. See you down the road.
Cheers,
Landon Hall
