Good article, Tyler.

Gee, Doug, you usually pick letters to answer that are worth a shit. Well, I guess everybody is entitled to a miss now and then.

Citroen Pallas in good shape. These cars are really rare and getting more so.

Gee, Lincoln really is clueless and hopeless. They’re walking dead and don’t seem to care.

Gee, memories... I used to ride year-round in Pennsylvania, except when there was ice and snow. Even being extra careful, the thing that put me down more than once was WET LEAVES. Think of them as you would greased banana peels. If you can’t avoid ‘em, get up on the pegs and ride like you’re a dirt biker on ice.

Good pick of the Vantage. You might want to stick a piece of black tape over that CEL, just so you can drive around without facing the damn thing every day.

Have any ground clearance problems in tight turns? I know I did on an older version of the same model.

Good plan, David.

I’ve owned dozens of vehicles, and I’m ashamed to report that I’ve f**ked up a fair number of them one way or another. This is a typical one...

Neither you nor anybody else here ever mentions the after-market warranties available for these cars. Seems like only Doug DeMuro appreciates their value.

Nice paean to Eric. In my mind, as good as Eric is at what he does, he is on a tier below John Kenton Britten, whose entirely original bike, including the motor, beat everybody.

Good Cars

One of these days, in a similar article you might want to mention that a good way of stabilizing and reducing repair costs on cars like this is to buy an after-market extended warranty. Doug is not the only guy who’s gotten his money’s worth this way. My wife’s DD is a 2004 Phaeton, which would be impossibly expensive…

One of the least expensive, most reliable cars I’ve ever owned was a one year old, ex-EconoCar rental that I bought direct from the company. Of course, I checked it out VERY thoroughly before handing over my cash. The car was a 1998 Chrysler Sebring convertible, which I drove for seven years. Maybe I just got lucky?

I admit I used to ride stoned all the time, but never with any alcohol in me. The pot reduced anxiety, which made me more relaxed and focused like a laser while being aware of everything around me.

Good ideas, Torch. But, VW already beat you to the punch regarding the down-market Bentley. They still build the Phaeton.

Well, maybe you drive differently than me. I own a 1995 Miata that is supercharged, lowered, Koni shocks, 16” lightweight wheels, tower braces, etc. Having driven several standard-issue Miatas, I can say with certainty that even the new ND model will need a few mods to be perfect.

Believe me Sean, you don’t want to know the details, but I need the big, comfy, cop-style tractor seat, foot boards, and steer horn bars of the KZ1000P these days. I’ve tried several nakeds and they’re just not ergonomic for me. (I own a cruiser as well. It errs in the other direction so I rarely ride it.)

Highlights from 50 years of moto learning:

Great review and pix, Sean!