MOTO MEETO ...
Since childhood I've been fascinated with bikes. All types. Bicycles, scooters, motorcycles, pretty much anything with a motor and wheels. One, two, three, four... it didn't matter. A chance ride on the back of a motorcycle in the village of Damavand changed my life pretty much forever.
All I can remember is holding on tight and watching trees, rural homes, the sky and clouds just whizzing by while being chased by a dog. The aroma, the movement, the visions passing by are still ever present and every time I ride, that emotion kicks in. I'll never forget after dismounting how huge the motorcycle and rider were, never did I expect I'd be able to have one of my own.
Years passed on and my brother got a Honda Mini trail. Gold, with fat tires, a rack, tall bars, it was legendary. He was 13, me, 7. The first weekend he went away with my dad I pulled it out. I had studied these machines for years by now and with an arsenal of posters, collector cards, toys and any magazines or books i could find, I was ready. I fired it up, took it out, and slipped and fell on the icy road. It was awesome. I got it up, rode the local market and with some i had borrowed from my brother (unbeknownst to him) I got a coke and bread. And that was it. I wanted to ride forever. I managed to sneak the mini trail out many times, rotating the front wheel backwards to reset the odometer to the last tenth digit. I got my ass kicked many times by my brother, but it was always worth it.
I terrorized my folks a motorbike. Even my brother had enough and got rid of the Mini Trail. Many years later, after moving to the United States and a junior in high school, opportunity struck. A Vespa GS surfaced for $200 (newly found motivation to get a job)l, and it ran - with a locked steering column and no keys. We butchered the lock and freed it, and I brought it home where I was living with my folks. The deal was no motorcycles. Nothing about scooters, and after an exhausting argument, my folks caved in, all to my brothers amazement. I had broken through.
A few years later I managed to buy a BMW R69US. Life changed for me. The elegance of the motorcycle coupled with its Rolex like engine regained my childhood feeling of roaming through the day in peace. Maintenance was a necessity I had little time for, so that skill took some time to secure (I'm still working on that!). For the most part, I worked on my BMW the best I could, occasionally having seasoned legends such as Ozzie Auer reset and tune it to perfection. Though I had met many local people enjoying motorcycles there wasn't much in the way of spending time and finding a dedicated group of friends to share motorcycling experiences and knowledge with. So i invited a few friends to meet for a meet and greet, and since then, MOTO MEETO has grown into a community of like minded enthusiasts sharing good times, knowledge, and other life necessities. The biggest goal of MOTO MEETO is to gain some know how, resources, and encourage new riders to safely enjoy motorcycling. I've learned so much about the art of motorcycle maintenance it's become a solace as enjoyable as riding itself. And i've become a better rider. At times I feel selfish - because it is so much fun for me. I hope it is for you too.
So, as the MOTO MEETO motto goes,
Ride a bike, Be happy!
Cheers,
Alex Zangeneh Azam
MOTO MEETO HQ
alex@motomeeto.com
