With a grandfather and father into riding motorcycles, there was a likely chance that I’d have been a rider too, but it was my first trip to spectate at the Isle of Man TT as a nine-year-old pillion on my dad’s Norton Dominator that really got my attention and, as it turned out, shaped my working career and life in a way I could never have imagined back then. Nearly 54 years later, I’ve been fortunate to have spent most of my working life involved with motorcycles in one way or another.
And doubly fortunate to have found my wife, soul mate and work buddy of nearly 30 years, Karen, who shares my passion for motorcycles and our great industry. Whether we’re at a racetrack, visiting dealers, distributors or riding from Luxembourg to Stranraer non-stop, two-up on an Aprilia RSV Mille, we’ve had a blast because it involved two wheels and related products. We’ve both worked in other industries briefly, but the pull of the motorcycle industry was always too strong – magnetic, I guess.
However, it hasn’t just been the motorcycles and products themselves that have made our working life so enjoyable. The unique people and characters we’ve worked for, worked with and come into contact with through our industry who share a common passion have made life within the motorcycle trade so much fun. To everyone that we’ve had the pleasure of working for and with over the decades and all the great folks we’ve known, thank you so much for all the support, fun, friendship and memories (some good and some bad!) we’ve all shared together – it has meant a lot to both of us and is very much appreciated.
As we now shift gears and start a new (retired) life in Spain, being able to spend more time with our family who have supported us so fervently, and having time to ride a motorcycle on these racetrack smooth, winding mountain roads will re-ignite our love of the simple and awesome pleasure of riding a motorcycle because, for us and many like us, that’s what life is all about – family and motorcycles, ye cannae beat it!
Eric and Karen McFarlane, Mondron, Spain