San Diego Adventures: Moto Monday & More

Felt the love in San Diego- seems like a place where people’s hearts are as warm as the weather. A great, budding motorcycle community that could explode at any instant. Constantly nice riding weather, cool shops abound… why don’t I live there again?

Erik Borowitz, co-owner of Cerberus Motorcycles, even took me around town on a little 1982 Honda Ascot FT500 (big thanks to Dave Hargreaves for the loan) so I got to see some sights and eat some awesome food at Pokez.

Some various highlights before I unleash you into the photo album from the whole trip… I met many lovely motoladies like this fiery red head Kate, sitting on her Harley Davidson.

I finally met Emma Bass, who I have posted many times before. She rode two hours from Long Beach to Cerberus Motorcycles for the Moto Monday celebration wherein Jen cooked amazing indonesian food.

Sanna Maria, a Harley lover, tests out the ergonomics of Tim Stafford’s award winning restored China Blue 1961 BMW – R50/2. Moto Mondays at Cerberus Motorcycles include beer, bikes, good grub, and lots of motorcycle talk (of course).

However this Monday there was quite the babe infusion, Jessica McClean, Nina Savage AND Sanna Maria are three shining examples of the lovely women who ride in Southern California. I had not met them until this weekend, and they were so welcoming and fun. It was really difficult to leave.

Riding the Ascot was fun, for an ‘82 it was a really solid bike. Felt relatively new, super light and could get up to speed just fine. I really do enjoy lil single cylinder thumpers. It accompanied me to my first ever visit to the California coast line where I finally got to put my toes on the sand.

Well, not quite… more like boots on the sandstone cliffs.

Devin Helmen, photographer and rad Triumph riding ginger, met up with Erik and I at Ocean Beach Pier. Apparently it’s the longest concrete pier on the west coast at 1,971 ft (601 m).

He is the tannest ginger I’ve ever seen.

His 2011 Triumph Thruxton was equipped with a well placed but totally legal knife.

After our little beach walk, we stopped by Pokez restaurant where Daniel works part time (when he’s not doing hair like a boss) as I’ve been told it’s very good Mexican food. Suffice to say I was very very happy with my meal. THE CHICKEN WAS SO GOOD. Okay, moving on.

Daniel is the builder of this fine specimen… his frankenbike Triumph/BSA chopper that I will be doing a piece on here shortly.

My time otherwise was spent mostly at Cerberus Motorcycles, tinkering on projects with the co-op members or fiddling with web things and doing what I do. Magical moments happened all around, inside the shop and just across the street sometimes too. Like this guy who was playing guitar with a friend of his on the roof of the Tower bar attached building.

Members work on their projects- sometimes with more success than others. David’s grinding job was very successful, until he discovered a rust hole in his fender. Project number two, starts from project number one… as always.

While testing out ergonomics of his fork height change, Taylor hopped on the back, apparently neither gentlemen were offended. A great crew, they all kept me laughing (and busy with my camera).

Shop co-owner Dave Hargreaves and I just before I left to get on my return flight. Dave used to work for Confederate Motorcycles, he’s been in the industry about 25 years and is a veritable gold mine of information.

Erik Borowitz (co-owner) has been in the industry a few years now, and like me is learning more about motorcycles every day. His taste in eyewear is as nice as his taste in motorcycles. Always a vintage-styled pair of specs upon his face.