I have been wanting to get a Harley for about six years. Well longer than that, but the last six years the itch has been bad. Sure, it might be a mid-life crisis but then again that would imply that I have grown up and we all know that has not happened.

The Harley I want is the V-Rod Muscle. Nice! eh?!? The Harley V-Rod includes a 121 horsepower liquid-cooled, 1,250cc Revolution V-twin engine, a slipper clutch, and optional ABS braking. The V-Rod starts at $16,695, and the Anniversary trim starts at $17,465 which is the one I want.

But I am prevented in this quest by two things. The first being that I crashed a cycle when I was in college – long story – not my fault. The second reason is an indirect result of reason number one.

You see I was leaving morning classes up at UC Santa Cruz back in 1984, wearing my typical jean jacket, t-shirt, plaid shorts and boots. Please note NO helmet (dumbass) was mentioned. I was on Mission Street when I noticed a police officer behind me. Now I knew the score of why he was behind me. He was not admiring my fashion sense. Nope, the officer was checking to see if the bike was street legal. It barely was being a modified Yamaha RD350. As I was busy watching the officer in my mirror, a white Cadillac suddenly decided that my lane looked better. It swerved into the right lane that I was in and clipped my front tire.

I still can recall vividly the next few seconds. I was given a choice to either go under the car, or into some shrubs or into a telephone pole. Luckily for me, gravity allowed me to choose the shrubs. The next think I know is the police officer inquiring about my status.

I was lucky but the bike was not. It was mangled.

Years later I met my better half and eventually I told her the story. Since she is very practical, she was not amused by the story and announced then and there that I was NEVER going to get another cycle. Since then when ever I get the itch, reason number two appears.

The second reason is an ongoing fascination my better half has with cycles crashes. She doesn’t look for them but manages to mention them anytime she comes across them in the local news rag. Just this morning she pointed this one out.

The CHP, meanwhile, has yet to release the identity of a motorcyclist who died Saturday after losing control of his 1999 Harley on a sharp curve in Watsonville.

Cervantes said the 45-year-old man from Morgan Hill was traveling too fast as he tried to navigate a sharp turn at Carlton and Thompson roads about 4 p.m. As the man fell off the bike, a flatbed truck driven by a Watsonville man passed on the other side of the road and struck the motorcyclist on the head. The truck driver was unharmed.

Cervantes said the CHP can’t determine the speed at which the motorcyclist was traveling because there were no skid marks on the road. Alcohol and drugs are not suspected.

I need all of you bike riders to stop having accidents so I can get my Harley! I promise to wear a helmet and long pants…