PMS Is Real... And The Moto Social Is The Cure

Bikers know the feeling well. A bike in mothballs, a long, dreary winter, and a cool, wet spring is the perfect recipe for Parked Motorcycle Syndrome.

Though I’d had the scoot out since late March, I still hadn’t shaken the last vestiges of my PMS. While it’s true that I’d been out on the bike daily, it had only been for errands and an occasional 10-minute commute for work. I’d been missing my riding pals and the and the spirited moto jabberwocky that came with the hangs.

I was hoping that this Year’s inaugural Moto Social would lift my blahs. As the first Wednesday of May approached, the weather brought rain, rain, and more rain. It didn’t look good.

But it seemed like 500 motorcyclists’ prayers were answered as the dawn swaddled us in a blanket of blue sky. Christmas morning had come!

As usual, my man Viktor Radics had chosen a great new coffee spot to discover. Dark Horse in the new spankin’ Canary District was close to being perfect.

I decided to hit the Social early. After rolling on to the ample boulevard, a big, airy space greeted me. Drip coffee was on Harley-Davidson Canada, so I grabbed a cup and settled down with a croissant to watch the action unfold.

The unfolding came soon enough as the usual cast of characters rolled in on their signature bikes.

This is LifeOn2!

From near-and-far they came – Brantford, Aurora, Burlington, Milton, Leslieville…all with the purpose of having a cup of joe and shooting the breeze with brothers and sisters-on-bikes.

The night was a constant rumble. Bikes of all shapes and sizes came and went, filling all the sidewalks and boulevards. Curious residents in jogging apparel and yoga pants mingled with riders in denim, leather and cordura.

I, myself, got caught up with the catchup, hanging with pals not seen since before the first snow last year. Gotta admit that it got in the way of a lot of picture-taking, but the camaraderie I’d missed all winter made me a little lazy.

But that’s what The Moto Social is all about. It’s what kept me smiling for the next few days as the skies opened and drenched Toronto once more.