MOST men would say their car or motorcycle is their most prized possession, and Bill Rollo is no different.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
He was one of the many people that brought a big machine out to Soar, Ride and Shine over the weekend to help raise money for Lifeline Central West.
His shiny beast was a burgundy American Ironhorse Texas Chopper, which he has owned for a number of years.
On the more technical side, it has a 107 cubic inch S&S motor, stretched frame and extend rake.
When asked why he wanted to bring this particular motorcycle to the Soar, Ride and Shine, Mr Rollo simply said “because it’s a beautiful bike”.
He saw the event advertised online and decided to enter it.
“I thought I’d come and support Lifeline,” he said.
His interest in motorcycles developed from a young age, back when he was a child living on a property outside of Blayney.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of care and attention goes into his motorcycle to keep it in pristine condition.
“A lot of polishing, a lot of cleaning,” he said.
“It’s a hobby, so a couple of times a week I spend a bit of time on it.”
Jokingly, Mr Rollo said his bike is his prized possession “and then the kids”.
They are allowed to touch his Chopper, but they do tend to steer clear of it.
“I’ve got two bikes; they’re all over the other one, but they tend to stay away from this one,” he said.
“They’re not really following the bikes, so I guess they don’t have an interest in it.”
Of course, this motorcycle isn’t just for show.
Mr Rollo likes to take a ride on it when he can.
“It’s not a long distance bike, but it’s fun, it puts a smile on my face,” he said.
Mr Rollo said he would definitely be interested in bringing his motorcycle back to Soar, Ride and Shine.
“Absolutely. It’s a local event for a good cause,” he said.
Mr Rollo was not the only one to show off a motorycle at Soar, Ride and Shine.
There was also a great display of machinery from the Black Dog Ride members.
For those not into bikes, the event also had a great display of classic cars and there were plenty of aircraft parked on the grass and flying through the sky.
Soar, Ride and Shine is held for two reasons.
First, to raise money to support the work of Lifeline Central West, and, second, to bring men together to talk about mental health.
Lifeline aims to reduce the number of male suicides through events like this.