Meet Maynard Hershon - Part 1

The name Maynard Hershon is familiar to avid bicyclists and motorcyclists. For years the Midwest native’s byline appeared in several cycling publications, including Winning and VeloNews. His books Tales From The Bike Shop and Half-Wheel Hell are both dog-eared best sellers. But Hershon has lived a double life for decades, also writing for a handful of motorcycle publications, namely CityBike.

By the time I was on the hunt for my first motorcycle in late 1999, I’d befriended Hershon by association. I worked at the old Schwinn Paramount factory for Rivendell Bicycle Works in Waterford, Wisconsin for two years in the mid `90s. Hershon and Rivendell’s owner Grant Petersen went back several years, so our paths crossed a few times. I heard he was into motorcycles, so with some extra cash in my pocket, I asked Hershon what to buy; I was leaning toward something vintage from Triumph, Norton or BSA.

“BMW,” he replied during an extensive email exchange. “One cannot go wrong with a BMW from the ‘70s. Find something like a R 90/6 or R 75/5, and you’ll be set.”