Barbara Morris, a fearless British great-grandmother with a passion for motorcycles, had her 90th birthday wish fulfilled when she rode on the back of a Harley-Davidson.
This ride was reminiscent of her younger years and made her feel like she was 21 again. Morris had expressed her desire to get back on a motorcycle one last time to her family several years ago, should she live to see her 90th birthday.
Recently, Barbara was astonished when her sons and members of a nearby biker group arrived at her nursing home. Despite wearing a dress, she had no qualms about mounting a motorcycle on the spot and joining 13 other riders for a ride to a pub.
“I just felt the years melt away,” said the great-grandmother of six, describing the exhilarating sensation of the wind blowing in her face once again. In the 1950s, as a teenager, Barbara obtained her first motorcycle license, as depicted in the photo below with her best friend Mac.
In the 1950s, Barbara obtained her first motorcycle license as a teenager. Below is a picture of her with her best friend Mac.
Kirsty Harvey, Barbara’s granddaughter who assisted in planning the surprise with the local biker group Widows Sons, described her grandmother as a courageous individual with a daring spirit who was unfazed by anything at the age of 34.
“My uncle said to her ‘You always said if you made it to 90, you wanted to go on a Harley,’ and then she said, ‘Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you remember that’.”
“She’s got nerves of steel, she’s not really afraid of anything. She’s kind of from that generation that was made of tough stuff. Nothing really fazes them.”
At around 19 years of age, Barbara acquired her first motorcycle, a Royal Enfield 350, which she utilized for commuting to college. Her love for riding grew rapidly, and she passed on this passion to her family.
“She always had a little bike that she nipped about on. Her three sons later all had motorbikes and a keen interest in motorbike racing and groups,” Kirsty remarked.
The experience of riding a potent Harley-Davidson was made even more extraordinary for Barbara since she had never ridden one before.
The fact that Barbara had never ridden a powerful Harley-Davidson before made the experience all the more exceptional.
Kirsty elaborated on how they collaborated with the staff at Ambleside Bank Residential Home in Manchester to orchestrate the surprise. “They permed her hair and did her make-up, and got her dressed up nicely,” she said.
“She can’t see very well, so they had to take her right up to the bike, and when she realized what it was, her face was ‘just a picture’.
“She thought it was just a nice bike to look at, and when we actually told her she was going on, she was a bit speechless. She couldn’t believe it.”