Riding alongside the Mississippi using the Great River Road (GRR), I paused in Memphis for a day. When growing up, I’d heard of Memphis only because that’s where Elvis came from. This made Graceland a must-see visit, and allowed me to cruise along Elvis Presley Boulevard on my Harley.
It was noticeable that most visitors were my age (64) or above, with very few younger people in evidence. Graceland House is like Disneyland in that it’s crowded and has hugely over-organised fascist staff with plastic smiles herding you around and telling you where to stand (and not to stand).
Away from the house are museums of Elvis’s vehicles, planes, awards, costumes and much more. Graceland also has a hotel, restaurant and several shops selling a vast range of merchandise. If you’ve got upwards of $2500, you can have your own made-to-measure Elvis jumpsuit. Elvis was also a biker, owning and riding many bikes and trikes. Despite the tackiness, officious guides, and crowds, I enjoyed Graceland.
I then took a trip across town to visit the legendary Sun Studio. It was oppressively hot and humid, like riding in a sauna while sitting above the coals. I’ve got a mesh jacket, and my helmet and gloves are ventilated, so it’s not that bad when moving. However, I was in static traffic for an eternity while navigating Memphis’s shockingly potholed streets. At traffic lights, the barge-like Street Glide pumped out even more heat. I was glad to arrive at Sun Studios, which is much more amateurish and haphazard than Graceland, but I liked it more because of that.
Good company, bad head
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2023 edition of Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Mossy's Knowledge
Spec sheet terminology - chassis
Test fleet: Suzuki GSX-S1000GX
Out with the old and in with the new, as Stu picks up a GSX-S1000GX
Test fleet: Suzuki V-Strom 800RE
I've only had it a few days, but I've liked it since mile one. Hopefully my affection for the Suzuki will continue well into the future
Test fleet: Yamaha Ténéré World Raid
A lack of a daily commute doesn't mean that mileage is kept to a minimum
The Longest Day Teapot
While it would've been truly wonderful to have spent time preparing myself and the bike for that one long day of riding in June, there's rather more preliminary work than hoped...
Premier peninsula perambulations
Riding locally is all well and good, but Helen wanted some adventure and to get some miles under her wheels
Around Gran Canaria in three days
What better way to expand your riding CV than with some winter riding in the sunshine of the Canary Islands, and some dramatic mountainous roads
Pass-ing the time of day
Three of Europe's most well-known mountain passes, all covered in day of mind-bending scenery and nerve-wrenching hairpins one
Troubleshooting common 12V battery problems
Diagnosing and tracing faults with a motorcycle's electrical charging system can be a daunting prospect, but with a basic understanding of the bike's charging system you can usually get to the nub of what's wrong. We asked the battery-saving experts at OptiMate to outline the main components of the charging system, and the symptoms of the most common problems encountered with them
Worth Waiting For?
Moto Guzzi is Italy's oldest bike manufacturer in continuous production since its birth in 1921, though Covid forced the postponement by a year of its 100th birthday celebrations held at its Mandello del Lario factory on the shores of Lake Como