34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JULY 10-16, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE On the wall of her Marina motorcycle shop, Moto Town, hangs a photo of a smiling Emma Booton posing with Sonny Barger, founder of the Hell’s Angels. There’s a story behind it, but she has hundreds of others—and she’s all too happy to share them. Booton has ridden on almost every continent, including Antarctica. But her tales do not dwell on personal achievements. In all of her stories there are instead at least two commonalities: a love of people and a love of motorcycles. She grew up in Birmingham, England where her obsession began at the age of 7 when her babysitter’s boyfriend plopped a young Booton on the gas tank of his motorcycle. She immigrated to the United States in 1994 and drove across the country, talking with motorcyclists along the way. She’s only had two careers throughout her life, and the one that stuck was fixing motorcycles. Weekly: What was the other career? Booton: I had been in the motorcycle industry on and off for most of my working life. But a few years ago I hurt myself very badly and thought my career was over. I was working on a jet ski and slipped off the block and got a compound fracture in my right hand. So I went through the Greyhound training program and taught myself how to drive long-distance buses. I did Greyhound, and then I did transit and then I drove tour buses. [My hand] still gives me twinges, especially when it’s cold—and Marina is cold every day [laughs]. How did you learn to work on motorcycles? When I was growing up, I didn’t have much money. In the 1970s there wasn’t a great deal of money around in England—full stop. People have this vision of what England is like, and that might be taxi cabs, double-decker red buses, Harry Potter and gentlemen who wear bowler hats. Those things exist, but that’s not what Birmingham was like. Birmingham was a gritty, industrial, Detroit-like city. And I wanted to have fun with my mates on their motorcycles. But the kind of motorcycles I could afford weren’t great, so I had to learn to fix them. And that’s kind of how it started. And then I was very lucky that I had a friend of a friend who worked at Triumph. So I got a little bit of an apprenticeship. What is it about riding? Well we’ve escaped, haven’t we? We’ve escaped from an increasingly sanitary world. The world we live in now is very, very safe. I would love to be eloquent enough to describe what the feeling is like whacking the throttle open on a liter superbike. The only other way you’re going to be able to feel what that’s like is if you pilot a jet. I think motorcycles have kept me young. Because in order to ride a motorcycle and motorcycle well, you need a certain amount of physical acuity and a certain amount of mental acuity. We, as just ordinary working men and women, are presented with this unique experience. I found that it doesn’t matter who you are, how old you are, how you were brought up, what gender you are or how you vote. None of that matters if you have this burning passion for motorcycles. Can you explain the three-fingered wave that motorcyclists give to each other? It means, “keep two on the road”— but it’s beyond just saying hi. That’s what I want people to understand. When you wave at a fellow biker, it’s the closest I feel to namaste. When you say “namaste” to somebody, it means, “I see you, I respect you, I honor you.” It’s like, “I got you.” Because when you’re out there on the road, you’re never alone. If you break down, have a crash or run into any trouble, the longest you have to wait for help is for the next biker. When you came to the U.S., what was your impression? I really took my time driving across America. My distant friend in San Luis Obispo was a kind of target. But I think I took six months—maybe even longer than that, maybe nine months just visiting towns along the way and chatting with people who owned motorcycles because this is what stirs my soul. I really fell in love with America while coming across. It’s a wonderful place. Where will your next trip be? Tuscany. That will be at the end of September. I will ride a rented Moto Guzzi V1000. Emma Booton is the owner of Moto Town, located at 3016 Del Monte Blvd., Marina. 760-8252. Joy Ride Motorcycle shop owner Emma Booton shares a love of community in every bike she fixes. By Sloan Campi Emma Booton takes a break in Moto Town, the longtime mechanic’s independent motorcycle repair shop in Marina. DANIEL DREIFUSS Floss Want to meet Floss? Please ll out our online volunteer application. If you’d like sponsor our next ad, give us a call. 831-718-9122 | www.POMDR.org Tiny, shy Chihuahua mix seeks a gentle soul to help him bloom. Around 8 years old and 7 pounds, he’s more comfortable with dogs than people, but learning fast. A calm home with con dent canine companions would help him thrive. Ready to o er patience, love, and a fresh start? (If you’d like to sponsor our next ad, please give us a call.) Chihuahua mix | ~8 years old | 7 lbs www.GoWhales.com Ad Sponsored by Monterey Bay Whale Watch Visit Our New Bene t Shop! Open Every Day Except Monday Sunday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Come see the hidden gems, upscale goods, and nd your new favorites! 223 Grand Ave, Suite 1 Paci c Grove (831) 312-8991| www.POMDR.org BENEFIT SHOP
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjAzNjQ1NQ==