Why We Ride.
It was a hard day at the shop. You had to let go of one of your employees and that always hurts. You stumble through the rest of the day, a mere shadow of yourself. Is it five o’clock yet?
You close up, turning the open sign off and lock the door. You walk over to your motorcycle, swing a leg over and strap up your helmet. As you turn the key the ‘po-ta-to po-ta-to” comes to life. You pull out onto the road, crack the throttle and the day is forgotten.
This may seem a little dramatic but we all can relate to some extent. Motorcycles have the power to right a crappy day, or make a brighter one even brighter.
There is something about riding motorcycles that gets right down into your soul. It’s an escape from the day to day or even moment to moment. It’s why we ride.
Helmet Time – Starts the second you slap on your brain bucket and snug up the strap. It’s time with you and only your thoughts. Some say that riding a bike is the best kind of therapy; because it gives you time to think about your day, the people closest to you or that problem you still need to solve. Make no mistake, navigating a bike takes real concentration, but in-between intersections, stop lights and when the road flattens, you have time to contemplate, and that is worth the price of ownership. It’s why we ride.
100% Focus – One hand always on the front brake, foot ready at the rear for that emergency maneuver if another vehicle pulls out in front of you. Riders are trained to anticipate, and the more miles you put on the more natural it becomes. It’s not a matter of if, but when that car will enter the intersection and say “I did not see you.” Riding a motorcycle makes you a more attentive driver whether on two wheels or on four. It’s why we ride.
Kickstands Down – Memories are made with your buds when you are stopped and the kick stand is down. It could be for a roadside leg stretch, patio lunch, or picture at the world’s largest piece of cheese. You can’t ride all the time, and stopping is sometimes the best part. It’s why we ride.
Gassing Up – “Hey mister! What kind of bike is that?” yells a kid out the window of the family’s SUV next to you. People almost always talk to you at the gas station. They are curious not only about your ride, but where you are going, where you have been and why motorcyclists wave at each other. No one ever talks to you when you are in the four-wheeled bubbles, but they do on a bike. It’s why we ride.
The Iron Butt – For some, it’s a sense of accomplishment. How many miles can I log in one day? It’s bragging rights, sometimes even officially recognized by the Iron Butt Association. Although not for most, it does appeal to the sport tour segment with the sheepskin seat covers and high viz helmets. It’s why we ride.
Discovery – Unlike driving a car, the final destination isn’t the most important thing in your motorcycle journey. It’s the roads and detours you take to get you there, the unexpected places you find along the way and the people you meet at those stops. Riding gives you that opportunity to escape and discover new things. It’s why we ride.
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