Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Welcome!
If you know me, you might (like my wife) be tired of my nearly constant talk of things motorcycle-related. You might also wonder why I would spend hours polishing a bike, only to take it out the following morning on a salty winter road. If you're a fellow rider, you’ll probably understand.
A word or two about the title: Sometime in the 1960's, the American Motorcyclist Association stated that 99% of all motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens. The remaining 1%, to make a long story short, were classified as "outlaw" bikers. Some "outlaw" motorcycle clubs state that being a One-Percenter means that they're a part of the 1% of riders who live and breathe motorcycling, year round, as a way of life and a primary (if not sole) means of transportation. Not being an outlaw or someone who can use my motorcycle as my sole form of transportation (thanks to central Illinois winters), I can't claim to be a One-Percenter. Although not totally law-abiding, I have to lump myself in with motorcycling's general population.
I'm a relative newcomer to the motorcycling fold. In 2001, I bought a used Suzuki GSF400 Bandit from a coworker. To make a long story short, it was after only a few months of riding that I came to the sad realization that I'd spent way too much money on cars during my 17 years as a motorist. I'd ridden a friend's Honda CT-70 as a kid, and put a few miles on friend's bikes as a teenager. My dad took me for a few rides on his KZ400 in my pre-teen years. I spent seven bike-less years living in motorcycle-riding heaven, southern California, in the late '80s/early '90s. It wasn't until I bought the Bandit and had both the desire and the time to dedicate to motorcycle riding and maintenance that I realized that I wanted to ride motorcycles for a living. Unfortunately, I can't do that--very few can--but I do attempt to do the next best thing, which is to ride whenever and wherever possible.
In a recent issue of Motorcyclist magazine, a well-known biker was asked, "Why do you ride?" His answer was stated in the form of a question, "Why do I breathe?" On this blog, I'm going to do my best to explain why I ride and why I highly recommend that everyone should try their hand at riding.
I've logged approximately 31,000 miles on two bikes in the past five years, and have no racing or track day experience. I consider myself to be somewhere in the middle of the pack with regard to my handling skills, and more cautious than I am quick. This is my experience level. I can't say that I'm an authority on motorcycles, so I'm going to throw whatever knowledge I have out there and ask for input from other riders. If I'm wrong about something, let me know. If you can add to a discussion or have a question, feel free to comment.
Anyone is free to comment, although I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone in Champaign-Urbana and the surrounding communities, as that's where I do most of my riding. If anyone in the area would like to contribute with information on good riding roads, speed traps, bike/accesory sales, or any motorcyle-related topic, let me know (woof68 at msn.com). I'm not trying to start a motorcycle club, but there are a ton of bikers in the area, but no real cohesiveness. All of us, regardless of motorcycle type, have something to learn from each other that could make us better, safer riders. Please sanitize your comments in order to not tick off your fellow sportbike/cruiser/chopper/touring bike riders. Good-natured ribbing is always fun; stereotyping is not. We all share the same roads, so let’s try to be friendly.
With that intro out of the way, here's why I ride:
-I enjoy a connection with the road and my surrounding environment that car drivers don't experience.
-I enjoy being in command of a motorcycle, as opposed to the "passenger" feeling I get while driving. I wouldn’t suggesting that I’m a bad driver, or that driving a car doesn’t demand a lot of concentration. I will say, in my humble opinion, that most car drivers seem to be asleep at the wheel.
-I enjoy the view. Where a car offers a limited view through its windows (and possibly a sunroof), I have a 360-degree view around the bike, and a 180-degree view bubble above the road level. It's a beautiful thing to raise my chin to where I can't see my instruments on a moonlit night in the country.
-I enjoy the feeling I get that comes from finding the right line through a corner. Most cars can fudge their way through a blundered corner; motorcycles don't have that option.
-I enjoy effortlessly accelerating past inattentive car drivers. I enjoy effortless acceleration, period. (Note to those who have "fast" cars: The average sportbike can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in the 3-second range.)
-I enjoy riding my bike, knowing that I've maintained it properly and am solely responsible for its performance.
-I enjoy that people in cars, when they see me riding in the rain, are probably thinking, "poor bastard," not knowing that I’m having much more fun than they are.
-I enjoy getting a consistent 40MPG while riding a vehicle capable of sub-11 second quarter-mile times.
-I enjoy being able to maneuver my bike around obstacles (cars) while riding in town, which saves time. Some states recognize the fact that motorcycles actually ease congestion.
Next post: Purchasing a motorcycle.
Ride safely!
¶ 5:36 PM
A word or two about the title: Sometime in the 1960's, the American Motorcyclist Association stated that 99% of all motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens. The remaining 1%, to make a long story short, were classified as "outlaw" bikers. Some "outlaw" motorcycle clubs state that being a One-Percenter means that they're a part of the 1% of riders who live and breathe motorcycling, year round, as a way of life and a primary (if not sole) means of transportation. Not being an outlaw or someone who can use my motorcycle as my sole form of transportation (thanks to central Illinois winters), I can't claim to be a One-Percenter. Although not totally law-abiding, I have to lump myself in with motorcycling's general population.
I'm a relative newcomer to the motorcycling fold. In 2001, I bought a used Suzuki GSF400 Bandit from a coworker. To make a long story short, it was after only a few months of riding that I came to the sad realization that I'd spent way too much money on cars during my 17 years as a motorist. I'd ridden a friend's Honda CT-70 as a kid, and put a few miles on friend's bikes as a teenager. My dad took me for a few rides on his KZ400 in my pre-teen years. I spent seven bike-less years living in motorcycle-riding heaven, southern California, in the late '80s/early '90s. It wasn't until I bought the Bandit and had both the desire and the time to dedicate to motorcycle riding and maintenance that I realized that I wanted to ride motorcycles for a living. Unfortunately, I can't do that--very few can--but I do attempt to do the next best thing, which is to ride whenever and wherever possible.
In a recent issue of Motorcyclist magazine, a well-known biker was asked, "Why do you ride?" His answer was stated in the form of a question, "Why do I breathe?" On this blog, I'm going to do my best to explain why I ride and why I highly recommend that everyone should try their hand at riding.
I've logged approximately 31,000 miles on two bikes in the past five years, and have no racing or track day experience. I consider myself to be somewhere in the middle of the pack with regard to my handling skills, and more cautious than I am quick. This is my experience level. I can't say that I'm an authority on motorcycles, so I'm going to throw whatever knowledge I have out there and ask for input from other riders. If I'm wrong about something, let me know. If you can add to a discussion or have a question, feel free to comment.
Anyone is free to comment, although I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone in Champaign-Urbana and the surrounding communities, as that's where I do most of my riding. If anyone in the area would like to contribute with information on good riding roads, speed traps, bike/accesory sales, or any motorcyle-related topic, let me know (woof68 at msn.com). I'm not trying to start a motorcycle club, but there are a ton of bikers in the area, but no real cohesiveness. All of us, regardless of motorcycle type, have something to learn from each other that could make us better, safer riders. Please sanitize your comments in order to not tick off your fellow sportbike/cruiser/chopper/touring bike riders. Good-natured ribbing is always fun; stereotyping is not. We all share the same roads, so let’s try to be friendly.
With that intro out of the way, here's why I ride:
-I enjoy a connection with the road and my surrounding environment that car drivers don't experience.
-I enjoy being in command of a motorcycle, as opposed to the "passenger" feeling I get while driving. I wouldn’t suggesting that I’m a bad driver, or that driving a car doesn’t demand a lot of concentration. I will say, in my humble opinion, that most car drivers seem to be asleep at the wheel.
-I enjoy the view. Where a car offers a limited view through its windows (and possibly a sunroof), I have a 360-degree view around the bike, and a 180-degree view bubble above the road level. It's a beautiful thing to raise my chin to where I can't see my instruments on a moonlit night in the country.
-I enjoy the feeling I get that comes from finding the right line through a corner. Most cars can fudge their way through a blundered corner; motorcycles don't have that option.
-I enjoy effortlessly accelerating past inattentive car drivers. I enjoy effortless acceleration, period. (Note to those who have "fast" cars: The average sportbike can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in the 3-second range.)
-I enjoy riding my bike, knowing that I've maintained it properly and am solely responsible for its performance.
-I enjoy that people in cars, when they see me riding in the rain, are probably thinking, "poor bastard," not knowing that I’m having much more fun than they are.
-I enjoy getting a consistent 40MPG while riding a vehicle capable of sub-11 second quarter-mile times.
-I enjoy being able to maneuver my bike around obstacles (cars) while riding in town, which saves time. Some states recognize the fact that motorcycles actually ease congestion.
Next post: Purchasing a motorcycle.
Ride safely!
¶ 5:36 PM
