Why I ride

I just was asked to write something for somebody, about motorcycling.   I wrote why I ride just now.    I don’t know if it makes any sense or not.    I just wrote it, and its part of the reason why I ride.

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Why I ride.

Honestly, I’ve been trying to answer that question for almost 25 years.    I keep riding, and keep asking myself that question.

I swear there’s a riding gene.    I’ve seen people  who buy motorcycles over the years, and you either love it, or you don’t.    If you love it, you will keep doing it.   It’ll never get it out of your system.    If you don’t, your bike will end up on craigslist after a few years and have 1800 miles on it.     I’m not sure if it scares you, you’re unsure of yourself or how you’ll handle any given situation without 2,000 pounds of steel around you for protection, but if you don’t love it, you may not keep doing it.

I friggin’ love it.   I could drone on for hours about why I love riding, and still not know why.   I’ll give it a try…

Riding is being in the experience:  To paraphrase Robert Persig:   In a car, it’s almost like you’re watching TV.    The windshield is an 80 inch screen.   The weather almost doesn’t really matter.   Your temperature is controlled.     You have enough fuel to make a mistake, like missing a gas station.   Bluetooth, Nav, cell service…   You’re connected to everything that you have in your real world.

You don’t on a bike.     That road below you?   Its right there:  you can put your foot down and touch it.    You’ll watch the weather, because that effects which route you may take, or what you might need to endure.    There’s no heater.   You don’t get the luxury of any sort of fender bender.

Riding, to me is almost a religious experience.   You do all this subconsciously I think…  It’s a Zen moment:   pay attention to those potholes.   Watch out for the gal on her cell phone, you won’t get a 2^nd chance to be wrong if she’s not paying attention.     Watch the weather, because you might be riding in the rain.   Fuel up after 80 miles.    Check your map.

All while you’re listening to your favorite song on your ipod, and that unexpected rain storm start pelting you.     It’s a beautiful thing.

When you ride, You’re not a part of the experience, you’re *IN* the experience.

I also think its why some bikes end up on craigslist.    You  either love riding, or  you don’t.