Tag: Group Riding

1001, 1002, 1003

Originally posted to the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge Blogspot on May 6th, 2015.

The time it took for you to read the title of this blog, roughly 3 seconds, is all the time needed to lose your life. A couple of years ago I was in Rapid City, SD headed to Hot Springs to visit with Jim & Beth of Hoka Hey fame and was setting at an intersection waiting for the light to turn green. A rider passed through the intersection and he looked toward me and nodded his head as to say, “Hey, how’s it going?” That was all the time needed for the car in front of him to stop and he rode into the back of the car.

All it took was a brief second of distraction…

His injuries were minimal, but the bike needed to go to the shop for repair. While waiting on the police to show up we talked and I learned he was a rider with years of experience and this was his first mishap. The split second it took for him to look at me was all the time it took for the convergence of unfortunate circumstances to meld together and result in an accident.

Riding is risky business and we, as riders, are responsible for reducing that risk as best we can. Most assuredly during those years of riding he had, as we all have, allowed his attention to be diverted for a second or two while acknowledging someone while riding or take a few extra seconds to look at the scenic view to the left or right. But, in previous instances other variables did not enter into the mix, like the car stopping unexpectedly or a deer dashing out to get to the other side of the highway.

We rely on our riding skill and experience to stay between the ditches and to keep the shiny side up while we ride. These are important for sure, but I think attitude and focused attention are more important. Call me rude if you like, but I will never wave at an oncoming rider while I’m in city traffic. I assume every car within 100 feet of me is ready to implement a well-developed plan to run me down and then take a selfie over my lifeless body. We have all had close calls with cagers and the only reason we lived through it was because we were 100% focused on the task at hand and evaded the assault. What happens when that “close call” presents itself during that short span of seconds when we are momentarily distracted by some inconsequential thing?

Stay focused, stay alert and always ride as if everyone is out to get you. It’s a strong bet they are indeed looking for an opportunity for the perfect selfie and your lifeless body would make a fine backdrop. Don’t give them the opportunity.

2015-05-08
The Helmet Law – To Be or Not To Be

Since there is no law that requires people to ride motorcycles we can surmise the main reason we ride is because we want to. We can also surmise, from our own experiences, riding is risky business. We can also surmise, from all the media hype, motorcycle riding costs the States and the Insurance Companies lots of money and we are all ultimately going to die from riding motorcycles… or can we?

We are told the increasing number or rider related accidents have placed an undue burden on the health care system. We are told that wearing a helmet will save our lives… I think these, and other related statements are false. The below is from the Motorcycle Riders Foundation in Washington, DC and are a compilation of facts retrieved from the Center for Disease Control, US Census Bureau, Nation Highway Transportation and Safety Administration and other national agencies. Data outlined below is not intended to argue against or for helmet use, but I believe it demonstrates that a mandatory helmet law is not the solution to motorcycle safety.

Fact 1 – A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control demonstrated that of the 14,283 motorcycle fatalities which occurred nationwide between 2008 and 2010, 8,226, or 57.6% were wearing helmets when they were killed.

Fact 2 – According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration, in 2009, 20 states and the District of Columbia accounted for 40% of total motorcycle registrations and 42 % of total motorcycle fatalities nationwide even though they had mandatory motorcycle helmet laws. The other 30 states which either allowed adult riders to choose whether to wear a helmet or simply had no law at all accounted for 60% of total motorcycle registrations and 58% of motorcycle fatalities.

Fact 3 – Reports that assert that motorcycle fatalities have nearly doubled since 2000 fail to take into account the increase in registered motorcycles. If you take into consideration the increase in registered motorcycles, then you will see motorcycle accidents per registered motorcycle have actually decreased since 2000, or at the very least, have remained relatively unchanged. In 2000, there were 2,862 fatalities for 4,903,000 motorcycles registered. That comes to 0.058% of registered motorcycles were involved in a fatal accident. In 2010, there were 4,502 fatalities for 8,368,000 motorcycles registered. That comes to 0.053% of registered motorcycles were involved in a fatal accident.

Fact 3 – Given the lack of information available as to the causes of death in motorcycle fatalities, measuring the overall life-saving effectiveness of motorcycle helmets is speculative at best. J. Lee Annest, Ph.D., M.S., Director, Office of Statistics and Programming for the CDC has admitted that the CDC does not have motorcyclist injury deaths tabulated by body region/part nor is he aware of anyone that does. He further admits that with deaths, there are usually multiple injuries and the primary body part affected is often difficult to determine.

Fact 4 – States that allow adults to choose whether to wear a motorcycle helmet do not see higher motor vehicle insurance rates. Conversely, states that have mandatory motorcycle helmet laws do not experience higher motor vehicle insurance rates. Of the top five most expensive states for motor vehicle insurance four have mandatory motorcycle helmet laws. Of the five least expensive states for motor vehicle insurance only one has a mandatory motorcycle helmet law. To take it even further, only two of the ten cheapest states for motor vehicle insurance have mandatory helmet laws. The other eight states either allow adults to choose for themselves or, as in the case of Iowa, simply have no law at all.

Fact 5 – States that allow adults to choose whether to wear a motorcycle helmet do not experience increased health care related costs. In 2010, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted a study of daily inpatient hospital expenses by state. Of the twelve most expensive states for daily inpatient hospital expenses seven had mandatory helmet laws. Of the twelve least expensive for daily inpatient hospital expenses only four had mandatory helmet laws. The other eight states either allow adults to choose for themselves or, as in the case of Iowa, simply have no law at all.

So, decide for yourself. Whether you wear a helmet or not means nothing to me. Sometimes I wear one and sometimes I don’t. Given that this is my right I take it as my right to decide. If you take the media hype at face value then all motorcycle riders are destined to die a horrible death. But, if you do the research yourself and make your own decision you will see it is all hype.

Many motorcycle related accidents can be cataloged into two categories—the first being a rider with more bike than sense orchestrates a bonehead stunt and pays the price (these are a very small percentage of rider and the fact is they are probably lousy cagers too), the second are due to cagers who do not take the time to look or who think talking or texting on their phone is more important than maintaining positive control of their cage. Granted, there are other accidents like hitting a deer and/or a blown tire, but these pale in comparison to the two previously mentioned categories.

So, if you are really concerned about my wellbeing then I suggest you arrest every cager who talks or texts on the phone and let me expend a warning shot at every cager who does not see me just before they run me off the road; they don’t see me because they don’t look. I bet if I fired a round their direction they would see me then.

Ride free and ride often and don’t beleive what you read on a bumper sticker.

2015-04-27
The Long Haul

Why is it there are those who will ride thousands of miles on a motorcycle for no other reason than to ride? Face it; a car is more comfortable, especially during those times of inclement weather. The casual ride is easy to understand; a 50 to 200 mile ride in a day is not at all uncommon and makes for a fun day, but what about those thousand mile days? Not sure that question can be answered. Why do people run marathons? If good health were the reason then the desired state could be achieved without the grueling 26 mile run or the preparatory training that comes before. Why do people climb mountains knowing there are those who went before that never returned? Is it for a sense of adventure or an attempt to fill a void somewhere deep inside?

Each person who attempted to answer these questions may very well give an answer; surely each would be different dependent on the person. However, I believe each would admit (maybe not verbally) that their given answer failed to adequately clarify the real reason. One thing we would all agree on; the destination is not the objective.

So, with an acknowledgement that the ultimate question cannot be answered, let’s talk about what we do to prepare our bike and ourselves for these long distance rides.

Obviously (at least to me) the first thing that comes to my mind is motorcycle maintenance. A major service (oil change at a minimum) prior to departure should be at the top of the list. Plus, depending on the length of the ride, a service may be required during your trip; plan accordingly. Tires are the only thing between you and serious road rash. If you have 10,000 miles on your ride and your trip is 10,000 miles then I would recommend changing your tires prior to departure or have a plan in place to replace your tires during the trip. Oddly enough, tires, being the most significant safety feature on your ride, are the items most ignored by riders. Incorrect tire pressure can and will increase wear and cause a pre-mature failure. Correct tire pressure extends the life of your tire, increases fuel efficiently and adds comfort to the ride; incorrect tire pressure has the opposite effect. To reduce the possibility of a flat tire some will apply a tire sealant. Some swear by a sealant and others shy away from such things. Regardless of which end of the spectrum you hang your hat the thing here to remember is tire maintenance is your friend. Belt (or chain) and sprocket serviceability should be checked. Today’s belts last significantly longer than the chain and sprocket, but that does not mean they do not wear out and need replacing at regular intervals. If you are unsure how to perform maintenance on your ride then rely on your dealer’s service department. You don’t need to tell them you are not capable of doing it yourself, tell them you are too busy with all those meetings with Donald Trump, tell them anything; trust me, they will not question your reasons.

Baggage on your ride should be mounted as low as possible with heedful attention to balance. I suspect there is such a thing as too many bungee cords, but ensure you secure your luggage in such a fashion so as to prevent slippage. Securing the cords to your ride should not interfere with the normal function of your ride. Every ride has a maximum weight allowed which includes the weight of the rider. I am not privy to load limits on every ride, but for mine it is roughly 500 pounds which includes oils, fuel and extra items I’ve added. Fuel weights a little over 6 pounds and oil roughly 2 pounds per quart. So, with fuel and oil alone I lose 52 pounds. Add your weight to those items you always carry; leather jacket, chaps, helmet, camera, tool bag, 1^st aid bag, water (2.2 lbs per liter), etc and that weight limit gets smaller and smaller. Of course you would never take your bike to its maximum weight limit. I said all that to say this; pack light.

I’m sure it will come in handy at those rest-stops

When packing take only those items you need. Make a list of what you think you need to include clothing, tools, sleeping gear, etc. After you create the list you should estimate the weight and then check your list and mentally verify if the item is something you NEED. The more long trips you take the better you will understand what is needed and what can be left behind. On this list you will of course have clothing articles. Pick multi-function items. A jacket that will keep the rain off as well as provide protection from the other elements is your best option. You will not want to have a jacket specific to wet weather and a jacket specific to cold or high wind. Pick a set of clothing that can be layered allowing you to remove items as the day gets warmer. Likewise, adding a layer will keep hypothermia at arm’s length. A quick story here that applies – some years back my wife and I decided to climb Pikes Peak. Of course the plan called for us to carry everything we needed. So, I made a list of what I thought we needed and went over the list again and again. Each time I went over the list I reduced the items as I saw fit. Long story short; we climbed Pikes Peak and upon our return I realized there were a number of items I never took out of the pack. Obviously, we did not “need” these items. So, you might feel like you need it, but should the need arise what would result if you did not have it. Would you fail, or would you be just fine without it. Take that little story for what it’s worth… or not.

Depending on the type of trip you are taking be mindful of the items you may pick up along the way. If this trip is strictly a ride for the benefit of an iron butt then chances of you stopping for souvenirs is slim to none. If this is a vacation ride then have a plan to manage souvenirs. Most merchants will ship your purchase for you. If this is offered I highly recommend you use it. If you ship it then you will never have to pack and unpack over the period of your trip. Certainly, if you come to a point where you need a tool you can bet the tool you need is buried under all those souvenirs.

Hypothermia sets in when the body’s core temperature falls below 95 degrees; which is not difficult to do if riding in temperatures of 50 degrees or less. If you are riding and you get a bit of a chill then hypothermia can easily be the next step. Your physical health can play a significant part in allowing hypothermia to set in and it can also play a part in keeping hypothermia away. Meaning, eat right, dress right and drink right. By drink I am referring to water and juices; alcohol will not only speed hypothermia it will hide the symptoms.

Dehydration is a silent enemy that WILL sneak up on you and interrupt your day. As you ride you are obviously “face into the wind” which will dry your skin quickly. Your body will kick into high gear and try to keep your skin at an optimal level and try to replenish what the wind has taken away which starts a quick cycle. If you do not hydrate (drink lots of water) the wind will untimely win. It is said that an average person needs .5 to 1 full liter of water for every 125 to 150 miles. Now, we all know none of us drink that much water as we are tooling down the road, so ensure you drink water at each stop. If your objective is to ride a great distance in a minimal amount of time then a camelback may need to be added to your list of things to take and use. Drinking lots of water the day before also helps. Sadly, the more you drink the more often you will feel a need to pullover; that’s just the way it is. Always carry twice as much water as you think you will need. If you are going to break down be sure you will break down on the hottest day, far from anywhere. The water will come in handy.

If you’re gonna break down you are gonna break down at the farthest point from civilization – Murphy’s Law of Riding.

The positioning and comfort of your body plays a very significant role in an ability to ride great distances. The comfort of your seat, the tilt of your handlebars and even the surface of your grips play a role. We have all been on a long ride and our hands start to go numb. This happens because of the wrists (especially the right wrist) stays in a locked position for extended times. Many bikes come with cruise control which will virtually eliminate this problem. Other bikes do not come with cruise, but there are several options available ranging from inexpensive to very expensive that will provide this needed comfort; which you choose I will leave to the thickness of your wallet. Use your cruise control if available to let your hands and arms rest a bit. The higher your handlebars are the more prone you will be to suffer from not only your hands going numb but your arms as well. We all have our own thoughts on this, what looks good vs. what is functional; it’s sometimes a tradeoff. Again, which you choose is your prerogative; just be mindful of the results. I found that raising my bars just one inch made all the difference on the long hauls.

If you are riding alone you should be aware you are not alone. This fact is both advantageous and risky. It is advantageous when you need assistance. Ensure you have phone numbers for emergency services that may be needed for injury or mechanical failures. Nothing is more stressing than to be stuck on the side of that road less traveled and realize you are the only one travelling that road. A cell phone and a GPS to pinpoint your location will mean the difference between an hour or two or a day or two. On the other side of the equation; we want to believe that people are honest and willing to help. Yea, right… there are some out there who live for the day when they can take advantage of someone who is in a difficult spot. Others will not wait for you to be in a difficult spot before they jump in, they will put you in a difficult spot and take advantage with the skill and finesse of a hungry tiger. Act as if everyone you meet is kind and generous but have a plan ready for action to take them out of the equation if needed.

If you ride long distances you are going to run into critters—it’s a given. If this bothers you then don’t even pull out of the driveway. Remain vigilant and ready to act knowing there may be times when your actions will mean nothing—you’re going down and there is nothing you can do about it.

If you ride you are going to come into contact with obstacles – might not be a bear, but it’s gonna be something.

The long distance ride is a test of your mental and physical abilities; a test put to both you and your ride. Being prepared is the key but maintaining a positive and clear mental attitude is paramount; preparation starts long before you straddle your ride. If your intent is to ride a great distance in a short amount of time and you do not prepare your ride and yourself (both physically and mentally) then I would submit you have failed before you ever climbed on the bike. Failure will result in anything from busted pride to death. Take this endeavor seriously, prepare for it, plan for it, know your limitations and remain within those boundaries. If you do these simple things then you will succeed, do them not and you may fail.

2015-04-23
Two or Three

I own a Harley Street Glide and a Harley Tri-Glide. For those who do not know, a Street Glide has two wheels and, as demonstrated by its name, the Tri-Glide has three. For obvious reasons the Tri-Glide is more stable—I don’t fall over near as often when I ride the Tri-Glide verses when I ride the Street Glide.

Hey, it happens to the best of us.

Riding the Tri-Glide on a gravel road is less likely to increase my level of stress verses riding a gravel road on two wheels. For the experienced rider the gravel road will always get your undivided attention and often we will seek ways to find another route that is less hazardous. If you are an inexperienced rider, one who does not give the gravel road the respect it deserves, then you will soon learn firsthand a gravel road is unforgiving and will demand respect right after you come nose to gravel to its intolerant nature.

If you weigh the pros and cons when comparing two wheels to three you will often determine the three wheeled variant of the motorcycle is safer. So why do I enjoy riding the Street Glide over the Tri-Glide? It’s not like I do not enjoy a ride while on the Tri-Glide—I do. But the Street Glide is more fun even though it can be more dangerous. The term “dangerous” is relative—if a cager (a car) hits me while on either the Street Glide or Tri-Glide the result is going to be the same so it’s not like the survivability is greater while on three wheels if you encounter a distracted driver.

So, what is the real difference here? When I come to a stop on the Street Glide I must cater the approach and put my feet down when I stop. If you don’t put your feet down then gravity takes over and you find yourself in a very embarrassing situation. When I come to stop sign on a Tri-Glide all I need to do is stop. I can do whatever I want with my feet and the result is the same—gravity has no bearing on my vertical stature. When I am riding in a straight line there is no difference between a two or three wheel motorcycle. Really the only difference, while riding in a straight line, between two and three wheels, is the location within your lane where you ride. One two wheels I favor the left side of the lane, on three a necessity to ride in the center of your lane is warranted—no major issue here.

Two wheels allows you and your ride to be one…

So, what’s the difference? Why do I prefer the Street Glide over the Tri-Glide? This past weekend I went for a short ride to meet up with some of my fellow Hoka Hey riders and, at the last minute, I decided to ride the Tri-Glide rather than the Street Glide. Throughout the 650 miles I kept wishing I had taken the Street Glide and I began to formulate a reason why. I think it all boils down to curves.

On three wheels you must force the bike to take the curve. If you want to go right you push with your left hand and pull with your right. If you want to go left you push with your right hand and pull with your left—it requires effort. Not a considerable amount of effort, but effort none the less. Plus, while going through that curve centrifugal force is trying to push you off the bike and you have to apply lower and mid body muscles to keep yourself centered on the bike. One two wheels the execution of going through a curve is virtually effortless. You lean and the bike follows. Centrifugal force, rather than push you off the bike, acts to solidify your connection with the ride. It’s all about the riding experience. Do you and the bike act in unison, or are you forcing the bike to do what you want.

Three wheels is stable, but you have to force it…

Sure, a three wheeled motorcycle may be more stable and thereby more secure, but it lacks maneuverability. It’s like an airplane—you can have stability or quick maneuverability, but you cannot have both. Some prefer stability and that’s fine. I’m not trying to degrade anyone who prefers a three wheeled motorcycle. I’m just saying I think I prefer maneuverability—three wheels might be less hazardous, but, in my mind, it’s not near as much fun.

So, there you have it. The world of two verses three wheels according to Hoka Hey Rider 779.

Regardless of what you ride, ride safe.

2015-04-13
The Inevitable Crash

As we ride we know calamity is just a matter of time. Murphy’s Law says, “If you ride you will crash.” It is not a matter of if, but a matter of when and how bad. We can take available Motorcycle Safety Foundation courses and we can ride with the right attitude. We can also keep watch for obstacles and hazards and evade as needed, but all that will, at some point, fail us when we meet that distracted driver or the deer that wants to cross the highway.

So, how can we ensure we will never crash? Well… you can’t. But you can prepare for that inevitable day and act accordingly. There is an organization out there called “Road Guardians” and their intent is to prepare riders for that day. Ask yourself, “What will you do if your lifelong friend has an accident?” How will you react? What do you have on hand that could be used to render aid to your friend? Do you know how to render aid?

There is a term used by medical practitioners, “The Golden Hour.” The Golden Hour is the amount of time that it should take to get from the accident to the hospital. Short of a catastrophic event, what happens within the first few minutes can mean the difference between life and death. Ask yourself one more question. How would you feel if your loved one crashed and you stood there and watched them die… not able to prevent it but knowing someone with the proper training and proper equipment could have saved them? The answer is obvious.

There are a few options available to you. One is to plan your rides to always stay within a block of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) station or Hospital. Another is never ride unless there is a fully equipped EMT riding with you. Yet another is to spend thousands of dollars on training and equipment to be an EMT yourself; shouldn’t take more than a year or two depending on your schedule.

But there is another option. This option is well within the grasp of every rider. Contact Road Guardians (www.roadguardians.org) and schedule yourself for Accident Scene Management (or you could say “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”). The Basic and Advance courses can be completed in a weekend. This will not make you an EMT, but it WILL prepare you and equip you with the resources needed to render aid for the most prevalent of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. Don’t get me wrong, this is not an advertisement for Road Guardians, but it is a call to action aimed at you to prepare yourself for that day. I’m not going to claim this as solid truth but am confident most deaths from motorcycle related accidents come from a lack of quickly administered aid. More often than not if an injured rider gets into the hands of an EMT they will survive. The key is to treat serious injury until the EMTs arrive. An inability to breathe and excessive bleeding will claim a life in a matter of minutes.

We travel the roads less traveled which means we are often 30 minutes (or more) from an EMT station. If you can control the breathing and bleeding of the victim there is a significant chance the rider will survive until the EMTs arrive. If you make no attempt then there is no chance. Some accidents are catastrophic and there is nothing anyone can do; death is instantaneous. Many accidents result in an injury that, if treated quickly using simple techniques, do not result in death, but if the injury is not treated quickly then death ensues.

Every responsible rider should know 1^st Aid and carry a basic aid bag and also know how to manage a motorcycle accident scene. How would you feel if you could have saved your friend, but did not because you did not take the time to learn some very simple techniques?

The next move is yours; don’t wait. Rather than sit in your house during the winter and dream of riding you can take the time to properly prepare for riding; prepare for that day when your friend will need you the most.

2014-11-21
The Cost of Commitment

We all associate ourselves with something. Call it a need to belong, a need for recognition, a self assurance, or just because we like the people in that particular arena. Some wear some type of indicator on their clothing or tattoo their body, or adorn their automobiles with emblems, symbols or decals portraying these associations. You see it at every turn; T-Shirts for Vietnam Vets, jackets for Ford Motor Company enthusiasts, baseball and football teams, a specific sports figure, your employer’s company logo or the local volunteer fire department. Many of us in the iron horse community wear a Shield and/or Banner that displays our association. The number of motorcycle clubs, associations, chapters, and groups grow daily. Some are local and never stray far from home whereas others are national and have multiple Chapters.

For the purpose of this narrative we will use the term “club” when a reference is needed. Granted there is a difference between a Motorcycle Club (MC), a Motorcycle Association (MA) and/or Riding Club (RC) but that difference is not pertinent to this discussion. So, when I say “club” I am referring to all three; take no offense.

The focus or objective and the level of dedication within these clubs and individuals within these clubs can be found on both ends of the spectrum. From the “outlaw” biker attitude (aka 1%er) to the individual whose focus is based solely on charitable and selfless accomplishments. (Now, short disclaimer here, do not read into this that 1%ers have no use for charitable efforts. I think 1%ers, or any riding club, have been labeled as undesirables when, in many cases, nothing could be farther from the truth.) Within these clubs you will find riders whose entire existence focuses around the club whereas others are hit and miss; sometimes there, sometimes not. Some join, are on fire for the club, then fade away and are never heard from again; flash in the pan scenario.

For the purpose of simplicity and to narrow the focus of my audience I am going to drill down and talk about riders who wear a Shield and Banner. I do not want to insult anyone’s intelligence here, but a Shield, when used in this context, is the large patch worn on the back of a jacket or vest. The Banner is the scroll below or above the Shield that identifies a specific Chapter or Region within the Club. The Banner and Shield go by many names; Cut, Vest, Chit, Patch or Colors to name a few. For the sake of simplicity we will refer to them as a “Cut.” Some believe the Cut was first displayed by an Outlaw Biker gang. I don’t know who the first one was and to be honest that fact has nothing to do with this topic.

What I want to talk about is the level of dedication and the level of commitment one has to the Cut, whether that Cut be the Hells’ Angels, Harley Owners Group, or a Christian rider’s club or group. In a very real sense the dedication is not really to the Cut, it is to the cause or idea the Cut represents; much like the Flag of the United States. The Flag is not the cause or the force that drives the cause; it represents the force, the people and the attitude that perpetuate the cause. The Cut worn by a rider is the same. The rider wears the Cut so all who see it will know what the rider stands for.

Regardless of your Cut you proclaim allegiance to that organization; why else would you display the Cut if you were not dedicated to the cause. The question is, “What is your level of dedication?”

Let’s take a side road here real quick so you can gain a little insight into where I’m coming from. Years ago an English Teacher told me, “…with everything you write you should strive to leave your personal opinion out of it…” I thought that was a dumb statement and had no qualms about telling him that. My out-spoken nature may have had something to do with the less than desired grade received, but that is a different story. Everything we do, everything we say, our every response is governed by our opinion, our past choices, lessons learned and life experiences. When writing your thoughts down on paper how can you keep your opinion out of it? In my way of thinking, or, if you will allow me the pun, in my opinion, it can’t be done. So, what follows is my opinion, take it for what it’s worth.

In 1972, when I reported to Fort Leonardwood for US Army Basic Combat Training, over half of the “company” was draftees. Their level of dedication is not hard to imagine. They were thrust into a military environment and had no say-so in the matter. Most did their time and got out as quickly as they could while staying under the radar as best they could. To say their level of commitment was less than desired is an understatement. This should not be the case with your affiliation with your club or association; nobody made you join. One can only assume it was your opinion that joining this organization was a good thing to do, something you wanted to be a part of. Now what?

Depending on your organization and the correlating philosophy of that organization the level of accomplishment enjoyed by that club is entirely up to you. Everything you do and say, both good and bad, reflects on you and the association you advertise by wearing your Cut. Some clubs require an annual payment of “dues” that help facilitate the operational needs of the club, but the actual cost is greater. I’m talking about the cost of commitment.

The club or event you willingly associate yourself with is dependent on the commitment you made when you joined. If you joined your club and verbally committed yourself to that club, but do not really commit yourself to the cause then you are disrespecting your club and yourself; you are wasting your time and theirs.

Dedication and commitment are the prices you will pay to be associated with this group. Are you a valuable part of your club or are you a “poser?”

Perception is reality. If you display your Cut then you need to respect your Cut. If you do not respect it, then how can you expect others to? The stereotype of the rider has improved over the years. Think back to the staged photograph in Hollister back in 1947.

The posed picture was taken after bottles were gathered into a single location around a bike. The man on the bike didn’t even own the bike; he was prompted to sit on it by the photographer. Rumor has it he wasn’t even a rider at all; just a local resident walking down the street admiring all the iron. From this and other events that were blown out of proportion, we got “The 1947 Hollister Motorcycle Riot” that never was. Subsequently Hollywood took this false picture and the false tails from it and produced “The Wild Bunch.” The perception from that single picture and a single movie took us years to overcome.

Do you wear your Cut on your jacket, vest or shirt? If you do, then wear it with pride and wear it knowing people are watching you. They will measure your worth and the worth of your club by what you do; or what you do not do.

If you have taken the time to read between the lines you know this attitude does not limit itself to the iron horse community. If you are not willing to commit yourself to your efforts then why bother?

Whatever you do, do it well; find something worth dying for and live for that.

2014-11-18
Words Speak Louder Than Action

Wait, that’s not right. I can say anything, but if my actions do not bear witness to my words then my words mean nothing. Sadly, sometimes our words paint us into a corner and we fail. Our words out-maneuver our intent. Other times we accept the words of others as truth without first verifying their intent and we fall prey to foolishness.

Let’s talk about a few words and see how they play out:

Integrity – Does not mean you never make a mistake. But what it does mean is if you make a mistake you claim responsibility for that mistake and act proportionality to correct it.

Endurance – Many claim to possess it, very few actually do and even fewer still put it to the test.

Honor – Has nothing to do with words. But has everything to do with actions.

Wisdom – Has nothing to do with how many big words you know. But has everything to do with how you act in a difficult situation that words have created.

Compassion – Has very little to do with how you think, but that’s where it starts. Compassion with no action is pity.

Strength – Has nothing to do with holding 100 pounds over your head for long periods. But what it does mean is an ability and desire to help a friend hold that 100 pounds.

Kindness – Has everything to do with a kind and charitable act… so long as you don’t expect anything in return.

Purity – None can claim it, but many do.

Courage – Is not being fearless, but acting even though you are scared to death.

Leadership – The ability to win the trust of people around you to such an extent that they want to follow you. Forced leadership is not leadership; it’s tyranny.

Verbally claiming these traits is contrary to the trait being claimed. These traits are assigned to us by those who know us best.

2014-11-16
What Riding Can Do For You – Proof Provided

The riding community is a combination of every walk of life, every gender (there are two if you are unsure), every race, nationality and creed. We all ride for different and multiple reasons. The one reason that spans all walks of life is, “for the fun of it.”

I’m not an overly intelligent person so I’m not able to adequately describe, or put into eloquent words, why it’s fun; it just is.

There are others reasons as well; economics, availability of parking spaces at work and possibly because you can afford a bike, but not a car. Regardless, we ride.

Over the past 30 years I’ve conducted a number of study groups using thousands of paid subjects and numerous computer programs and post-graduate students to calculate the results and… wait, that’s a lie. I’ve not done any of that. I did read a book on it once, but since there were very few pictures in the book I never finished it.

But here is a truth. Riding is good for the overall well-being of the rider (unless acted on by a texting cager). Here is the proof…

This is a picture of people who do not ride…

Here is a picture of people who do ride…

As you can see the riders appear much happier than the non-riders. I take this as proof that everyone should ride; the world would be a better place if we did.

2014-11-13
Zen – Part 3

In part three of “Zen and The Art of Group Riding” we will discuss the cager.

A cager is not your friend, not necessarily by design or intentional, but the fact remains. It’s hard enough to outmaneuver a cager when riding single, but riding in a group only means the cagers will find themselves in a target rich environment. While riding single the cager must take calculated aim and cater the approach to ensure a hazardous interaction. In a group all they need to do is change lanes and they are going to hit someone without even trying. We all know what the first words spoken by the survivor of such encounters are, “But Officer, I DIDN’T SEE THEM!!!” Of course they don’t mention the fact they were texting or taking a picture or looking for their favorite CD just about the time they made contact with the rider.

I’m not privy to the statistic showing the percentage of riders hit by cagers verses rider only accidents but I feel safe in saying the cagers are leading the pack in kill ratio. The driving habits of cagers is probably one of the specific reasons authorities will not allow us to carry a gun. Were it my call not only would we have direct fire capability in the group we would have the ability to call for in-direct fire as well as air cover for tactical support. Sadly, even the occasional direct fire intervention seems to bring about unwanted attention. Not sure why. So, suffice it to say we must keep our eyes on them and maintain situational awareness of all cagers in our vicinity. Take your eyes off of them for one second and they will put you in the ditch.

As far as 18-wheelers are concerned, I will sum that up in a very short sentence. While passing an 18-wheeler consider yourself knocked down a few notches on the food chain. An 18-wheeler transporting livestock carries its own set of hazards; hazards which should be avoided at all costs.

2014-11-04
Master Your Ride

Being the master of your ride is all about skill… or is it? Every rider, even the newest rider, knows how to apply the brakes and slow down or come to a complete stop, they can shift gears and twist the throttle one way or another to add speed or facilitate a slight reduction in speed. Now, doing all this with finesse and making it seamless comes with repeated use resulting in a familiarity with these actions and how it affects your bike.

I have been riding off and on since 1972 and I’ve faced a significant number of “tests” and thus far have survived them all. That does not mean I am a super-rider with extraordinary abilities far beyond those of mortal men; it means I’ve been lucky. I will admit some (perhaps many) of those “tests” were put before me for no other reason than a result of my being distracted by some insignificant thing, arrogance, pushing the envelope and/or just plain stupidity.

I consider myself a competent rider meaning I have the skills to ride my bike safely. However, sometimes my mental functions and my level of competency fail to work hand in hand with a common goal in mind; that goal being the safe operation of my ride and remain accident or incident free. Granted, some accidents are truly unavoidable. Tooling down the dark country road toward your favorite hangout, obeying the speed limit restrictions, vigilant eye out for danger and a deer comes out of nowhere and plows into the side of you. You never saw it coming; no amount of skill or mental clarity can avoid this. However, avoidable accidents are just that; avoidable. Meaning, on many occasions whether we crash or not depends on our actions.

Mental function and/or clarity are just as important, maybe even more important than skill. Your attitude while riding is paramount. Many avoidable accidents happen because of something you do, or fail to do, right before impact. We all speed, if you say you don’t then not only do you speed you also lie. Speeding on an open road is one thing, speeding in town amongst traffic is surely another. Doing a “hole-shot” and pulling the front wheel off the ground is cool, but what value will it add to your life if your rear tire blows while the front wheel is 2 feet off the ground or a distracted driver changes lanes? We all know what happens right after we say, “Hey, watch this!”

The coefficient of friction (or traction) is one thing that keeps the shiny side up and our rides in a satisfactorily linear position between the ditches. The other thing is our mental attitude while we ride. If your mental attitude (or lack thereof) outweighs your skill then all the skill in the world is not going to save you. A rider may be so familiar with a particular curve in the road they know exactly how fast they can go, how far they can lean and tell by the tone of the scrapping peg where the limit is. Would that same rider take an unfamiliar ride on an unfamiliar curve and apply the same set of variables? I would submit a prudent rider would not, but therein resides the discussion. At what point do we no longer act prudently, when do we willingly set aside a deliberate mental attitude toward riding and exceed our limitations?

Mastery of our riding skills is important, but it is not enough. It is the mastery of your mental attitude while riding that will prolong your life so you can enhance your skills or the lack of that mastery will place you in a situation where no amount of skill will get you out of what you just got yourself into.

2014-10-30