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 few years ago I was in Rapid City, SD headed to the Black Hills 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 if 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.
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 of our motorcycle pointed toward the sky 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 or acknowledge 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. You can’t expect the “cager” to be focused, they’re too busy talking on their cell.
Born in Central IL in 1955 I grew up with 4 brothers and two sisters. I joined the Army in 1972 and, barring a short stretch between ’76 and ’82, I have been in the U.S. Army my entire life; first as a soldier then as a DA Civilian for the Department of Defense. I cannot say I have always had a motorcycle. But, for the most part, a ride was always within arm’s reach and utilized on any given opportunity. There was a time, in that stretch between ’76 & ’82, I associated with riders from the “outlaw” side and, after a couple of near miss events, decided to turn 90 degrees and ride away. For years I steered clear of riding groups; regardless of genre.
In 2008 I came across a group called Rescue Riders and, during that encounter, met some of the finest people I have ever met. People who give of themselves and ask nothing in return. This was the type of person I wanted to be. In 2010 I came in contact with information about a long distance endurance ride from Key West Florida to Homer Alaska. At the time I could not fathom such a ride, but got my chance to participate in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2013. To say it changed my life would be a gross understatement. The impact was so great I was compelled to narrate the event in book form. The ride showed me that I was not the person I thought I was and showed me a glimmer of what I needed to do to strive to become who I wanted and needed to be. Hoka Hey has taught me much and is still instructing me on a daily basis. To put a life in two paragraphs is an impossible task. A personal bio is a narrative of who we are. I learned, through the Challenge, that who I thought I was and who I really was differed greatly. I believe a true metric of a person is best measured by what they do to become someone people deserve. So, who am I? Not sure yet, but my prayer is that with each passing day I will get closer to that person I am supposed to be.
Follow US Route 16 (US 20 | SR 789) for 101 miles to US Route 26… that’s what the directions said. I had no reason to doubt the directions because I was the one who spent an untold number of hours creating the directions for the 2016 Hoka Hey Challenge. Not to get too far ahead of the story I will tell you upfront the directions should have said something else.
So I turn left off of US Route 14 onto US Route 16/20 in Greybull, Wyoming and start my 101 mile stretch of this 10,000 mile endurance ride. About 37 miles into that stretch I came to Worland, Wyoming where US Route 16 headed east while US Route 20 continued southwest. Since US Route 16 was the key identifier on the directions I turned left and continued on US Route 16. Hindsight is 20/20 so, while creating the directions, I should have used Wyoming Route 789 as the key identifier because it was the common denominator for a number of specific route segments throughout this entire stretch of Wyoming.
Anyway, I follow US 16 the remaining 65 some odd miles and started to look for the next stretch of the route which was US Route 26 (SR 789 | W 2nd St). The 65 mile marks comes and goes as does the 70 and 80. It’s not uncommon for the miles to be off but to be off more than 10% should cause concern; which it did. At about the 90 mile mark (almost to Buffalo, Wyoming) I stop for gas and pull out the map.
Strange how clear things become when you pull out a map. I’m looking for US 26 somewhere in the Buffalo, Wyoming area and it is not there; no big surprise I guess. After a rather simple search I find it… about 155 miles from my current location; the other way.
This is the Hoka Hey Challenge which is distance and time… actually a great distance in a short amount of time. So any unnecessary deviation just adds miles to an already abundant number and adds time you cannot spare. I got back on the bike and backtracked the 90 miles to Worland, Wyoming and got back on track. I had just wasted roughly 200 miles and 5 hours of riding because of a mistake in the route; a mistake I made when I created the route.
This had the potential to make a person quite angry and doubly so for me since this was my mistake from the very beginning and all I could think about were all the other riders who made the same mistake. However, and this is where the story takes a twist, I was not angry at all (at least for my 200 miles and 5 hours; can’t really speak for the other 74 riders); I did not see the 200 miles as wasted at all. I had just ridden through the southern part of Bighorn National Forest and while doing so saw the most spectacular scenery available in that area. In fact, I got to see it twice; from both directions.
A Quick View of Bighorn Mountain Pass
We all make mistakes and often they are self-inflicted. In this instance my mistake affected me and virtually every rider participating in the 2016 Hoka Hey Challenge. Many riders made the same mistake at that intersection and each one had me to blame for the extra miles, extra hours, wasted gas and added misery of freezing temperatures at the top of that mountain pass. But, and this is the part I really want to convey to you, not a single rider I spoke with who made that mistake was angry at me; even though they knew it was my mistake. Each one I spoke with enjoyed the ride and felt the same way I did about seeing a part of the country they would have missed had they not made the mistake. I doubt they would have felt the same way had my mistake taken them an extra 200 mile off course in Death Valley; that’s just an assumption on my part. I can’t speak for those I did not talk to as I am sure there may be some lying in wait to rain pain upon my body at the first opportunity and, in truth, it would be justified; so long as the injury had no long term affects. And I also doubt those who made the mistake at night appreciated the opportunity provided by the extra 200 miles.
Not sure how this story should end. Suffice it to say the Hoka Hey rider is a rare type and not prone to hold a grudge or bicker over something as trivial as 200 miles, 5 hours, wasted gas and the added misery of freezing temperatures. I guess that’s fortunate for me as this was not the only error in the directions. One such error resulted in the demise of hundreds of rabbits… but that’s another story.
Before I start I will say I am an avid rider and have been for years so it’s possible this collection of thoughts are biased. I’ll answer the question up front. Is riding a motorcycle dangerous? The answer is yes, but, if you ride you already knew that.
To prepare for this little narrative I did a considerable amount of research to determine the number and type of accidents and the cumulative nature of sustained injuries. Oddly enough each report I read contradicted the one before so, lucky for you, this chronicle will contain very few statistical facts, but will contain real data based on my years of riding experience.
There are a number of variables that make riding dangerous. The environment, road conditions, wildlife, other occupants on the highways, rider attitude and the attitude and driving habits of cagers to name a few. An occurrence that will not blip on the radar screen of a cager will get the full attention of a rider. For the benefit of all, a “cager” is any person in a car or truck; pretty much anything that is not a motorcycle—the car is your cage.
From a rider’s perspective the biggest danger is the distracted cager. You can dispute that if you like but the fact remains, from our perspective cagers are the most looming hazard to our riding experience. If a rider wizzes by you on the street it is not because they want to go faster or show off, well, maybe for some, but for most of us it is because we want to get out of your blind spot; what we refer to as “the kill zone.” We want to be as far away from you as possible because we know, right after you hit us, the first words out of your mouth will be, “But officer, I didn’t see’em!”
Most cagers, who is not a rider, will look around as they drive and acknowledge other cagers. Their brain is not geared to register a motorcycle; even if they look straight at it. I’ve seen it time and time again. I’ve had cagers look right at me, or at least in my direction, and pull right out in front of me. They looked, but they did not see. I cannot count the number of times a cager has pulled into my lane when I am right beside their window and surely within their peripheral vision. They looked but they did not see. I cannot count the number of times a cager in opposing traffic has turned left in front me. They looked but they did not see. You will drive and not notice other cagers talking/texting on the phone. When I ride I know who is talking on the phone and they get my attention real fast because I know they have no concept of the danger they are inflicting on those around them. It’s not your fault, you’re cagers and you can’t help it. Well, actually you can. You all know someone who rides whether it be a family member, friend or co-worker. From this fact alone you should be able to surmise that, while in your cage, your family member, friend or co-worker is out there riding the same streets so take an extra second to really look, focus not only on other cagers but on motorcycles too.
Yes, there are reckless riders out there, but there are reckless cagers too. The bad attitude that plagues some riders is the same attitude held by some cagers. We are often our worst enemy. But, it does not have to be that way. Here’s a little game that will help us all.
While driving, count the number of motorcycles you see and give yourself points for each one. For every ten points you get, treat yourself to something you would otherwise deny yourself—like one of your favorite cookies. When you reach 100 points then buy yourself that new thing you have been eyeing for weeks—or eat a whole box of cookies. Do this for a week or two and your brain will be attune to motorcycles and you will never find yourself in a position to say, “But Officer, I didn’t see’em!” The one you “don’t see” just before you hit them may be a family member, a friend or a co-worker. The alternative is not something you will want to live with.
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.
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.
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, 1st 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.
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.
Got word that a friend of mine is riding from Florida to Moonshine, IL for the Annual Moonshine Lunch Run. After eating at Moonshine he is headed back to Florida. Most are probably unfamiliar with Moonshine, IL. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and if you are not sure where it is then it is very difficult to find. It has a whopping population of 2 registered residents and a single building. In this building you can get the best burger of your life.
But Moonshine and the fact that you can get the best burger is not what I’m going to talk about—beyond what has already been mentioned.
Why would anyone ride over a thousand miles to eat a burger? Are there no burgers in Florida? Well, that’s not the point and if you fail to see the point, then much of what follows will be beyond your comprehension. It is not the destination, it’s the ride.
Writers have exhausted the thesaurus trying to find the right combinations of words to adequately describe why long distance riders do what they do. To be a long distance rider you must:
Enjoy solitude – Even when you ride in a group you ride solo.
Tolerate pain – Riding long distances, regardless of how comfortable you think your seat is, is painful.
Turn a blind eye to inclement weather – Any long distance ride will ultimately come in contact with intense heat, cold weather rain, hail, dust storms and/or high winds. Often times your ride will include many (if not all) of these climatic conditions in a single day. Ride through it and come out the other side.
Look danger in the eye – Riding is inherently dangerous. The longer you ride the higher the potential for an unwanted encounter. Live with this fact and do not let it dissuade you. You can hide in fear if you like, but by doing so you rob yourself of accomplishment.
Be not disturbed by the wrong turn – A wrong turn is nothing more than an opportunity to see something you would have otherwise missed.
Expect the unexpected – Every ride, whether short or long, often has unexpected events that may alter your plan, your day or your life. If you are not comfortable with the unexpected then long distance riding is not for you.
Enjoy the little things – I have yet to be on a ride when something did not happen that made me smile. Often it is a little thing—the look of a small child from the back seat of a car, the unexpected encounter with an old friend, the sunrise or the sunset… any of these can brighten your day and enhance the ride. The little things make it all worth it.
These and other attributes are required to be a long distance rider. If you are fearful of the unexpected, bow to intimidation, back away from discomfort then you will never understand the long distance rider. And we don’t expect you to. Words cannot define what we do and we have long since stopped trying to define what we do—we just do it.
To my fellow long distance riders. Enjoy the road, ride safe, and if you happen to pass through Moonshine on a Saturday morning, stop in and get the best burger of your life.
If you have been reading my blog you probably know I wrote a book. “Solitary – Without the Confinement.” The book went public on the 30th of January. According to the publisher (one I am quickly losing faith in—but that’s another story) the book will eventually find its way to the shelf’s of major book outlet stores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million—as well as others. When I first approached the publisher about my book one of their questions was, “What type of book is it?” Meaning is it a documentary, adventure, fiction… I could not really answer their question.
They told me they would assign a “genre” when it got close to the publication date. Imagine my surprise when they categorized it as a “philosophy” book. If you know me personally then I am sure that makes you laugh as you know I am no philosopher. In fact I needed to let spell-check provide the correct spelling of philosopher.
I rolled with it in the beginning as I really didn’t think it mattered all that much, but now I think it may be a problem when it comes to book sales. I mainly wrote the book for the hard-core rider as I think only the hard-core rider will fully understand the premise of the intent. Therein lies my dilemma. First, no hard-core rider is going to go to the philosophy section of a book store to look for a book. That is not to say a rider lacks the ability to understand philosophy—I think a rider may understand it more than most. The difference is a rider (especially a hard-core rider) does not learn philosophy from a book—they learn it through life events while traveling the road less travelled. A true philosopher (by that I mean a book taught self-proclaimed philosophy guru) will buy a book and learn from reading; or rather think they learn from reading. A self-proclaimed philosopher cannot conceive of building a philosophical base from the saddle of an iron horse.
I submit building a philosophical base from the saddle of an iron horse is one of the best way to learn life’s lessons.
So, what does all that mean? I have no idea because I am not a philosopher. In fact, I’m not really sure what a philosopher is. What do they do? Is it a full time job, do they get a paycheck for their efforts?
Some will buy the book and enjoy what is between the first and last page and others will not understand. I think, I don’t know for sure, but I think if you read it and do not understand at least a little then maybe there is something missing—something you need to try and find. Of course there is the opinion that I’m a lousy writer and the thing missing is writing skill.
Not sure why I wrote this blog. It really has no point to it. If I were a philosopher I could write pages and pages on the purpose of a point and the lack thereof. But I’m not, so I won’t. When a philosopher speaks all stop to listen. When I speak people look at me funny and start to giggle. It’s true I can speak to a bunch of dogs and get their undivided attention… but that might have something to do with the bacon I carry around in my pocket.
I was going to add some quotes from famous philosophers but had no idea what they were talking about. I was afraid someone might ask me what their quotes meant which, if I tried to explain, would result in the suspicion of my lack of intelligence being removed and replaced with an assurance.
