Kuz Motorcycle Blog: Why Ride?
This blog series will consist of stories from personal experience and the experiences of others. Hopefully, you will have a few laughs and maybe pick up some practical insights.
Why ride? William Cary said “Do not go where the path may lead; go where there is no path and leave a trail.” Many riders would say they ride for the freedom. Others would say it’s the adventure or the thrill. Some would say it’s a departure from the routine. Or perhaps it feels like their opportunity to let the “real me” out! I have heard from many who have never ridden with comments like “It’s too dangerous” or “I had a friend who got hurt”.
Yes, we have all had our experiences that do shape our behaviors and our beliefs concerning what risks we will or will not take. I recognize that some will not take the risk, and that’s understandable. Yet on the other hand, when I first started riding a bicycle and fell off, I didn’t quit even though my experience of falling was not thrilling. I overcame the fear and unpleasant experience and discovered the thrill of victory. I recently had a head-on collision with my truck, up against a mini-van. Not much of a contest…but it did stop both of us in our tracks. It was quite frightening but it didn’t stop me from driving my truck. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still a little gun-shy every time I approach that particular intersection, yet I learned something about myself and about safety from that experience.
When my wife, Christy, and I first started riding, we bought helmets, riding gear, and all the necessary accessories, at almost the cost of the motorcycle itself! We thought we were ready for the road. Bottom line, we were gringos and simply enthralled with the thrill. We had little understanding of what it meant to be a road warrior, or the safety associated with a long trip. We quickly learned from trial and error what worked and what didn’t work.
This is not intended to convince non-riders to start riding, but rather to encourage each reader to reflect upon the question:
Why ride? Christy, my wife, and I, ride for adventure. Sometimes we point Victor (the name we gave our motorcycle) in any given direction and just ride, creating a whole new adventure. We love the connection with one another through this shared experience, and connecting with other bikers we meet along the way. For us, it’s the road less traveled. We see things we would have never seen before. We become more intentional and aware of our surroundings. We experience unique scenes, unexpected wildlife, and friendly people. We are diligent as to potential road hazards, weather and traffic conditions, recognizing that life is fragile, risky, and some of it we have control over. Some of it we don’t.
Christy is a professional musician and loves to write songs. She was inspired to write a song entitled “Backrider”, as a result of her experiences on the road:
I see everything second hand, riding free behind my man
Taking roads that no one knows, doesn’t matter where we go
Sure and steady hands, sitting back with no plans
His eyes are never still, I am captive to the thrill
She’s a Backrider, she’s a Backrider
I’ve seen things you won’t believe, rode to places that were hard to leave
The tread on these tires wear thin, Mem’ries remind me where I’ve been
She’s a Backrider, she’s a Backrider
She’s a Backrider, feels the rhythm of the road
She loves her low-rider, oh what stories they told
When he’s right beside her, never ever gets old
She’s a Backrider, she’s a Backrider
You see me sitting there at rest, you wonder if I’m second best
Don’t you know I wouldn’t trade this view, every turn, every burn is new
She’s a Backrider, she’s a Backrider
Thanks Christy for these inspiring words. It sums up “ Why Ride?”
The road is calling, are you ready to follow? Kuz