So the ball kicking season has come to an end and the time is right to take some time to reflect and work on other projects for a while, as well as getting on with my other of life’s pulls.
Riding motorbikes has been with me since I was a boy and it still remains one of my primary passions in life, however the style and the environment has certainly changed over the years.
Many people who ride motorcycles do it for different reasons; whether it’s the thrill or the freedom, beating traffic or escaping to the open road…or just immersing oneself into the environment with the sound of an engine to keep you company. Whatever the reason, there is always going to be some kind of social aspect to it. Indeed the biking scene can be as big and brash as you want it to be, or small and insular too.
From bike clubs and riding groups, to activists and partygoers at rallies, beer swiggers to frothy coffee sippers…or just the tourers with a bag full of maps and an itinerary…there are all sorts of people who ride bikes and there are all styles, persuasions and places to go.
I’ve felt comfortable in any arena but the reality is that all of the extra curricular stuff is just window dressing for me as the main attraction has always been about the ride itself. Whether on a track or trail, road or motorway, tarmac or dirt…just riding along is where I find myself and get lost in my own thoughts too, which is the counsel I require to wash away the daily grime of those life stressors that creep up and can be hard to shift.
Many people who ride bikes are referred to as a biker…or a motorcyclist. The former is more connected with a biking lifestyle rather than the latter which is more associated with a person who merely rides upon a vehicle to get from point A to B…however these are just labels in my opinion.
People may call you whatever they like and for that matter you may refer to yourself in a particular way too…which is perfectly fine but whatever you’re called is irrelevant really…because riding bikes and being in a biking lifestyle is more about a personal feeling rather than an impression that other people may get of you.
The problem with any subculture is that is attracts tourists, who may claim to be something when in fact they’re anything but. Yes they may wear the clothes, ride like a loon and have read up on the latest bike specs…but that doesn’t make them someone who has two wheels in their blood.
I’ve met lots of ‘bikers’ over the years and some of the most sincere, honest and true…are those that you wouldn’t normally associate with bikes or a biking culture. As I said it’s all about a person connection with riding rather than the physical appearance of riding bikes or going to biker cafes, that’s the most important thing to me.
Nearly 40yrs riding bikes and I’m still on that journey…I’ll be on my bike, anytime, somewhere and far from the madding crowds and out of the biking limelight.