Why I Ride?

Hmm? Why do I ride? It should be easy to answer but it is not. Let me try...

Honda CL175

I started riding motorcycles back in 1972 on a Honda CL175 Scrambler. It was then I discovered the thrill of motorcycling. I bought it new and it provided me plenty of experiences and local adventures. I learned to ride paved roads and on gravel with it. None of my other friends owned motorcycles so I made a lot of solo adventures. I never ventured too far except to the ocean (Westport), Mt. Rainier, and around Puget Sound. It was a great first bike.

The crazy fast and nimble Kawasaki H2 750

My second motorcycle, the Kawasaki H2 750 provided me with my first long distance adventures - riding to and from home and WSU, around Washington state, returning from Arizona, and through British Columbia, Canada. It was a fast machine and not really suited for long distance touring. I did crazy stuff with it, like dragging the foot pegs through the corners on the twisty Paradise Road in Mt. Rainier National Park; riding over Snoqualmie Pass in the snow; going 100+ miles per hour; and on one trip passing over 100 cars in 100 miles. I loved the acceleration and nimble handling. It fed and satisfied that youthful false and stupid feeling of invincibility.

However, the desire to explore beyond the paved road lead me to sell the H2 750 and go for a more sedate Honda XL250. This machine took me beyond the pavement to the gravel back roads of SW Washington and Eastern Washington. Camping, fishing and trail riding were the new adventures. I went places cars or trucks couldn't go. But motorcycling is a solo sport and having a new family meant that motorcycling was, for the time being, incompatible with a family. So I sold the bike and bought a boat.

Times change but deep instilled desires and memories don't always go away. I missed the thrill and the feelings that motorcycling evoked within me - wind in your face, being in the elements, and adventure. The opportunity presented itself to return to motorcycling. Unfortunately the youthful fitness, strength, and agility were not what they used to be after 20 years. I had to relearn motorcycling. It was not as easy as I thought. I found that I had to exercise and retrain my mind and body. I learned through mistakes - fortunately nothing too bad or injurious - to ride again. And, once again I discovered why I ride. I couldn't make up my mind on what type of riding - off road or touring. So I bought two motorcycles - 2013 BMW F800GS and 2006 BMW R1200RT. Both are vastly different riding experiences but they each satisfy my desires and give me the thrills I'm looking for - albeit tempered from my youthful days.

The question still remains, so why do I ride? I suppose it is three things - the experience, the adventure, and the thrill.

• The experience. Nothing like motorcycling offers a greater view of the world, to smell the air, feel the temperature differences, hear the different sounds around you, and feel the wind on your face. When motorcycling you are out in the elements - you are part of it. It's an activity that totally involves you both physically and mentally. It's an intense skill that is much more involved than driving a car. When driving a car you don't need the balance and coordination like you would driving a motorcycle. Motorcyclists call driving a car riding in a cage. I agree.
• The adventure. I'm an adventurer and always looking for an adventure. As I said in a previous blog post, motorcycling is akin to two wheeled backpacking. You are limited in what you can carry on a motorcycle. You can pack a lot of stuff in a car or truck. Then to camp in some distant place is exciting and provides a sense of accomplishment. Because of the experience you feel you become part of the adventure. Anybody can go camping in a car, but with a motorcycle? Now that's special.
• The thrill. Motorcyclists face a 33 times greater chance of dying riding a motorcycle versus driving a car. Wow! That's a big risk. Every time I swing my leg over the seat, grab the handlebars, and start it up I recognize that risk. It makes me much more aware and in tune with my bike and being on the road with others. I know pavement is hard and it hurts when you hit it unexpectedly. However, the pleasure outweighs the risk. It's an intellectual high for me that I've got to focus my mind and body on riding and the conditions around me. May sound silly, but I feel alive. Besides scuba diving there's not too many other things that give me that pleasure/risk feeling.

Motorcycling is cheaper than boating. You can travel farther on a gallon of fuel and you don't have the maintenance costs of time and money. I find that it's a cheap form of entertainment to experience the world around me. Every trip whether to the store or gym or a long multi-day ride is an adventure. As with boating I suffer from the sailor's dilemma - "can't wait to leave home but then can't wait to get back home." I love to go on an motorcycle ride or adventure and when I get home I enjoy a deep sense of satisfaction thinking I accomplished something albeit most of the time it's pretty trivial.

I recognize motorcycling is not for everyone. Statistics show that about 2% of US drivers ride motorcycles. For some being in the elements is not comfort. The increased risk is worrisome. The intense focus of mind and body is too exhausting. I understand all that. What's more I feel I am part of an exclusive community of riders. Perhaps that's why most motorcyclists always wave to each other when meeting on the road. (Although motorcycle gangs and motorcycle cops do not wave.)

Have I answered the question why I ride? Sort of. Is it the thought that nothing ventured equals nothing gained. Maybe. Perhaps I need to swing my leg over the saddle, twist the throttle and go for a ride to ponder it some more. There's another adventure just down the road.

Riding in the mountains above Leavenworth, WA