Author: Jeff Maddox

Life is truly worth living and this is how I choose to live mine.
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Be The “Enthusiast”

1974 Harley-Davidson 90
1974 Harley-Davidson 90

JLM

en·thu·si·ast (n-th z-st) n. 1. One who is filled with enthusiasm; one who is ardently absorbed in an interest or pursuit: “he’s a motorcycle enthusiast.”

And that I am. I have been since around 1972 and it has been an amazing ride, pun intended. After forty-plus years of riding just about everything, racing a little on the side and owning more than sixty self-propelled “motors-on-wheels” I can honestly say it has changed my life and made me the individual that I am today. And not only is my enthusiasm still as high today as it was back in the 70’s, I would almost go as far as saying it is even higher. Is that possible? Fifty years old and still getting excited about internal combustion isn’t something I would normally admit but it happens on a daily basis with me. The “motion” of the motorcycle and the “emotion” of a motorcycle still brings a smile to my face.

In 1974 with the help of my dad, and a pocket-full of cash saved from mowing lawns I bought my first motorcycle from the dealership that I currently work at today. Think about that for a minute-City Cycle Sales Harley-Davidson in Junction City Kansas (Since 1962) sold me my first Harley-Davidson X90 in 1974. After that, a Yamaha 550 Maxim, Husky 175 enduro and a Yamaha Warrior 4-wheeler. I raced both the 4-wheeler and a Honda CR250 back in the 80’s and Wayne sponsored me. Lot’s of parts and accessories purchased along the way and look at me now. Selling Harley-Davidson, Suzuki and Kawasaki’s at City Cycle Sales and loving every minute of it. Since then I have purchased a couple more units and three Harley-Davidson’s. A Sportster 883, Heritage Softail Classic and my current ride is a Road King. 

Wow, how the time flies when you’re having fun! With all these years of riding under my belt, it has helped me put many, many customers on the motorcycle of their dreams. But it has also put me in a unique position. You see, I’m not just a Harley-Davidson guy, dirt bike guy or a sport bike rider. I don’t focus on one brand or just one category in this power-sports business. I am a enthusiast. I like ALL things power-sports and sometimes it’s hard to convince customers of that. So many riders are brand loyal and I’m good with that. But not to the point where I “dislike” someone’s brand choice in motorcycles, or why they don’t have the same interests as I do. 

I deal with all kinds of riders and their varying degrees of interests. From the extreme and hard-core, to the casual weekend rider that would rather take the Buick. I also need to be able to talk about the new Honda, KTM or any other “latest and greatest”  gizmo or motorcycle when someone wants to compare bikes and parts. Not to mention the vast number of makes and models and every detail of each one and what makes them different (better or worse) than the other. I deal with the brand new, never ridden a motorcycle in their life to the veteran rider like myself. Men, women, parents with their kids and everyone in between. I also act as a psychologist for the mid-life crisis crowd. But I do it, all with a smile on my face. I find it rewarding to see their enthusiasm grow as the process begins, and most importantly, where it ends. I also see the value in being able to describe what it’s like to ride and how it has changed my life-and how it can change theirs.

Sure, the days are long and retail has its challenges with the six-day work week. When the weather is nice everyone is out riding and you’re not. But I’m involved. And I would like to be even more involved. One thing is for sure, if you don’t like what you do, you need to do something different. But I do like what I do. The folks in this industry are a close-knit family and it shows. We get “it.” We get each other and we are ready in invite anyone new into this amazing sport. We are enthusiasts. 

If you find yourself involved in this industry as I am, and you aren’t having fun or you’re bored or frustrated in what you do, remember what it is that brought you into this sport. Take yourself back to that moment when you realized the impact the motorcycle had on you. Mine was a dealer who cared enough to see my enthusiasm and build upon that over forty years ago.

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A Back-Roads Summer

100_4734Living in a rural community in Kansas, it’s not hard to travel the “back-roads.” After all, you have to take these quiet highways just to get anywhere. In about twenty minutes these two-lane roads around home can get me to any of the neighboring communities while throwing in a little bit of scenery along the way. Sure, in some parts of Kansas you can see the next towns elevator or water tower in the horizon, or maybe it’s wheat fields and sunflowers for miles. I truly can find the beauty in this being from Kansas and all. But as I travel these roads almost daily on my way to work or running errands, sometimes I just let it roll by without taking it in. We bikers always talk about taking the long way home or we listen for someone to speak of an interesting road they were on that we have yet to find. I have found that if you have the same predictable pattern of where you ride, these roads become stale and a bit boring. Sure the seasons change and that will give you a different perspective, and we all know every little bit helps.

But what would happen if we just reversed the route in which we take? How about taking the long way to work? Hey, I’m a creature of habit, and the long way home after work always leads to, well… home. But what about taking the long way to work? Sure, it can be done. I just have to get up a little earlier and be mentally prepared for wild animals and unfamiliar corners that sneak up on you. Who knows, maybe by changing my route to work I can convince myself that this back-road is a new, untraveled road that I can tell my friends about. Of course by changing my route, those that I regularly see on my way home or to work will wonder where I’m at, while the new route will bring brand new people to wave at and curiosity will make them think a biker has moved into their community. Just like the family that lives near the train tracks, after a while you don’t hear the train. My new route will have people thinking a train is coming! Come on, my pipes aren’t that loud…

So make this a “back-road” summer. Take the long way home or the long way to work. Change it up and make it interesting. Do what you would normally NOT do. Be different. But make sure you do the one thing you want to do-RIDE.

 

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A Gift

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The ride into work this morning on my Road King, although frosty at 20 degrees, gives me time to reflect on yesterday and get’s me prepared for today. Of course I’m speaking mentally as my fifty-year old body doesn’t need much preparing. It has had ample time to put on a winter’s worth of fat to keep me warm on just this sort of ride. As I headed out, the sun was just starting to come over the horizon and I knew by the blue sky and dark blue scattered clouds that this sunrise would be amazing. I have about twenty-three miles to get to work and I’m either heading West or North at any given time and with little effort I can take in the beauty of any of the morning’s wonders.

So as I’m heading out, it doesn’t take long before I can see in my mirror, through my fogged up Fulmer helmet  face-shield, the sun as it is climbing its way up over the hills as I’m West-bound. Beautiful-and I never get tired of this. Sure it’s cold and I will only get colder, but you can’t take anything away from a gift like this. To me, both the sunrise and sunsets can put everything in perspective. Although difficult sometimes, each day is a chance to start fresh-and make a difference. Whether it is your life or someone else’s, today is the day.

Today, like every day, this gift I witness before me is awesome. I am humbled by God and the gift He gives me every day. No matter what happens the rest of this day, I’ll be OK.

For the rest of my ride I thought about how my day ended yesterday and how I woke up at 2:00 a.m. and couldn’t go back to sleep. And how today would probably be a long day because of it all…and I realized that I can’t change yesterday and today is short when compared to the bigger picture. Instead of complaining today I will give thanks for it-and the opportunity to make this a good day as well. Did I mention it was 20 degrees when I left for work? I didn’t notice it at all!

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Stop Your Complaining

KERRY_0070

So when did we become so picky? Comfort, performance, handling and all that. If you look back over the years and think about how far technology has brought the motorcycle then sure, be picky. Analog speedo and tach. Big neutral, turn-signal and high beam indicator lights. Waffle grips. Rubber covered foot pegs…no, the other kind that were huge and slippery. Kick starters and chain and sprockets on everything. Tail lights?  Bigger the better, right? Turn signals as big as your fist and steel fenders. Reliability? Forget about it. Wow.

But picky we can be. Who needs sleek and colorful? It didn’t matter back then because we were focused on other issues, like “one down and four up” kinda things. Windshields? I don’t think so. Fuel mileage-Who needs it? Proper gear? No thanks, I’ll wear my flannel shirt, work gloves and line-man lace up boots. And where did I put my bubble face shield? Sure, we’ve come a long way since those days and I really don’t ever want to go back. But every time I catch myself complaining about this thing or that on my motorcycle, I stop and ask myself what is it that I really have to complain about?

After all, life is good when it comes to the modern motorcycle. Think about it, if we were out riding today on those hideous motorcycles we were riding thirty years ago, we would still be out there riding for the fun of it. We just didn’t know any better. Electric motorcycles? Why not? If you would have told me in 1979 that in the future…you know, 2013, that there would be not just one, but several electric motorcycles on the market today, I would have called you crazy. And here we are in the future, electric motorcycles and all.

So we have a several things going on here. Fun versus function, and style versus boring. We ride because  it’s fun but we appreciate the transformation of kick-start to electric start, carburetor to fuel injection and so forth. We appreciate the styling and a creative use of materials on modern bikes instead of using a blacksmith to hammer out steel side-covers. Who couldn’t use of couple of extra pounds on their motorcycle where it’s not needed?

So next time I’m riding my Road King, I will consciously put out the effort to say what I “like” about it instead of what I “dislike” about it. Or maybe I’ll just think back to 1977 and how my bell bottom pants leg got chewed up in my chain and sprocket.

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Social Mecca

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Let’s face it, you’re addicted to your phone. Say it with me, “hello, my name is_____ and I’m addicted to my phone.” We get up every morning, check our phone and it’s battery charge, and it’s out the door to start our life as we know it. Social media sites are so much of who we are anymore that it almost gets in the way of having a normal conversation with someone. We text across the room instead of picking ourselves up off the chair in which we are perched upon to tell someone something they probably already know. We message instead of speak, we touch screen instead of type and we don’t look up and make eye-contact. We should have seen this coming with the invention of the TV remote as making our lives easier doesn’t necessarily make them better.

Now I’m not saying we should give up our phones. They have surely made our lives a little better with the convenience of it all. Where my mother would yell out the back door for me to come in the house, today you call your kids on their cell phone, or wait, just send them a text to come in. That’s providing they are even outside in the first place. Reference the comment above about the “chair in which we are perched upon.”

The whole thing about social media is the “social” part. We need to get out and bump into a few folks and introduce ourselves. But go ahead and connect with them after shaking hands and having a conversation. Look them in the eye and smile. It has always amazed me how much we can find in common with someone in a few minutes of talking, or even better, by listening. That’s right…listening. How many times have you read a text message only to find the meaning isn’t what you thought? If you can hear someone’s voice you know exactly what they mean. “How’s your day beautiful?” Or, “how’s your day, beautiful?” See what I mean? I personally prefer the first one, but in a group of bikers it may not have the same impact.

So let’s get social. Get out, shake a few hands and have a REAL conversation. Go where the people are and see first hand what they will be sharing with all of their friends. After all, it’s called “SOCIAL media.”

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Lost In America

jlm2And so life rolls along. Like the miles we ride the years also pass by. Some blurry, some as clear as the images in a photograph. They keep passing by none-the-less, taking no effort to recall. The miles and years we travel through are worn on our sleeve for all to see, and are a direct reflection of who we are. Young and full of life, or old, dusty and tired, it doesn’t matter. Only the road we’ve traveled makes a true difference to the images in our minds.

We can pick any road to travel on, and in so many ways life is the same way. To some extent the path is already chosen for us, but it’s the little detours and curves and the bumps in the road that can alter the direction at any given time. So we press on to find out “where” we’re going all the while not knowing if it’s the direction we “should” be going. Lost in America, looking for the meaning of “The Road.”

Some have the “balls to the wall” mentality while others are more cautions and calculated. I’m along for the ride no matter what. Age dictates the speed and recklessness for which we travel through life, but as I get older the days go faster than I want them to. But whether we like it or not, the journey happens every day. Headed down the road or getting through the day, it’s going to happen. We can choose to sit and stare straight ahead, or take in the scenery. You pick, after all it’s your life. Me? I’ll be taking in the scenery.

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John Wayne Rides Again

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An American icon, John Wayne is a man’s man. A “take no shit from anyone” attitude mixed with the strength of two men. Work hard and speak your mind. Be honest and stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. Do the right thing and the rest will take care of itself. I think you get the idea. But if John Wayne rode a motorcycle, what would he ride? I believe he would ride something that stands for freedom and prosperity. Something that says to those who don’t ride “I am who I am and I don’t care what you think.” But he would present it in a way that would make you say “I want to be like him.”

He would ride across this great country in a way that only he could. A Harley-Davidson Motorcycle would be the bike of choice, as both invoke the heart, soul and the lifestyle that this nation and John Wayne represent. Rough and rugged but always a gentleman. Standing the test of time is more than just out-lasting everything else. It is changing the feelings and emotions of those impacted by doing it in a positive way. It is creating a culture that reflects our thoughts and beliefs by example and speaking the words that we’re all thinking.  Just say “Harley-Davidson” and there isn’t anyone who wouldn’t know what you were talking about. Say “John Wayne” and the same is true. But the words that are not said are the important ones. Both the man and machine were built from the ground up relying on hard work and the will to rise above the crowd to become the Icon they are today.

It is the emotion that both John Wayne and Harley-Davidson evoke upon us. It’s created who we are as a nation and gives each of us the uniqueness of how we define ourselves today. Even though we are all individuals we have an uncanny knack of believing that good will always triumph over bad, the good guy will always get the girl and we will all ride off into the sunset. It doesn’t always end that way, but we will never give up the notion that it will someday.

Courage. Freedom. Expression. Be yourself and you’ll be better off.

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Fun-Factor

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Attending this year’s Dealernews Dealer Expo in Indianapolis is a motorcyclist’s dream. As a small town boy I’m no stranger to looking out over my handlebars at the tall grass pastures of Kansas, but here in the Convention Center, standing on acres of confetti inspired carpeting it becomes apparent that I need to get out more. As always, anytime you can see and touch new motorcycle industry related products versus the internet, or worse yet, hearing it second-hand from the guy down the street who got his information from some other guy further down the street…I think you get the idea. So for those of you out of shape, I recommend walking mile after mile on carpeting. You will thank me. But seriously, it’s great to see what’s new and what’s improved for the coming year. There was plenty of enthusiasm in everyone I met and I think we all agree it will be a good year in the motorcycle industry.

I always recommend walking through events like these with your head up scanning the room. I know it’s hard to resist the patterns on the carpet but trust me you’ll be surprised at who and what you’ll see. I ran into Marc Cook with Mortorcyclist Magazine and we had a very good talk about the past, present and touched a little on the future of this great sport. We both agreed the smaller displacement motorcycles coming out recently are going to surprise many new and seasoned riders. We also talked about how big is big enough. My first “real” motorcycle was a Yamaha DT175 and at the time I felt like that was all I would ever need. It could run on the highway, pull wheelies and go off-road. Sometimes all within a block of my house. Remember, I grew up in a really small town.

Marc mentioned his first motorcycle was a Yamaha RD 400 Daytona. Another relatively small displacement motorcycle but cool nonetheless. He told me that his friends actually tried to talk him out of it because it was probably too much motorcycle for him. You know what? There is some truth to that statement! We often look at a GSX-R600 as a starting point, and I have to admit, I have been riding for 40 years and a 600 has more than enough power on the streets where stop signs and potholes live. You can always move up, but let’s be real here. A new rider that gets in over his head may never throw a leg over another motorcycle if the experience starts out as a bad one. So think about that for a minute. Your first won’t be your last as long as the “fun factor” doesn’t become the “fear factor.”

I think we need to get back to the reason we all ride. It truly is for the fun of it. Sure, size matters but fun is where it’s at. If my skill level exceeds that of the motorcycle I’m on it’s still fun. Next time you walk up to your bike or any bike for that matter, look for the Fun Gauge. You won’t find it anywhere – until you climb on it. You see, WE are the Fun Gauge. We determine how much fun we have on any particular motorcycle, whether it’s slow and down on power or just ridiculously fast, on road or off-road it doesn’t matter. Either way, our internal Fun Gauge will tell us the level of fun we’re having. We all to often get caught up on the “bigger is better” mentality and for some that is what they were told by the guy down the street who got it from…You get the idea.

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Bucket List

sunsetBack in the day some bikers refered to a helmet as a “lid” or “bucket” when sitting around telling mostly true stories with their buddies. We all have certain terms for things as we often refer to our motorcycle as a “ride” or “steel horse.” So let’s take the “bucket” and use that as a question. What is your “bucket list.” Or better yet, what is your helmet list? All of us are in different stages in making our helmet list and often that list changes as we get older. Some things are crossed off the list with enthusiasm, while others seem impossible to achieve. As I ride I find some things just cross themselves off as if I set out to conquer it, but in reality it was just by chance that the item on the list happened without even trying. The whole reason for our helmet list is to make sure that we experience and enjoy life, no matter what it is you set out to do. 

Now you just don’t fall out of a plane by accident when the goal was to go parachuting, but to see the sunset from the most random place is quite frankly, a pretty big deal to me. To have a great conversation with a long-lost friend might not make your list, but for me is one that I can check off. I think that sometimes we make our helmet list so difficult we find ourselves miserable when we can’t get anything crossed off.

Sure, I have several things I want to achieve in my life but I also want to enjoy every possible experience I can. After all, that is what life is about. Experiences. Riding a motorcycle can open the door of experiences you may not get anywhere else. You can meet some amazing people who can also share experiences they’ve had along the way. Of course, in some cases it may not be a helmet list to them, but maybe a “bandana list” is more their style. To each their own!

If you haven’t made your helmet list, you should. If you don’t have a helmet, get one. And a motorcycle as well. You might find that as you ride, that list inside your bucket will slowly disappear, along with some things you weren’t expecting. At least for a while, the stress of life and the problems at work have a way of sorting themselves out. Take a ride to the coast, ride through the mountains or to the corner store. But ride. Mentally cross off those things you see that weren’t on your list. Looking over my shoulder at a beautiful sunset while pumping gas is one of mine, and I tell myself – at this moment, right now, I am right where I want to be. Check.

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Hog Heaven

Is it real? During my 25 degree ride in to work on my Road King, with my head safe and warm in my Fulmer full face helmet, I smelled bacon. Yep! And not that thin sliced bacon, but the thick cut smokehouse bacon that hangs around in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. Well, it’s not Sunday and I’m not in my kitchen. Maybe I was in hog heaven! And the last time I checked bacon is frozen at 25 degrees and quite frankly, parts of me feel frozen as I’m experiencing this bacon aroma.

So how does this happen? With only coffee this morning and knowing I haven’t had bacon for over a week I’m confused. And where this took place there wasn’t a house for miles and not one car on the road. You know, just in case there was someone on their way to work, frying bacon with a car window down. Don’t get me wrong, I love bacon as much as the next person and the smell could put me in a coma. Bacon should be a fragrance for candles or even a perfume for women. Just picture a man sitting around in the garage with a nice candle lit while working on his bike, or the attention he would be paying to the woman in the room wearing “Smokehouse.” And at this particular moment it was nice to have the smell without the fear of grease splatter. Could it be somewhere in the back of my head I had a bad experience on my motorcycle and bacon was involved? Was bacon a sign that I was going to have a good day? Would the smell of oatmeal mean I need to stop eating bacon? So many questions…

With my leathers made of cowhide I can’t imagine where this aroma came from. I was riding my “hog” to work but no, I don’t think that was it. I wasn’t passing a pig farm and even so, I don’t think that would be far enough in the process to give me that “thick cut, smokehouse” sensation. Oh well, as quick as it came it was gone. Maybe around lunchtime I’ll smell pizza.