I’m not sure of the exact moment it happened, butit did. Maybe it happened over time as if the water was contaminated and I was drinking from the garden hose. But somewhere, sometime, that young kid from White City Kansas grew up. I look back at all the time wasted on the small stuff when I should have been looking around right there “in the moment” and taking it in. There is nothing wrong with just wasting the day watching the clouds overhead or throwing rocks in the creek, and come to think of it, we should probably do more of that as adults. What I really mean is there is no substitute for “awareness.”
But as a young boy life is happening all around you and all you can think about is magnifying glasses and BB guns. It was the simple things that kept me occupied. Time flies and the next thing you know, you look around at your life and realize it’s the simple things that make you happy. Family and friends are more important than ever and there are days that go by so fast you can’t keep up.
So what’s this all have to do with motorcycles? Glad you asked. We get so worked up about taking a ride or going somewhere that we forget that it can be a simple, short ride into the country to just get you back on track. It doesn’t have to be a “planned ride” or group ride to make you feel better. Sometimes we have this notion that a ride has to epic to count-it doesn’t. So ride today. Take a 10 mile ride to hear the motor humming and the sun on your face. Don’t forget to stop at that old bridge and throw a few rocks in the creek-it might even bring a smile to your face.
I have been riding now for about forty years and for the life of me I can’t remember how I learned, or if anyone even showed me how to. In my mind it would go something like this-Summer, 1974…Hot and dry as July always goes. Shirtless and shoulder length hair (as the seventies always go) I hop on my first “motorcycle” and tear out in a cloud of dust, shifting through the gears with the front wheel in the air. My friends standing there in awe at my skill and daring attitude. No fear, just guts.
What actually happened is far from that. You see, I had broken my right leg about a month before and I had a plaster cast on it all the way up to my, ahem, crotch. So kick starting was impossible. Heck, bending my leg to put my foot on the peg was impossible. So there it sat. Every day for about a month I would look at it and sit on it all the while my friends were asking “when” and “can I” every five minutes. But July was still hot and dry-my hair was shoulder length and I didn’t know how to ride a motorcycle.
After the cast came off, my poor scrawny leg was weak and I wasn’t very sure-footed. Kick-starting the bike was a bit difficult and I was sure at any time my ankle was going to break all over again. But kick-start the bike I did, and from some place deep inside me I could ride. Ride like I’ve always ridden before…wait, that’s how it was going in my mind. What did happen was more like this-I let out the clutch and I kill it. Kick it again and repeat. But it didn’t take long and before I knew it, I could ride. And it was easy. I was a natural and even though I favored my right leg (always turning left-perfect for the Springfield Mile) it was something that came easy to me. I spent countless hours and miles riding that Harley-Davidson x90 only stopping to cut grass and gas up. I sure didn’t stop for a hair-cut.
I know a few people out there that have tried and found riding motorcycles to be more work than it was worth. Some can catch on like I did but there are a few that either just don’t want to or can’t. I’m good with that. There are plenty of things I’m not good at and I’ll leave that to those that are. What’s the old saying? “Those that can, do. Those that can’t, ride.”
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.
Living 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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
The road has a way about it. A way of taking your inner thoughts and creating a one-sided discussion with no one but yourself. A dark side that reveals your hopes and dreams and mixes them with thoughts you are trying to suppress. A life of what could have been, what might be, and what will never happen. Alone with just these thoughts and feelings, they somehow become reality if only for the ride. The highway disappears beneath your rolling wheels into the back of your mind, taking you places that few people know. The sound of the motor is there but you can’t hear it as it pulls all of this to the surface to be seen only by you.
Each ride starts out the same, but as the motion begins and the miles become a blur, the thoughts of where you are in this life becomes apparent. Some answers to questions are clear, some are not so forgiving as they become buried asking only to be answered another day. So you ride. Riding harder and faster than ever before. With a hope of pulling all that tangled confusion in your head back into a straight line. The feelings and emotions owned by no one but you. We twist the throttle as if demanding our head to become clear. But the ride is never long enough. I don’t know if any ride is long enough to create the world I see in my dreams.
On every ride, our reality is right around the corner. It is the Destination, the Stop sign or that final turn down the driveway. Like a bookmark, we mark our place until the next ride. We will pick up where we left off as we try to figure out where this story is taking us. Who knows what lies ahead, but we keep searching for it. The truth. The truth as we see it or as we want it to be.
We may never untangle the mixture of feelings we carry or unload the burden of mistakes we’ve made, so we keep the wheels turning. In our mind and on the road.
Jeff Maddox 