Balancing Act

How’s this for a cliche hook: Life is about the journey, not the destination. I’ll casually lift this saying and apply it to riding a Motorcycle.

Though they share a same basic function, there are stark differences to driving a car and riding a motorcycle. A car is a sterile experience. A car has AC, a radio, safety from the elements, and balances itself on four wheels. A motorcycle requires full effort and work from the body. The throttle brake and clutch work both hands, the shift peg and foot brake work the feet. The entire body leans in and out of turns. The bike sends feedback from every feature of the road. A rider is truly exposed to the world, rain or shine. The bikes engine is whirring just below, bellowing heat to the legs a soundtrack to the ears.

Riding a motorbike gives me the same feeling as a young teen riding a bicycle around the neighborhood. It was an event itself, I didn’t care where I was going. It was about being out on my own, exploring around, enjoying the day with no deadlines and no final destination in mind. I was out riding my bicycle, not going to work, or to get groceries. A motorcycle is the big kid version of that. I finally get why groups of motorcyclist get together and ride around: it’s bunch of 50’s going on 15’s cruising around a much bigger neighborhood.

I’ve been riding for about half a year. I started on a Honda Grom at a Motorcycle Safety Course in July and can’t recommend the course enough. Living with a bike is cheaper and easier than I expected. The bike, fuel and maintenance costs are negligible. It’s easy to work on and customize to your liking and it’s as much of a lifestyle as you want to put in – go wild. If you’re interested in motorcycles, check-in with a local MSF course, it cost me a couple hundred dollars and a weekend to get my Class M. They teach how to ride – and more importantly – how to ride safe.

I’ll take an aside here at the end to be all metaphorical and preachy:

I want to view more of “life’s road” from the motorcyclist’s vantage point instead of from a car’s. I want to feel the uneven road, to enjoy the sun and breeze when it’s fair-weathered, to feel the cold and rain when poor. I want to lean-in when the road twists and turns and switchbacks. I want to balance on my own. I’ll wear a helmet of course, but I don’t want to be sealed in a box, cut off from the world till I am 6 under.

Thanks for reading!