Through the following years there was no motorcycle around as Mom put her foot down (hence the couple-month-only possession of said BMW). Once I got out on my own, I was able to start riding and the love was quickly rekindled.
My first motorcycle was a 1974 Honda CB350four that I bought used from a friend. It was good to learn on, but I yearned for more. Through successive purchases and sales, I tried different styles. Soon after, I watched Long Way Round, a documentary with Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman where they rode BMW GS adventure motorcycles from London to New York, the “long way round” through Europe, Russia, Mongolia, Alaska, Canada and the USA. This documentary opened up a whole new world of motorcycling, other than commuting or a quick ride on Saturday.
Now, while I still commute and go for an occasional short ride on weekends, what I have passion for are long trips. Exploring our great country on a motorcycle is more fun than I can convey here. For these adventures, I found that adventure or dual sport bikes that can handle freeway speeds and rocky Jeep trails suit me best as I enjoy being able to “see where that road leads” whether it is paved or gravel or a forest service road (typically not fun on a cruiser – think Harley; or touring bike – think Goldwing). Plus the riding position is more ergonomic for long trips.
Why do I ride? At the top of the list would be freedom and connection. Riding brings a sense of freedom, maybe because I am “out there” in the open, not enclosed in a steel cage. It also brings a sense of connection to nature. When you ride, you feel more of a connection to the world around you. You enjoy the smell and sight of things that are missed when in a car. (Skunks are the exception – they stink no matter where you are, though on a motorcycle the smell doesn’t linger.)
Do you ride? If not, I recommend it. Be sure to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course if you are a beginner. It is well worth it.
Here at PRIER, individually we all have different passions, but together our Mission is our passion – to develop, manufacture, market, sell and service top quality products for the residential and commercial building industries in order to make money through profitability, return on investment and cash flow management. What keeps you going? Where is your passion?
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