I have been riding motorcycles since 2001. Maybe nothing compared to those who are riding for decades and have hundreds of thousands of miles under their belts. But the first few of these years have changed my outlook towards life, people and the world altogether. Riding has given me a new life, and has opened up a door to inner peace and happiness.
It is so difficult to explain why I ride. It is the most fundamental question every biker has to answer, yet for a non-biker it is always a puzzle. Two wheelers abound in developing countries as economical transports, but that is not the kind of “riding” I am referring to. Riding is not going from point A to point B, but it is about the intoxicating immersion in the world, absorbing the sights, sounds and aromas of the road while achieving the secondary objective of reaching the destination. On a motorcycle, the route is the goal, not the destination. For motorcyclists, it is the greatest therapy, a quiet time reserved only for the soul. And you need no candles or incense sticks for that kind of meditation.
Experiencing a beautiful countryside through a car window is just like watching TV. No wonder cars are called “cages” in motorcycling world. On a cage, you are a passerby. On a motorcycle, you pass through. As the saying goes, “Four wheels move the body. Two wheels move the soul”.
A motorcycle is a simple machine to enrich life and build memories.
#1 by Steve on July 31, 2010 - 6:05 am
Joy, I can’t imagine why there are no comments here.
I’m fortunate, as I can have a ‘pleasure’ motorcycle. It can be used for trips, or to get a few groceries. I’ve had times when my only transport was a cycle. You dress for, and live with, the weather. But you are always more energized than if you took your car for the ride.
In cycling you live in the moment, or become a statistic. Cages are a danger, and road hazards abound.
Ride straight and ride safe.