Tuesday, March 5, 2013

"I'll slow down so I can keep up with you"


 I love Harley jokes. I also love Triumph, British, and Japanese bikes jokes. Add BMW, and I am an equal opportunity joke lover. I cannot tell you how many jokes I have heard about Joseph Lucas, the Prince of Darkness, of leaky Triumphs, and of BSA’s. And I laugh with them. But this last week things happened to me, we’ll file them under funny, because they are. But they also reminded me of some who are so prideful that they cannot laugh at themselves...so to quote an old National Lampoon Radio Dinner line, “you are a fluke of the universe, whether you can hear it or not, the universe is laughing behind your back..” Now I don’t enjoy group rides, I call them crowd rides, for mixed in among those that can, are those that can’t ride, and you only ride as fast as the slowest rider, or as good as the worst. Agreed? So this last weekend, we hooked up with our friends in Black Sheep, HDFC, and rode to breakfast with them. For Harley riders, these guys ride a faster than usual pace, and I was amazed when we were able to catch up to them. When we came up on them, Ned had been thinking of us, and was glad to see us, and us of them. But we slowed to 60-65mph in a 70mph zone, breaking rule #1 of riding, never let any semi trucks pass. With rule #1a being don’t let one of your own be the cause of a traffic jam. But we all made it on time, and I joked with Ned later, “I slowed down so I could keep up with you.” And we both laughed, as he is definitely not a Harley snob. They gave me a hard time apologizing, saying next time they will ride faster, so I can get out of second gear. Good friends, good humor, and we love it.
Now when a Harley guy tells a Harley joke, I guess it is OK, but when I tell them...look out. Wayne who rides an Ultra Glide, once told me that 95% of all Harleys sold in the last 10 years are still on the road. The other 5% made it home. Substitute Triumph, etc, and it is still funny. But my latest one is “Harley Davidson-The most efficient way to turn gasoline into noise, without the side effect of horsepower.” Maybe my new favorite, right after an early gem from Gordon Jennings, “there is something inherently wrong with an engine that makes maximum power at idle.” Loosen up and laugh, take a chance of getting bugs in your teeth...
Coming out after too much Mexican food one night, I encountered a 400 pound biker, named Tiny. How many of them do you know? Anyway, he started in on the Triumph jokes, and with more booze than brains fueling his jokes, I got tired quickly. But I was his audience of choice, so I decided it was time to join in, with a Triumph joke. “Why doesn’t Triumph make vacuums anymore.” I asked. “Because it was the only product they made that didn’t suck,” and he broke into laughter, gave me a hug, told me I was cool, and how he once had a Bonne. Must have been before he weighed more than the bike. And he went off telling anyone else who would listen to his new joke. And I was his new friend.
But I have a friend, who once verbally accosted me for making Harley jokes, he rides one. I was told I was jealous, and couldn’t afford one. His must have been one of the ones who made it home. I was told how prejudiced I was against Harley, and would never be able to ride one. “If he had to explain, I wouldn’t understand.” But he did. But I did understand one thing he didn’t, and may refuse to. We are all brothers, riding is what is our common denominator. So when I take the newest press ride to see Spud at Biggs HD, he looks at it, and explains how we have the same common disease, motorcycles. And how I have an open invite to ride any bike on the floor whenever I want...how many of the elite have that invite? And I am known as the Triumph guy! Back to Ned, it was him and Ken who drove to Durango to get my Tiger this summer after my open heart surgery. Both active in Black Sheep, and Harley riders, I am forever thankful, and when I thanked Ned, I asked “weren’t you embarrassed by trailering my Triumph?” he explained they wore masks. So if you saw a blue Tiger being towed by two big guys with masks last summer, now it all makes sense. We ride!
We are in the midst of a great revival in the church today, one that will usher in the return of Jesus. Church attendance in many places is growing, and many are being saved. But bringing new ones into the church is exciting, but growth only occurs, numbers wise, when other churches aren’t raided. Don’t take from one, to feed another. Cannibalism of other churches is no way to grow. Or is just inviting people to church. Jesus taught in the temple, but ministered on the streets. He went to the people, out among the lost. Nowhere is it found that He invited anyone to church. Yet so much evangelism is based on inviting people to church. Get them in, it is the Pastor’s job. Maybe that is why some churches are in decline, and some even closing their doors. Evangelism, like witnessing, is part of our life. It is Jesus in us, not put on for an evangelical event, street witnessing, or even church. It is who we are, just as we are what we ride. We all ride, the common denominator, just as Jesus is what makes us a Christian. Sitting in church won’t make you a pew either. And if it takes riding slower to fellowship, I will. Just as I am delighted my Harley friends reached out to this Triumph rider. How my close friend, Fr. Al, a Catholic Bishop just died, big on uniting the different denominations. Just like my two Lutheran pastor friends, Jim and Phil embrace bikers and welcome them into their church-on their rides! Opening the doors to all says more than any message about love! So to my friend, who I know loves me, just not my jokes, I forgive him. And wish him well, reminding him that you are what you ride, in my case a Triumph! And that I will ride with him anytime, if I can keep up.
Maybe if we all concentrate on Jesus, and a little less on our differences, we may see the family grow even faster. Both of God and of those who ride. Heaven will not be brand or denomination specific. Why not get a practice run in for our eternal ride, and love someone today. Laugh at a joke with others, get to know them, and find a great chance to show them Jesus, where no preaching would. Invite them on a ride, listen to them, they just might have questions you have the answers for. And show them love, which is what we are supposed to do anyway?
By the way, did you know that BMW stands for Broke My Wallet? Or Bring Money with You? I’ve had five and speak from experience. Let your experiences be of Jesus. He took the time to slow down for you, because He knew you could never keep up, or do it on your own. And no matter how much chrome you have, it won’t make you a better rider. Better a God of Light than the Prince of Darkness. And the scriptures also talk about being in one Accord? Any upset Honda fans? And as all old Triumph owners know, we don’t change the oil, we just top it off.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com