Tuesday, September 30, 2014

rode tests
















Based on the specs, one bike may be favorable over the other.  More horsepower, lighter weight, more goodies.  And if that spins your tach, then so be it.  But there are certain intangibles that if you ride are more important.  Sure the seat may look more comfy, but how does it fell at the end of a 500 mile day?  Maybe it gets better gas mileage, but the tank is small and you have to stop every 100 miles to fill up.  It has a longer warranty....but is it reliable?  But it has a higher top speed, how often do you really ride at over 150 mph?  But they have dealers everywhere, good, you may need one, I just hope you don’t.  They offer more accessories than anyone else-good, bring your wallet, I’ll be riding.  It comes in red-so do police lights.  All my friends ride that brand, but will their wives ride with them?  And of course, it is priced less, in fact I can get a deal on a last year’s model, only difference is color.  And so it goes for the tangibles, the things seen and compared.  But how many have multiple bikes to compare on a regular basis?  How many go by what Cycle World says, or because it was a superbike Champion once?  Are you green with Kawasaki envy, or blue over Yamahas?  Do you see red every time you are passed by a Honda, or blinded by the light of a yellow Suzuki?  Is your choice of colors black and white, but rode all over?  Do you buy into the advertising, the image of its brand, or do you want to ride?  Are you more concerned  about what your friends will say about your purchase?   Sadly their opinions sell many bikes....but what does riding it do for you?  To you?  Is the road test more important than the rode test?  The only way to tell is by riding...
For me the best view is behind bars, handlebars that is.  I’ve owned BMW’s before they were cool, ridden café racers before they were cool, and toured on non-touring style bikes.  I have commuted on racers, and raced on commuters.  I was adventurous before Adventure bikes were popular, and people found you could tour on one.  I rode a Scrambler before they were cool, Hondas when they were, two strokes because I could, and many new bikes over the years.  I have had blues, reds, blacks, whites, and yellow bikes.  Silver too.  Hi-ho.  I have passed sport bikes on cruisers, and cruised on sport bikes.  Toured on them too.  But the one constant has always been, how does the bike make me feel when riding it?  There are road tests by magazines, I prefer a rode test by me.  Ride it for yourself and see.  Never mind the specs, does it turn you on?  And it comes down to two basic facts for me, the cool factor and the grin factor.  If the bike isn’t fun, why ride it at all?  Why be uncomfortable when you don’t have to be?  Ride and smile, and be cool.  To yourself, never mind the opposition-just ride!
My old 2006 Triumph Scrambler was cool.  Slow, but cool.  Looked neat, and after 100 feet I always found myself smiling.  It passed the test for 20,000 miles.  Our Bonnevilles have done the same thing, for over 78,000 miles for Theresa.  It isn’t the fastest, smoothest, and you can grind foot pegs in corners.  But the smile it brings is priceless.  Tour on my Tiger 955i?  When there are Gold Wings and Ultras?  Soft travel, long suspension, hard bags, and handling like a sport bike.  And it gets 45mpg, and a 6.3 gallon tank-I can ride forever, and have.  Why stop when you are having fun?  My old R60/5 BMW was slower than my CB350, but a cool you couldn’t describe.  I still don’t get that one.  And after a long day, was still grinning.  The new Daytona R may be a narrow focus ride, but when I come up among sport bike riders, they all give me thumbs up.  They know what it is, and one trip to redline and the exhaust note is intoxicating.  A triple has a sound all its own, and a power curve to match.  Even my old GS 1000, she of 1978 Suzuki vintage, has a cool factor, and many younger riders think it is new, not knowing that it is the GSXR’s grandpa.  So for me the real test is after riding it, that is the real test.  And I have never found a motorcycle that let me down...although others had to convince me otherwise.  In their jealousy, I was being paid a compliment.  Which made me grin, and that is always cool.  Enough talk, let’s ride.
Simply put there is nothing cooler than being a Christian.  Living life knowing Jesus cannot be beat.  Motorcycles can come close, but offer no forgiveness, nor eternity.  They are created, I choose to worship the creator.  But I am also thankful he created them.  Just thinking about Jesus brings a grin to my heart, and I can be in the worst of situations, but he is with me, and I don’t need to panic.  For nothing can separate from his love.  Nothing, another thing God created we don’t give him credit for.  Out of nothing, he created the heavens and the earth.  Now that’s really cool.  But Romans 8 asks us who can separate us from the love of Christ?  Trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword?  Those are all pretty tough situations, yet Jesus is with us, and we become closer to him when they occur.  All things that may separate us from our ride, include rain, running out of gas, a ticket, or breaking down.  But when we ride with Christ, he gets us through.  How many times was I offered free gas from a stranger when the gauges showed miles to empty left, only the tank didn’t know it?  How many times has a simple repair been all that was needed, and found after a costly diagnosis was given?  A hardship of not enough money to get home, and my wife calls to tell me you got a check, I deposited it, you can take your time and not worry.  Perils from the road, from storms, from those in cages, each time a reason to get upset, but a better reason to turn to Christ.  Who knows what is up ahead, and is ready for it.  Like finding the last room one night, which doesn’t take checks, but will because you ride, and a tornado coming down with two blocks of you, but you are safe.  Putting 4.8 gallons of gas in a tank that holds 4.3, coasting into the station.  And in every case, Jesus was there, and is still there now.  Ready for what you need, how cool is that?  And now that you have read my road test, go out and experience Jesus for yourself, find the incredible grin factor only he can bring, and find out how cool the Son of God really is.  Don’t read about him, live him.  Ride with him today and see.  Of all the miles I have ever ridden, over 900,000, the best miles are still ahead.  Maybe the ads do bring us in, but it is the relationship that keeps us coming back. 
But one thing can separate you from Christ, your decision to deny him.  And that will take the smile off any face, and isn’t very cool.  Some have known him and turn away, some neglect him, saying they’ll wait.  Some are concerned about what their friends will say, but what do you say about Jesus is the final exam?  Many in old age turn away, but I find that you don’t get old from riding, you get old when you quit riding.  Old age and experiences don’t rob my joy, not having Jesus does.  Again the grin and cool factor.  But let me leave you with one spec to consider, 100% of us will die.  And there is life after death, one heavenly, the other is hell.  No escape from hell, no one wants to escape heaven.  Consider tht when you choose your God.  Only Jesus delivers...and at prices you can afford.  My rode test with him is almost 40 years, the illusion of knowledge will never make up for not knowing him.  Only Jesus makes it all about the ride....and where it ends up.  Nothing can separate us from his love.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com