I’m tired, after riding over 1300 miles in the last 7 days, on 6 different
motorcycles, I’m tired. I can use a day of rest. Now some may say I’m
braggin’, and maybe I am, while others may say I’m complainin’, and maybe I am,
but it doesn’t change the fact I’m tired, or how I got there. And if I may, a
chance to reflect on my miles and the rides I rode them on. Six bikes in a
year, let alone a lifetime may be a lot for some, and recently we whittled our
fleet down to 4, sold 3 bought one. But when new bikes come in for Triumph’s
press fleet, which sends bikes to magazines for road tests, supplies bikes to
celebrities and movies, and visiting English home office execs, I get the call.
And I feel honored to answer. I rode mostly Triumph’s press bikes this week, a
2014 Storm for an exec who is coming over to America to tour on it, picked up
Friday afternoon, returned Monday morning with over 500 miles. Then a 2016
Bonneville T120 Black, taken back yesterday after over another 500 miles, and
now a 2016 Speed Triple R, three completely different bikes, and I can have the
S3 for a few weeks, to put on 1000-1500 miles. Which may sound like a lot, but
Theresa and I are leaving Easter Sunday for a 5 mile ride through Arizona, that
should be another 1500 miles. Like my friend Frank used to say, “if you need to
sit somewhere, sit where you are comfortable.” And on two wheels I am
comfortable.
But after riding three such different bikes, I come to realize why I own
the ones I do. Our old Tiger, 2006 vintage, is resting at Mick’s right now,
with over 101,000 miles, an eternity in bike years. We will take our new/old
Tiger 1050, think of a Speed Triple for touring to Arizona, looking forward to
the curves in the mountains, and our newest arrival, a new 2015 Tiger 800 sits,
in between putting on break in miles for our summer trip. Hooked on Tigers,
they work for me, but I have advised different rides to different friends over
the years. What you ride is personal, and the more time spent with each bike it
becomes more personal. Some better for long rides, some cruisers, some too
heavy, some too little, where we begin to sound more like Goldilocks than the 3
bears. And so I find myself riding with others who are as devoted to their
personal bike as I am to mine. Glen sold out years ago to the Harley lifestyle,
that is the only bike for him. Stu rides Gold Wings, his is known as “The
Buick,” and he rides cross country many times on them. Ray rides a turbo
charged B King, with 264 hp on the dyno, at age 72 he is still young at heart.
I test rode a new Indian Scout, and would consider one, but not for how I ride.
And although Theresa misses her Bonneville, one ride on the new Street Twin made
her change her mind, I see a new Street Twin in the garage by summer’s end. So
how we ride, and what we ride influences where we ride. As citizens of the
greatest country on earth, and citizens of the best culture, that of
motorcycling, it is only when we get out and exercise our belief that we are
happy. When we exercise what we believe, and we believe in riding, that we are
fulfilled, and at our happiest. Blessed is maybe a better word, if you ride you
know. If not, I could explain, but you still might not get it. So braggin’ or
complainin’, you make the choice. I’m too busy ridin’ to have it make a
difference.
Now as citizens of heaven, we Christians are really colonists here on
earth. We are to spread the gospel as we go, where we go. Remembering, but
also having to be reminded that it is all about Jesus, and not us. But yet many
have chosen a path of least resistance, and miss out on the ride. Some
sequester themselves from the world, not wishing to be contaminated by it.
Never going out into the world, their biggest brush with sinners is the unsaved
invited to church. Safe and secure on their home turf, they never grow any
deeper, just get spread thinner. Their religion is based on them, like all of
ours are. Yet others will hang with outlaw bikers, go out with unsaved friends,
and be seen in bars. Not partaking, but taking the light of the Lord to a lost
and dying world. Just like Jesus ate with the tax collectors, hookers, and
others. Do you think when he fed the 5000 it was all church folk? And he ate
with them!
But as truly visitors on earth for a short time, we can either become like
the natives, or hang onto our heritage of Jesus. When we withdraw from life, we
feel we may be contaminated by the world, and miss out on blessings God has in
it. Just as the rain falls on the just and the unjust, God loves and blesses
all, both sinner and saint. Remember he loved us while we were still sinners,
or have you forgotten? The other side is those who go out and try to change the
world for Christ, following their own leads, not spiritually led. Either way we
practice self sacrifice, and find we are seeking the love of power, instead of
the power of love. We need to be flexible, we are not of this world, but here
in it, and as in any colonization, we are sent here by God to colonize the
planet for Christ. We need to get out and ride more, get out and live more, and
get out and enjoy the blessings God has for us more. Or get out completely, for
when stagnant we are really rotting from within, we might not see it, but others
can sense the smell of pride and death in us.
Where do you spread the gospel? What or who do you influence? Jesus again
ate with Levi, a tax collector who even cheated on his own taxes. The religious
were appalled, “look at who he eats with? Has he no sense of values?” But we
find Jesus spreading the influence of love to them, rather than being influenced
by them. How important is getting out and colonizing earth for heaven? Do the
angels rejoice when your attendance card is full at church, or when a new soul
is saved by grace? Jesus was not contaminated by their sin, but we can be you
argue. True, when on your own, but when guided by the spirit, you will be safe
and protected. Some will find it at a quilting party of unbelieving women, some
in a social organization, some on the golf course, some with other bikers. But
when we get out and go with Jesus, we spread the gospel of his love, good news
for a dying planet. His spirit lives in us making us holy, so we can venture
out into the world and influence it for him. Are you watching a film on the
gospel or do you have a role in it? Are you fed from a man behind a pulpit,
with a known audience, or are you out trusting God to lead you? I am not
bagging on church,but Jesus taught in the temple, but ministered on the streets,
where the action and the lost were. Our product is Jesus, don’t you do your
best business where the customers are?
So maybe I am braggin’, because God has chosen me to get out and live his
gospel, to share Jesus with those I meet. To minister, or be ministered too.
His mode is motorcycles, and I meet dozens of people each month just being out
there riding. A chance to show Jesus, to make new friends, to minister his
love. Jesus has called us to be ambassadors of him on earth, to plant seeds for
others to water, for him to provide the growth and salvation. When we follow
his gospel of love, others see a real side of Christians, rather than those just
in church. But it needs to be his love, his agenda, not ours. So whether
retreating from the world, which the Bible never endorses, or getting out and
sinning, which it never endorses, we are to live in the world just not become
part of it. From his first miracle at a wedding, to his last one on the cross,
leading a thief to heaven, he was out and living. His self giving love showing
the way. Many different ways to show it, I find it best to live it. Last week
was 6 different bikes, but one Jesus. Like the ride you choose, it is
personal. So I chose Jesus, it don’t get any more personal than that. And yes,
that’s braggin’!
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com