One of the greatest thrills is riding out of the dealership on the new
motorcycle of your dreams. All the waiting, saving, negotiating, talking your
wife into making room for another bike in the garage, and riding past your
friends’ houses after you get it will suddenly be well worth it. All the fine
points you read about won’t be heard when the salesman delivers the bike to you,
all you want to do is ride. And ride you will, there is that favorite road you
just can’t wait to get to, that first long ride, and first weekend overnighter
just awaiting your presence. But new usually means new, and some time spent
getting used to your new ride, and it getting used to you. After dozens of new
bikes, and all the press bikes I ride each year, some of the thrill is gone, but
each first ride on each new bike presents some introductions. How fast will it
accelerate, will it stop, and how will it handle? Your old bike will be the
standard your new one is measured by, and seat and handlebar positions that sit
well in the showroom may be uncomfortable at 80. Is the windshield too high, do
the pegs vibrate, the mirrors, and how many miles will I get per tank? How far
can I go on reserve? If the miles to empty light says zero, is that really
zero? Or do I have a few miles left....And for the first 30 days it will be all
new, until all your friends have seen it, and the first payment is due. But for
30 days, the wedding continues....
From my first new bike, bought from paper routes and cutting yards, it was
the hit of my senior year. A 1972 CB350 Honda, bought from Ralph’s Honda, an
unauthorized Honda dealer in South Orange, NJ. I knew nothing about breaking it
in, an immediately rode at 80 mph...traded after 5 months and 6000 miles for my
first of 5 BMW’s, another 1972, this a R60/5. I would own 5 BMW’s in my time,
and never again, my choice. I remember riding my new 1977 GS750 Suzuki over to
see Debbi the afternoon I bought it, and spinning out on some wet pavement,
doing a 360, then a 180, coming face to face with an Albuquerque PD car, who
laughed at my rookie mistake. My 1981 KZ750 bought from my friend Tom in
Salida, brought home and sat all winter, over 500 inches of snow will cut down
your riding time. And digging a path the first warm day of spring.
I flipped a coin with Gary at Handlebar Cycle for a deal and won, my 1983
Honda 650 Nighthawk the prize. Traded for a leftover 1985 FJ1100, which I
immediately rode form New Mexico to Pennsylvania the first week. 6000 miles the
first ten days of ownership....about right. A bike I kept the longest, trading
for a 1996 Triumph Trident, the memory of it being erased after only 1.5 miles,
you remember things like that. Which started a string of Triumphs, every two
years for awhile, when the warranty ended. I tried one day to remember all the
bikes I have ever owned, another list of all I ever rode is much longer, maybe
the exclusions from the list say more about me than those on it. No Harleys,
Moto Guzzis, Ducatis, or Indians, but it is still early and I have lots of miles
to go, and a short time to get there. With our latest, a 2015 Triumph Tiger XRX
our new touring bike, 8600 miles including 7300 in 26 days. Not bad for a 6
month old bike, and not having ridden anything of my own for over 4 months this
year. Like Mickey chides me why should I buy another when he loans them to me
for free. So the list will go on, we are down to four, with new Bonnevilles to
ride soon. So maybe the thrill of riding a new bike out of the dealer isn’t new
to me, over 15 times this year, but the excitement is still there. But somehow
that 18 year old in high school on his first Honda still lives within me, and
always will.
Remember the thrill of first being saved? And how the Bible started to
come alive, you wanted to pray, and you made new friends? For some that was the
best day, for me and many others just the beginning. Relationships whether on
two wheels or between people take time, and commitment. Some have committed to
a church, a pastor, or a denomination, but have yet to receive the fullness of
Christ via his spirit. They’re in and bound for heaven, and never change, you
hear things like “well that’s John,” and they never become the new creature in
Christ salvation has made them. Some may be engrossed in Bible studies, even
ministry, but leave out Jesus. They talk of God, but never mention his name.
They may even bounce from church to church looking for what is missing, but
escaping the who of Jesus. And miss out on the blessings God has to offer.
Finding fault with the other guys choice of brand of church, and missing
fellowship with others. And we are not immune from it ourselves. And a lesson
from Fr. Al taught me that, whose letter and prayers I cherished. A devout
Catholic, he was often in trouble for serving communion to non-Catholics, he was
all about Jesus. One telling me how he ministered to them, because many
Catholics need Jesus, and have settled for the church. Substitute any
denomination you choose....
For like the Harley only, or BMW only, or Honda is the only ride guys they
miss out. Those of us who love God and have escaped that get beaten up over our
choices, yet no denominational boundaries are mentioned in heaven. It is all
about Jesus, and all about riding, two minorities that need each others
support. If your riding never improved, who do you blame? If you never get
over milk fed to you via the church, what is your explanation for not growing?
Is the day of your salvation the best day, or is every day in Jesus the best?
When I first started riding it was in a group of a Harley, Kawasaki, Honda,
Suzuki, and a BMW. Our common denominator was we rode. Is your common
denominator Jesus? Would you be accepting of a different denominational visitor
in your church? Would they tolerate you? How can you be one in the spirit as
we are told to be if we cannot even fellowship together?
Each visit to a new church is like a new motorcycle, it should be
exciting. You get to hear a different perspective on the word as taught. New
songs, more prayers, more hugs, or even less religion. But the same Jesus...if
everyday is not fresh and new in Jesus, step out and ask him why. You may not
like his answer, it is us who need to change, not him. It is us who still need
to die to him, to pick up our crosses and follow. He did his job, can we say
the same? All new relationships start our fresh, as do new bikes. But it is
the miles that take us places that allow us to become old friends, to know how
the bike will perform. Works with God too...ask him today for a refreshing of
your relationship. Same Jesus, new attitude. Trust him like you never did
before, allowing only four words from your lips in prayer, “thy will be done.”
All other gods will be measured by who Jesus is in your life. Trade in that old
time religion for a new breath of the spirit. Motorcycles will continue to come
and go from my life, Jesus never has and never will. If only we put the energy
and time into him we do our rides imagine the difference it would make in our
lives. Today is the day of salvation, the first ride with Jesus. You’ve got
along way to go and a short time to get there....and a thrilling ride ahead. By
the way, that new Indian Scout rides nice...if only I had room in the garage.
So many bikes, aren’t you glad God made it easy with only one way, Jesus?
And like the words on the mirror state, “things in mirror are closer than
you think.” A seat for every person, it is up to you where it will take you.
A life in Christ, you don’t forget a thing like that.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com