My first motorcycle with tubeless tires was a KZ750 in 1981. Also my first bike with mag wheels, a necessity for tubeless tires, I fought the change from tubes. Having ridden with tubes for so long, I had learned to patch them on my BMW's and couldn't understand why the change. Until my first experience with changing one. Fortunately not a flat, but just worn out. Whereas I could change the tube or tire on a BMW in about 30 minutes, here the first time I changed a rear tire it took me and two friends over 3 hours-and still had to drive it to the gas station to fill it with air. Seems the beads are harder on tubeless, and without the proper equipment, and skills-which would have taken five minutes, took us over three hours-do the words never again come to mind? Technology 0ne, Mike 0.
And how many of you have been riding long enough to remember when leaving on a trip taking a spare clutch or throttle cable? Carefully tie wrapped or taped on the old one with duct tape, before the application of Teflon on the inside of cables, they broke easily. Or more precisely the cable broke, not the housing. Bonus points if you are an old Triumph rider and only took along the inner cable that you could buy separately! And the first trips without a spare were cautious, you could almost feel the cable binding before each shift. Or like Bro. Willie and countless others-me included-broke a throttle cable on a Jap bike with a push/pull throttle set up. And after breaking the pull-most common-would ride pushing the throttle away from you, with you wrist hurting for days afterward. And then denying you knew when some smarter than you-read experienced person, told you that you could just swap the cables and it would work normal-and even easier than the push pull. Seems the Japanese built the system with an extra cable, an added bonus so you didn't have to bring an extra-it was already there. Another reason for the demise of the British motorcycle industry.
But perhaps the biggest change to adapt to is fuel injection. Simple, preset, and tunable-if you have the expensive, dealer only tool-it does away with all the problems of carburetors. Set it and forget it. Remember carb-stix, and trying to synchronize four carbs on early Hondas? The cables-another cable problem, would stretch, making it nearly impossible to accurately tune them, until they substituted a bar for the cables. But fuel injection has cured all that, and saved more time and aggravation with tuning. And it is a good thing, since changing a set of tires before a trip and synching the carbs saves you about three hours to do other things-like look at maps or pack unnecessary items.
But what really has happened with technology, is we have lost touch with our bikes-an intimacy is gone. No more cross threaded spark plugs, or pinched tubes. Do you really miss running on three cylinders, the fourth caked with carbon from incorrect adjustment? Do you miss torn knuckles, and getting the chance to use the seven words that George Carlin reminded us you can't say on TV? Me either, so, I've decided to go with technology. But still have a problem with adapting to change.
My relationship with God is like that sometimes, too. Bad habits are always the toughest to break, proving God has a sense of humor when it comes to us. And as a long time Christian, I sometimes forget that I was once somewhere else on the learning curve, and that not everyone is as perfect as I wish I was. I used to wrestle with Jesus healing a blind man, who all he could say was, " I don't know if He is good or bad, all I can say is once I was blind, and now I can see!" And I thought how could that man not recognize Jesus for who He is? After what he had done? But God, as He has been doing for generations, showed me patience, and reminded me it is a relationship. And that many times, we won't let it be personal or intimate-just good or bad. In other words, flat fixed, back on the road. Or lesson learned, on to more problems. But He is always with me, and thankfully others. You see we are all at different maturity levels in Christ-and God reminded me when dealing with my son one night, don't expect Him to get in three weeks what has taken you 33 years. Can anyone say HUMILITY? And it is a loving God who brings us along, from milk as Paul sates, to solid food in the gospel. Believe me, when hungry, a steak is better than a glass of milk. But make it a milk shake, and hmmmm? Anyway, seek to mature in Christ, to grow in Him. And He will use trials to grow you. Flat tires, wrong decisions, and poor choices-He is right there to guide you out.
And for those of you who seek to understand-give it up. Can anyone find in scripture where He promises you understanding? But He does promise a peace that surpasses it, and I have learned-don't ask why-to go for the peace first. The rest of you who are still trying to understand, well you'll learn. You can't have both-read Proverbs 3:5. Trust the Lord, don't seek your own way or understanding-and He will guide your paths.
Which brings up the question, God you have solved tires, cables, and carbs-how long until we have a speedometer that is accurate? Or chains that last forever?* Good to know that the R and D departments are still alive and well. But better still to trust in the Lord. Now if He can only make a rider who can handle all this new found technology and power! 42 years and I am still learning to ride better. And after 34 years still growing in the Lord. Here's to your continued growth in Jesus-may it be an example to others-on the road or on the side of it-He still cares. And is still changing lives. Has He changed yours? Love is better than technology-let Him.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com
*ps-the chain that lasts forever is called a driveshaft