Look closely at the attached pictures. You may be surprised. Yes, that is
Skip Heitzig and Dennis Agajanian, on Skip's chopper. He also has a CB750 cafe
racer. And Dennis has a Harley, but rides his GS BMW more because it is more
fun. I got this from both of them talking one on one. Seems we have a common
addiction-motorcycles. And of course Jesus. There have always been two
opposite schools of thought in motorcycle design. One is add more chrome, the
other is take everything off that isn't needed. Simple enough philosophies,
just leave it to man to screw it up. I can see points in both schools of
design, it is when taken to an extreme that I lose interest. Form before
function, remember the motorcycle NHTSA build under Jimmy Carter, that only went
backwards?
Harley for years, and all those others who want to be a Harley, but don't
want to be a Harley, have chromed anything it can. I have seen anything from
lights, to brakes, to wheels, to seats-yes seats, covered in chrome. Leaving
something with such a huge investment that they are afraid to ride it-and it
always needs polishing. I have also seen guys with the "if it don't need it,
remove it" mentality. And end up with ugly parts exposed, seats with no
padding-smoothes out the lines, and only a tach, looks cooler. And then it
can't be ridden very far, because the pain system God installed in man at the
factory won't hold up. And in both cases, man has become slave to the
machine.
When I started riding most choppers were Triumphs. Lean looking, I can
remember springer front ends, hard tail frames, and loud pipes. But then the
cafe racer look began to take over. Low bars, rear set pegs, and an engine
built for speed, with a chassis built for handling. I never went for the
chopper, but went full on with the cafe racer look. I don't think I owned a
bike for over 20 years without low bars on it, and the speeds I rode made it
comfortable. And when Suzuki came out with the GSXR, and the others followed,
it went from cafe to race track styling. Harley re-marketed itself, and the
chopper boom began. Which is now on life support, how many paid way too much
for a designer bike, and now are left with a designer statement? Which no one
wants, and can't be ridden much. At least many were built off of a custom
frame, not aborting a new bike's just for the looks.
But cafe racers are the latest designer bike. And so many older Jap bikes
from the 80's are being sacrificed for the latest trend. Too many by those who
just want to be stylish, when just about any bike sold today will handle much
better than anything in the 80's. Nerdy bikes that no one would ride if they
were cool, are now being heralded as the new cafe bike of choice. But you have
to look cool, while scraping pegs, just like choppers did while scraping floor
boards. I just feel bad all these older bikes are being chopped up-forgive the
pun, not intended, and we are losing many clean, old original bikes to vanity.
Hopefully it makes my all original GS1000E worth more. It is for sale, but not
to anyone who will cafe it! You must draw a line somewhere, and anything that
has been around this long, in this condition, should get some respect. This
goes for the riders too!
I have never been trendy, and when I see a new trend coming, I look ahead
to the crew who will have the responsibility of cleaning up the mess they made.
I listen as I visit with other believers, who get off on vanity tangents,
following what is fashionable, rather than Godly, and then have to be brought
back in line by those who didn't stray. But I am glad for those who stay the
course with Jesus. No surprises when it comes to God. He is consistent. NO
variation on the gospel, or His word. But yet when someone gets a "new"
revelation," it seems a group is always ready to drop what they have, and follow
it blindly. If only they had followed Jesus that way. When I hear about those
that name it and claim it, I am glad I serve a God, rather than Him serving me.
Because in my service to Him, I get to see all He has for me. Which is always
for my good, and always a blessing. And whose style is just not for a season.
Can you say that about your walk with Christ? Are you always looking for
something new, when you already have everything in Jesus? Are you bored with
God, never wishing to admit it is because of disobedience? How many new bikes
have you ever bought, wishing you had kept the old one?
Stick with Jesus. Sounds simple, and it is simple. Stay in the word. It
became flesh, then died for you. Think of it as a person, and let it talk to
you. It is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How many bikes have come
and gone from your life based on style? And when the style changed, you were
left with something no one wants. Stick with Jesus. Don't be trendy. Don't
chop, channel, or cafe your life based on what is stylish. Stick with what
works, and Jesus works for you. and everybody! Years ago my friend Bill
chopped his CB750, then put a Dunstall kit on it. Both were cool for the time,
but both were unridable for long distances. Which we rode. And when it came
time to sell, he had to put it all back to stock. Just to sell it. No one
wants your dreams, they have their own.
The gospel is simple, so guys like me can get it. Jesus can give you more
creativity than you can ever imagine, wrap it in blessings, and watch as you get
closer to God-and as others come to Christ because of your testimony. If beauty
is in the eye of the beholder, behold Jesus. He is beautiful, wonderful, and
loves you. And I heard He has just the right ride for you. Just remember, the
best view of any motorcycle is the one you see over the handlebars. Let your
ride take you somewhere, and take that ride with Jesus. So when you are
twisting wrenches, I'll be twisting the throttle. So many roads, so little
time. Shouldn't you really be riding more? Isn't that why you rode in the
first place? It works with Jesus too. Stick with your first love, and you'll
never waste time when you could and should be riding.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com