One of the side effects of having MMD, Multiple Motorcycle Disorder, is
that they don’t get ridden very much. Add in the additional rides from
Triumph’s Press Fleet, and I ride a lot of miles, just not on any particular
bike. And while sitting in the garage the other day, I noticed how the Tiger
seemed lonely, bored to just be sitting. Our regular touring mount, she has
seen 48 states and over 80,000 miles in her first five years, last year when our
vacation got cut short by my life flight ride, she had to be trailered back to
So Cal. The irony in this is that next to her in the garage is the GS 1000,
which last year I put more miles on than the Tiger, adding to her 25,000! And
just looking at this thoroughbred wanting to run, it seemed that she was bored,
so many roads, yet here I sit in the barn. So I promise to get out and ride her
more-soon, ending her boredom of freedom from the road, and mine too. But it
made me think, the Tiger seemed bored, but it isn’t a boring motorcycle, is
there such a thing? Consider if you would, these three examples...Born to be
boring...
A few years back I was invited to ride in a coronation at a private school,
during their graduation they invited those who rode to give rides to the
graduates along a parade route, a big semi-circle. I had a Speed Triple,
Intense orange that day, and among the Harley crowd it stuck out, but not as
much as two bling bikes, so overdone as to get attention-try turning away next
time you hear brakes squeal, that kind of attention. Chrome everywhere, these
trailer queens, the bikes, rode a few laps, when both started to smoke from
overheating. Then pulled over and parked, unable to be ridden, and no one went
to see why. These BLING! disasters were boring, even to look at, let alone not
being able to be ridden. So pathetic I almost felt sorry for them, as they
loaded them back in their pickups, BORING!
Yeas ago rotary engines were to be the answer to new emission
laws, Yamaha and Norton experimented, Norton even produced some for police work
in Europe. But Suzuki took the bold step and put one into production. It’s
performance figures seemed good, styling was questionable the first year, but it
was boring to ride. Where is the excitement of two wheels? Nothing happened
via the exhaust note-it whirred! Remember the Mazda commercials? Back off the
gas, it kept going-soundless. If possible to make a soul less motorcycle, they
had succeeded. RIP-more famous in death, than when ridden in life. And a few
years ago, when the Japanese were trying to reinvent the cruisers, as they had
performance in the 60’s, a Hessian and I looked at a Yamaha on display at a IMF
show in Long Beach. Almost speechless, and embarrassed, I opened the
conversation with “You know, if you had one of these, you’d be a real biker,
too.” And at that point he stuck out his hand, introduced himself as Sam and we
talked motorcycles, for almost 20 minutes. And how far it had come, yet how far
it has fallen just looking at this boring custom. A couple of guys who really
ride, almost put to sleep by some committee in Japan’s idea of what a motorcycle
should be. If two wheels stir the soul, this bike shouted for a pickup to ride
home in.
Add any electric bike, sorry these are really two wheeled golf
carts, and you find me bored, because they are boring. Electric may work OK on
your toothbrush, drill, or golf cart, but the heart of a motorcycle beats best
to a 2 or 4-stroke beat. Boring, wake me when it’s over. But how will I know if
it’s boring? Erase the bikini babes, still interested?
Now one thing I have never heard described as boring is the
gospel. If any man led an exciting life, it was Jesus. And we can lead the
same kind of exciting life if we follow Him. Yet why in the past have I fallen
asleep in church, bored out of my mind? One example springs to mind, when
attending a funeral for a friend a few years back. This pastor spent over an
hour telling the gospel, the same gospel that Billy Graham can share in 10-15
minutes and see a crowd saved, and the same gospel God made simple so I could
get it. Yet this man, and sadly others I have endured, seem to think they must
fill all of the hour, even while thinking, “I have their attention, I’m not
letting them go.” And so many find church boring because of them, not because
of the gospel. The same gospel that Jesus promises “a life of abundance,” can
be put to sleep by some overbearing speaker. So I find I try to trim my gospel
to 2-5 minutes, the attention span of a 5 year old. If they can get it, so can
I. Can you? The life of a Christian should be exciting, new mercies every
morning, not the same old, rote religion, which, by the way, Jesus warned
about. Spontaneous life in Christ, always new and exciting, but sometimes
dumbed down by religion. And then having to substitute plans, programs, and
processes to keep the flock interested, but not always fed.
Ask Jesus for some excitement in your life today. And be
ready. It may be simply answering a question about Him, or sharing a
testimony. Or watching as someone you pray for is healed. Or going to a
Wednesday night service and being invigorated. But God knows, and isn’t bored
with you, so why be bored with Him? Too much BLING!? Get back to the basics.
Too much pastor and not enough Jesus? Ask God and He will direct you to a
fellowship where you can be fed. Alternative Jesus? Get out now! Most of the
Bible is filled with warnings about false teachers. Seek Jesus today for that
abundant life. Be bored no more! Hear the sound of the gospel in your
life!
Without Jesus you have no good news. You have lies or a
substitute savior. Don’t be embarrassed by the gospel, live it. Base it on Him
instead of religion, and you won’t be embarrassed, or bored. And let no one say
to you, “ you know if you had the truth, you too could be a real
Christian.”
If your religion is slower than your ride, maybe it is time to
change. No boredom in heaven, why BLING when you can sing! I can’t wait to
hear about your next ride. And please, no neon lighted bikes.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com