Coming out of the Christmas concert last night with our wives, Dick
mentioned what a great night to ride. The thermometer read 63 degrees, just
right for a night ride. And he was right, and we wish we had. But yet we had
made a concession and come in our cars. What were we thinking? I ran into a
friend yesterday who is an LAPD SWAT officer. She has a Street Triple like mine,
and was having some suspension upgrades done on it. She has 91,000 miles on it,
and has ridden it to the four corners of the US of A. By herself. Which is how
she prefers to ride, she loves to ride, not stop for coffee. And I‘m impressed,
and you should be too, as she has a same year Moto Guzzi at home with only
80,000 miles on it. My kind of rider... I also saw Ray yesterday pulling up on
his Gold Wing. Now before you think Ray is some kind of Wing rider with a plush
animal on back, he was there to pick up his Hayabusa powered B King, which
Mickey had just turboed for him. It dynoed at 264hp, 200 more than the
Bonneville I was riding. Firing it up it sounded way cool, a nasty snarl from
the exhaust. But when concerned about the sound attracting the cops, was warned
“don’t worry about the sound, worry about the burnouts and wheelies.” It will
wheelie in 6th gear, and will do burn outs half a block long. When I told him
to go home and order a 6 pack of rear tires, he laughed and said that was his
next stop. By the way, Ray is 71, and just had prostrate surgery. Youth
redefined.
And I thought about another friend who has a life threatening illness. Yet
I the midst of it took of for Alaska on his own, on a bike with over 100,000
miles on it. I thought of years ago meeting Julius Kagel, a legend among BMW
riders, who only stopped riding at age 83 when a car ran a red light and killed
him and his bike. I am proud to say I once rode with him. I thought of the
time a hot shoe in Durango wanted to race me. He was fast, and I finally agreed
if I could pick the route. “OK, Phoenix.” We never did race, he wasn’t
prepared for 500 miles of speed. And as I look a the bikes in the garage, 4
Triumphs and a Suzuki, the Triumphs have over 280,000 miles them, and one being
ridden in 48 states. But adding in the oldest, the 1978 GS1000 Suzuki with only
30,000, I have over 300,000 miles of memories sitting here. But they were
bought to ride, and we do. No idea how many miles on the dirt bike, some fun
cannot be measured in distance, just time spent in the saddle. So we ride, and
trying to remember all the bikes I have owned and ridden over the years, I have
ridden almost 1 million miles. Many hours on the road, which may explain my
helmet head, and hard of hearing. But like my friends above, we ride. It is
woven into our life and lifestyle. We have stories while others only have time
to listen. Some wonder what it is like, we cannot describe it. Heavenly times
are like that. And yes we admit that we have chosen a dangerous lifestyle, but
we live to ride, and ride to live. We enjoy all that life offers from behind
handlebars, and when today’s ride is over, look forward to tomorrows. Our
Christmas shopping list is easy, it is all done at motorcycle shops. Our
leathers are worn, our hair is flat, and our cameras full of memories, only
surpassed by the ones in our memories, which no film or camera could copy.
An old saying tells us “I didn’t quit riding because I got old, I got old
because I quit riding.” Maybe that is why we will never grow up, never get old,
but just get older. We get out and ride. Good advice, and found in scripture.
We are told to not be only hearers of the word, but doers. See, scripture does
encourage us to ride, Jesus would have. But yet when I encounter many after
church, they talk of new books read, lessons on KWVE, and their latest small
groups. And although they are constantly educated, they aren’t out doing it.
They have only experienced Christ within the church, they never get out and take
Jesus to the world. This same group always wonders why I’m not at the men’s
ministry, or serving at church. Yet don’t get it when I answer about being out
ministering while they are in class. God has told me more than once, “if the
seat of your pants is wearing out faster than the soles of your shoes, you have
it wrong.” I get it, I prefer to be a doer rather than just a hearer. I want
all that Jesus has to offer, and all the blessing he can give. They are found
out on the road, where he spent most of his time. Out among the lost and
hurting, not hanging out with the Pharisees. They lived in bondage to the law,
the next service, the next teaching. If Jesus had never uttered a word, his
life and style would still have led others to him. It is like advice given to
new fathers, “they won’t remember your words, but they will remember your
actions.” We remember Jesus on the cross long before we remember his final
words on it. So pick up your cross and ride. Wear out some shoe leather, see
for yourself what Jesus is talking about. Log some miles with the lost instead
of among the saved, you studied to find yourself approved, now go out and prove
it! Today may be the day you stop reading other people’s testimonies and making
some of your own. You will never know until you get out of church, and take the
church out to the people. Jesus got it, and many do today. Jesus was a servant
and was out serving. Are you serving or being served? Check please, maybe a
reality check.
A few years ago when Theresa was a new rider, she she was offered by a
friend who is president of an international motorcycle ministry to trailer her
bike to Hollister. It was about 450 miles each way, and she told him no. She
was riding, wasn’t that why she bought her Bonneville? Wasn’t Hollister a
motorcycle rally? So maybe it is the ride that is the destination, and how you
get there is important. My final destination is heaven, and I want the most
from life I can get on the way. Life is for the living. Let the dead bury their
own. II want to enjoy the life Jesus has offered me, and don’t wish to miss any
blessings. Or to be a blessing to others. Get out and live. Wear out some
shoes, break a sweat. Get your hands dirty. Stand with a homeless guy who
smells. Whose feet are shoeless. Whose home is no address. Tell him about
what Jesus has done for you. Love and encourage him. But first you must have
the testimonies to share. And they will listen when they know how much you
care, not how much you owe. Some quote scripture, I rather live it.
Ray and I left at the same time yesterday. My Bonneville down 200 hp on
his B King. His license plate reads “it is good to B King.” But it is better
to know the King, Jesus Christ. Pray for Ray, I love the guy, he is seeking,
yet hasn’t ocme to Christ yet. My last words to him were “wanna race?” To
which he replied jokingly “I left my title at home.” Power is good, but only
when used properly. Jesus is the power, and the glory forever and ever. Bring
your title next time Ray, I’ll leave mine at home. But I won’t leave Jesus. He
goes with me everywhere. Worn out leathers and all. Did I mention the Rocket 3
land speed record bike was there also? 465 miles per hour. Suddenly Ray seems
so slow. You’ll never know until you get out and see.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com