43 years ago this month I bought my first motorcycle. A lot of things have
changed over those years, but one constant has been that I have always owned at
least one motorcycle. Well, almost, for there was a 100 day period that we were
bikeless, but would return. We lived in Colorado at the time, at 8300’
altitude, and had over 500 inches of snow that winter. Newly married, we had a
1977 BMW R100S, the bike I had met Theresa on, my fifth and to be my last BMW.
It started to make a noise that sounded like it was coming from the engine, so
still under warranty I took it to the dealer, some 90 miles away. Who replaced
the ring and pinion in the final drive under warranty, and we were bikeless for
a few weeks. But with winter coming on, we had other concerns, heat and food
among them, but still waited for the call it was ready. And I can still
remember the day I got it, and the ride back from Farmington, and how good it
felt to ride again, how the biting cold didn’t seem to matter, I was on two
wheels. And so what if it would snow the next 4 months, my ride was home and
all was well. Or so I thought, and so I hoped and prayed. I can still remember
riding past Carl Brown’s farm on County Road 501 when the noise began, and the
engine lost power. And how a short time later it quit altogether, and how I
coasted it home, heartbroken. And being without a phone, we lived 27 miles from
town and phones were paid for by the mile, and for a party line, I called the
dealer from a phone booth and complained. Simply told to bring it back, I never
did, as the snows fell, and with no pickup I had no way. But visited the dealer
a week later anyway to voice my dismay. And got a greeting I didn’t
expect...
I was greeted physically by the service manager, who accused me of putting
something over on him. Ring and pinions don’t make noise, and BMW would not
replace the non-defective parts they replaced, and he wanted me to pay for
them. He diagnosed it, not me. And told me never bring the bike in again!
Yeah, right! Stupid hurts, and it fit him well, sadly it fit me too. And the S
never would be ridden again. It was later discovered that both rods had
separated from the crankshaft, so much for fine German engineering and
manufacturing, and was useless. I was left with a $4300 paperweight, that in
the dead of winter was repossessed, I had quit making payments to BMW since they
wouldn’t fix it. It took the repo man hours to dig it out of our basement, and
was the first and last bike I wasn’t sad to see go. But it left a void, one
that has never been duplicated. For the next 100 or so days I was without a
motorcycle. So what if I couldn’t ride, so what it was daily below zero, or we
had 40 feet of snow. I had no ride...and it only made the winter longer. But
another bike was waiting, I just didn’t know it, yet. And despite the weather,
economic conditions, family raising, job changes, and major moves, God has seen
to it I always have a motorcycle. But that 100 days was brutal....
But when spring came, and a used 1975 Z-1 came my way, all was forgotten.
And even though it was high miles, 46,000, I put another 30k on it in 3 years,
still at 8300’ and snow. And ended up trading it for a new 1981 KZ750 to the
dealer in Salida, Tom who paid me retail for it. He wanted it! And the list
was to go on, and dozens of bikes later, my quiver, or garage is still full
today. Winters in So Cal allowing me to ride everyday if I want. And I want.
But for a brief time, there was no paradise. No riding, and nothing to ride.
Perhaps the toughest time in our marriage, broke, cold, hungry, and bikeless,
but not without God. Better than the Post Office, he delivers despite the
weather and despite the circumstances. And we were never alone.
Now 100 days over 43 years doesn’t sound like much, but when you are
enduring it, with no end in sight, it seems never ending. Eternity is like
that, never ending. Yet we are told to live our lives daily, not worrying about
tomorrow, for it has enough problems of its own. But still we live looking
forward to eternity, and where we will spend it. Heaven calls, but hell calls
too, and many things can keep us out of heaven. Things we worship instead of
God, while claiming he is still first. Things we can touch, see, and ride. But
cannot be taken with us to heaven, but can drive us to hell. Like motorcycles,
cars, careers, jobs, or well, you get it. That 100 days I didn’t know it then,
but God was curing me of idol worship, and giving me a priority to live by. Him
first. It was a tough lesson, and a cold one, but we never went without
food,shelter, or clothes. Just a motorcycle. Despite being without income, he
met all our needs, and continues to today. Despite bad choices, bad decisions,
and bad motorcycles, he stayed with us. We were able to face piles of trials
with smiles, like the old Moody Blues lyric with Jesus. And after a harsh
winter, and nothing to ride even if we could, he came through when springtime
hit. He had another cycle ready for us, and then another, and another.
Bringing people into our lives we never would have met without the storms, or
broken engines. Bringing us to where we are today. Sometimes kicking and
screaming, such is his love. For us it was one winter, 100 days. For Job it is
said it was 18 months. With no end in sight. Problems are like that, but so is
God. He sees the end, knows where we are, meets us there, and makes all things
work for good for us. All things, even snow and broken bikes. We were building
a testimony, still are, and sometimes we forget about that. That every day we
face those piles of trials, mostly without smiles, but God is always there. And
when we look back and give him the glory, we get the blessings.
Whether in surgery, recovering, behind bars, homeless, unemployed,
foreclosed on, or pushing your bike instead of riding it, Jesus is with you. He
never left, will never leave, and will show you the way through the storms. Not
around them, but through, wanting to show his love, to prove he is worthy of all
praise. To which he advise us, “never give up hope, never give up.” But give
in, to his will and his way. Guided by his spirit, we will make it into
eternity. Heaven with him, hell without him. A choice he allows us to make.
The S could have stopped running anywhere, yet he got me home. We made it
through the worst weather of our lives, and maybe the toughest part in our young
marriage, but God was faithful. Even when we weren’t. Now that’s love. A
better warranty than anything man made can provide. In your winter of
non-riding today remember that. Don’t give up, give in. He will rescue you and
get you through, if only to your next trial. With his daily bread, so enjoy
today for what it is worth. And Jesus is always worth it. It took a winter of
no motorcycles to get my priorities straight, and today my passion to ride is
strong, but my passion for God is much stronger. He reminds me daily of how
much he loves us, if only we could see him more clearly how much different our
life would be.
100 days doesn’t seem like much, but a 100 day lesson has proved vital to
my life with Christ. Motorcycles have come and gone, yet Jesus remains.
Nothing can separate us from his love. Romans 8 tells us 37
No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from
the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our
Lord.
And may I add to that winters without
motorcycles. Remember that today when faced with your next trial, and we will
have them, so let Jesus do what the law couldn’t do. What warranties and
doctors cannot. He gives us eternal life with him. And he wants nothing to
stand between us. For me it was a two wheeled idol, what is it for you? Only
God knows, let nothing separate us from his love. That next blessing could be
around the corner or just 100 days away. For me it was the winter I couldn’t
ride. And when your motor starts making strange noises, go to God first. Now go
out and enjoy your ride, knowing Jesus is with you. And he will get you home.
The ultimate riding machine let me down, the ultimate Son of God never
will.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com