Just a few years before I started riding British bikes ruled the world.
The bikes of junior high, the ones we read about in our mags hidden behind text
books, would soon be gone by the time I could ride legally on the street. The
Bonneville I lusted after, the Trident, and others had gone from showroom window
visibility to back row status. The new paint jobs on the Hondas, the two stroke
ring a ding ding of the Mach III, and the Yamahas proudly displayed by the new
BMW’s were what the magazines were now promoting. Triumph dealers now added
Kawasaki, Honda stores were everywhere, and Suzuki’s were add ons. Only the
most staunch Matchless or BSA dealer hung on, Harley was still Harley only, and
drip pans under bikes in showrooms were silently disappearing. Engineered bikes
from the thirties were being passed over, it was the seventies, and we all
wanted to go faster, look cooler, and be introduced to a world of quality that
never before existed. We were about to be spoiled rotten, overwhelmed with
choices, and forgetting to mourn the passing of the Brits. Rotting from within,
Honda had us, Kawasaki was gaining, Yamaha growing, and Suzuki just a four
stroke away from becoming a household word. These bikes weren’t new and
improved, they were totally new, except for a few copying some Brit models, we
learned of disc brakes, five speed trannys, electric starting, and reliability.
Push a button after pushing down the choke lever, and off you rode. Saving many
a riding boot from the tickling of the carbs until the gas flowed out, kicking
it through to free the clutch, then jumping on the kick starter and hoping it
would roar into life, while the rest of us rode away. New was in, old was out,
twins were out, fours were in, a virtual motorcycle revolution was taking place,
and I was there. First on my 1972 CB350 Honda, with 8” bars and high sissy bar
with pad. And cars and bikes would never be the same.....
And either would I. Motorcycling became the most important part of my
life, forsaking girl friends, bikes were still cheaper if not more reliable,
living for weekends to head out and ride, and seeking more power, no one wanted
to be the last guy leaving from the light. Brands mattered, but riding mattered
more, as Hondas rode with Kawasaki’s, BMW’s with Suzuki’s, and we all worshipped
at the brand of our choice. But secretly wondered what the other bike felt
like, and on rare occasions when we found swapped bikes, were impressed with our
friend’s choices, but more impressed and glad we rode what we rode. Variations
on a two wheeled theme, with performance the way to leading the pack, while
others just wanted to be part of the pack. Fast, faster, and fastest.....and it
was only beginning. But for the old bikes from ten years ago, the end was near,
and no one seemed to notice, or even care. Triumph stores now sold Kawasaki’s,
BMW stores sold Yamaha, Honda were stand alone, and the Norton store sold lawn
mowers, along with K81’s, fortunately some things Brit never died. The era of
push button, disc braked, oil tight and reliable riding was upon us....
When I bought my 1978 GS1000 Suzuki a few years back, it felt old. You had
to choke it, let it warm up, the brake pull was difficult, and I had to plan
ahead to stop. In 1978 it was modern, now it was old, or felt old. On my 2018
Street Triple R, I just pull in the clutch, push the starter and ride
off...computers do it all. A better bike all around, but will it provide the
same memories my old Suzuki did? What do I do with the Friday night sessions
tuning my rides like we used to do? Tires last longer, cost more, no more tune
ups, no leaking of oil, no more headers to swap out, race tires to change, or
low bars to replace. All done from the factory....I wonder, and go back so
often to the good old days of my early riding. I wonder, have all the
improvements really improved riding....the same thing the old ones before me
must have asked. Just one ride should answer that.....
But some things go beyond wisdom and understanding. Choice of what you
ride, if you ride, where you ride, and how you ride all come into play. Our
rides reflect us more than we let on. But we should never participate in
religion the same way. While some are brought in as a tradition, the family
always worshipped that way, some are brought in socially, via great youth groups
or special events. Some like a teaching pastor, some with a friend, and some
are just along for the ride. If Baskin Robbins has only 31 flavors, religion
could never get along with so few. Countless Lutheran synods, Baptist
alternatives, Pentecostal, fundamental, Catholic, cults with Jesus’ name in
them, and some who deny him altogether, yet claim to be chosen. But only in
Jesus Christ do we have the ability to choose, to say yes or no, and to choose
how we worship. I was saved during the Jesus movement of the seventies, we
sought the truth over religion,and many new churches sprung up. Bible studies
filled homes at night, and it was out with mainline denominations, in with
Jesus. Praying became popular, we talked about Jesus in public, and we formed a
tight brotherhood of believers. A golden age to those of us who were in it, but
with an eye out to the future, so we would not become the religious
institutions of the past. But for some it wasn’t enough just being a Christian,
these anti-religious believers grew into an elite if not hateful crowd, claiming
their way was better, but leaving Jesus behind. Like minded men were the
choice,and either agree or move on. And many of us did....with many of us
moving up, and closer to Jesus. When the church began to advertise, to go after
new members from other bodies, when church attendance was the criteria for
success, we left. But so did Jesus, and sometimes he was never missed.
God has given us the freedom to choose, but like riding, we all choose
differently. For personal reasons, but how many of us chose Jesus because he
made it personal? So we could escape religion, so we could find the freedom in
Christ we found in our riding? Some of us found the brotherhood of bikers
lacking in the church, and decided to spend our time riding in prayer rather
than in church wishing we were riding. Only in Christ do we find the freedom he
speaks of, to allow us to choose, and let him be God. But can we remember we
all have the same Jesus, or are supposed to? That it is his death and
resurrection that make him unique and that we should celebrate? Is Jesus a
daily routine or a miserable hour on Sunday? Our lives say more about him than
we wish others knew about us. Have we become so righteous we have become
religious? God knows...do we?
Paul warned the Corinthian church to stop it wrong ways, turn and repent,
not turn or die. He knew of the divisions among the body, and found no place
for it. Either do I, we need to get back to the basics of Jesus, remember the
apostles creed, and maybe a dose of Acts 2:42 injected into churches wouldn’t
hurt. Churches seem hell bent on going the Brit bike route, don’t let your
epitaph be “we never did it this way before.” Jesus never changes, we do. He
never left, we did. If only choosing what we want about God was as easy as
choosing a bike to ride. Are you loyal to Jesus or his brand? Never has being
a Christian been so exciting, or so important.....your new “in the beginning” is
calling. Only in Christ will you have the wisdom to tell the difference.
Understand?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com