on buying a bike sight unseen

A dream of mine, based on a dentist friend in Albuquerque many years ago, was to locate a certain bike outside of my local area, take a train ride to get it, and then ride it back.  This dentist friend had told me, this in 1976, of buying a 1937 Packard Dual Cowl Phaeton, I love the name, with a V-12, located in Minnesota.  He took Amtrak which only took three days, and carried the cash only transaction in a grocery back with him.  After three days he smelled bad, had started a beard, and was wearing jeans and a denim jacket.  Carrying a paper shopping back, before the question of paper or ?  He took a taxi to the address given, and knocking on the door in a well to do neighborhood was excited to get his new car.  He knocked, and no one answered, so he knocked again, harder, still no answer.  Finally a voice came from behind the door, go away, we don’t want any.  He knocked again, stating he was buyer for the Packard, no response.  Finally seeing a face looking out from the peephole, he dumped the $35,000 in cash on the porch, “I came from New Mexico to buy your car!”  And though suspicious, they opened the door.  And got to be good friends, Tom was not quite what a Minneapolis dentist looked like, but his money was good anywhere.  His trip back took longer, he cruised the old roads, and the trip was mostly uneventful for a 40 year old classic.  And so the seed was planted, and I was going to live it.

I had settled on early Honda 750’s, Suzuki GS 750 and 1000’s, and kept my search within 1500 miles.  Which led to many bikes looked at, quite a few phone calls made, and many questions asked and answered, with lots of photos emailed.  And as I got to know the seller, they revealed things not in the ad, to my chagrin sometimes, and also my disappointment.  A 1974 CB750 seemed right, until the seller told of newer parts, I wanted it stock.  Pass.  Again a 1981 GS1100, red and stock, but the owner’s picture showed a dent in the tank his ad didn’t mention.  Finally a 1978 GS750E Suzuki, just what I wanted, clean with low miles.  We agreed upon a price, all his pictures matched his description, and the deal was made.  Until a later voice mail told me he couldn’t sell the bike.  He was a perfectionist and wanted to give the bike a tune up for me, and when he went to adjust the valves, found one cam lobe rusted and worn.  He couldn’t and wouldn’t sell me the bike...I was disappointed but grateful and impressed by his integrity.

But finally I found my 1978 GS1000E Suzuki at a dealer in Everett, Washington.  Sold on consignment, it was a barn find, but well reconditioned.  A rare find still being stock, as most had been raced to death then thrown away.  With just over 20,000 miles, we set the deal and I was off.  Not by train, a two and half day trip, compared to a two hour flight at half the cost.  Cash in hand, or really pocket, I arrived, I was picked up at the airport, the bike was as advertised, and we did the deal.  With only a Washington law about sales tax the only problem, they discounted the bike the additional amount.  And I was off on my planned 4 day return ride home, some 1400 miles.  Which I did in two, the bike ran so well, cruising at 80, or really by tach as the speedo cable gave up by Oregon.  But no other problems, a great ride, and a dream fulfilled.  Lessons learned, a trip taken some 32 years after the bike was new, and today I still have it, with 9000 miles added over 5 years.  But I learned a lot about buying a vehicle long distance, and would do things differently next time.  Ask more questions, take the full 4 days, and bargain harder.  I got a good deal, but there is nothing like experience to guide you, good or bad.  Hopefully good on your end, learning about and from the bad of others.  And if you are wondering, yes I would do it again, and I hope to someday.

Accepting an invitation to church can be a risky thing.  We all extend them, but don’t think about what the invitee is thinking, what is their preconceived notion?  I have had a few, one a pretty face invited to a Bible study, and when I was the only one with a Bible I should have known better. It turned out to be New Age, and I left, no love here, and freedom of expression was defined as if you agree with me.  Another time a group of us were invited, and when I got up and left, many came with me, a few staying out of respect for the inviter.  Who had himself been led astray.  Just because the invite mentions church, doesn’t mean that God or Jesus are part of it.  So I have learned, like I did from buying a bike unseen, to ask more questions.  Better questions, and to listen better to the answers.  For not all who come in the name of the Lord are of God.  Some even have Jesus in their name, but deny his deity.  One group claims to be God’s chosen witnesses, but denies Jesus is God.  Changing key words, and outright denying Jesus Christ for who he is.  Fortunately they will admit to not being Christians, but a church.  So beware. 

In 2 John we are warned by the Apostle of love to beware of those who have a false gospel.  To not even wish them God bless you, not to engage with them, or let them into your home.  Yet many fall prey to them, and some will argue or study with them, claiming how will they be saved if they aren’t told?  And come away bruised and damaged, they will tear you down before you change them.  Only Jesus changes lives, and if not led by the holy spirit, they are led by an unholy spirit.  So beware....many will come in his name but are wolves in sheep’s clothing.  And once in are hard to get rid of.

Remember that the next time you ask someone to church.  They too may have been burned, or maybe you have.  Jesus gave us his spirit to take the gospel out to the world, not to invite it to church.  It is not just the pastor’s job to share the gospel, and your lifestyle and testimony may speak louder words than any message from behind a pulpit.  Revelation says we are “saved by the blood of the lamb, and our testimony.”  Jesus saves, we are the messenger, and he is the message.  Our testimony the proof.  The gospel, good news.  Consider that when you are told to evangelize.  We are to be witnesses, not go out and witness.  Our lives should reflect Jesus when no one is looking.  Our words should match the ad we portray in daily life, not just a pretty picture not showing the other side of the bike with dents.  The spirit will give us words as we need them, and if silent, maybe a good thing too.  We are not salespeople, but ambassadors.  Stop and think, would you like to be like you?  Is Jesus your true Lord, or are you exaggerating hoping to win an argument?  To sell your own ideas?  Or are you just lost altogether? 

Rely on the spirit when sharing, but also buying and selling.  Too many times I have rushed into a deal wishing I had waited.  But God’s mercy caught me.  Maybe the fruit of the spirit, the characteristics of God are better than words.  Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, meekness, and log suffering will show more about God in your life than any memory verse.  Words are forgotten long after the experience is remembered.  I don’t remember the names of the potential sellers, funny how I remember the bikes down to the details.

Study to find yourself approved, not saved.  When driven by the spirit of the Lord you will see truth through his eyes.  His word, the Bible will back up what he has been showing you.  For Jesus is truth, the only way.  Don’t be misled by a clever ad, or a free offer.  Ask questions,and if it doesn’t seem right, walk away before you wish you had run.  Only Jesus saves, and he will lead you to places you never would have thought of.  God loves questions, and loves you to ask, to test the spirit to see if it is him.  Seek ye first the kingdom of God, then all things will be added unto you.  Which makes it easier to explain the rust bucket in your garage that seemed like such a deal on Craigslist. 

Now about that original bike you have for sale....except for what, you say?   Take the time to pray before, rather than seek forgiveness later. And if God says no he knows best.  And may have a better yes just ahead.  Funny how we can trust him with our souls for life, but not ask him about things we need to do.  So seek him first....and enjoy the ride of your life.  No matter where it takes you. 

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

all I wanted was a hamburger

New Jersey-home of beaches known as “the shore,” and a turnpike where they can monitor you from entering to exiting, seeing just how fast you covered the distance, and offering you a ticket at the end.  But what Jersey has to offer is great food, all types of ethnic food, from Texas Weiners to Italian, Greek, and Pakastani.  But the basic food, the ones we grew up on are still the best, and in Jersey it is White Diamond.  Sold through small pre-fab shiny aluminum buildings madepopular in the 1930’s, they have a few stools for customers, and mostly take out.  A place frequented many times after parties, concerts, and open 24 hours to fill your hunger mood, the munchies, and cure your constipation.  Usually a one or two man operation, you order how many, and you get a real burger, no preformed patty here, the hard core ones still grab a hunk of meat from an open bag in the cooler, drop it on the grill, mash it with a spatula, and cook it quick on both sides.  A bit of onions, then some ketchup and served on a hard roll that is sliced by hand-and no two are ever alike.  All prepared by a man who in between orders sweeps up, has a cigarette, and cooks-all with no gloves or hand washings in between.  And somehow it all works.  A certain flavor not found anywhere else, and popularized on SNL in their “cheeseboiger, cheeseboiger” skit.  Served on a tiny paper plate, fries optional, but not necessary, and a Coke.  No diet here...and on one trip back I almost committed the burger blunder of my life.  An upsetting of the hamburger universe in Jersey.....

The stand in Westfield is lodged between Buicks on the dealer’s lot.  No parking unless you want to get chased by a lot boy, or towed as the signs warn, you park where you can.  This day I found a space with limited dangers and took it.  Going in I knew what I wanted, or thought, but the grease stained menu with many letters missing caught my attention while waiting my turn.  They had a California burger, and now being a true citizen, says so on my tax return, I asked “what is a California burger?”  “It has lettuce and tomato on it,” came the answer, and every head on the six stools turned to look at me.  “They really eat them like that out there?”  I asked.  “Yeah, you want one?” and with every eye glued on me, I answered, “No, how can anyone eat a burger like that?”  And every head turned back to eating, the talking in between bites resumed, and the hamburger universe continued without interruption.  All I wanted was a hamburger, I ate two, and smelled like the place for days, and had never revealed my zip code or area of residence.  I can only imagine the outrage, the jokes, and the prejudice if I had mentioned I live on the West Coast, where we have beaches.  And ate burgers with lettuce and tomato!

California food to me is homogenized.  Where else can you order a burger and be asked “sprouts or without?”  Where it comes as a designer burger, on a white plate, and a sprig of parsley and an orange slice.  Where the fries are served in a cup, and there is more plate than burger on the plate.  Add avocado, sprouts, certain in season veggies, and you end up with a burger that looks like a half a sissy.  And cost as much as a steak dinner, using beef never touched by human hands.  Patties premade at the packing plant....no way was I going to fess up to that in the wilds of Jersey, no way.  Maybe the jokes are right about us being like granola, we are the land of fruits and nuts, and when you take them out, you are left with the flakes.  And if I wanted some sissy burger I would have asked for it, but al I wanted was a hamburger.  Taken with a dose of fries.

The story goes of two Baptists meeting at a convention.  They meet and find they are both from the same state, same county, and there the commonality ends.  One is from a different branch than the other, and the two don’t get along.  One believes full emersion for baptism, one only sprinkles.  One allows women to serve, the other doesn’t.  One has stricter rules than the other, and the list goes on.  They address themselves as “Brother,” but nothing could be farther from the truth.  And I have stumbled into their churches while traveling, or when moving to a new town.  Many times greeted in love, until they find out you believe in healing, you pray out loud, your wife wears pants, and your old pastor isn’t referred to as Reverend.  Suddenly the house of God is separated, and you feel like everyone is looking at you, wishing you to leave.  A place we entered because we thought it was a church where people worshipped God and his son Jesus, only to find a religious quagmire of sin and deceit.  All I wanted was to fellowship, and worship, but they had given up the ship.  Imagine if they knew I was from California?  You mean they really worship like that out there?  Singing songs, hands raised, in blue jeans and shorts?  They carry Bibles, take notes, and actually fellowship with each other?  And they call each other Brother and mean it?

A lesson in why many don’t go to church and why refuse when invited.  Jesus went out among the people, they met in homes, and tabernacles.  They worshipped, sang songs, prayed, and were fed by the spirit.  The first church adhering to the apostles creed, for they had been with Jesus, and no New Testament was available yet.  They lived like Proverbs 12:15, where they listened to the apostles and others teaching the true gospel, and didn’t think their way was the only way.  It was then, and should be now, all about Jesus.  Yet many have become so legalistic that if Jesus did show up he would not be welcomed.  He ideas would be considered radical.  And they were, and are.  Consider one woman met who was caught in adultery.  The religious were about to stone her, but not the man.  I thought adultery took at least two.  But Jesus intervened, writing in the dirt, and the crowd of accusers disbursed.  His words to her simple, “neither do I condemn you, leave and sin no more.”  Her life was changed in that meeting, no record is offered if she did sin again, but knowing humans for 61 years I bet she did, but her heart was changed.  She had learned the price of sin, and its consequences.  But more importantly she learned about forgiveness, and had met Jesus.  That small exchange of words would be repeated in scripture for time eternal.  Go now and leave your life of sin.  Seven words of hope and direction....how simple yet so deep.  Forgiveness.

Do we go and sin no more after being saved?  Or is your church, friends, family, or workplace keeping score?  God has forgotten your sin, you should too.  In one case Jesus told the lame man to stand, take his blanket and get on with life.  Here he tells the woman to leave your sin behind.  For he who the son sets free is free indeed.  Yet we return to religion, getting fed a meal of sprouts and avocados, lettuce and tomato, when all we want is just a hamburger.  All we want is Jesus, without the trimmings.  He will add what we need...we don’t need to or should we order our God from a menu.  We want the real thing...and rest assured, every head will turn when you follow Jesus like that.  But just as sure as he tells us every knee will bow, and every tongue confess he is Lord, we make the choice.  And in religion like at White Diamond, the basic food of life is still the best.  Just give me Jesus, he’ll add everything else on I need.

Only Jesus saves, everything else is just religion.  Keep the main thing the main thing, a supersized love and forgiveness without asking.  All the trimmings without all the religion.  From burgers to fries, to God and religion, you can mess up a good thing with Jesus if you stray.  “You mean he really forgives you and loves you as you are?”  And all I wanted was just a hamburger.  Adultery whether in food, religion, or sex is forgivable.  Go and sin no more.  With love and forgiveness included.  Now can he take your order?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

 

the key to life found on the Mickey Mouse Club

Years ago I knew a woman who worked for the EPA.  Which I learned was self sustaining, meaning it was funded by fines paid by businesses when they broke the laws.  Which were open to interpretation, such as the cleaning tank lid not closing fast enough, labels on barrels of waste not straight, and her last statement to me was the real eye opener.  “It is impossible for me to know all the rules, but I can guarantee you I can walk into any business and find one broken.”  Which gave me a whole new interpretation of “I’m from the government and I am here to help.”  And over the years I have seen it abused many times.  I was in another shop one day, who probably was breaking many laws, when the EPA woman showed up.  Without hesitation he walked over and grabbed his license off the wall and handed it to her.  “This is what you came here for isn’t it?”  Let’s just say she didn’t disagree.  So it seems that we may just have too many laws, rules, regulations, and standards that we are expected to meet if we are to exist in today’s modern world.  And laws are nothing different, as we see then from how to pick grapes to how to wash your dog.  The internet is filled with them, ever read any disclaimer before they let you in, which we don’t read and of course break some law after.  But we have laws everywhere, and like the old song says “signs, signs, everywhere a sign.  Do this don’t do that, obey the law.” 

And today we have an ever zealous Congress, whose job it is to make new laws, which ultimately take away freedoms, and we all risk the chance of becoming a criminal, a law breaker.  Yet society tells us we need rules, if nothing else to maintain a decorum.  One evening at a Bible study we were studying the Holy Spirit, and the leader after praying “God lead us by your spirit,” began to outline the rules for the evening.  Of course I was chastised when I mentioned the spirit runs contrary to the law, maybe it was like Barney Fife telling his tour group “the first rule is obey all rules.”  Funny I don’t remember being told I couldn’t ask questions?  But so it goes, and like the old song goes, “I fought the law and the law one.”  But does it really...

Cecil B. DeMille, the great Hollywood director and producer, he of “The Ten Commandments” and others, once studied to find out that since the Ten Commandments were given over 3000 years ago, man has created over 32 million laws, add in the EPA’s and the numbers are truly staggering.  But he also noted not one of them has improved upon God’s laws.  Maybe we should take a moment to pause, no one has improved on the original Ten Commandments!  Which were written in a language comprised of only 22 characters, in a nation where most people could read. When most in other nations couldn’t.   In other words they were available to all, compared to the Chinese language at the time comprised of over 10,000 characters, the Egyptian with over 3000 hieroglyphics, the Assyrians who only had to write and remember 1500, and the Hittites only 375.  All before texting, a language of its own, and you wonder why we have no respect for the law?  I may have broken one by saying that!

Yet in the Ten Commandments we find the way God and man, and also man and man should exist with each other.  How to have relationships that have meaning, four of God and man, six for man and man.  Is God that much smarter or can he only remember four?   Yet we forget them until reminded when we break them, bringing condemnation, and guilt.  Which we usually are.  But also unique to them is there is no forgiveness of sin or salvation found in them.  Great ways to live, but no way to heaven.  But the most important one may give us the clue we need, “love your God with all your heart, mind, and soul.”  If you do, all else falls into place.  Matthew tells us “seek the kingdom of God first, and his righteousness, then all things will be added unto you.”  Good words to live by.  But Jesus made it even simpler, by being the only way back to God.  The only way to have our sins forgiven, and the only way to be saved.  One simple statement, commandment, that we find the hardest to follow.  “Love God first, then your neighbor as you love yourself.”  Simple enough, love God first, be forgiven, and as he loves you, love others.  For you cannot love yourself fully when in sin, forgiveness cleanses us of that, and then we can forgive others, paving the way to love them.  One simple sentence that comprises the gospel, and leads to salvation and heaven.  And when embodied by the spirit, brings joy and freedom, as when we see things through the eyes of Jesus, we react differently.  So his law of love is simple-just love.  A commandment we all can live with.  So let me ask in ask in BeeGee-ese, “how deep is your love?”  Have you asked Jesus to forgive you?  Have you forgiven others?  But have you also forgiven yourself, maybe the hardest thing to do.  When you do, you will find the vessel that we are that the holy spirit dwells in will have no problem forgiving and loving others.  For true love doe not demand its own way.  It is a choice we make.  And since God is no respecter of persons, titles, salaries, family or political connections don’t matter, and he isn’t influenced by how many points per game you score or home runs hit.  So we all have the same offer....what are you doing with Jesus’ offer of love and forgiveness?  Do you have your own code of laws you live by keeping you from being saved?

Today you may be confronted by a chance to forgive, or to show love.  Don’t miss out a chance to let Jesus shine through you.  You don’t have to carry around two heavy tablets, because he has written his law of love on your heart, so it and he are always with you.  Yet many will resist, thinking their way is better, only to still need forgiveness.  So try today to treat others in a way so they don’t have to forgive you.  Again it is called love....

But just in case, he does like to hear from you.  Unlike a boss I once had who was less than patient with the questions I asked him.  He finally blurted out one day “no more questions!”  Which led to my answer “why?”  Pushing him over the edge.  Maybe if he had sung along with the Mickey Mouse Club he would have had a clue, “why?  Because we love you.”  If Mickey, Donald, Chip and Dale, and the Seven Dwarfs can figure it out, why can’t you?  Remember that the next time you refer to someone or something as being Mickey Mouse.  That was one smart mouse.  I wonder, was Jesus thinking of him when he said “he who has an ear let him hear?”

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

what do you call the person who graduates last in their medical class?

Mercedes Benz has an excellent school for trainees.  And with the automotive world changing leaps and bounds, so much is electric any more, that sometimes it is easier to hire some one new and train them your ways, rather than trying to teach an old dog a new trick.  Today we will look at the story of three techs, and their impact on the shop I worked in.  Remember you too were new once...

His name was Hans, and he was young, energetic, and was in the top 10% of his class we were told.  After the interview where he was asked some trick questions about electronics, aren’t they all, we decided to hire him.  His first day he showed up with his new tool box full of shiny new tools, some tool man was making his quota on Hans that day.  We liked to start new guys out on easy tasks, to see how they do, and brakes are easy, so Hans was assigned to replace the front brake pads on a 300E, a job any experienced tech can do in less than 30 minutes.  We were busy and lost track of time, and Hans, when the tech next to him came up to me.  An hour had passed, the wheels were on the car, and no sign of Hans.  He was found in the tech’s room, looking at microfische, of how to replace brake pads.  Puzzled we asked if there was a problem, he said no, he was just looking up how to do it.  When quizzed further we discovered he had done well in class, but had never really worked on a car.  Which explained the shiny tools.  He had knowledge, but no experience, which cannot be taught.  So it turned out to be on the job training for him, and for him to find out he probably wasn’t set out to be a tech, no matter how well he did in school.

Another graduate we hired was Willie, a bright young, black guy with great charisma.  Everyone loved Willie, he too was a top 10%er, and interviewed well.  When we hired him his tools were old and worn, we hoped he had the experience.  The simple jobs we gave him were done well, but slow, quickness comes with experience. The other techs liked him, but the tech in the bay next to him was getting frustrated.  Willie was always asking him simple questions of how to do things.  So we began to watch, and he was, but not thorough.  When the tech assigned to mentor him told us of bolts not torqued and parts left over, we talked with him, and he agreed he needed more help.  Which we gave him, until a car left and its front wheel came off-he forgot to torque the bolts holding it on.  And when the school called to check up on him, we found out everyone loved Willie there too.  But he had no talent for being a tech, and because he was a minority, and the school under pressure to graduate minorities, they pushed him through.  He wasn’t very good at all...and it was unfair to him and us.  We gave him time to study so he wouldn’t damage anything else, and after his probationary period we let him go.  He knew the truth,and was understanding.  We liked Willie, and we wondered what became of him, until one day we heard of a tech driving a $100,000 S Class off a rack at another dealer.  Willie?

Armin was old school, so much in fact he was just school.  39 years in the same bay, and he refused to work on anything newer than 10 years old.  But was quick, thorough, and dependable on older cars.  One morning a woman showed up in the drive, her AC had quit.  He opened her hood, replaced the blower fuse, and the AC started blowing cold instantly.  She was happy until she asked “how much?”  “$20,” he replied.  “For just a fuse?”  “Yes,” he answered, “but I knew which one.”  And off she went in cold air conditioned comfort. 

So you cannot teach experience, you must live it yourself.  And all the schooling in the world is useless until it is applied.  And in any world outside of mechanics it also applies.  Including your walk with Christ.  We have today the greatest number of Bible students in history.  Men and women who can recite scripture, take endless notes, who have memorized verses,and know who is who in the Bible.  But something is missing in their life, it is all book based.  But they can be found separated by one thing, how they applied what they were taught in real life situations.  Some seem to grow, and their lives reflect Jesus in them.  In times of trouble they go to Jesus, they never doubt, but trust.  Their relationship goes beyond knowledge, they know the author personally, and it shows.  In times of stress they don’t buckle under, and many a testimony is made.  They don’t know when this test will spring on them, but when it does they don’t panic, but turn to Jesus.  They practice what they have learned, and are a living example of the gospel.  Jesus is real in their lives, and many things are shown in their actions rather than their words.  They prove who Jesus is by their actions and witness.  They are strong Christians, because they are strong in Christ.  Not education.  The application of their education is their trademark, and they encourage others to follow.

But the other group continue to sit in church, class, and to never get out and show what they know.  They are the ones that when trials come fail.  They are emotionally upset, anxious, and fear ridden.  They have the head but not the heart of God, and it shows.  Pews are filled with them, and they can become a liability to a ministry.  They do not practice what they hear, while the others practice the truth and immediately grow in Christ.  They are the ones with overfilled Bibles with notes, whose seat of their pants is worn out, but never the soles of their shoes.  Today I am grateful to be out practicing what Jesus has taught me. To operate in the spirit, where life is happening, and miracles occur.  Some are solution, some remain the problem.  And some after many years still think an epistle is the wife of an apostle.  Says so in their notes.  Check your shoes, are they shiny from walking on carpet, or worn from being out on the street ministering? 

An old saying says “those that can’t teach.”  But I find those that can’t study.  And never apply what they know.  They never fix anything, and soon fade away.  To them Jesus appears in print, just not in their lives, and when trouble hits they go under.  Sadly it doesn’t have to be that way...so ask God to direct you past your book learning,and into experiencing him first hand.  Real life.  When turmoil comes, rest in his arms, not on your knowledge.  Be the one who knows the difference between knowledge and wisdom, who knows that although a tomato is a fruit, you don’t put it in your fruit salad.  Get to know Jesus as real, and watch as the words you memorized have life.  And as the spirit reveals the truth about Jesus, you want to get out and serve him more.  Grow in grace, not in knowledge. 

Finally, how important is an education?  What do you call the person who graduates last in his medical class?  DOCTOR!  The same diploma, the same education, but what a difference.  Let Jesus make a difference in your life, and when your AC quits blowing, know which fuse to replace.  Put into practice what you have learned, be the one who can truly testify how Jesus Christ changed their lives.  And if needed, offer words.  Now that is how to witness, and be a witness.  Those that don’t, study.  Application of your education.  Which will really tell us who Jesus is in your life.  Class dismissed.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

making the payments doesn't make you a rider

Thanks to an unprecedented marketing plan, Harley Davidson sells more bikes in the US of A than anyone else.  A marketing plan so rich and deep, so simple yet so successful that they market it through college courses.  And in a few words, it works.  They sell an image of what they think a biker wants to be, and many have fallen into it.  And because of their sales success, it has forced their product to become better also.  Whoever thought you would find ABS on a Harley, let alone Brembo brakes?  Harleys that handle?  Reliable?  Women riding them?  And yet they sell them with no discounts to those waiting in line to get them.  Any product would love to have the sales success Harley has, congrats to them.  What a move, especially from a company that 30 years ago approached the Federal Government to put a tax on any imported bike over 700 cc’s, because no one was buying?  But they came through when they needed to, and I find their comeback incredible, and worth emulating.

Almost 100 years ago Alfred P. Sloan, the architect of General Motors made two outstanding quotes.  “You can sell an old man a young man’s car, but you cannot sell a young man an old man’s car.”  Very true.  And then “General Motors is not in the business of making cars, it is in the business of making money.”  And their history speaks for  itself, until the 1980’s, about the same time Harley started their comeback.  They found you can sell a biker looking bike to anyone, but not anyone would buy a bike without an image.  Bad is good, good translates to profits, and t shirt sales.  Of which they sell more of than some motorcycle manufacturers do bikes.  Which gave rise to the slogan “$20,000 and 20 miles do not make you a biker.”  Leathers, a V-twin, your wife wearing clothes two sizes too small, and having decal of the Bar and Shield on your pickup do not make you a biker.  Yet many fall under the illusion, and today when someone who doesn’t ride hears you do, the instantly think Harley. 

Yet why are their so many 1 or 2 year old Harleys sitting in the used line of Japanese stores?  Did Harley get them in, or back after years out, but couldn’t keep them?  When the HD means hundred dollars translated into thousands, did they go elsewhere?  Did they find that performance can and reliability can cost less?  Did they learn that riding is more than an image, more than a life style, but it is fun?  And the fun only ends when you do?  Can heritage only take you so far, we’ll see what happens to Indian in a few years.  Triumph learned the lesson, and builds more than Bonnevilles.  Some like to ride, to some it is all about the image, to others they never get it.  The $20k biker is alive and well, at least for 20 miles or until all his friends have seen his new ride.  Then it is back to his SUV after his wife complains about helmet head, or she can’t text while riding.  A $20k lesson on life.  While the rest of us ride, because we want to.  Real bikers will never be trendy, stylish, or fit in with an SUV/mini-van dominated world.  Rebels to the end, long after the 200 mile test has left many a new Harley, or Triumph, or Indian, Ducati, Guzzi, or Honda for sale.  Helmet and leathers included.

Those of us who are real bikers, can spot the image conscious non-riders.  Works with Christians too.  Lately too many I know are going through a crisis, and fail at the altar of Christ.  But never leave.  When offered a choice by Jesus, Peter answered “where else will we go?”  He and his fellow disciples had been with him and seen the miracles.  The great teachings.  But they had also seen themselves scared and embarrassed by things he had said.  They had and would suffer insults, threats, and even death by serving him, by being a Christian.  Just by being seen with him could lead to jail or death.  Yet when offered a choice, to go or to stay, they made the right decision, they chose Jesus.  They could not deny his words had given them hope, and eased their fears.  His wisdom was like no other, and his ways backed up his words.  Peter states “we have believed and come to know.”  Believing led to seeing.  They weren’t like the image conscious biker who spent $20k to fit in, when it rained, they rode.  Wife’s air a mess, buy her a comb.  When the road called we answered, and riding became intertwined in our lives.  We didn’t quit when it broke down, bad weather didn’t keep us inside, and our image became our character, instead of the other way around.  We ride.  And Peter saw the difference when Jesus came into a life.  His included.

Life has, is, or will throw things at you that you cannot understand.  We will someday, or for weeks walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  But we know Jesus is with us.  He is no poser, his words are truth, and we choose to stick with him despite the situations.  We know that heaven lies ahead, and that our true testimonies are based on what he has done in our lives when nothing else could or would.  We find that like the disciples, we have contemplated something or someone else.  We may have even strayed, but in our hearts always knew it was all about Jesus.  And given the final choice, no matter the situation that led to our pity party, we choose Jesus.  For we really have no other choice.  There is no SUV alternate to life after riding with him.  You smell the air, feel the road, and see things through his eyes, and suddenly it all makes sense.  And just like the t-shirt says, “if I had to explain it, you wouldn’t understand.”  Yet some cannot explain, so it is not up to us to understand, but to trust. 

Some ride for a season, some to be seen.  Real bikers are in it for life.  We have checked out the alternatives and found no other way we rather get on down the road.  And Jesus is the same in my life, and others who believe.  We have been given the choice, and we chose Jesus.  We aren’t in it for image or acceptance, we are in it for love.  It goes way beyond understanding, way beyond words.  Like God told me, “how can you describe an infinite God using finite words?  To finite minds?”  It takes the spirit to change, then nurture and grow us.  We will have tough times, but he will carry us through.  There will be days we take the car and wish we had ridden.  All our decisions will not be right, but the one to choose Jesus will lead to forgiveness.  And mercy, which can only be found after you screw up.  If you have found your life in the line of used lives after a few rides, it is not Jesus who changed, it was your decision.  One he never forced you into, so lean on Peter’s response.  “We have found you have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe you are the Holy One of God.”   Can you say the same?

Satan has some wonderful marketing tools to keep you from Jesus.  But they are just that, tools that pale when compared to truth.  Some day you will be asked who is Jesus?  Peter knew when he answered “thou art the Christ.”  Don’t let $20k take you to find out if you are a biker.  The real ones can see through you.  We can tell by your hairdo after a ride, or your attitude to cold weather.  Works with Jesus too, he knows and we can tell where you are with Christ.  Forgiveness is the difference.  Jesus forgives, your bank note won’t.  You keep paying until it is paid off or you sell the bike.  Rather consider wisdom from above before buying into an image.  Just because you can make the payments doesn’t make you a rider.  Jesus paid it all, and considering the alternative, there is no other choice to make.  “They are weak, but he is strong.  Yes Jesus loves me...the Bible tells me so.”  If a child can get it, what are you waiting for?  Why aren’t you riding?

love with compassion,

Mike

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