7 bikes in 10 days

I had decided to just relax this week.  It has been hectic, but fun and exciting for the past six weeks, riding almost 8000 miles including riding over 5000 miles in nine states, catching up with old friends, and making new ones.  Coming home to the birth of our first grandson July 4th, and getting back into the writing and ministering routine.  In between raising a now 5 month old American Bulldog who weighs over 50 pounds and still sits on my lap, helping Nick get back on motorcycles again, and getting ready to leave for another week of riding.  I needed just a few days off to relax, then I got stung by a bee while riding on my cheek, got to ride in the ambulance to the ER, I am allergic and have taken a couple of days to fully recover, and just planned to finish the break in miles on the 20185 Thruxton R I have.  Then Mickey called...

When I had taken our Tiger 1050 up for an oil change, they had just gotten in the first 2018 bikes for the press fleet, so I was given a T120 to ride.  Until Mick called the next day, they needed it back and they gave me the Thruxton.  Which sat mostly as it only holds one person, and Theresa and I have been riding our old Tiger 955 with 106,000 miles on it.  And he called again yesterday, the T120, the same one I had for a day, needs break in miles ASAP to go out to Cycle World, when can you come up?  I wasn’t done with the Thruxton yet, he said “keep it, ride the T120.”  So needing an oil change on our Tiger 800, the one we took the trip on, I will ride it up today, leave it, pick up the T120, bring it back Tuesday, get the 800, take the Thruxton back Thursday, pick up a Street Triple RS, and leave Monday on the 800 for a week.  For a few days I will have more of Triumph’s press fleet in my garage than my own.   Not sure which day or bike it is....still under the affects of the bee sting. 

But I have the reputation of putting on miles quickly when needed, so these calls are not unusual, but infrequent.  But they do come in bunches, and when the new years, the next year’s bike arrive, I ride.  A lot.  Not really going anywhere, but going everywhere, trying not to repeat any previous day’s ride.  I get bored on the same old roads, only a different bike makes the ride worth while sometimes.  I’m not sure if I am bragging or complaining, but like I said, I had planned on just relaxing this week.  Guess my rest will come on a two wheeled sofa called Triumph.  And no, I don’t wish to trade problems!

When I was forced into retirement by being disabled, I could see how you never or ever had time to get things done before.  With more time, it seems there is more desire for it, and many mornings I don’t know what an email or phone call will bring.  Ministry is like that, meeting needs, and it brings me closer to God every day.  I recently read a scripture that we all know and have heard about laying down  your life for a friend being true love.  But a brief study of the words in John made me think.  Did Jesus really want me to die for him?  For others?  Death is a one time occurrence, not much to make a ministry of.  I have come closer to death than most, and not died, bringing on cascades of “I guess your job for God isn’t done yet.”  To which I reply, “I guess yours isn’t either.”  As if my testimony segregates me for special duty.  But yes, it does and has, and knowing I can only die once, makes me enjoy life today more.  For in the scripture, Jesus is asking us to put others ahead of us everyday, to die to self, and put them ahead of us and our desires.  Jesus showed greater love, the indwelling of the father every day as he served, and gave of himself.  He knew what laid ahead, yet pressed on in love, not the emotion, but his spirit one with his father.  For God is love.  And when his spirit is alive in us, we can do what he commands, for it is not a suggestion, but a command, lay down your selfish life for your friends.  Listen to the spirit and you will know what to do, be equipped and the works are in motion.  Just obey!  Sometimes it is on the way, many times out of our way, but when in God’s way, we see him in action,and we are blessed.  And he calls us to do this repeatedly!  We as Christians are to known by our love, to be different from the world, but to minister in it.  We cannot do this on our own, only in the spirit. 

Jesus died once for all, we die many times for him.  Our lives are not our own after we turn to him, he guides us, and this week I will ride.  Which I love to do, and spend time in the spirit listening to him inside my helmet.  I know he has great things planned for me, so I am excited, but tired too.  He will give me the strength, as he always has before. 

Today you will be confronted with the chance to show the love of Jesus.  Maybe by listening to a hurting friends, running an errand, baking cookies, or visiting someone in the hospital.  And it will upset your schedule, but do it like we are commanded, in love.  For whoever is the least of those we do it for, we are doing it to Jesus.  Jesus needs miles on a motorcycle, a ride to the hospital, a meal and conversation, revealed in the circumstance he provides.  And he is calling on us to be his hands and feet, his ears and mouth too.  In his love.  I get many letters from Christians who sign off, In his service, but are you in his love?  Seven different bikes ridden in 10 days in God’s love.  Maybe the scripture is true, he does give us the desires of our hearts.  And when he is that desire.....well, I’m going riding!  If only you could see the smile inside my Arai.  For God so loved the world, he laid down his life for us.  Can’t you pass on his love just a little today?

We are to love as he loved us.  And as his spirit dwells within us, we will.  “Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.”  Die to self and start to live.  So you can do it again tomorrow.  Do you want greater love?  Do you want to be more like Jesus?  Get ready to lay it all down and serve.  In love, true love.  You know, there just may be a lesson in here somewhere.

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

Harley marketing-is it for you?

In the late seventies the motorcycle world was much different one than today.  It was all about the Japanese-the Big Four, Triumph was fading fast, not sure who owned Ducati that week, and BMW was breaking out of its stodgy old mold and bringing out some neat touring bikes, even if the price kept them form the main line riders.  And then there was Harley, AMF Harley Davidson it said on the tank, and no one was interested in 1936 technology, being marketed by a sporting goods company.  The Sportster was all but forgotten, not a girl’s bike yet, and the big bikes, the 74’s, were outdated, under engineered, and out performed by 250 cc Hondas.  Something had to change, or soon they would join Indian and many other American brands in history.  At the right time a group of men bought Harley Davidson, 1983 to be exact, and had to rescue the company, keep dealers while gaining new points, and improve the product, greatly if the wanted to survive.  An old saying tells us to “sell the sizzle, not the steak,” and Harley did.  At the Durango Tour Motorcycle Rally in 1983, I met with Barbara, who was in charge of dealer placement, and part of the how do we save Harley committee.  They were asking people what they wanted in a bike, they listened, and I was questioned about a club they were starting within the company to unite the owners.  It didn’t have a name yet, but she listened to our input, even me a Kawasaki rider at the time, and they responded.  Still with limited product, they came up with one of the most ingenious marketing plans ever, and sold a lifestyle, family based on ownership, and the club became HOG.  I knew it back when...before when.

Talking with a Harley Davidson dealership owner yesterday, he was concerned for the success and his success of the company.  A few years back you paid over retail and waited, now with 2018’s about to be released, they still have 2016’s, and are discounting new bikes.  All bike sales are down, not just HD, but this owner expressed hope, for he had a lot invested in his dealership, and was honest about the weakness in the product line.  A new 750 Street Rod, with an ugly gas tank, a footrest cover on the exhaust, and the need to be at least a 950 to compete.  Harley advertising had garnered them favorable reviews for awhile, but color changes and new wheels and sound systems aren’t making it.  They need new product, the age group of Harley buyers is approaching that of Lincolns-old, and no young ones are coming in to replace the retiring old riders.  It will take engineering, a lot of PR, and continued strong marketing for them to succeed.  I hope they make it, we need Harley Davidson, we need to bring in new riders, we need the HOG groups, and we need to ride more. 

One other area of concern was the new regulations on customizing and selling motorcycles.  It seems those that don’t ride have power to enable and enforce laws over those of us who do.  When we don’t police our own, the government steps in and will do it for us.  As an example, loud pipes don’t save lives, but they do annoy those asleep at 6am when you start and rev your engine for 20 minutes.  When the music music that you can barely hear when riding becomes a nuisance when you stop, and it blares at non-riders.  And yesterday I was reminded that we buy bikes to ride, not just to look at.  Marketing is a good thing, but it should never outperform what it is selling.

I used to believe the world invaded the church, but I was wrong, the church invited it in, shut the doors behind it, and won’t let it out.  Years ago when attending a new church, and joining a Bible study, I found it was more of a pastor’s study, “he said this last week,” and less of Bible.  These men who attended the church, were like little puppets of the pastor.  If he said it, they quoted it, no matter how much out of context it was.  I was out of place, for when scripture says “unless God builds the church they labor in vain,”  they bragged about their size, their pastor, and their church.  Sometimes on Jesus, and I felt like an outsider.  A scripture for each occasion, a marketing plan to grow, almost 100 ministries, but little Jesus.  And as I talk with others who want more than just church rhetoric, they are leaving the church, starting small groups in their homes, and doing less studying and more ministering one on one. Fewer worldly blessings and more spiritual ones.  Where the size of the group doesn’t matter, but who is in it does, down to last individual.  And it is all about Jesus again.  The doors are open, and you are invited.  How can we help, what can we do for you?  How can we love you?  And lives are being changed by the spirit moving upon them.  We want all the Jesus we can get, not programs, processes, and procedures.  We want to be heard, and listen for the answer.  We want Jesus, not the marketing of him, we want the spirit!  Unlike Harley, we have the product, sadly the churches have gotten it backwards.

I see God’s spirit moving on many in small ways, lots of little steps.  And when Jesus changes their lives, they just have to tell someone, and they do.  They share their testimony, they show love, they listen and pray, then get out and do it.  Just like some 12 men did 2000 years ago.  The poor don’t care about your Israel trips, who you know or what books you write.  They care about themselves first, because they are in a survival mode.  Yet we neglect to feed the hungry, cloth the poor, visit those in jails, or minister one on one.  We don’t even listen, we know it all.  Every week I am asked for more workers, one to just make a phone call, a visit, to show the less fortunate they care.  So often one men’s group has been approached to do just this, I stopped, I cannot stand the excuses.  The harvest is plentiful, the workers are few, but those that are called reap more and reap more blessings.  Jesus asked his disciples “could you not stay awake one more hour?”  Can you?  Are you asleep and don’t know it? “If the seat of your pants is wearing out faster than the soles of you shoes, you have a problem,” God told me.  Are yours?

Unlock the door to your heart today, invite him back in.  Seek wisdom, for knowledge puffs up.  Ask Jesus for his will to be done, deny the world’s influence, religious marketing and seek the truth.  How would you feel if you were the one in 99?  Jesus went back for that one, will you?  Jesus raised the dead, he never raised money.  Spare me the excuses...

Harley marketing and your church, is it for you?

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

I saw it in the want ads

One problem with the printed word is that people take too many freedoms with it.  Take original for instance, you can only be original once, any parts replaced,even if factory, are just that, replacement.  Any customizing from exhausts to seats to wheels, even with the codicil “they were factory options,”  still are not original to that specific car.  But when an ad in Hemmings caught my eye this morning for a 1969 BMW 1600, my first car, back when BMW stood for “British What?” and was the car that put BMW on the map, I looked.  And for only $12,950 looked good.  I bought mine used from my Dad in 1971 for $1900, the same Markham Motors offered him for the new 1972 2002 he bought, the bigger motor 1600.  I was excited, but as I looked at the pictures, all 50 of them, I lost interest, this was no 1600, maybe by origin, but was more of a 2002, and I know the difference, I owned one.   And drove my Dad’s often.

My first clue was the chrome wheel covers, first in 1972, the 1600 had a dull finish, remember, they are German.  The seats were velour, not the plastic/vinyl, and with newer headrests.  The gauges were definitely from a newer model, and had a tach, the 1600 a clock, even showing just 61,xxx miles may be accurate, but they too were from a newer 2002.  Add in a chrome gas cap, not in 1969, a black grill instead of aluminum, an aftermarket steering wheel missing the cover between it and the dash-a problem with clearance, the front seat belt attachments, wrong air cleaner, and mismatched tires, this car was an interesting hybrid.  OK, maybe personalized, but not original.  But thh dead give away was the weather stripping, it was good, and back in the pre-ArmorAll days, we had to use glycerin to keep it soft.  German rubber so bad it would flake while you stood watching.  Sadly someone would buy this car and love it, thinking it was the way it was then, but have been led astray.  But I was there, I had one, and any desire for this car faded fast, but yet the attraction was still there.  Maybe with a few changes.....

Jesus once taught about abiding in the vine, and how the vineyard is planted to produce, not for ornamentation.  And we are to abide in the vine, the true vine, if we are to produce fruit.  When we come to Christ we become part of that vine, we become part of the truth, the way, and the life.  Where some take freedom in interpretations, we have the spirit to guide us and reveal to us the message within.  The truth, not a religious interpretation, but the truth.  But sometimes like the BMW for sale, things get twisted, added, or eliminated, without the buyer knowing.  And he is left with a bastardization of the truth, a lie.  A facsimile, an imitation.  Many times not what was desired, and not what they thought they were buying.  So Jesus tells us the importance of abiding, living in the vine, of walking in his spirit, of seeking truth.  And gives us the ability to know it.  But where does this vineyard lie?

Isaiah tells us the vineyard is the house of Israel, the people, that God cleared the land, built a guard tower, and put a hedge around it.  He protected it, nourished it, and loved it.  He gave it everything to grow and be nourished, yet when he came he found grapes, but they were sour.  Tasteless, and he found men going their own way, not following him.  He found indifference, hate, cruelty, and oppression, where he had planted his seed.  Seems the vineyard caretaker, the owner did not abide in the vine of righteousness, and the fruit produced was not of God.  But what fruits does a holy God produce if we abide in him?  What kind of vineyard is your life?  Stop and think, you may be like the BMW for sale, nice but not what it advertises to be.

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faith, meekness, and self control.  The last one manifested by the choices we make, whether to abide in the vine, or go our own way.  The fruit in other words, is producing Christ like qualities in us.  No law, no religion, no interpretation, no denomination can produce the fruit of the spirit except for the holy spirit.  Yet many follow church doctrine and religious bias, only to find what they bought isn’t Jesus.  It may look good, sound good, and feel good, but when confronted with the truth, it will be like the new owner of the BMW listed, any one who knows about them will see the flaws and they will be revealed.  At that point we need to either seek God and repent, be forgiven and move on, or like too many today, give up on God altogether, thinking a religious or church experience is Jesus.  They came close, they even had a title, but not the truth.  And Jesus is the truth.

“Missed by that much,” may have been a funny Maxwell Smart line, but a miss is still a miss.  We cannot afford to come up short in life when it comes to Jesus.  Believe, the attraction to go your own way is powerful, I still keep looking at the ad, thinking “I can change this or that, or live with this or that.”  But I will always come up short, for I know the truth.  And this car ain’t it.  Sorry, I really wanted it to be. So abide in the vine of Jesus Christ, walk in his spirit,and enjoy truth and justice, not cries of distress and indifference.  We are a vineyard in which God has planted his spirit, and we can water, but it takes the spirit to produce growth.  Grapes like cars may look good on paper, but upon tasting of them, the truth will be revealed.  Things are only original once, and Jesus is the only original, all others are imposters.  Just a walk with his friends, that turned into an important lesson for life to us.  Whether pastor, newbie, or unsaved searcher, only the truth will set you free.  And I know Jesus and have been set free.  If only the ad had met the pictures, I  might have a new car.....thank God for his spirit of truth he has left us.  Jesus Christ is genuine, not a knock off or imitation.  He is more than going to church, wearing a cross, or a Christian t-shirt.  He is more than a Bible cover, he is between the covers.  Who planted your vineyard?  By your grapes we will know....

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com

 

racing and winning at Laughlin

It is hard to believe that it has been over 20 years since off road racing, SCORE, returned to Laughlin.  Being involved as a sponsor, I would arrive a day early and go be part of contingency, hang out with race teams, and do business, while it was three days of business for me, it was three days of fun for my son Andrew, who was 12 at the time.  And this weekend would be no different, but have a few surprises of its own, pleasant ones.  With a new venue, no one was familiar with it yet, so we all were rookies, pre-running it if you will.  Contingency was held on Friday night, and as the sun set late, I was able to encounter many that I knew.  Among them was Ivan Stewart, who had Don Laughlin with him, he was showing him around, and acting as the goodwill ambassador for racing.  He introduced me, and when asked to come along, I did.  The man who is a legend in off road racing, The Ironman, and the man whose name the town bears, I listened a lot, an hour I won’t forget.  But I had more pressing things to deal with, like finding the guy who made our room reservations, and getting settled in.  But Bill was no where to be found in these pre-i-whatever days, and when I finally found him, he had not gotten the rooms,and was staying with a friend.  Good luck finding a room on race weekend! But I wasn’t worried, as I knew other friends were there, too.....

Don Tebbe was the crew chief of Simon and Simon Racing, and a great brother in Christ.  When I told him my situation, he said “no problem, we always book extra rooms, you can share one with a pit crew member.” Cool, and at a Ramada, I would be going first class, Bill stayed at the lower end places.  A big room, which I ended up sharing alone, the pit crews busy during the night.  Also Andrew, was known by more people than I was, and was staying out at the course in the race semi trailer with Jon, the head mechanic.  In good hands, I never worried, as teams were as family, and I knew many names, no last names, and only at the races, and so I had no worries, and slept well.  For the next night was the Trophy Truck races, after the Laughlin Leap, with Jimmy Johnson winning, jumping his Trophy Truck over 120 feet!  That Jimmy, 7 or will it be 8 NASCAR championships Jimmy.  Who was also a racer I sponsored....

But somewhere during Friday night, really early Saturday morning, I found out how a racer in a pre-runner had been pulled over at 3 in the morning, clocked at 110 mph.  Crazy, until an excited Andrew told me how he and Jon were bored, couldn’t sleep, so went for a ride.  It was Jon and him who were the talk that morning.  While I slept soundly, God had everything under control.  But Saturday night the race went off, and became a stop on the SCORE tour, the Simons got their usual podium finish, and for many just another race had gone off without a hitch.  But for Andrew and I, we had stories to tell, and that first Laughlin race will always be special to us. 

Being on the inside, even just in the door as I was, I got to see and meet different people, and see racing from a different perspective.  So when I watch it on TV today, I see things differently, all the work that goes into a race, and all the play that goes with it as well.  Some came to race, some to assist, and some to spectate.  Talking with Andrew his race weekend stories were much different than mine, I met Mr. Laughlin, he met the police at 110 in a race truck.  Not sure which one is more impressive, I guess it depends on the audience, I wish I had gone 110 in the race truck, too.  My wife had a third voice when weighing in...

Now I can associate with Jon and Andrew going out for a fast ride, it releases stress, and too many suffer from stress because they are bored and doing nothing.  One good burst of speed will cure that, red lights in the mirror will add more adrenalin neither event is boring.  When you are stressed, how do you react, what do you do?  Not everyone has a race truck available to them, what advice would your doctor give?  A week in Hawaii, find a place where nothing bothers you, seek peace by changing locations, go where nobody bothers you.  And don’t tell anyone of that place, or it won’t be any longer.  But the advice Jesus gave to his disciples was simple, required no money, no extra time, no vehicles, and no police.  He told them “peace I give to you, not as the world gives,” where he is referring to a personal relationship with himself.  His guarantee is based on him, not you, but you are involved, playing a major part.  At its base, when we come to Christ and are born again, we receive his spirit within us, knowing that if he is with us, who can be against us.  The list in Romans 8 includes famine, nakedness, peril by sword, and persecution and distress.  Not one of these things can get between you and Jesus, when his spirit is within you.  Yes tough times will come, you may be without a room on race weekend, but God had a room ready for me, and I slept alone in air conditioned peace.  I knew Andrew would be OK, even the police were looking out for him, and Jon received no ticket.  Jesus’ guarantee is that he is working out the solution before we even know about it or go to prayer.  He quiets the storm, and stills the waves, how simple to find a room, and keep your children safe too?  His peace is based on something internal, which affects the external, not the other way around.  Peace is not the absence of suffering, but the presence of God, his spirit being the comforter, his words being wise and personal.  No one  has ever fought God and won....if he is for us, who can be against us?

Stressed, worried, confused?  Return to that place of rest today, right now.  Rest in the fact that Jesus has everything under control, and don’t let your circumstances control you.  He already is working on the problem, remember what Joseph said after all his brothers put him through, “what the devil meant for evil, God meant for good.”  Echoed by Paul, “for all things work together for those who love the Lord, and are called according to his purpose.”  His purpose, to know Jesus and be saved.  Only in the spirit will he be revealed, and that same spirit is still calling many to repent today.  You see, Jesus loves the sinner just as much as the saved, but he gives us the pit pass to heaven, and gives us the racer’s edge in life.  Which is why we can say we have this confidence in him, because we know he cares for us. Loves us, and protects us, until heaven calls us home.  I won big at Laughlin that weekend, and never even raced!  We race to win...who leads your race determines your outcome.  And I know the crewchief personally, and he knows me...

love with compassion,

Mike

matthew25biker.blogspot.com