The Machines I Love

I have a thing for big, powerful machines between my legs that can launch me into a bliss that few ever experience in an entire lifetime. That’s right, I love to ride motorcycles. (What were you thinking?)

I have always wanted my own motorcycle, for as long as I can remember. My father had one when I was younger, and I grew up riding ATVs. I love going fast and living on the edge. I can remember a girl on a Kawasaki Ninja passing me every day on my way to work when I was sixteen. I was so jealous of the feeling of freedom I imagined she experienced every day. I wanted that. I vowed to make it happen.

I spent the first fourteen years of adulthood in a toxic relationship and gave up nearly every dream I had. I just knew none of my dreams were going to happen. In time, things shifted. I removed myself from that situation. I got back to me.

I made friends and started doing the things I always wanted to do in life. I went back to school. I went to see live music. I read, I wrote, I danced, I laughed, I LIVED! For a while, my motto was “YOLO” (you only live once). In time, I left that motto behind as well.

I realized that everyone dies, but not everyone lives. I no longer define living as merely existing and breathing. My definition of living is experiencing the things you want to try and creating the life you dream of; being genuinely happy. Most of us aren’t happy within ourselves, which is the only way I believe you can ever be truly free.

A friend introduced me to the local motorcycle community in December of 2012. I just knew I was going to make my dream of owning a motorcycle my reality. It was the first thing I did completely for myself, just because I wanted to.

During the summer of 2013 I became more embedded in the community. I learned about motorcycles, clubs, and took a motorcycle safety course. I bought boots and gloves and earned that lovely “M” endorsement on my driver’s license. I was elated.

I put myself in the position to purchase my first motorcycle in the beginning of 2014. I sat on a Ninja and was disappointed when it didn’t feel right. I had been dreaming about that moment for nearly twenty years. It was uncomfortable and almost made me cry. All I could hear was my mother’s words telling me, “What if you’re spending all this money on this and you find out you don’t even like it?”

A friend suggested that I sit on a different model. I sat on a Suzuki GSX-R 750 and felt at home. I fell in love. Instantly. I knew I found the right one. He became my “boyfriend” and was my Valentine’s and birthday and Christmas and love gift to myself.

Getting completely comfortable took a couple of weeks. I dropped him a few times making slow U-turns or coming to a stop. Most of that was nerves and a lack of confidence. I was determined, though. I loved the feeling of being on that bike more than almost anything in life.

I’ve had several friends and associates pass away or have life-altering accidents, including one of my best friends. I was riding with her and saw the entire thing, including her long and painful road to recovery. There is a price for this passion. Not all will understand why we love to ride.

When I taught my boys to drive I told them to look for motorcycles instead of cars. The psychology behind that is simple; if you’re looking for a mouse, you’ll still see the lion and elephant. If you’re only looking for the lion, there’s a great chance you’ll miss the mouse. My thought process is based on studies regarding the way our eyes and brains communicate, which is why magic tricks appear real.

I also told my sons that I understood that every day that I threw my leg over my motorcycle I realized it might be my last. My oldest son made the comment that it sounded like I wanted to die. I told him that couldn’t be further from the truth. I wanted to live. For me, riding makes me feel alive. I had merely existed for far too many years. We will all die, so use your time on this planet to explore your passions and try everything you’ve always wanted to. You might like it, you might not. But when your time comes, you’ll never regret trying it at least once.

I still have my first motorcycle. I’ve put well over 60,000 miles on him. I would run errands from one side of the city to the other just to go for a quick ride.I’ve been to three other states on that lovely machine.

My first out of town trip by myself was 235 miles to a small town in California to surprise my mother in December of 2014. It was cold. I put on a few layers and bundled up, then hit the road.

On the way, I hit a little stretch of a two-lane road with slow traffic. My bladder was screaming at me, my teeth were chattering, and my gas light was on. I wouldn’t make it much further. I did what any sensible woman in my situation would do. I twisted the throttle and went faster.

The California Highway Patrol officer who happened to be coming from the opposite direction didn’t think that was the correct response. He pulled me over and gave me a lovely citation – my first on a motorcycle. He informed me that going faster would burn through my fuel faster. I knew that, but it wasn’t relevant to the other two issues I had going on.

Besides, have you ever been on one of those things gliding through space and time at over a hundred miles per hour? It’s completely exhilarating and intoxicating. Though I don’t recommend it unless you’re on a track, because it’s illegal. And many would say dangerous. (Do as I say, not as I do. I’m a horrible example when it comes to stuff like this.)

Back to the main topic, here. Because I love my motorcycle so much, I added a GSX-R 1000 to my stable in November of 2016. The throttle response time is even better and I cannot even begin to describe how I feel when I’m on either of my bikes, even with all of the words I have at my disposal.

My next bike will be a “bagger” so that I can take further trips with ease. I haven’t mastered the art of packing light and it’s no fun having an overstuffed backpack tied down to the back of my bike. I don’t feel like I have the same maneuverability. Besides, I enjoy clean clothes and deodorant, so I need somewhere to store that stuff.

My goal is to travel across all 48 of the continental United States on my bike. There are several challenges, such as touching each state in the span of ten days or less or riding more than 1,000 miles in a single day. I actually want to take about a month for my first trip.

I want to stop to enjoy and appreciate different locations, landmarks, and points of interest. I would love to visit friends and family who are scattered across the country. I want to stop and smell the roses, if you will. (Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to set up some book signings and meet some of you!) I plan on taking that trip more than once, so I may take part in some of the challenges at some point.

I haven’t been able to ride for quite some time due to some injuries, but I’m looking forward to getting back to it as soon as my body is able. I miss the wind in my face and the freedom of the open road. There is nothing like it. It’s not for everyone, but it is definitely for me.

Do you have any hobbies or adventures that add such value to your life? Do you like motorcycles? Or are you afraid of them? Have you ever been on one? What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn or try?