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Well time should have passed for most of us to give up on the many regular New Year resolutions,
no more cigarettes, less booze, less carbs etc, and we should look at the important things you should do in 2012. By this of course I mean riding a motorcycle. This applies to those who haven't yet, should return after giving it up, or those with one that they polish and keep in storage afraid of a spec of dirt appearing on the meticulously buffed chrome.
Why should you ride a motorcycle? Aren't they dangerous, cold, noisy, smell of fuel and oil, give you a bad name? Well some of this has a basis in truth but there are several good reasons to ride a motorcycle that hopefully will help those of you hesitating to have a go.
Motorcycling is a skill
You should always push yourself in life to learn something new, challenge yourself to the next level of life's experiences. Riding a motorcycle isn't that difficult to do initially, and there are lots of good teachers out there to get you going on two wheels. The controls are straight forward enough and you'll find yourself on your way after an hour's practice. The real skill comes from getting the most from your bike and the road. As you learn the peaks and troughs in power as you twist the throttle, the best lean angle for corners, as your mind begins mapping the road ahead, you'll make every journey, be it a trip to the shops, or a tour around a foreign land, an absolute joy.
It's good for the soul
I don't know of anyone who rides a bike that doesn't get a lift from doing it, and as you pass frustrated car drivers stuck in traffic and you can't help but smile you'll understand why. However more than this simple perk the place riding a bike can put your head in is a revelation. As you focus on the ride it gives everything else in your mind the chance to settle in order so as you reach your destination and dismount, you'll find yourself in a good frame of mind. And yes this can still happen in bad weather! It's a thrill that fires the soul.
The thrill
Ok hands up on this one yes it can be dangerous, 100mph with only a couple of inches of hi-tech rubber holding you to the road, is when you think about it logically, nuts, but that's all part of the thrill. People do dangerous things for the thrill and the speed and vulnerability of a motorcycle is a great thrill, your own rollercoaster. However life is to be lived and riding a motorcycle is a good way to remind yourself of this very important fact. To have something in your garage that can make you feel alive with the turn of a key and twist of a throttle is exhilarating.
The journey is as rewarding as the destination
Famous motorcycle tourer Ted Simon, author of 'Jupiter's Travel's' said he likes travelling by bike because it puts him in touch with his journeys' surroundings in a way no other form of travelling can. In the infamous 'Long Way Round' Ted said,“I think the motorcycle is best because it puts you so much in contact with everything. You experience much more closely the nature of the terrain and almost taste the cultures' that you're riding through, because it exposes you to the climate and to the wind and rain and it's a much more complete experience.”
You can travel the world or just off the beaten track in your own neck of the woods by motorcycle and make it a much more rewarding experience. You are the modern day cowboy, or girl, riding out into new frontiers and new experiences in a way that sitting in a car, isolated from the place you're travelling through, shouting at your partner about map directions, just can't compare.
It makes you look cool
Yes done right it certainly does, Marlon Brandon, Tom Cruise, George Clooney, ah Paul Teutul Sr?, to name but a few. However you'll have to take advice on this from a source you trust as posing on your ride in shorts, a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops is a look no sparkling bike can rescue you from.
It's better than sex
No sorry, motorcycling is an awesome experience, but whoever says this, and I've heard some who have, I'm afraid isn't doing the sex right ….sorry.
So this year, forget your diet, light up a cigar, enjoy the state suggested amount of alcohol, live a little, ride a motorcycle : ) By Nick Moore
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