Biking Rules!

It's already Thursday and I only got the opportunity to wash the big red machine this evening! I started feeling guilty, can you believe that? She's been sitting in the garage in a dirty state since Sunday afternoon! In my defence it has been seriously hot of late and I have also been very busy at work, anyway now she is gleaming again and Janet and I might go for an evening cruise tomorrow. These summer evenings are absolutely beautiful.

I was going over the post for the Freedom Road Rally and I think I might have given you the wrong impression there, it was not just one long piss-up! We did do other stuff.

I was trying to work out what it is that attracts us to biking, it certainly gets into your blood and I know for a fact that I will be doing it for many years to come, but what is it?

It's not just a guy thing because there are more and more lady riders these days, and it's not just the appreciation of the internal combustion engine although the bellowing exhaust note is definitely a contributing factor.

Cliche's spring to mind; Freedom, excitement, Cameraderie/Brotherhood.

The feeling, the experience is fantastic, the anticipation as I swing my leg over and settle into the saddle, my hands on the grips feeling the vibration - waiting and wanting to GO!

There is definitely a feeling of freedom when we are out in the country, speeding along some previously unexplored roads.

I love the way the bike responds to my inputs; diving into corners as I pull slightly on the outside bar, do I countersteer with a push on the inside bar or a pull on the outside one?

You pull in the clutch, blip the throttle and click the gear lever down and with a slight movement of your right wrist the bike surges ahead, small movements but you feel in control, much more involved than if you were travelling in a car.

Travelling by bike is much better than travelling by car, in a car you will take the shortest, most direct route to your destination but on a bike you will most likely take a longer route just for the sheer enjoyment of the ride.

Cameraderie/Brotherhood - I really enjoy being a biker, a part of a huge brotherhood that transcends barriers of race and class, when we are out on a rally or any other biking function we are all bikers together and it is a wonderful feeling.

Have I made sense here? I know that if you are a biker reading this you will no doubt agree with me, you may have other points to contribute which I would love to hear. If you are not a biker maybe you found it interesting, maybe it went some way to explaining why there are so many of us out there?

BECAUSE WE LOVE IT! BIKING RULES!