Let's Ride (22 page)

If you’re riding on two-lane highways, you can knock your average speed down to 50 miles per hour because the speed limits will be lower and you’ll spend more time being cock blocked by traffic. If you get into the mountains where the roads turn twisty and the scenic beauty beckons you to stop and take photos, figure that at best you’ll cover thirty to forty miles every hour, and less if you’re with a group of other bikers. You could push yourself and not stop to enjoy the scenery, but that defeats the purpose of being there on a motorcycle in the first place. It’s better to take your time and enjoy your trip than to turn it into the Bataan Death March.

If you are worried about not covering enough ground, it’s better to plan a shorter trip. If you are going to some destination, like to visit a relative in a far-off state, don’t try to cram in a lot of sightseeing and side trips. If you have to be somewhere quickly, you won’t be able to stop and enjoy the extra places you’re visiting anyway. If you don’t have to be anywhere at any specific time, plan shorter routes that allow you plenty of time to absorb the places you visit. If you are going to spend five days riding through Colorado and Wyoming, don’t plan a trip that will cover more than fifteen hundred miles.

Whatever you do, don’t run yourself ragged while you’re traveling on a bike. Relax, get plenty of sleep, and eat a healthy diet. Make sure you take time to stop and stretch your legs when you visit someplace or stop to take some photos. You might not think it’s possible to fall asleep while riding a bike, but it is, and the potential consequences range from horrible to even worse. Even if you don’t fall asleep, the more tired you are, the less alert you are. The less alert you are, the slower your reaction times. The slower your reaction times, the more likely you are to get killed. If you compare the potential costs of pushing yourself while on a trip with any potential benefits, you’ll see that there’s nothing to be gained by rushing your trip and everything to lose.

CLUBS

A
S MOST OF YOU
probably knew before you picked up this book, I’m a member of a motorcycle club. It’s the type of club that’s often called a “one-percenter” club. As the legend goes, an AMA spokesperson once said that 99 percent of all motorcyclists were good, responsible citizens, and all the trouble was being caused by the 1 percent of outlaws. I have my own ideas about this. I was there for a lot of the so-called trouble, and to me it seemed like there was a disconnection between what was really happening and what the press was reporting. I’d attend an event in which nothing out of the ordinary appeared to happen, and then I’d read a sensationalized account of that same event in the press in which it seemed that all the barbaric tribes of Europe had descended. My take is that most of the trouble referred to by this AMA official, if he even existed, took place in the pages of newspapers and magazines, and not in the flesh-and-blood world.

Regardless, the one-percent title stuck and actually became a badge of honor for club members. We consider one-percenter clubs elite organizations, where membership isn’t open to just anyone. Membership requires extreme dedication. When you become a member of a one-percenter club, the club becomes your life. It becomes your family—your parents, your brothers and sisters, your wife, and your children. When you become a member of a one-percenter club, you have dedicated your life to that club.

As far as I’m concerned, extreme dedication is what separates one-percenter clubs from other types of clubs, but there are certain characteristics that are shared by many (but not all) one-percenter clubs. Most one-percenter club members wear some sort of garment that features the club patch (often called “colors”) centered on the back of the garment, where it can be seen while the man (as politically incorrect as this may be, there are no one-percenter clubs that allow women to be members—clubs that allow women are by nature not one-percenter clubs) is riding his motorcycle. That garment is usually a denim vest, or more accurately, a denim jacket with the sleeves cut off, which is why it’s often called a “cut,” but sometimes the patch is sewn on a leather vest or jacket.

Typically a one-percenter patch consists of three parts: a central image depicting the club’s insignia, a rocker patch (a curved bar) on top with the club’s name, and another rocker patch below indicating the particular chapter of a club. This type of three-piece patch usually signifies that a club is a one-percenter club, but not always. I’ll soon explain that in more detail. Likewise if a patch is a two-piece or one-piece patch, that usually means that the club is not a one-percenter club.

One-percenter clubs are as varied as the individuals who make up their memberships. Some clubs consist of single groups located in a specific geographic area whereas others are composed of chapters spread around the country, or even the globe. Few one-percenter clubs recruit their members. Instead, the clubs attract prospective members by their public behavior and reputation. We don’t recruit; we recognize. Riders who aspire to be members approach the club, show their interest, and work to prove they are worthy.

The process a prospect follows usually goes as follows: introduction, hang-around status, sponsorship, prospect phase, and finally either membership or failure. The would-be prospect first reaches the provisional status of a “hang-around.” This is when club members have privately voted to make official the hang-around’s status of club associate.

If and when a club member deems the hang-around worthy of sponsorship as a prospect and is willing to act as the person’s mentor, that member meets with the individual and offers to sponsor him. At a club meeting, the member stands up for the potential prospect and asks for a vote authorizing “prospect” status. By doing this the member becomes responsible for the prospect. If a majority of members agree, the prospect is brought into the meeting, told of his new status, and given the bottom rocker “prospect” patch.

The official recognition as “prospect” marks the beginning of the prospect’s hard-core testing phase, which may take many months. The prospect is given menial tasks, such as cleaning the clubhouse, helping set up for meetings and events, running errands, and maintaining members’ bikes. Occasionally he is also trusted with more significant jobs that require greater skill, creativity, or finesse; these assignments will come directly from the prospect’s sponsor, upon whom the quality of the prospect’s performance will reflect.

When the sponsoring member deems the time appropriate, he brings the prospect’s membership to a vote before the whole club. This milestone event will include an open discussion among the members regarding the prospect’s qualities (pro and con). In most clubs, a unanimous vote is required to grant membership. When the vote is taken, if only one member votes against granting membership, that member must explain his reasons in case he knows something the others do not.

If the members do not grant membership at this time, they decide whether to continue the prospect phase or dismiss the prospect entirely. If they do agree to make the prospect a member, they may invite the person into the meeting to congratulate him, or they may keep it a secret so they can surprise the prospect with his full patch at another time.

MOM-AND-POP CLUBS

D
ON’T FEEL BAD IF
the life of a one-percenter isn’t right for you. I have my priorities, and my club is at the top of that list, but because of that I’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices. I’ve never been able to have children because my club responsibilities are so demanding that I wouldn’t have time to properly raise them. I’ve even gone to prison.

Like I said, one-percenter clubs are as varied as the individuals who compose them. The clubs are not criminal syndicates. Anytime you have a group of people collected together, the group will include some people who don’t always abide by the letter of the law. You’d think that law-enforcement agencies would deal with individual club members on an individual basis, but you’d be wrong. All members of one-percenter clubs are painted with the same brush by law-enforcement agencies.

If you do join a one-percenter club, you’d better be prepared to live your life under a microscope. When you do any business transaction whatsoever, you’ll need to make sure you have all your legal bases covered. This is part of the dedication required to be a member, and it’s no easy thing.

But if you’re interested in this type of club, only at a less-intense level, there are organizations that offer much of the brotherhood and camaraderie of a one-percenter club, and even elements of the one-percenter lifestyle, but that aren’t actual one-percenter clubs. I guess you could call them “two-percenter” clubs. We call them “mom-and-pop” clubs. These clubs can be organized around riding motorcycles, like the one-percenter clubs, or they can be organized around something else. For example, there are two-percenter clubs that combine sobriety with motorcycling, clubs that combine religion with motorcycling, and even clubs composed of war veterans and police officers.

These clubs vary in the degree of dedication they require of their members. In general, if clubs use a three-piece patch, they’ll require more dedication because usually they’ll need to have an understanding with and abide by the rules set by the local one-percenter clubs in order to fly three-piece colors. Be warned: membership in one of the more dedicated mom-and-pop clubs may mean you’ll suffer the same prejudice from the law-enforcement community as membership in a one-percenter club, especially at the local level. The FBI might know the difference between a church-based club or a group of Alcoholics Anonymous members and a real one-percenter club, but your local cop probably won’t.

CLUBS FOR THE OTHER NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT

A
GAIN, DON’T WORRY IF
even these two-percenter clubs don’t sound right for you. There are almost as many different types of motorcycle clubs as there are different types of motorcyclists. I highly recommend that you find one that suits your lifestyle and personality.

As a motorcyclist, you may often find yourself the odd man (or woman) out as you ride through the world. Although more and more of us are riding every year, we’re still a very small minority of motorists. Clubs offer camaraderie and brotherhood. They provide social outlets, places where we can gather with our own kind and talk about our passion—motorcycles and riding—without boring nonmotorcyclists. A motorcycle club is a nexus where the motorcycling community can come together.

You can find a club devoted to every different type of riding. There are off-road and trail-riding clubs, there are road-racing and sport-bike clubs, and there are clubs devoted to long-distance touring riders. There are general clubs devoted to all motorcycles and clubs devoted to specific types of motorcycles, like turbocharged bikes. There are clubs devoted to antique motorcycles, and clubs devoted to every brand of motorcycle ever built, from ATK to Zundapp. In addition to clubs devoted to certain makes, there are clubs devoted to just specific models of those brands. Take BMW motorcycles, for example. There are clubs devoted to all BMW motorcycles, clubs devoted to just antique BMWs, clubs devoted to air-cooled BMWs, and clubs devoted to specific BMW models, like the GS series.

There are clubs devoted to riders from a particular area, clubs devoted to riders based on their sexual orientation, and clubs devoted to just one sex. For example, the Dykes on Bikes club is based on both sex and sexual orientation. There are clubs just for riders over a certain age, and there are clubs that no rider of a certain age would join if he or she was in his or her right mind. There are clubs based on every spiritual system known to man, from the Anglican Church to Zoroastrianism. There are clubs for everyone from Baptists to Buddhists. There are professionally oriented motorcycle clubs, such as clubs for cops and for firefighters, and I’m sure there are clubs just for slackers and bums.

Find out where motorcyclists gather, and ride there to check out the local scene. At the very least you’ll meet people who share a powerful common interest with you: motorcycling. To find a club, or at least a loosely organized motorcycling community, all you really have to do is pursue the activity you most enjoy: riding a motorcycle.

W
HAT
Y
OU
N
EED TO
K
NOW

• You need to learn to perform basic maintenance on your own bike, especially if it’s chain-driven.
  
• You need to prepare your body and your bike for the rigors of a long trip.
  
• Joining a club is a great way to connect with the motorcycle community.
  

Photograph by Paul Hatton © by Thunder Roads Arizona

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION

T
HROUGHOUT THE BOOK I’VE
referred to a variety of organizations, businesses, and other resources that I use and recommend. I’m presenting them here in alphabetical order because they are all more or less equally important, with one exception: the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. That’s because the RiderCourse and Experienced RiderCourse that the MSF offers are the most important resources for any motorcyclist. To find a program in your area, check out the MSF at www.msf-usa.org/.

AEROSTICH

A
EROSTICH MADE ITS NAME
by pioneering synthetic riding suits, the kind that are worn by just about every serious Iron-Butt-type long-distance motorcyclist, but today the company offers everything from riding gear to electronic accessories to camping equipment. When you’re talking serious long-distance motorcyclists, Aerostich owner Andy Goldfine is as hard-core as they come, and he personally makes certain that the products he offers to the motorcycling community are the best available. Check out Aerostich at www.aerostich.com/.

CORBIN SADDLES

M
IKE CORBIN IS A
personal friend of mine, but if I didn’t know him from Adam, I’d still use his saddles. I think the fact that just about every serious long-distance rider uses a Corbin saddle whether they know Mike or not means that I’m not alone in this opinion. You can check out Corbin at www.corbin.com/.

THUNDERHEADER

P
ROBABLY NO MOTORCYCLE-RELATED TOPIC
is more controversial right now than loud exhaust pipes. A lot of riders run straight pipes—that is, pipes with no sound baffling whatsoever—or nearly straight pipes that are too loud for use on public streets. At the same time most new motorcycles have such restrictive exhaust systems that their performance suffers, so most riders end up adding some sort of aftermarket exhaust system. I know I do, and for the last twenty-five years I’ve only used Thunderheaders. As far as I’m concerned these are the best exhaust systems on the market. You can check out their exhaust systems at www.thunderheader.net/.

ARLEN NESS

T
HROUGHOUT THIS BOOK I’VE
advocated keeping your bike basically stock, but I was talking about functional changes, like altering the geometry of your motorcycle’s frame or overbuilding the engine. I also like to keep my bikes looking businesslike, but that doesn’t mean you can’t sharpen up your bike’s appearance with some decorative accessories. There’s no better place to get quality customizing accessories than from my good friend Arlen Ness. He can sell you anything from a customized footpeg to a complete motorcycle. When you buy something from Arlen, you can be sure that it is the best-engineered, highest-quality part on the market. Check out the amazing range of products he offers at www.arlenness.com/.

TOTAL CONTROL ADVANCED RIDER CLINIC

E
ARLIER IN THE BOOK
I suggested getting advanced rider training. Once you’ve finished the MSF Experienced RiderCourse, a good next step is Lee Parks’s Total Control Advanced Rider Clinic. To see schedules and locations, go to www.totalcontroltraining.net/.

KLOCK WERKS KUSTOM CYCLES

W
HEN A MAN BUILDS
custom motorcycles and designs motorcycle parts in the middle of South Dakota, about 250 miles away from the edge of nowhere, he’d better be good at what he does, and Brian Klock, founder of Klock Werks Kustom Cycles, definitely meets that criteria. If you’re in the market for anything from a well-designed part to a complete custom bike, Klock Werks has what you are looking for. Check them out at www.kustomcycles.com/.

READING LIST

I
N WRITING THIS BOOK,
I’ve tried my best to sum up the tricks and techniques I’ve learned over the course of a lifetime of riding, and I think I’ve done a good job of presenting information you’re not going to find anywhere else, but there’s still a lot of information that you won’t find in these pages. It’s a good thing other people have written about this subject, so that much of that information is available elsewhere. All of these books are available on Amazon.com. There are many bits of information in the following books that could very easily save your life, so you owe it to yourself to read them:

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right
(2nd ed.) by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation

This is the textbook for the MSF RiderCourse program, and as such, it should be as indispensable a part of your motorcycling experience as the RiderCourse itself.

How to Ride a Motorcycle: Rider’s Guide to Strategy, Safety and Skill Development
by Pat Hahn

Maximum Control: Mastering Your Heavyweight Bike
by Pat Hahn

Ride Hard, Ride Smart: Ultimate Street Strategies for Advanced Motorcyclists
by Pat Hahn

No book can really teach you how to ride a bike, but no book better prepares you to learn than Pat Hahn’s
How to Ride a Motorcycle
. This is a good one to read before you take the MSF RiderCourse.
Maximum Control
focuses on the specific skills needed to master a heavyweight motorcycle, but it has a lot to offer the rider of any motorcycle, large or small. If the MSF RiderCourse is a freshman-level course, think of
Ride Hard, Ride Smart
as a sophomore-level textbook. It takes up where the RiderCourse leaves off, bridging the gap between the MSF material and high-performance riding books like
Total Control
and
Twist of the Wrist.

Total Control
by Lee Parks

Unlike most high-performance riding books, which focus on the needs of a race rider, this one applies the lessons to street riding.

A Twist of the Wrist: The Motorcycle Road Racers Handbook
by Keith Code

Twist of the Wrist II: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding
by Keith Code

Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles: The Technical Procedures and Workbook for Road Racing Motorcycles
by Keith Code

Keith Code’s books were the first modern high-performance riding books, and in many ways they are still among the best. They are primarily focused on the demands of riding on a racetrack, but they still contain a lot of good information for anyone wanting to be a better rider.