Bike

My first motorcycle, Boromir, had questionable papers and was acquired not long out of boot camp in our barracks parking lot for $200. It was affordable. It was approachable too. Banking into a turn? Finding a good line? Scanning for road debris? These were all second nature from years of bicycling.

Bicycles are the two-wheeled, chain-driven, handlebar-steered ancestors of the motorcycle. They work the same way. The handlebar is connected through the fork to the front tire to steer. A chain drives power from the middle of the bike to the rear of the bike. I had wrenched on every inch of my daily commuter bicycle and was immediately familiar with everything but the motor. Eventually Boromir got his papers, and I moved on to more than a dozen motorcycles with names like Monku, Panzer and Queen Fawn.

My current steed, Starship, is a triumph of modern technology. Kawasaki’s flagship touring bike accelerates faster than a Ferrari, carries 111 liters of stuff, and has a button on the handlebar that electronically raises and lowers the windscreen. Brilliant machine. I’ve been from California to Nova Scotia on this wonderful beast.

I’ve mostly migrated back to the bicycle after moving to Fort Collins in 2018. The change was a shock to the quads, of course, but decades of motorcycling riding skills cross directly over to keep me confident and safe cycling on the streets. Either way, let’s ride!