2012 NC 700X Honda Motorcycle - Classified Ad

2012 NC 700X Honda Motorcycle - Classified Ad

The Seasons Of Motorcycling

Living in Northern Minnesota brings challenges to avid bikers. The big question for a rider to ask is; " When should I put my bike away for the winter?" Some northern folks answer: " I want to ride all winter." This usually requires purchasing a bike specifically for winter riding. I have seldom met a biker who is unwilling to purchase another bike, so shopping for a bike in the late fall or early winter is an enjoyable task. 

After very extensive research, I decided on a small dual sport bike. In my opinion our winters are well suited for this type bike. I have a couple of 125 cc bikes, because one is good and two is better. My 1971 Suzuki 2 cycle Duster is a great bike. Even in the winter it only takes a couple of kicks to get it started. The hardest part of winter riding is finding someone else as crazy as me to go for adventures. Luckily, I have the knack of attracting weird, unconventional people.

If you also are a rider who enjoys dashing through the snow on a bike, let me know and send me a picture or two.

The Future Of Motorcycling

Hey folks, there is a crisis in the motorcycle world. Ridership is down by 8.662% in 2017.  That is not much; well think again my biking friend. This is a trend that has been going on for 11 years! The reasons are varied from people riding bicycles (yuck) to people reading about yet another biker being killed by a car, truck or deer. 

Four year old Zoe's first day of instruction

You may respond " what can I do? I am not a community leader or a fantastic club president of a world famous motorcycle club." You need only to impact your little corner of the world.

Gather up the kids in your neighborhood and teach them how to ride a dirt bike. Do it on the sly and you will not need parental permission or expensive insurance. The kids will not only learn biking skills, but also how to be deceptive and dishonest to their parents. 

Granted in my esteemed position as the Nobody Motorcycle Club president, I have been able to organize a national campaign introducing kids to the exciting sport of biking. Over 20,000 kids have received training in 2018 and we are projecting 2019 to be even more successful. My impact on a national scale has not detoured me from doing a little neighborhood work. This past summer I taught 18 neighborhood preschoolers how to  ride dirt bikes. To this day none of their parents have a clue what I did!

So it is time for you to get involved in your neighborhood and become part of the motorcycle rider crisis solution. Just send me a text and I will provide you with our Nobody Motorcycle Club packet How To Teach Kids To Ride Motorcycles (Without Parental Permission).

Riding Into The Sunset

The Nobodies have been nearly invisible for two years. Today they came riding out of the fog and headed down Country Road 4 in Carlton County Minnesota. It was a metaphorical fog, as the Nobodies are aging fast. Ninety  five percent of them are retired, so their cognitive functioning is a bit foggy! Thankfully they were able to navigate their selected route without getting lost. If you are looking for an adventure, please consider joining the Nobodies on their next ride. Old bikers not only offer a variety of stories from the"olden days" they will show you how to savor each moment, because they realize that it may be their last ride.

Cycling Thoughts

I live in a northern climate where the cycling season is at best 8 months long, if one is willing to ride in some cold weather. When the season ends, I keep my mind on cycling for a while by doing maintenance work on my bike. I then wait for the snow to fall, so I can start cross country skiing. I enjoy skiing as much as I do biking, so the transition to winter time is not painful for me. 

There are no crossover skills from biking to skiing, but the peace and joy I experience in both sports are similar. Wind, smells, scenery and corners are found in both. I experience a peace and a solitude that brings clarity to my mind.  For me it is a little odd that two very different sports can bring similar benefits.

But there is a problem that brings my winter crossover sport to a stand still, a lack of snow.  This winter we have had ample snow to keep the trails in good shape for skiing, until recently. We have had some unseasonably warm weather a couple times this winter and a few days of rain. Cross country ski trails need a good base of snow along with an occasional fresh snowfall to keep them in good shape. Warm weather melts the snow and often causes the trails to ice up and consequently skiing is not as enjoyable. When we get rain the snow quickly melts and in a short time the trails are unusable. Sadly we have had two separate 3 - 4 day warm spells that took a toll on our trails and even worse 2 separate rain events which put a halt to my winter sport. At present our trails are not skiable  so I am lamenting.

A winter without snow is very painful. I am not a lover of cold weather, but when there is snow on the ground cold weather is welcomed. Today I sit in my house, looking at expanses of grass while the thermometer reads 12 degrees fahrenheit! My cycle is tucked away in the garage ready for the riding season and my cross country skis are waiting in my porch for the next good snowfall. My mind cycles from riding to gliding. I have cycling thoughts.  

THE MID WINTER BLUES

It is that time of the year here in the northwoods. The snow keeps coming and fears of an impending ice age roll around in my head. Don't get me wrong, I believe in global warming; it is just that I allow the irrational fear of an eternal winter to capture my imagination. 

I enjoy winter and spend time enjoying it by cross country skiing and snowshoeing. I find delight in snow storms and find great pleasure in trekking in the woods braving high winds and pelting snow. It is just that I look a my motorcycle parked in the garage knowing that I have done all the necessary maintenance for the next riding season.

The motorcycle commercials that continue to run on television don't bother me. I really cannot identify with the guy riding the bike. In our area they are Harley Davidson commercials. I am a Honda guy who is not looking to live a legend, leave a legacy for my children, or looking to escape the demands of my boss and ride to Alaska with my biker buddies.

I don't want winter to end next week. I still want to enjoy this northwood's winter. The reality is that I am conflicted. You may have notice that photos of me belie this fact. I am a conflicted person, when it comes to all of life. Allow me to clarify this point. Most people who know me would describe me as very stable but crazy. I can be counted on regarding following through on promises and commitments. I usually am level headed and able to handle problems in a rational manner. People see me as predictable and stable, but in the next breath many will say I am crazy.

There in lies the conflict. I am certain that my personality quirk could be explained easily by a psychiatrist. Maybe they would say that my ego is over worked because my id and superego are prone to flare ups. The poor ego has a difficult job finding middle ground that is acceptable in my social environment.

There is a simple solution to my seasonal dilemma that I am unwilling to act upon  at this time; I need to move.  If I moved to Olympia Washington I would be able to ride 353 days a year and still get all the winter sports I love. The truth is I like be conflicted, because I'm crazy.

The Cool Motorcyclist Guide

What motivates people to ride a motorcycle? The answer, as one would expect, varies.  The Nobodies want to look at one of the more interesting and shallow reasons; it is the cool thing to do.

There are many ways to approach the cool factor.

1.A COOL BIKE   Just buy a cool bike. It is a simple way to be a cool biker; if you have the money or are willing to go into debt.

2. MOTORCYCLE HAIR  Don't get a hair cut and ride without a helmet. Motorcycle hair is considered very cool.

3. CLASSY CLOTHES  If you are someone who just likes nice clothes and has good taste. Just buy
    an outfit that you like.

4. CLASSLESS CLOTHES  If you have poor taste and enjoy setting trends that others will not        follow, just create "your" look and you have your own cool.

5. LOOK ADVENTUROUS  Side bags, tent, sleeping bag etc on your bike says: " hey I wander the
    world".  Only cool people dare to wander.

6. RIDE WITHOUT A SHIRT  Ok, there are two qualifiers with this one. If you are a man you need to be buff. A guy with flab and a belly is not cool. If you are a woman don't ride shirtless as you will eventually get in trouble or cause lots of accidents.

7. OWN A CLASSIC BIKE All you need is the cash to be cool. If you happen to be good attractive you instantly become super cool.

8. WEAR A COOL HELMET  It's an easy cool, as they are not too expensive and there are a lot to choose from.

9. GET AN OLD LEATHER JACKET, AN OLD MOTORCYCLE HAT AND SMOKE.  This guarantees a smokin hot cool.

10. WEAR LEATHER PANTS AND HIGH HEELS  Nothing says cool like leather pants and high heels. If you are a guy skip the high heels and go with a distinct motorcycle boot.

11. BE GOLDEN YEARS COOL  Good news you can become cool even if you are 60 +.  Get a nice bike and a leather jacket. If your partner is willing to join in....you're double cool.

12. RIDE FAST AND FREE Granted this requires skill and nerve. It also comes with a higher possibility of getting hurt or killed. How much are you willing to risk?

13. WILD PROPS  Only cool people will dawn wild masks, bandanas, or perhaps a skeleton passenger. Crazy Cool

14. DO TRICKS This is another cool that requires skills and lots of practice. But nothing says I'm cool more than doing a wheeling after leaving a stop signal.

 15. LOOK LIKE A RACER  This is not a cheap way to look cool. The bike and gear are very expensive, but get this stuff and just stand around in a parking lot.....you will be noticed. Caution: don't ride away when people are still watching, unless you can also ride racer like.