11-01-2017, 12:12 AM
I like this question.
I had an early love affair with bicycles. A long time later (in my 20's) I had a bad injury playing baseball- level 3 hamstring tear. I ended up doing a lot of bike riding to stay active. That led to racing- 20 years of competitive citizen races/club races. Nothing pro. Still ride a lot.
My motorcycling started in about 1970, and since then I have owned many bikes. 175cc, 750's, Honda Blackbird, 2010 Kawasaki Concours, VStrom, etc.
But to your point/question, I believe a part of this motorcycle passion has to do with the escape metaphor; we engage our iconoclast "selves" when we hop on the bike, or even daydream about it.
And I think it is about going beyond the 5 senses; something about riding a motorcycle is a reach into the possibility of a multi-sensory experience. It is almost mystical. It is a realm beyond the 5 senses; in that realm our deepest values reside.
The language for this is difficult; we don't really have a linguistic reference, but it is there. With each ride it is a reach into something beyond, and for me it is uplifting and energizing and invites me back each time I experience it.
I had an early love affair with bicycles. A long time later (in my 20's) I had a bad injury playing baseball- level 3 hamstring tear. I ended up doing a lot of bike riding to stay active. That led to racing- 20 years of competitive citizen races/club races. Nothing pro. Still ride a lot.
My motorcycling started in about 1970, and since then I have owned many bikes. 175cc, 750's, Honda Blackbird, 2010 Kawasaki Concours, VStrom, etc.
But to your point/question, I believe a part of this motorcycle passion has to do with the escape metaphor; we engage our iconoclast "selves" when we hop on the bike, or even daydream about it.
And I think it is about going beyond the 5 senses; something about riding a motorcycle is a reach into the possibility of a multi-sensory experience. It is almost mystical. It is a realm beyond the 5 senses; in that realm our deepest values reside.
The language for this is difficult; we don't really have a linguistic reference, but it is there. With each ride it is a reach into something beyond, and for me it is uplifting and energizing and invites me back each time I experience it.