A left turn and a leap of faith

[Gone in 60]

You guys are my true riding buddies and my closest group of motorcycle related friends. We share a lot here, and as I stand on the precipice of a life  change, I can’t think of another group of guys I’d want to share it with.

I’ve shared a bit that my job isn’t the most satisfying thing I’ve ever done. In fact it’s been very trying. I’ve been in the automotive performance and racing market for 30 years as of 2026. After a race event company I called home for 20 years shut down at the end of ‘24, I’ve been at a job that started out ok but has morphed into something I simply do not like. A month ago when my pay was cut substantially, I decided it was time to move.

Mrs. G has watched my transformation into someone who’s become downright unpleasant to be around. She has told me that at this point in my life, I need to do something I just love despite the salary. And I love motorcycles so it has to be a motorcycle related job.

I revved up my resume, updated my LinkedIn, etc, and reached out to my limited contacts in the motorcycle community. A few times a day, I type “motorcycle” in the search bars on every job hunting app there is.

I got one hit a month ago for a company that does time-critical medical deliveries by motorcycle. Sounded kind of cool. I got a reply that they wanted to do a video interview. Huh.

It went really well. The owner explained that he ran a very successful air charter business, loved motorcycles and wanted to combine motorcycles and deliveries in a unique market that wasn’t being serviced. Critical medical deliveries like blood need to be delivered around the traffic-choked Southern California area frequently but cars sit in traffic, an unless it’s Brad Pitt or the Pope, a helicopter is too expensive.

Why not motorcycles? And done in a way that is bonded and secured meeting all medical requirements. It sounded fascinating. I was drawn to the guy’s vision instantly. Not once was I asked about my resume or why I wanted to leave my job. The question was simply “Tell me why you love motorcycles.”

It is a startup in planning phase but we’ll contact you when we’re ready to launch. Ok. Sounds cool, good luck, probably never hear from them again.

On Thursday his name popped up on my phone. We just did our soft launch and it’s ramping up very quickly. Are you still on board? Holy crap. 

I’m submitting my resignation tomorrow morning. Two weeks from now I will be piloting a 2016 former Santa Monica Police BMW RTP painted up like a European emergency response bike in day-glow yellow with the word BLOOD on the windshield. I’m about to do hours of HIPAA and OSHA medical material handling and chain of custody training.

I’ll be the first full time staff rider.
The plan is that as the company grows we’ll take on more bikes and riders and I’ll vet and train the riders and manage the fleet. 

Or it will crash and burn, I’ll have a cool story to tell, and I’ll be looking for a job. But there is no way on earth I’m  going to let the opportunity slip by.

MOTO-Med.com

 

[Pauley]

Sounds like an interesting opportunity! Congratulations on making a change! Wishing you the best of luck!

 

[Nachodaddy]

What a great concept! Congratulations, I hope this all works out for you. You are just the guy to get it rolling.

 

[the Ferret]

Very cool. Congrats and good luck. Sounds like an exciting opportunity. Did he give you the "I can't pay you much now, but as the business grows so will your compensation" line? I've heard that a time or two lol.

Back in the early 80s a fellow here in Cinti started a MC express delivery service using a fleet of Suzuki GS 450 motorcycles. Both of my nephews were couriers for him. He was very successful until he and his wife got divorced and problems arose with her interests in the business etc. It eventually cost him the business.

 

[pdedse]

So very, very happy for you Gone!! Who knew that all that LA mc commuting, lane-splitting and feathering skills, your in-depth knowledge of the area, your love of motorcycles, and your attention to detail would all factor in to land you such a unique opportunity.  The part of you being the first full-timer and the one that would vet and train others to follow is exciting.  I remember the tour you gave me of the Petersen Automotive Museum.  The autos were amazing...but equally so was your knowledge and history of all the vehicles you were highlighting...that passing on of knowledge in a comprehensible style...transferable skills!    

I feel like texting all my Hollywood-director contacts and letting them know that they should call your new boss so they can do a documentary where they get-in on the ground up.    

Would love to be a fly-on-the-wall for the first few days...well, maybe not the legal training part, but all that has to deal with how it works, doing your first outing, etc.  I think I'm intrigued, too, because in Costa Rica I see motorcycle delivery guys all over the place.  From fast food, to business couriers, to auto parts-delivery riders, to pool-cleaning guys with their 10' nets sticking straight up, all riding 125-150cc bikes, navigating traffic jams, pedestrians, weaving and bobbing this way and that.  It's a sight to behold. 

I find the whole concept fascinating, maybe in part because I'm approaching the "end of my formal teaching career" phase, and wondering what's out there beyond what I've done the last 35 years...and your opportunity reminds me that maybe other "left turns" are out there.  

:biker:

 

[Cormanus]

Congratulations Gone and very best wishes for the new gig. What a great thing to be doing, and to be getting in on the ground floor — or should that be on the front row of the grid.

I've this memory of a UK member on the old forum who did motorcycle deliveries of blood as a volunteer. But I might be dreaming.

 

[rdprdp01]

Gone, I never doubted for a moment that something fantastic would come your way. That you have found a way to celebrate your love for motorcycles and help those most in need fits you well. Mrs. G will be delighted to welcome her handsome man back into the house, happy and content. Best of luck! David

 

[Gone in 60]

Guys, I sincerely thank you for all of the good wishes on this venture. I very much appreciate all of your comments. It's still sinking in a bit. I woke up this morning to a text from the boss. He sent me the size chart for Sena helmets and asked what size I need. Then size charts for the jacket, pants, and Helite vest. All of that made it quite a bit more real. HR sent over all of the paperwork, I just completed it, and just hit send on my resignation email to my current boss.

I'm meeting up with the boss on Sunday for an orientation with the bike and to get the feel of it. I've crossed states on a GS, but I've never ridden an RT, so this will be interesting, especially in tight traffic. All of that lane splitting Pdedse mentioned? That's going to come in handy for sure. I know I have some kind of Adult ADHD, and sitting at a desk staring at screens, I can't seem to finish one thing without another popping into my head that seems more urgent. But riding in traffic funnels all of your random thoughts into one, single, focused line of thought. Scan, evaluate, execute, repeat. I love things that focus my mind.

And the pay? Did he give me the line about what he can pay me now but we'll see how it goes and I'll pay you more later? Pretty much, yeah. Actually, he sees me as the manager of the team and fleet, but so far there's no team or fleet. So, I'm starting as "Rider" to cut my teeth as the service builds with the promise that once we do have a fleet and a crew, I'll get bumped up to "Chief Rider". Two more bikes are currently being put together, and he's interviewing a few more riders. But, after a lifetime of hard work, I'm at the point where enjoyment outweighs the paycheck. More money would be nice, but we're doing fine.

 

[Cormanus]

As someone who has twice in his life taken a pay cut because work or life was not what it should have been, I commend your wisdom, Gone. It sounds like a great service to be involved in.

 

[rdprdp01]

Well said and even better lived, Cormanus.

 

[the Ferret]

So, will you be riding the CB or NC into work, riding the Bummer.er I mean..Beemer for work, then riding the CB or NC home from work? How far is the commute this time?

All BMW kidding aside (at least he's not puttting you on a Harley lol) the RT's are nice bikes. Very sporty for a boat of a bike. Rather tractor sounding but fun. A lot of Police Depts around the world ride RTs.

 

[Gone in 60]

Yeah... about the Beemer. Being out-of-service police bikes, they're not new, but they are the lowest-mile and cleanest units his guy can find. The 2016 I will supposedly get has 26k miles and looks pretty clean. As of the launch, I'm probably going to house the bike at home (Oy, I have to move another bike out of the garage to Mom's place). The plan is to set up a headquarters in a location straddling LA and Orange County. Roughly 20 miles from my house. So, by California commuting standards, a stone's throw from home. If all goes well, and we set up a shop for the bikes and a dispatch office, maybe my displaced flock can live in the shop? I'd love that, and miss having a shop space. We'll see!

 

[Lunchbag]

Congrats!  What a cool opportunity.  I don't think you'll regret it.  I like that the owner's priority is finding motorcycle lovers.  That could make for a great company culture as it grows.  My worry would be competition from the drone world which continues to expand.  But it sounds like you're in a good place for taking the risk.

 

[Gone in 60]

Oh man, automation is gonna take my job! It already has been creeping in... one of the things I have done in my racing event career is record sponsor announcements to be played on track PA systems. My announcer voice (an imitation of Dave McClelland, a famous NHRA announcer) is no longer needed. One can simply take the text of the recording, run it though Chat GPT in Dave Mac's voice, and voila, instant announcements.

 

[E11even_Hunnit]

Congrats, Chris!

Best of luck on the new gig- very exciting stuff, really appreciate you sharing the awesome news with the group. Bold and inspiring, to say the least.

Sounds like a rather well thought-out niche and a great cause, win-win situation from what you describe, and so much better having a supporting partner along for the ride encouraging you through this transition into something more fulfilling. Been there.

I truly feel like drones will eventually transform many logistics-related industries, but due to regulations, it will definitely take some time before that happens. Still, the custodianship/reconciling aspect of certain use cases remains better handled by humans in some instances. Dealing with a burrito drone delivery that can be botched and refunded is one thing, but the handling and safekeeping of mission critical medical-grade perishables when a life depends on it requires a whole other level of care throughout.

After 9 years living in the bay area, AKA the Tech Mecca of the world, it never ceases to amaze me how many ideas(some better than others) go from brainchild stage to beta testing, to IPO, and in some cases, market domination for alot of revolutionary concepts that seemed crazy and wildly unconventional not too long ago. Someone’s always on a mission to execute on a vision, whether it be their own or otherwise. Unintendedly seeing the daily incremental evolution and alot of the BTS first hand growth before world adoption takes place is truly unique.

At the forefront of any new business idea, you’re always going to need an experienced and competent operator, and it seems like your new boss has an established history of successfully running and scaling a business, so I’d say that’s half the battle as far as longer-term viability.

I have to admit I’m intrigued thinking how one of(if not the main) underlying premise of this entire business model relies on the traffic advantages of 2 wheels vs four. Strictly from a rider POV, I feel like the majority of riders will engage in lanesplitting/filtering regardless of geographical location or justification for that matter, regardless of local traffic laws. That said, I can’t help but think how this may or may not be a factor in potential market expansions, where lanesplitting is defined as “not legal” by those drafting and enforcing local traffic laws. For example, SoFlo traffic has drastically gotten worse in the last decade, and I’m sure the demand for such service is there for that exact reason, yet the law doesn’t explicitly make lanesplitting legal, making for a bit of an operational gray area. But maybe that’s a challenge for down the road.

A different perspective to black and white “crashing and burning” is the simple thought that most business are not exactly eternal, not unless they continuously evolve and stick with the ever-changing times, which isn’t always easy to do. Some will be around for centuries and become household names, others will run their respective cycle in a few months, years, decades. It really takes the right farsighted leadership behind the helm to go further along in the journey, and a short(er) business lifespan does not necessarily equate to a failed business, only the accounting will determine that.

In my view, as long as the new gig is scalable to the point you get to build out an entire fleet and effectively become head of logistics over the course of a decade, with according compensation bumps along the way, I’d consider that a win!

Sorry if I went long here, but this one kinda hit home for me. After 10 years in financial services I experienced burnout and more or less became that unpleasant individual to be around. Ultimately walked away from a $1.5Bn wealth management practice due to undesired management changes after my prior employer was acquired in the largest broker-dealer merger in financial services history. Then took a strikingly similar passion-project left turn to go work for a small automotive accessories manufacturer/ecom business within the Miata niche(should remain unnamed). An insane paycut that friends and family alike have deemed me crazy for. In the end it didn’t quite pan out as expected, but there were tons of invaluable learnings along the way, new skillsets and life lessons, very costly ones at that, but sometimes better to cut your losses.

This past November was my 3rd time at Sema and the first attending Aapex- I’ve got some ideas, and connections, but have come to terms with the fact that they will have to sit in the backburner for now, as life in the Bay area is anything but cheap.

Apologies again if I hijacked your thread, but given the semi-similar parallels and your courage to share them with the group, I felt compelled. Very much rooting for you on the new adventure and certainly looking forward to hearing ongoing updates on how things progress on your end.

As always, keep the rubber side down!  :biker:

 

[Nick Tatlow]

Very interesting and best wishes. In the UK a lot of time-critical medical deliveries are dealt with by network of local charities called Blood Bikes. They deliver blood and other material between hospitals, pathology samples to labs and drug deliveries to patients. They are all self-funded and ride liveried bikes but without any emergency services response privileges. All riders have to have an advanced riding qualification and are then trained within the organisation. I did it for a while but left because it demanded a bigger commitment than I was able to give and because I found it all very stressful. Is there anything similar in the USA?

 

[Gone in 60]

Thank you again for the added insight. You guys are all an excellent sounding board. E11even_Hunnit, very interesting points about the lifespan of a company. I am working where I currently do for that reason. Two partners started a racing event and magazine company. Producing several drag races across the country, and magazines to report on them. As print started to decline, one of the partners saw that the internet was the way to grab an audience, and he left to start an online media company. I kept working for the event company, which survived for another 20 years, but didn't really innovate until it was too late. We ceased operations at the end of '24, and I've been working for the other guy, the "innovator" for the past year.

But, after 30 years in the biz, 30 SEMA shows, 30 Racing Industry Shows, I'm ready to hang that up and the timing is perfect to give this a shot.

Nick Tatlow, no, there isn't something similar in the U.S. yet. The owner is from the UK, and as you say, sees Blood Bikes frequently. That's what we're going to replicate here, and with the nature of Southern California traffic, and the moto-friendly driving culture, it seems like an ideal place to launch this business model. He says "You think drivers are courteous to you on that red Honda? Just wait until you ride a neon-yellow bike with BLOOD printed on the windscreen. You will get a wide path."

Let's see what happens. We're getting together Sunday to spend a day riding, getting to know each other, and to give me some seat time on the giant Beemer.

 

[the Ferret]

He says "You think drivers are courteous to you on that red Honda? Just wait until you ride a neon-yellow bike with BLOOD printed on the windscreen. You will get a wide path."

Yea, we'll see. Seen enough road rage videos to know people aren't as nice and forgiving as they used to be.

I hope so for your sake though.

 

[Lunchbag]

I don't know about Socal but in Norcal I found drivers surprisingly accommodating to lane splitters.  If I was lane splitting, I would try to get into a group of motorcycles so the cars were further apart by the time I got there.

Another funny thing about Norcal traffic was that I found people quite willing to accommodate my merging into traffic (whether I was driving a car or riding).  At least they never tried to block me out as you might experience in the beltway traffic of some US cities.  But the bad part was, when they were merging into traffic, they would just merge in without yielding.  It seemed like they felt they had a right to merge without looking, or like they had never heard of yielding right of way.  I haven't seen that reverse-right-of-way behavior anywhere else.  I'm curious if others have noticed that or if it's only in my mind.

 

[Pauley]

SF Bay Area, East Bay: before I retired, I would commute on 80 - 580 - 24 / Caldecott Tunnel from Emeryville back to central Contra Costa county and lane split when ever possible - 18 miles. I found that the cagers were very accommodating and respectful, not just a general rule, but overwhelming accommodation - sort of like the parting of the seas, lol. Motorcycle lane splitting commute was 30 minutes or less, in a car it would be an hour and 15 minutes of creeping along - frustrating. It was rare that I would find a motorcycle group to follow.