[MrBear44]

I’m glad to see a positive motorcycling article. But I wish someone would explain the "freedom" thing. I’ve been riding eight years, and simply do not get this at all. I sometimes wonder if we’re confusing people with it.



I’ve always been a motorhead, and have participated in a lot of motorsports events with cars. I like motorcycling because the dynamics of riding a bike are very different, and riding is a complex undertaking that requires a lot of time and practice to do well. A nice challenge, in other words



But "freedom"? I wear a helmet and a leather or engineered fabric suit, gloves, and boots. Freedom more closely describes a ride in my convertible, which is accomplished in shorts and a t-shirt. I’ve always speculated that the freedom idea comes from people who have overcome personal fear or the objections of others to pursue their dream of riding, and in that case, perhaps it’s appropriate, but it’s not directly related to the riding experience. Any thoughts?

 

[jmeyn]

Until I rode a motorcycle I drove in a rut; always the same way to work then back. When I switched every crossroad and sideroad became an alternative adventure. Southern California became a brand new geographic experience. In this sense, freedom is the product of a new point of view and an extremely flexible vehicle.

 

[rider_md]

just my $0.02,



freedom. what do some motorcyclists mean by freedom of the road, blah blah blah?



i think those guys/gals that use the word freedom also use the word "cage" to reference a car. With a car, you're boxed in... there's metal and plexiglass between you and the world, in other words, you're "caged."



simply put, motorcycling allows one to travel in direct interface with the external environment. You're right... we do have helmets, leathers, boots, and gloves (those that have a fully developed matural central nervous system anyhow.) But when you look out of your helmet, what else is blocking the view? dirty glass? the metal beams supporting the windshield? a big ass thick piece of plastic known as a dashboard?



more often than not... NOTHING. nothing is between you and the world around you.



That's one kind of freedom.



I think that's what they're talking about IMHO.

 

[rider_md]

well unless you're riding one of those psuedo-car honda gold wings...hehehehe

 

[rider_md]

more about freedom...



and the difference between a convertible or jeep wrangler and a motorcycle (excluding two wheeled tanks like the Gold Wing or Hardly Ableson cruiser tourers)...



i recently worked in hawaii for 6 weeks... was away from my bike for all that time *sob*...rented a wrangler for a couple days



yeah, the wrangler was really nice... open air, i could wear shorts and a t-shirt, but ... in terms of "freedom", it just wasn't the same. Yeah i was in cargo shorts, tank top, and flip flops... that was COMFORTABLE, but i wasn't free. the roll bar above me, the metal beams of the chassis, the flimsy little doors... THEY'RE ALL IN THE FREAKIN WAY!!!



then i rented a harley ableson for a day because i was suffering from 2-wheelitis... i couldnt take it anymore. and all was well again... ya know what im talking about... when you get into this mental groove, where you don't really feel / pay attention to the motorcycle below you... because you and the bike are one... and you're just GLIDING across asphalt at 35-60 mph... as if there was nothing beneath you... and there's nothing in your field of vision that is remotely metal except maybe the twin bubbles of the speedometer & tachometer



that's freedom baby.

 

[crazybike_37]

WOO HOO! Finally some decent journalism. This is what our sport/hobby/area of interest needs. The more people get into motorcycles the cheaper it gets.

 

[33129]

If those nutcases took up motorcycling, they would probably end up dead and most-likely kill only themselves in the process. Sounds like a win-lose that goes in our favor. They and their 4-wheeled attack vehicles would be parked and we could continue to ride. But we would pay the freight in terms of higher insurance rates and increased regulations. Still, we might make out in the long run.



All sarcasm aside, ours is a great sport. The more the merrier. Just set a good example for them to follow. Remember how bad you were when you first started? Help them out. Our legislative strength will grow as well.

 

[Abe_Froman]

Jeeps are the bomb man, as Enzo Ferrari said, they are the only "true" sports car from America. The main advantage of a Jeep, of course, is that you can take the doors off. A Jeep with no top and no doors might not be as freeing as riding a motorcycle, but it's close. Plus you can relax and crank up the stereo (if you have a loud enough one). I don't know many motorcycles that can also haul 4 people and pull a wakeboarding boat. Just make sure it's black and has been fitted with a V-8.



Get a motorcycle AND a Wrangler, that's what I did.

 

[sx1k]

Yeah, good piece of fluff. However, way too many ads. I also think they ripped off some shots from "Rider" FZ1 article.



THX

 

[21684]

I got my first motorcycle, a Honda S90 back in 1969 or 70 when I was 14. Loved it! The tank was a ball buster though. I always have had a bike and sometimes 2 or 3 at a time. Just been in my blood. My older brother rides also. My younger brother gave it up because his wife is such a rag but he has bought his sons those small motorcycles to zoom around on. My sister's son is 11 and has a small motorcross style bike in Idaho. My other sister's husband built a $30,000 custom v-twin that he rides. I wish more women would get into riding. I do see more and more of them riding and alone without other motorcycles riding with them. This leads me to believe that the stigma of a woman on a bike is beginning to fade. Most of the population have no idea what a rush motorcycles are or there'd be zillions of them on the roads instead of all the gas guzzling cars.

 

[21684]

Good journalism and I had to import it from MSN. Let's get to work MO. How about a cross country trip with a bunch of bikes and each does an independent journal everyday that we read and live through the adventure with them. Some would be on cruisers, sportbikes, dual purpose, ect. They could write about maintenance, comfort, whatever comes along. It would be a modern ZEN and the Art type travelogue. I'd love to read this type of story. In depth thoughts about each day's travel.

 

[KPaulCook]

MO Road Trip great idea!

Great idea electraglider! MO Road Trip.

 

[chuckie3]

Re: A HooRaw for Motorcycles (Mixed Blessing)

A mixed blessing indeed. Remembering the words of an Elder Cyclist, "Everybody should first have to get a motorcycle license before being allowed to drive a car. That way, all the idiots would be killed off before they got behind the wheel."

 

[21684]

Re: MO Road Trip great idea!

KPaul,

Come on now. I'm the dumbest poster that ever was.

 

[obandoj]

Re: MO Road Trip great idea!

You got lucky

 

[obandoj]

Mr. john sure has the right atittude and frame of mind. It is refreshing how he feels about the fact that putting your protective gear on ads to the expectation of how much fun you are about to have, even if it is not as easy as putting your seat belt on and driving the cage down to the corner store. And he reminds us that with the "proper training" any one of us is capable to ride a bike properly.

If more of us motorcycle enthusiasts had a similar atittude, our insurance premiums and the pressure from the goverment types would be a lesser worry for motorcycle ownership.

 

[pplassm]

Can someone post the link?

All I get is 404 Error. File not found.

TIA

 

[JimboC]

Re: Can someone post the link?

Try <a href="http://autos.msn.com/advice/standardart.aspx?contentid=4021150&src=Home&pos=Edit4">this<a> link.