MotoScrub

I hate washing my motorcycle. I know hate is a strong word, but I still say I HATE washing it! Part of it may be that I like when my bike looks like it's ridden, but it really boils down to me not wanting to spend the amount of time it really takes to get the job done properly.

I have friends that love and take pride in keeping a clean bike and I don't hold anything against them for it. I actually admire them and sometimes I wish that I felt the same. I said that I like my bike to look like it's ridden, but that doesn't mean that I don't like how it looks after a washing.

Over the past week I've ridden with two friends, both of whom own one of my old bikes. Both guys keep them very clean and honestly, I'm a bit jealous. Actually, both of my old bikes looked in better condition than my new one (I haven't washed it since May). I decided that it was time for a wash, no matter how much I didn't want to do it.

Over the weekend, I spent hours scrubbing all of the grime that'd built up over the past months. Finally, it was clean and I have to admit that I had a pretty big feeling of satisfaction. Then, it rained on my way to work this Monday and my bike looked almost as dirty as it was before I washed it. Did I mention that I hate washing motorcycles?

"Cleaning is just putting stuff in less obvious places." - Unknown

The Autumn Fall

 

Well, Summer's over. But, nothing is better than a great ride in the fall. Fall is probably the shortest season where I live as it usually snows by early November. Since early winters are so common, I always try to enjoy every last second of riding that I can once autumn starts.

One of my most memorable fall rides occurred right after I healed from my crash (see here for that story). It was mid October and warm weather is very rare at this time of year. A group of us rode leisurely from early morning until sunset, a round trip of about 300 miles. It was sunny and around 70 degrees for the entire day, there was barely any traffic, no wind, and the roads were dirt and gravel free. It just about the perfect ride! It was one of those rides that just reinvigorated my love for motorcycling.

Then, the following week it fucking snowed! Enjoy the Fall while it lasts.

"Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!" - John Belushi



Tweakers and Deer

Dean Delray is a comedian, rocker, and biker (he also has one hell of a mustache #MustachesAndMotorycles). If you haven't heard of him, you should definitely check out his Instagram (here). Recently he was in a motorcycle accident (this is kind of documented on his Instagram page). Apparently, a tweaker stole a car and ran into him while she was making her getaway. Then, she left the car (and the scene) and jumped in another car that sped away (I may not have the story exactly correct, but this is what I pieced together from Instagram and this Joe Rogan Experience podcast). I also heard that Dean is giving up motorcycling. I wanted to comment on this because I had a similar experience.

About ten years ago, I was riding right after sunset in early summer. A deer leaped out directly in front of me and I put the bike down to avoid hitting it. I and my girlfriend ended up rolling down the road and received some pretty decent injuries. A broken wrist kept me from riding for a couple months and I'd be lying if I didn't say it was terrifying getting back on a bike. However, my love for riding outweighed my fear and I continued to ride.

Now, looking at Dean's situation, I can understand his point of view. Since my accident, I can avoid riding or take it very easy when deer are on the move (dawn and dusk). It's tough to find a time in Los Angeles (this is where I believe Dean Delray lives) when there's not some crazy driver that'll take you out without thinking twice. Maybe Dean should move to the country! Wait, I think a meth lab was busted out here a couple months back. Fucking tweakers are everywhere! Stay safe, people!

“Here's something I would like to remind you two of: our best friend Doug is probably face down in a ditch right now with a meth head butt-fucking his corpse!” – Stu Price in the movie The Hangover

Who Was that Masked Biker?

While out on an excursion this Labor Day weekend, I ran into a couple on a motorcycle wearing those face masks with a skull on them. I'll admit to thinking these things were awesome 10 years ago. I first noticed them in a J&P Cycles catalog and nearly ordered one on the spot. Then, the movie Biker Boyz came out. Seeing guys in this cheesy movie (Ok, I thought it was a little entertaining) wear the masks made me change my opinion instantly. Nowadays, I feel like anyone should wear what they like; no judgements from me. This isn't really the point of this post; it's the fact that these people were wearing them on an 85 degree day!

The material on these masks is pretty thick, so there was no way it was comfortable. Like I mentioned before, I'm all for wearing stuff that you find fashionable. However, if that means sweating your ass off just to look a little gangster, I'll leave it!

There are definitely more clothing items that bring this reaction from me. Wearing shorts while riding comes to mind (especially when it's below 65). Sigh, to each their own I guess, but doing stuff like this just makes you look like a motorcycle douchebag!

“We understand how dangerous a mask can be. We all become what we pretend to be.”
― Patrick Rothfuss, The Name of the Wind



#Mustaches&Motorcycles

I think it's time that the mustache came back into style. I'm not talking about the random hipster sporting a waxed mustache or guys growing one as a joke. I'm also not talking about just growing a mustache for "Movember" (having a mustache in November to gain awareness for prostate cancer). I want there to be so many men with mustaches that a month will be designated to shave off mustaches for awareness of some issue. My big question is, "Why did the mustache go out of style in the first place?"

My uncle always likes to quote me as a four year old saying, "When I grow up, I want to be an uncle, because then I can have a mustache, drink beer, chase women, and play pool!" That's right; men we looked up to had mustaches! Our uncles, dads, athletes, film stars...real men! Tom Selleck was a man's man, playing the toughest private investigator ever in Magnum P.I. and he sported a great mustache. Also, do me a favor and Google Don Frye. This MMA legend's mustache probably won more fights than most people lie about. How about Theodore Roosevelt? This mustache wearing man wrestled fucking bears!! Ok, I'm not quite sure about the wrestling bears thing, but I kind of remember reading it somewhere (the point is that he was a tough sumbitch).

So, it's time to celebrate mustaches! Grow one and take a picture of yourself with your motorcycle. Tag it #mustaches&motorcycles and share it with the world! Ladies, encourage this behavior with all the men in your life. If you'd like, share your picture on our Facebook page (here). Be a man, grow a mustache, ride a motorcycle, eat, mate, repeat!

“Well, I might go get me a new tattoo, or take my old Harley for a three day cruise. Might even grow me a Fu Man Chu.” – Travis Tritt