M2R

Kristie

2017-10-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START RIDING?
A late bloomer, I decided at 30 to get my licence. I'd been a passenger in my younger days and had often thought about it but was never brave enough. With age came courage!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
The first bike I looked at was a beautiful Honda Rebel 250 but I looked at many more before finally coming back to the start. She was like new in looks but was a bit of a ratbag to start in the cold.

WHAT BIKE(S) DO YOU HAVE NOW? I have a 2011 HD Sporster Superlow 883 - a beautiful bike, perfect for me.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
If I had heaps of money, I'd possibly upgrade to a new Harley LowRider 103 - lots more guts but still a good size for me. Otherwise, I'd keep my current bike, which is pretty much my dream bike.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I feel so good out there on the road. I mainly enjoy cruising out in the hills and the countryside and feeling like a part of it. Unlike being cocooned in a car. It makes me feel really alive and happy.

Note: the photo is me on my Harley on the day that I bought her, not the day I took her home - totally inappropriate footwear!

Editor's note: congratulations Kristie, that is one BEAUTIFUL bike!!

Chris

2017-06-09T06:50:00.000-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START RIDING?
I got my license when I was 18 years old, living in Minnesota. However, the scene there at the time was not one that I really wanted to be part of (I ran into a lot of sexist and racist people), and I ended up falling out of love with bikes for quite a while. My passion was reignited when I moved to the United Kingdom in 2006.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
First bike that I personally owned was a 2005 HondaCBF600SA. The least sexy of all the unsexy bikes.

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
Currently ride a 2017 Triumph Tiger Explorer XRX. It's also terribly unsexy but goes fast and is damned useful.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I often think about getting an Indian Scout and customizing it. I also daydream about using a Harley-Davidson Road King or Indian Chieftan Limited as my everyday bike. That all assumes that I kept my day job of riding a lot of different bikes. If I had to give up moto-journalism and settle on just one machine I'd probably stick with my Tiger Explorer.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I have built a career on answering that question. But the short answer is that it allows me to connect with the world around me in ways not possible in a car; I feel very much a part of the environment. Riding helped stabilize me when I was in a deep depression and it affords me a sense of independence in an increasingly restrictive world.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
Buy a Can-Am Spyder. If I were too ill for that I'd pray for a self-driven car, from which I could smash out all the windows to at least approximate the feeling of being in the wind.

Editor's note: Chris Cope is director of RideApart and one of my favourite motorcycling writers because he isn't afraid to put his heart on paper. Check out this article about the shed he keeps his bike in to see what I mean.

Robert

2017-05-30T06:14:00.003-07:00

"You see things...on a motorcycle in a way that is completely different from any other. In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realise that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. On a (motor)cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. Your IN the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming."

Robert Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Rick

2017-05-28T17:36:00.003-07:00

"Because there is this moment where everything comes together. You stop thinking of the next turn, stop focusing on the details and you feel like your machine and you have just become one. A zen-like state settles on your shoulders and you just glide through the world, a part of it, immersed in it, in total harmony. This is why I ride."

Rick Higgins

Stefan

2017-05-28T17:31:00.002-07:00

"Because of the adrenalin-fuelled, hyper-aware emotional state it puts you in."

Stefan Von Imhof

Ian

2017-05-27T19:00:00.004-07:00

"To remember your body, to use it."

Ian Chadwick

Want to contribute?

2017-05-26T23:05:00.001-07:00

Hello fellow rider,

If you'd like to contribute to M2R, send through your answers to these five questions:

1. WHEN DID YOU START RIDING?

2. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?

3. WHAT BIKE(S) DO YOU HAVE NOW?

4. WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?

5. WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Email your answers to graydenprovis1@gmail.com (include pics if you want).

I hope you enjoy the stories collected so far and look forward to hearing yours!

Grayden Provis
Perth, Western Australia

PS… if you'd like new stories delivered straight to your Inbox, hit "Subscribe" at the top of the page

Steve

2017-05-26T17:59:00.004-07:00

"To silence the noise between my ears."

Steve Williams

Liz

2017-05-26T17:32:00.004-07:00

"Because when you've mastered two wheels, you can master anything."

Liz Jansen

Bud

2017-05-26T17:23:00.004-07:00

"Riding expands me, opens me to what is possible."

Bud Miller

Jim

2017-05-26T00:14:00.003-07:00

"It always cracks me up when the guy on the GS in the full Ewan and Charlie regalia laughs at the Harley dude with the beard and the beer belly in the leather vest who’s laughing at the guy riding the GSXR thou in a full Dainese suit and stuck in traffic who’s laughing at the guy in the waxed cotton Belstaff that’s cursing past the pipe in his mouth as he tries to kick his Commando to life."

Jim McDermott

Doug

2017-05-25T05:26:00.003-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I started riding around 2001.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
My first bike was a GPX250 quickly replaced by an RGV250 when I got my licence.

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
Currently I have a CBR954

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I am happy with my current bike but if it were practical, perhaps a few bikes for different situations so possibly a M109 for cruising and a YZF or CRF for off-road use.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Riding for me is most important for work.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
I might have to change career!

Editor's note: Doug is Perth Motorcycle Service, a mobile workshop that comes to you.

Kevin

2017-05-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I started riding in 1978. I had a motorcycle license before a car license.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
1978 Yamaha GT-80

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
2016 Yamaha Super Tenere, 2015 Yamaha FZ-07

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I am happy with my current bikes but will probably own a Goldwing one day.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Riding a motorcycle is a challenge. It gives me a challenge everyday to get better and improve my skills. I love the biker community and how you never meet a stranger on the road if you are both riding motorcycles. I love to teach others to ride better and improve their road strategy, never stop learning. :)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
I'm not sure but I do know it would make me grumpy.

Editor's note: Kevin is a motorcycle instructor in Texas, USA. His website has some excellent training videos. Check 'em out here.

Bernd

2017-05-24T05:51:00.003-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
Around 1960

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
Triumph

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
1997 BMW 1200

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I'm happy with the one I've got.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
It's not really - but I still like acceleration, wind, apparent freedom, ever-luring danger, necessary skill.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
Not ride and try and get better.

Editor's note: I know Bernd. In his typically understated way he's selling himself short. He's 80 years old (yep, no typo) and still rides around on his 1200 BMW like a teenager. A man of few words but much action. I had to drag him kicking and screaming to this blog but I'm glad I did. He's an inspiration.

Roy

2017-05-24T05:23:00.001-07:00

I started riding at sixteen in 1959 in London, England. In those days you passed your test and immediately had a full licence allowing you to ride anything.

The first bike I owned was a BSA Bantam 125cc:

1958 BSA Bantam 125cc

I then had an accident on a mate's 250 Norton. Crash helmets were not compulsory in those days but speeds were also a lot slower so I was a lucky boy - no serious damage just general soreness and six stitches in my head. However Dad and Mum then banned me from riding bikes. They were crafty in that they encouraged me to buy a Morris 1000 convertible!

I then joined the Metropolitan Police Transport Department. In my climb up the ladder I became a vehicle tester at the age of 24. Part of the promotion was to attend a two week driving course at the Metropolitan Police Hendon Driving Training College which included class room training, skid pan driving, on road training then finally a full written and on-road test for cars.

Six months later I returned for the two week motorcycle course. I thought the car course was unbelievable but what followed on the bike course was the best two weeks of my time on any road, anytime, on any-wheeled vehicle. "Sergeant Reece" was a very special instructor who made my life as a biker enjoyable and safe by developing a full awareness of all road conditions, assessment of other road users and the ability to make gut assessments to save your life.

At nearly 75, I can't wait to throw my right leg over my next bike!

Editor's note: Love this. Once bitten, the passion clearly never dies. This is so good I'll let Roy off for not actually answering my questions ;)

Editor's note (2): Roy got back to me and said the bike he would really like is a BMW 1600 GTL and if he got crook and couldn't ride he would "find a friend who did and jump on the back". Now that's a die-hard :)

Gregor

2017-05-23T21:40:00.001-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I used to ride a Honda C90 scooter on the parks as an apprentice as part of my job about 30 years ago but only got my road licence about two and half years ago.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
I had a Honda CBR500 as my first bike.

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
I have a Suzuki Boulevard M90 1500cc cruiser (below).

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I did try the Boulevard 109 but it had been heavily modified and scared the life out of me. Now that I've been riding longer I wouldn't mind looking at a non-modified one of those.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I do it mainly for recreation. It's great to take the bike to work once a week and ride with others on weekends.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
Girlfriend would want me to buy a 3 wheeler, but I would probably get a muscle car instead - an AC Cobra replica would be nice!

Mark

2017-05-23T16:48:00.001-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?

Started riding trailies with mates in the early 1970s.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?

Not sure. It was either a Honda trail bike with a Yamaha tank or a Yamaha with a Honda tank.

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?

A 1980 Honda CX500 project street tracker, 2010 Triumph Bonneville T100 and 2010 Triumph Scrambler.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?

Only one? Here’s five I would like in my garage: BMW Scrambler, Ducati GT1000, Harley-Davidson Road King Special, Kawasaki KLR650 and Vespa GTS.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?

It’s my job, my hobby, my stress-relief, my dementia protection, my joy, my habit, my lifestyle, my religion, my addiction.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?

It has after a couple of major operations and it was hell! I wrote about bikes, researched bikes, looked at online "bike porn” and spent a long time looking and fiddling with my bikes in the garage.

Editor's note: Mark is Australia's top motorcycling writer - read his blog here.

Eileen Dover

2017-05-22T22:54:00.001-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I started riding at 9 years of age on my friend's Honda Z50. Nothing too radical, just riding around in circles in the backyard and occasionally venturing out into the back lanes. Loved it!

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
A very, very second-hand 1974 Honda XR75. It did have a Wiseco 80cc 'big bore' kit put through it, which in reality meant it had been thrashed mercilessly in junior motocross. I can honestly say I loved that beaten up little bike more than any other machine I ever owned since. Still think about it to this day.

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
I have a 2009 Yamaha XJR1300. I've owned all kinds of bikes over the years (Ducati 900 Darmah, BMW R75, Kawasaki Z1000, Suzuki 1250 Bandit, Harley XR1200, Yamaha RD400 and a pile of old dirt bikes), but the XJR seems to be a good fit for me. Being an 'old school' air-cooled, twin-shock, it's the closest thing I can get to a 'new' Kwaka Z9 and that suits me just fine.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
Two please, Mr Newman: an Egli Vincent and an early 70's Kawasaki H2 750 Mach lV two-stroke triple a.k.a 'The Widowmaker'. Oh, and maybe an old Maico 490 too.

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
It makes me feel at one with the world. It's a rare combination of engineering, grace of movement, adrenalin and nature. You can't fake it either. It's 'real'.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF ILL-HEALTH PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?

Good question. Buy a sidecar probably(?) To be brutally honest, "you get what you get and you don't get upset" is the way I look at this stuff. If there's no realistic chance of recovery and getting back on two wheels, I'd just leave it all behind. I can't see the point of wallowing in old glories and lamenting the past. You have to seize the day and move on. Play the cards you're dealt. I've got friends who live in the past and know with 100% certainty that I don't ever want to do that. There's a fine line, and once you cross it, nostalgia can rapidly turn into a poison. On the other hand, building a sleeper 1300cc mobility scooter may be fun! Adapt, adopt, invent, destroy!

Editor's note: Wow! Some great stuff here. Thanks Eileen. That IS your real name, right?

Andrea

2017-05-22T22:20:00.002-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I was 12 back home in Sicily, being a pillion since a younger age, always have been attracted to motorcycles. So I started playing with a Vespa 50cc

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
My first bike I have purchased was a Husqvarna WR 125T, those days (early '90's) two strokes were really common. Off road bikes were no toys really so I thought it would be a good idea to start from the deep end :-)

WHAT BIKE DO YOU HAVE NOW?
I have a few bikes as I ride for a living and don't have kids :)

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
If $$$'s were not a problem, a factory SBK or GP bike - you only live once so why not?

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
For work it puts food on the table and pays for the bills, but I started for the freedom you get. When you ride you unplug yourself from your daily life.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
Like today: it is raining. I would work on my bikes in the workshop with a nice cup of coffee.

Editor's note: Andrea is a top motorcycle trainer here in Perth - you can read about him here.

Matt

2017-05-22T20:55:00.003-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?

i got my small licence and first bike when i was 18. I worked with two gents as a young trainee who both rode motorcycles, my family friend was a motorbike cop, and my dad had a bike, so it seemed natural to me to get one after my car licence.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
My first bike was a GSX 250 Suzuki. Thanks to the internet I still have the photos :

https://www.bikepics.com/pictures/431688/1980-suzuki-gsx-250

I bought it for $900 off a gent who bought it for his wife and re-painted it. Its fuel hoses were decayed, its forks leaked, its tyres were as hard as rocks off Gibraltar, and it would constantly not start on a sub-20 degree day because it was a touch too cold. I stripped it back, cleaned everything, replaced everything, and cannibalized an old Parker pen to fix the petcock, and it ran great from then on.

WHAT BIKE HAVE YOU GOT NOW?
A Suzuki SV1000s which has had a bit of modification. I have changed the screen, a heap of nuts and bolts, and lashed it with chrome which is now starting to oxidise so needs replacement. A couple of shortened twin pipes finish it off and sound great. Relatively rare, as not a lot were sold, and the v-twin is bullet proo Going on 10 years old now, but still looks, rides and performs like new. Hasn't aged a day in my opinion.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
A Suzuki Hayabusa, probably in white. They haven't been updated in almost a decade either, and as my father says you can't top perfection. Probably the right sized bike and one that can do it all. One day...

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
While many folks might go fishing with their father, I try and go riding. I don't as often anymore with a young family, and would ride to work more often, but work interferes with that goal. It clears my head and is a good steadier, as I find at the end of a ride I can focus better and it gives me perspective on a lot of other things in life.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?

Try and find excuses or opportunities to ride again!

Grayden

2017-05-22T18:15:00.001-07:00

WHEN DID YOU START?
I was a late bloomer. Didn't get my licence until very recently at age 57. It was something I always wanted to do but believed all the "it's too dangerous" advice and never pursued it.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST BIKE?
It's the one I'm riding now as I'm still on my RE licence. It's a 2010 250cc Suzuki Intruder. I feel a bit like a grasshopper on it as it's really a bit small for my frame but hey, I'm just enjoying being out there!

WHAT BIKE HAVE YOU GOT NOW?
See above.

WHAT BIKE WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE?
I already have it! It's the white Suzuki Boulevard C50T below. It was love at first sight when I saw it at Rick Gill Motorcycles and I knew I had to have it. It's basically a clone of a Harley Softail Deluxe and is what I've long had in my mind as a "real" motorbike if ever I should get one. Only problem is I can only ride it on L's for now so it sits in the garage a lot of the time. Doesn't mean I can't go out and look at it though. It's amazing how many excuses I find to go to the garage these days :)

WHY IS RIDING IMPORTANT TO YOU?
I'm still actually trying to figure that out but what I do know is that it's REALLY important to me. It's on my mind constantly and everything's alright with the world once I'm on the bike. I feel this real sense of excitement as the garage door rolls up. I love it hugely, to the point of getting a bit concerned about how obsessed I am! But I'm rolling with it for now because I can see my skills coming on in leaps and bounds due to all the hours I'm putting in. But to try and answer the question, I would say it's about being free. Free from the world, from responsibilities, from scrutiny, from having to talk to anyone….the freedom of just being completely in your own space, away from others. That, and the thrill of torque :)

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF CIRCUMSTANCES PREVENTED YOU FROM RIDING?
Cry. But seriously, I don't want to think about that. It would be very hard.