The Power of the Motorcycle

Power. Power can be a push force or a pull force. What comes to mind when you think of power? A weightlifter bench pressing a few hundred pounds? The way a tornado can pick up a car and carry it several hundred yards away? A car screaming down the drag strip? Maybe even a motorcycle lifting the front wheel and breaking traction through all five or six gears? On the pull side, nothing compares to a truck or tractor pulling the weight of that sled as the RPM's build to ear deafening levels of sound. When it comes to motorcycles, power can be achieved without any movement whatsoever. Okay, you are asking yourself just what the heck I have had to drink this evening aren't you? Well. let me explain. There are various ways that this is achieved. For example, I was listening to an interview with Rick Fairless, custom bike builder and owner of Strokers Dallas, and he spoke about the things going on in his professional life. He shared one event that he was involved in currently that shows the power of motorcycles. There is an exhibit, "The Art of the Chopper", that is currently running in the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, AR. The exhibit curator, photographer Tom Zimberoff, has pictures of custom bike builders on display with twenty-nine custom built motorcycles. (See a promo at //youtube.com/watch?v=XF4hbGae0os ) The pictures include some of the biggest names in custom bike building such as Fairless, Billy Lane, and Matt Hotch to name a few. By now, I am guessing that you are asking what is your point? Well, Rick Fairless was approached to participate in this exhibit and he explained that one question kept running through his mind. Basically, he was trying to make the connection between the Presidential library and choppers and builders. Rick was curious enough that he approached someone at the library and posed the question to them. The library representative explained to Rick that they needed to produce more foot traffic in the library and they knew that bringing the motorcycle exhibit to the library would draw motorcyclists in lifting attendance. Wow. Tell me that is not power. This is clear evidence that motorcycles and motorcyclists carry a power higher than that of other forms of transportation and higher than that of your every day citizen. This is power without the spinning of the wheel or revving of the engine. Non motorcyclists know that our community, our motorcycle nation if you will, is powerful. They are using us to pull people into an event. They are using us to carry heroes home. They are using us in many ways but perhaps the most evident way is to raise money for a cause. If you ever can say that you don't have anywhere to ride to I would have to say that you must be kidding. On any given weekend, you should be able to find 2 or more opportunities to hit a poker run or a charity ride. The last ten years has seen a major increase in charity rides. It is almost like if little Joey stubs his toe someone wants to have a ride for him. It is really diluting the available charity money to go around. But seriously, The public has noticed that motorcyclists will come out and pay ten or twenty bucks to come out on a ride, get some food in the belly, listen to a band, and help out the cause. Again, power. One last example of power. I live in Indiana, a no helmet law state with the largest and most powerful state motorcycle rights organization in the nation, ABATE of Indiana ( //abateonline.org ). We are known to have an extremely effective grass roots lobby presence at our statehouse. Legislators have told our leadership that they are using the helmet law issue as a bill killer. They add the wording to a proposed bill because they know that the helmet law is not going to pass. That is flattering to the organization but is also alarming as we know that the issue can go any way. But, whichever side of the helmet law issue you are on, you must admit that that is power. So, I have given you three examples of power, for the good, without having an 1800 cc motor, a 120 cubic inch screamer, or that Suzuki Hyabusa. We must be careful with our power as there is a dark side to it also. When we go out and ride irresponsibly or under the influence the public sees that as well. These are two of the major influences on the public and the driving factors for them to request helmet laws, noise ordinances, and bans on motorcycles. So, in closing, enjoy the power but steer it to the good side. Thanks for reading and ride safe. Steve "Bullitt" McQueen