9 Things You Probably Don’t Know About Riding a Motorcycle

I love to ride motorcycles and have done so for a couple of decades now. Millions of people worldwide would agree that there is nothing like the feeling of riding on an open road during a beautiful day.

However, it’s not all sunshine and roses. Everything good has drawbacks. There are aspects of riding a motorcycle that non-riders cannot appreciate. Sacrifices, if you will. It’s a dedicated rider that looks past these and continue on. Me? I just like to complain…

1. Rain – Rain hurts. A lot. Do the math; if you are riding 70 miles an hour, then you are being pelted by 70 mile an hour raindrops. Equivalent to a hurricane. Throw in the fact that most glasses and visors do not come with wipers, now you’re blind too. But hey, at least you can look forward to wearing wet jeans for the next 5 hours.
2. Cold – Not as much of a factor in southern states, it’s a big factor in the rest. When riding, 70 degrees feels like 60 degrees. 60 degrees, however, feels like 40 degrees. See the way this works? Some riders wear chaps to help protect their legs. I can’t, unfortunately, as the resemblance to the Village People is too great.
3. Heat – On the other side of the coin, heat can be just as uncomfortable. When riding, it feels perfect, but in heavy traffic or long lights, your bike turns into an oven and the sun tries to bake your skull through your helmet. AC? That’s for cages! I’ll just keep an eye open for roadside sprinklers.
4. Engine Heat – This is different from outside heat. Air cooled engines on bikes are fine as long as you are moving. One you come to a slow roll or stop, it’s a different story. The heat that comes off a big engine feels like it can cook your leg right through your jeans and boots. I like mine medium rare.
5. Your hands – No one ever tells you that your right hand will constantly be numb. It usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes, but it’s inevitable. You release the throttle, shake your hand for a second, and then reapply. A never ending cycle. Thanks god for cruise control.
6. Invisibility – No one ever sees you. And if they do, you would swear they were trying to hit you. It doesn’t matter if you have the biggest, loudest and shiniest bike on the road. Grandma doesn’t see you and she’s coming in your lane. Safety in numbers is your best bet.
7. Storage – I have saddle bags on my bike, which are life savers. However, sometimes I‘ll forget I rode the bike to the grocery store and bring out 6 full bags. Then its 10 minutes of playing “Tetris” trying to make it all fit. 5 minutes of determining what can be balanced in the handlebars or the seat behind you. 5 minutes of arguing with yourself over basic safety and distance to home.  And then finally, another 10 minutes of taking things back into the store for a refund.
8. Eating and Drinking – Although extremely easy in a car, not so much on a bike. This also goes for smoking, talking, spitting, scratching, stretching and texting. Hmm, maybe it is safer in a bike…
9. Parking – Parking on a downward slope in a street side space is a mistake you only make once. It took my wife pushing from the front while I was on the bike trying to steer. “Reverse” is something you never think about until you don’t have it.
10. Radio – I’m lucky enough to have a stereo on my bike, perfect for long rides. I did not realize how loud it is. Everyone within half a mile can hear it. This directly influences what music you listen too. I learned this while riding down the road, thinking I’m looking cool because of the looks that I’m getting. Then I realized I was singing along to the song from Disney’s Frozen; much much less cool. Ear buds anyone?

Riders should get a chuckle or two from this and non-riders probably won’t understand until they climb aboard. If it looks like I’m complaining, I’m not. I enjoy riding in all types of conditions. It can be sunny, clear and 75 degrees or sunny, clear and 76 degrees, either way I’m good.