2Wheeltips

There are times when we open our mouth,
and all the scent in it comes out;
It depends upon the type of bike you ride,
whether your breath is one that gives you pride;
Now I know what you are thinking,
Is it the bike that I ride make it stinking;
When I say bike I am not talking about brand,
But that which you keep behind your underpants.
Please don't get upset and rude with me,
I am just trying to help you just to see;
See what is what I can hear you say,
 It is what you friends have been trying to tell you all day;
When ride 600 miles a day, and in the saddle you do sit,
Please don't take pride and not stopping for a quick;
Ahh be brave and say what's on your mind,
Do not chicken out and cut your words short,
2wheeltip will not take you to biker's court;
What was it you were going to say that rhymn with sit,
but you did not have the nerves, so you use the word quick;
I really am trying to keep it clean, I really did not want to be mean;
I know you love not to change clothes,
or take a bath when on a roll;
You try to see how far you can ride, and how many days as well,
and you forget that your body begins to smell;
You love to stand close in the face of others,
and open your mouth and we smell trouble;
Because you are really kind,
We do not tell you what's really on our mind.
That is why you keep asking yourself,
IS IT JUST ME OR IS IT MY BIKER'S BREATH?

It is a choice that I have made,
to be sure that others are paid;
I see the gear and I hear the rap,
It makes my head hurt and I want to take a nap;
How much is it going to cost me today,
to ride with the big boys and play it safe;
Helmet on my head,
Chaps around my leg;
Glasses covering my eyes,
Armor covering my thighs;
Jacket wrapped around upper body,
and gloves covering my hand,
 And I am riding around looking
like the wrapped up mummy man.
My colors are black and drawing in the heat,
But the gear is so safe, it is a must to keep;
Boots on my feet feeling real tight,
squeezing my toes with all its might;
Down the road, I must go
Dressed like a mummy ready for a show;
I see my friends checking me out,
Scratching their heads with a sign of doubt;
They are wondering what's wrong with me,
That I am riding around looking like a biker's mummy.

It has taken me some time to pick up the pen,
and attempt to write something that is not only for men;
riding a bike is a universal divider,
that it is much like that of the soul of a scuba diver.
It is something that a lot of people want to do;
but afraid to try it because other people say, “It is not for you.”
Sure there are lots of deaths,
where divers did not have air to take their last breath.
Jumping in deep and going down below,
is like a rider mounting their bike ready to go.
Riding gear and Scuba gear is a personal choice that must be made,
and can cost you a lot of money and somebody wants to be paid;
Before you ride a bike they call it the T-clock,
before you scuba dive you need your sun block.
Check your air, your hoses, and gages as well,
to run out of air 90 feet below is asking for hell.
A diver must dive with a buddy plan,
and a rider must avoid the slippery sand.
There is such a thing as being in the zone,
but when you scuba dive you don’t want to be in it alone;
There is such a thing as a biker’s wave,
but for the diver it’s a sign that a shark is in the cave.
The old the young they all have fun,
especially when they are going on a biker’s run;
The old the young they all have fun,
especially when the dive just begun.

When I lived in Korea , and just started riding my motorcycle, often I would read the romantic stories of riders and dream that one day that will be me. I read an article where a rider described the different smells that one will encounter along the way. The smell of pine trees, hot tar at construction sites, the ocean, and one writer wrote about the romantic smell of cow manure. I chuckled within myself and said, “Yea, right.” I thought about the “honey wagons” that I had smelled in different countries. When I left Korea and lived in Hawaii, often I could smell the ocean, the pineapple fields, mangos, and fish from the marina. Well to my surprise while riding from Ann Arbor, MI on US-12 (Michigan Ave) headed towards Irish Spring and Sturgis, MI the great moment of a particular smell went up my nose. I first attempted to hold my breath, but that would not work, I knew I had to inhale and exhale in order to stay alive and what I was breathing was cow manure. I said to myself, there is nothing romantic about this as I thought about the article that I had read almost nine years ago. I made it through the smell and continue on down US-12 I went fast. Well I have been riding up and down US-12 for about two years and went I come to that particular spot, I prepare myself to inhale what the cows left behind. Today, I went for a ride and I rode to Monroe, MI to check out the state park to see what their beach looked like, and maybe go there on Labor Day weekend. On my way, I went through this town outside of Dundee, MI on M-50 and behold, I inhaled cow manure and it was strong, stronger than what I smelled on US-12. I said to myself, “That must have been a Bull.” I went to Monroe and saw the Vietnam Memorial, the State Park Beach, and several riders enjoying themselves. On my way back again, I passed “The Bull.” It was a very nice day. I stopped off at a Harley-Davidson place in one of the small town and did window shopping. I jumped on the bike and when down M-50 and onto US-12 and I came upon the old spot and for sure the cow manure smell was there. To my surprise it was not all that bad, and smell much better than what I had encountered earlier. The thought came to my mind to write an article “A Beautiful Day to Smell Manure.” It was a beautiful day to ride, the sun was shining and the temperature was nice. I was in a good mood and was enjoying the ride so much that even the smell of cow manure was a romantic smell over against that of “The Bull.” There are those who are reading this article and can identify with every word and there are those who think that I am “nuts”. Well, just keep riding and inhaling and exhaling as you ride down the old country road pass the farms and you will encounter a moment of breath taking manure that will truly take your breath away.

When I lived in Korea, motorcycles, two wheelers, scooters, had the right of way. The culture of the people expected two wheelers to split lanes, cut in front of you and stop, run through red lights, yellow lights and green lights. It was known that a two wheeler will ride on the side walk and anywhere else it needed to ride to keep moving. I was riding and was obeying the rules of traffic, and many people in cages were upset. It appeared many were expecting me to keep moving, run the red light, split the lane etc., and when I did not, it threw everything else out of whack.  I understood and was told that if you hit a two wheeler even if it is the two wheeler's fault....you have to pay an arm and leg heavy fine. (Maybe when some of our 2wheeltips members from other countries read this, the member can add important information that wil help us, and or correct any error in my understanding and thinking). There is no such thing as, "I did not see you." The fine is so heavy that you do all that you can to see a 2 wheeler. The only thing that frightened me while riding my 2 wheeler in Korea was another 2 wheeler riding up and sharing my lane and coming out of nowhere to do it. I felt safer on my 2 wheeler than in a cage.

When I lived in Korea, I rode an 80cc scooter and then purchased a Softail Deuce Harley Davidson. When I started riding in Hawaii, I had to go through a cultural change in that motorcycles do not have the right of way and people are not looking out for you or expecting to see you.

Now, we have areas here in MI where, if you injure or kill a construction road worker, you will pay a heavy fine and spend up to 15 years in jail (or both). It says that the state is serious about protecting its workers.  So, if the fine is increased for hitting a motorcycle (sitting, moving, parked, and or standing) such as an $8,000 fine, and 6 months in jail for an injury and up to 15 years in jail for a death (no exception, regardless of who you know) then I think deaths will go down, and people will not be saying, "Oh, I didn't see the motorcycle."

It might take about 3 years for the word to get out that people are both being fined and going to jail before the culture takes it seriously.  However, in Korea, motorcycles are not allowed on the highway. Often you will see a group ride on the highway and, to my knowledge, nothing is done (the riders were riding bikes of at least 800cc). If the rule was not in place, 2wheelers with 50cc would be out there on the highway. The traffic was so thick in the inner city like Seoul that if you got up to 45mph you had a good day to remember.

Have a law passed: Cages have the right of way on the highway and bikers have the right of way on all other roads. I love riding in America; I just wish the rule of law concerning protecting bikers from cagers----was such that every biker would be 100% happy and excited that such a law existed. I would hate for a family member to have to go to jail for 15 years because a biker, due to his/her own fault went beyond his/her riding skill level, or was intoxicated and caused a cage kissing which resulted in a death. When I think of my own family member doing the right thing and the 2wheeler doing the wrong thing (with my family member paying the fine) it causes me to think differently.

The bottom line is that there needs to be a way that people who are riding a motorcycle are taken as seriously as construction workers in a work zone, and given all safety space that is needed so that no one gets hurt. (The writing of this blog is by no means the opinion of 2wheeltips, it is just the author's point of view.)

I got up this morning with the desire to ride, and take just a short trip down US 12 from Ann Arbor, MI to Cement, MI near US127. On the way, I saw where there was the auto racing activities near the Michigan International Speedway. The cones in the road had been set up to take care of the heavy traffic. I made a U-turn and decided to go in a different directions which would take me to M52 towards Chelsea on to Stockbridge, MI. On the way i encounter a detour which was ok. Once I made it throught Stockbridge, I got on 36 head towards Pinckney and I saw a sign "Hell" and the arrow pointed to the right. I got off the bike and took several photo with the bike next to the sign. I when down the road and there I was in Hell. I had been there before several times. I was in Hell. It was not hot, and I began to take photos. I heard a friendly voice say, "Do you want me to take a photo of you next to your bike?" I turned around and said, "Ya." This gentlemen took my photo and we began to talk and to my supprised he was the owner of Hell. Now, just think, I met the owner of Hell, and who do you think that is? I was not shaking in my boots, and as we talked, we discovered that we had participated together on a couple of programs. (Humm, am I really saying that I worked with the owner of Hell on a couple of projects). Well, the owner invited me to one of his stores to have some ice cream. I was delighted to say, that I ate ice cream in Hell and it was a free gift from the owner of Hell. (Was this a trick, is there anything cold in Hell---I heard all my life that Hell was hot and the Devil was the most likeable being that you can ever meet). I was afraid to say, "No." Well we went to the ice cream shop and "he" told me to get whatever I wanted (I did not know if I was getting fatten up for the big supprise). In the store, I saw a skeleton laying in a coffin, I saw spiders, black cats, and skeleton at the entrance of the door. I took photos of each and smile and began to think of several frighten movies that I have seen in the past. I asked for a double dip vanilla and blue berry cheese cake and it tasted great. I had an excellent conversation with the owner. "He" shared with me all the activites of the place. A golf course that is made so that people with disabilities can play; a Chapel so that people can say they got married in Hell; or had the wedding from Hell; fundrasing activities for Veterans, and just yesterday they had an event for "Gold-Star Mothers" (mothers who have lost a son or daugther in the war), and had about 400 bikers to participate. I took some more photos and had a great time. I got on the bike, and before, I left the owner gave me a "free get out of Hell" card. I rode off and Hell was at my backdoor. I wish I could add photos to this, however, I must say that Hell is not bad. The owner even said, "It even gets cold in Hell." Well to all the readers, I was in Hell, MI. If you are ever in lower MI near Ann Arbor, Dexter, Jackson, Lansing, area, please take the trip. You can say that you have really been to Hell and back and lived to talk about it. You will have an outstanding time and really enjoy yourself. It is a biker friendly place--the place is just friendly---just like the owner.

I have seen several bikers videos and photos of wet t-shirt contest and it appears that the people involved are having a lot of fun and the on lookers are having fun as well. I must say that I entered the wet t-shirt riding group. When I rode out of North Carolina it was hot and the first stop that I made, I took off my t-shirt and soaked it in water and put it back on. I put on my full armor riding jacket (mess) and zipped it up. I felt like I was riding air conditioner and it felt good. This is what I did during the day all the way to Orlando, FL. When I left Orlando on my way to Weston, FL, I did the same. I really liked it the cool breeze refeshing my upper body. I kept drinking water and water and water and each time I made a pit stop it was a (hummm how do I say this) pee stop as well. When I left Weston on my way to Key West it was morning time and I did not think that I needed to soak the t-shirt so I did not. However, I found myself, later in the restroom soaking the t-shirt and riding wet and feeling the coldest touching my upper body. Well when I arrived in Key West it was hot..... I did the sightseeing that I needed and got me something to eat in a place that had the air conditioner on; and just before I got on the bike; I thought about putting water on my t-shirt. I started thinking, that I should have soaked my t-shirt in the restroom at the place where I ate and I was ready to go. I hopped on the bike and headed north about 4:30pm. The good thing is that the weather started getting cooler on the way back to my "chash station" and I did not need the wet t-shirt. The moral of the story, is each time I read the words "wet t-shirt" or see a photo of someone in a wet t-shirt, I will think of my ride to Key West, Fl riding in a wet t-shirt under a mess riding jacket and I am a member of the wet t-shirt riding group.

At Americade for $10.00 or $20.00 you could have your riding position check for the comfort of your bike. I wanted to know, what could I learn that would help my riding to more comfort and less, "Oh, My God", and rubbing my hind parts after a 120 mile ride without getting off the bike. Well, I had a pressure mapping system check and discovered that certain areas of my body had more pressure on the seat.  Overall after much discussion I was infomed that I needed a back rest and to proper inflate my airhawk to get rid of the tail bone pain, and have a better reach, and to adjust the armor in my knee pads to get rid of the pain that I would feel in my knees.   I went and purchased a back rest (first called the Harely Davidson in Ann Arbor to check their price; and found out it was cheaper at Americade).  Went to the booth where they sold airhawks and received instruction on how to properly inflate.  Well, what I discovered was that the backrest, placed me forward on the bike, which gave me a better reach to the handelbars, and took my tailbone off the padding of the seat. The airhawk properly air adjusted, gave me the rolling feel of a massage and I could do a certain lean on the bike for release of pressure and sit back on the bike and the ride felt great.  Before, I could ride on the airhawk for about 100 miles and my butt would start hurting.  I would get off the bike and when I got back on the bike, my butt felt like I was starting new on the ride.  But, since I did the adjustment, I could change positions while riding the bike and my butt then felt like I was starting new.  My ride home from Americade, 671 miles felt a lot better and less tiring than the 577 miles I did the first day on my way to Maine.  Riding with the backrest, suprisingly placed me in a position that was more comfortable and I was sitting straight-up.  The backrest costed me more than $20.00, I think it was $200.00 or more.  I found myself, after parking the bike, putting my backrest in my touring pack---did not want to walk back to my bike and the $200.00 backrest, not being there.  I got to the point where, I started leaving it on the bike.