When I first started riding in the late eighties (yeah, last century), I was aware of a few magazines and a couple of movies. Then Easyrider came out with the Video Magazine, which was pretty dang cool. But the advent of cable tv and the internet–where I myself am guilty of adding noise to the stream–heralded a whole new batch of biker media that is only starting to get going. Add to the mix Orange County Choppers, Sons of Anarchy, Biker Buildoffs, not to mention mainstream garbage like Wild Hogs.
While it can all be fun, I’m actually not sure it’s a good thing. When I was a skinny young nothin’ with maybe three pairs of jeans, a few shirts, and a motorcycle (and I hyperbolize only slightly), my head was full of my own adventures riding the Sierra Nevada on my ’73 Sportster, going it alone against the wind and the sun. Now our imaginations are fed by grandiose visions of having the most expensive custom, the fattest back tire, the most righteous paint job.
Today I have the bike I’ve always wanted, which also happens to be the one I’ve had most of my adult life. I’d rather ride then clean it, and while I don’t ride nearly as much as I used to, my ideals are still the same–it’s all about the ride.
Ima keep my eye on you…..
You would think you wanted your pre season SOA party to start with a ride to the shooting range.
You may be onto something there, Alan. Except the next thing you know, they’re shooting out tv sets and have nothing left to dig the show on. Except our nerdy biker Porkins, who gets it streamed on his iPhone.