Here's the article I mentioned ...

Saturday, November 8, 2008 (SF Chronicle) The exhilaration of riding on two wheels Arv Voss

   A question I'm often asked when people learn that I ride motorcycles not just for product review and analysis, but for pleasure as well, is - why do you ride? This query is generally followed by stern warnings about the dangers involved.
   Admittedly, motorcycle riding can be dangerous, but so is walking or driving a car. Danger is a subjective issue which may be minimized by taking safety precautions to reduce risk factors. Before a recent ride, a motorcycle manufacturer's public relations manager said that he always dressed for the crash rather than for the ride.
   Dangerous elements aside, I ride because I enjoy it. Riding is an escape from the everyday rat race. Climbing aboard a motorcycle regardless of style or type, embodies a heightened sense of freedom. It combines motion, speed and an unencumbered openness to elements the natural environment.
Riding a motorcycle is about living life instead of just observing it.
   There are many rewarding things about motorcycle riding. For starters, you are able to be more in touch with your surroundings. You're exposed to the elements - feeling the sun, wind and sometimes rain. Scenery becomes more majestic and real when you're not traveling inside an enclosed vehicle - you're part of the surrounding world. Fragrances and aromas become more noticeable. Fields of wild flowers, pine forests and salt sea air awaken one's sense of smell as never before.
   For some riders, the sound of their machine stirs the adrenaline as they roll on the throttle. The exhaust note blends harmoniously with the sense of moving at speed through the atmosphere - for sport bike fans, the faster the better, as they carve around the challenging curves of their favorite mountain road. Many cruiser types prefer a more relaxed pace and certainly, a more relaxed riding position, but the sensation is the same.
Entering and leaning into a turn, then powering out with the grace of a bird in flight, gently banking one way, then the other in a fluid rhythmic motion is its own reward.
   Riding comes more easily to some than to others. For those who aren't natural born riders, practice is key - the more you ride, the more relaxed and confident you become. The most important issue in enjoying motorcycle riding is experience, which yields confidence. Confident riders are aware of their capability and keep themselves within their range of expertise.
Overconfidence can easily propel riders into the danger zone.
   Riders who most appreciate the sport of motorcycling are always eager to improve their riding skills, and the best way to achieve those goals, is to take a Motorcycle SafetyFederation-approved refresher or advanced rider course. These courses focus on enhancing the rider's skill level.
Specialized schools exist which concentrate on various riding techniques including road racing (on a track, of course), off-road (dirt bike) or motocross. There's even a unique "wheelie" school for those who want to move from two wheels to one for sustained periods.
   I recently attended a Keith Code California Superbike School at Infineon Raceway in conjunction with a Kawasaki product introduction. I was initially apprehensive and even a little nervous at taking to the track on an unfamiliar sport bike, where the first exercise was to leave pit lane, shift up to fourth gear, then shift no more, circling the same road course that the AMA Superbike racers had competed on the day before. Brake use was forbidden, relying simply on throttle modulation, weight transfer and bike lean for control. I definitely wasn't the fastest on the track, but I survived and learned something in the process.
   The best reasoning for getting about on two wheels is because you can. Not only is it an economical way to get around, but it's a great deal of fun.
   
Copyright 2008 SF Chronicle

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