Luke Benton, Part 3
The next step for Benton was a task he always thought he would return to, but not this soon. Since beginning in 2016, Benton has completed about a year and a half of school at Front Range Community College in Fort Collins, Colorado. Classes to earn mechanical certifications range pretty wide from basic safety courses to specifics in suspension, welding and engines.
Creating a passion in mechanic work was a short time coming for Benton, and what may seem like an untraditional route than most. Some create work from a long time with an urge to fix up their own cars, or follow the trade like their father followed their father. But Benton’s was different, it was a spark of interest that turned into a desire to complete a task, and then a task to a step forming a career around fixing cars and motorcycles.
Benton has also made a clear distinction about his job working on cars. In his words, his passion for mechanic work started while working on a motorcycle. His first motorcycle. A 1984 Honda CB 700 Night Hawk. This is where it all started. He was able to transform this bike based on creativity. It was a learning point where he set aside time from doing other things to work on that bike.
Since that point, and the four other motorcycles he has owned, it has stayed a passion and side project where he could openly express his creativity and not worry about deadlines, or getting it done as quickly as possible. Motorcycles are a hobby for him, but cars are different. Yes, it all began around rebuilding a motorcycle, but he enjoys working on cars because he knows them well and knows it is something he can do for a long time and make a living.
It has not been all fun and games for Benton riding motorcycles, considering the inherent danger that comes with riding a two-wheeled machine without outside protective cover, like a car. At high speeds, more and more dangers can occur. Lack of stability and more margin for error are two things any motorcyclist is aware of when their bike pulls into gear. In turn, an accident on a motorcycle almost seems inevitable–known by the huge emphasis put on safety and staying aware on the road.
Last year, Benton became another person on the list of injuries from an incident. On a week long motorcycle trip through Utah, Benton crashed in the dirt after hitting an unforeseen bump, and launched off his bike landing on his shoulder. After inspection, his bike was okay except for a couple of scratches and a misplaced carrier on the back. But, the same couldn’t be said for his shoulder. Being thrown off a bike going about 30 miles per hour is a scary scene for anyone. Benton was lucky enough to get away with just a broken collar bone. In the midst of this chaos, there was another problem with his injury. Benton and his buddy were stranded 500 miles from home in Driggs, Idaho with two bikes, a broken collar bone and only one capable motorcyclist. Luckily the two weren’t far from town that afternoon and settled in for the night. After several calls to friends pleading for a favor, the two found a ride, rented a trailer and cut the trip early to get back home.
This kind of accident is a big scare for anyone, forcing questions like “what if that had happened with other cars around? or what if I had landed on my head?” When I asked Benton if this affected any future plans for riding, he said, “Well I certainly took off a couple weeks after the injury, but no. I’ve come too far in this, and I love it too much. Plus, who doesn’t need a good scare every now and then.”
Benton has now made his way into the industry working on cars at Fort Collins 4x4 as a service technician. It’s been a dream job of his for a long time, and he can only see it improving.
