GET SET for the LONGEST RIDE
(This piece was written in 2019 by Hakan Erman for a project called “Parallel rides”, trying to get lessons from motorcycling that we can apply to life)
Once upon a time, if you needed to get your bike washed in Istanbul, you had to persuade and bribe a car washer. Not only to accept servicing a motorcycle but also to let you use the pressure washer, which was always so powerful to damage parts of the bike. Luckily, we now have specialised motorcycle washers: while they care for your machine correctly, you can enjoy a biker-friendly environment and even socialise with other bikers. In one of these services, I recently enjoyed my coffee and observed different styles on two wheels. Some reminded me of my excitement and enthusiasm at the beginning, and some were moving on different paths.
A green Harley Davidson Road King rode in with monkey bars and a decent amount of chrome bits and pieces, including a helmet and wallet chain. The rider in his early 40s, although looking like he was hanging down the tall bars, was very competent in manoeuvring and parking his half-a-ton ride.
It was an early model but very well maintained. “I think my HD is still young at a hundred thousand kilometres. I aim for another 100k on this one”, the rider explained as we chatted. I respected him as he spoke, being someone who chose his way, enjoyed getting good at it and looked well ahead, as we all should.
And then a group on naked bikes showed up. Machines and 20-year-old riders were all in black. Their pipes were loud, and they looked like they enjoyed the noise as they took their time parking. We saluted, and they sat at the following table, just back from a ride and excited to comment. Their conversation was basically about who was going faster, at what speed, in which section and positions: they were describing a race, a game of daring, being the man of the road.
I could see their angle. I felt similarly arrogant at a young age. Being the man of the road seemed like a big deal, so big that I could shut down the alarms of my survival instinct. I was lucky to remain safe, while some got hurt and even died.
How could I reach out to them? Which short words could they hear from me that would stick with at least one of them and perhaps make a positive change? They must have listened to a thousand times from their families to ride safely, but their alarms are put off, and so are their ears.
They now need to exceed their limits and prove their worth. Being better only meant being in front. Don’t our primitive impulses mainly drive us all while our consciousness is like a magpie on the back of a bison? The magpie can potentially change their course but only with awareness, discipline and method.
While searching for the proper approach, a lesson from the old days presented itself. It was the early 2000s when I heard a conference/lesson on motorcycle theory; it explained how different our attitudes were towards short or long rides, a ride to the cafe nearby versus a trip to Athens. We tend to take long trips seriously, get properly geared, plan ahead, be prepared and choose a proper pace.
However, short trips and familiar roads are the scenes of most accidents.
So, I reached out. We broke the ice with bike models and types, different worlds of cruisers, tourers and street fighters. Then, we discussed the need for speed and the urge for racing. They were defensive, blaming their absent buddy for being the crazy one. The rest were barely keeping up!
I said I would suggest another kind of race to them. The kind that they could keep on for as long as they were fit to ride. “It is an endurance race. You can set the goal you wish, but I suggest the race last 500.000km or 50 years, which is reached first on the saddle. Aiming for such a finish line, you will technically be racing all your life, and you will need to get prepared, be disciplined and continuously get better.” Silence followed, which is always a good sign. Then we changed the subject.
My bike was now shiny, clean, and ready to go. As I was getting ready to leave, one of the boys stayed close and asked how my 21” front tyre behaved in corners. And just before leaving, he said, “An endurance race for a lifetime… I liked the idea”. That comment made me grin for the rest of the day.
Oscar Wilde said, “The best thing to do with good advice is to pass it on”. Learning and passing knowledge on may well be the point of life.
“And what about (parallel ride) to extend the idea of “endurance race for a lifetime” to the goals that each of us targets: what about extending the time for reaching the goal or considering whether the goal we have in mind is enduring and worth (valid for) a long hard race?”
