What a rush. the ultimate fair ride that you choose.

I was a pilot and a sailor. The up-down/side-to-side freedom of flight is exhilorating. Sailing reduces the sensation of freedom to a degree, but the feeling is still there. Riding bike rests just below sailing.

I was a serious rider. Not a fair weather bird. I've ridden in severe wind, rain, hail, snow, night and day. None of my bikes ever saw less than 20,000 miles per year. There was a period when I was servicing a contract in Mexico that I made a 1,600 mile round-trip commute between work and home in Vista, CA on a weekly basis. That translates to 83,200 miles per year -- not including riding at the site and at home. I've made two trips from FL to AK and return by bike. Surprisingly, I still have functioning kidneys.

Rather partial to them myself. These are some of mine.

I would ride a bike if everyone else did, also. But, I'd have a muffler that worked. I always figured that those load pipes were surrogates for a guy's manhood. Same with all the stupid jacked up pickups.

I love riding. I'm going on a group ride April 7th in Pensacola to raise money for families with autistic kids.

I ride a 1999 Kawasaki Nomad. I don't have a picture in this new iPad, but will try to come up with one later.

I am partial to the 60's British bikes...Triumph Bonnville (650c.c.), the BSA Spitfire-Hornet (650c.c. competion bike). The Harleys just did not have the style...although the Harley Sportster was one hot bike. However, the same early 60's 250's and 440 Victor Scrambler, were not state of the art given that they were four-cycle whereas the Japaneese inports (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, etc.) were all 2-cycle engines which drastically out-performed the four-cycles in competion and on the street. In about 1965 it was obvious that the four-cycle engine could no longer compete with the Jap imports. I have often wondered why the Brits did not upgrade their four cycle small engines to compete with the Japanese. I think their lack of development killed-off their motorcycle industry.

In 1989 I crashed a 490 cc water-cooled dirt bike. I still have the scars. That's the last time I was on a bike!! Ouch...

Obsession with motorcycles and the image of the macho "easy rider" comes from the big Harley hogs and movies in the 1970s.

In actuality, the big "hog" motorbikes with elongated handlebars are dangerous, and Americans tend to drive huge SUVs, that make noticing motorbikes in close quarters difficult.

So many people are killed on motorbikes in the US, I suppose it makes it seem like some daring sport for the ultra brave.

But in most of Asia, and in tropical countries, people ALL drive motorbikes for normal transportation, including me. Children, old people, entire families all pile onto the family motorbikes, pick up groceries, use side cars and covers to turn them into traveling vendor carts, etc.

But these are quiet, non-polluting, most have flat bottoms where people can carry groceries, and long seats where mulitple people can ride.

Some Thai buy huge US motorbikes, I suppose because they want to copy the "cool" image, and when they thunder by me on the road, with an ear-splitting roar, pumping out foul exhaust fumes, I curse them in several languages. The US and some German motorcycles are so huge they are unstable and dangerous in traffic, and there's no room for carrying passengers or groceries.