Title: Some Thoughts
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Road Journals Entry: Some Thoughts Bikers Then & Now Some Thoughts 3-1-98 We were all young once, when we first started riding scoots. Many of us started out right away on Harleys and others of us started out on other types of scoots. We all had that dream to ride with our hair blowing in the wind. We were all carefree, way back then. We wore black leather jackets, boots, blue jeans, and t-shirts because we looked cool. Some women rode their own scoots, not many, and some were back seat riders. Didn't matter, we all had that love of riding. In the sixties guys greased their hair back, and fingers always smelled like Brylcreem. They were clean cut and shaven. Women still had ponytails, and wore old leathers from the guys who gave them their old ones. We started out on small bikes, and just rode without a care in the world. No one cared about bike ink or pin-striping or who's bike would be the best at the bar or hangout. Some of us still have those old bikes; some of us wished we had kept them now. Brotherhood was different then too. Not that there isn't a brotherhood out there of bikers now, but there was more of closeness for one another way back then. It didn't matter what you rode just that you rode. Nowadays many things have changed. Oh, leathers are still in. Protection is more of an importance these days than looking cool. More and more male bikers have long hair, beards and mustaches. Women haven't changed much, except we now dress to look good on our scoots and dress for protection also. There are more than one class of bikers. And many attitudes to go with them. This type of bike owner doesn't like that type of bike owner. Now we are judged by the type of motorcycle we ride. Or by the newness of our leathers or who has the most money put into their motorcycle. Chromocycles, instead of just plain riding bikes. Paint jobs that cost almost as much as the bike itself. Bikes that are built just for show, not to ride anymore to earn trophies or money; why ride it and get it dirty. Trailer whores. Too many bikers now are trailing their bikes instead of riding them. Don't want to put too many miles at one time on the bike. Why have one if you aren't going to ride it? Then there are those of us who have bit the dust many times over and keep riding. We are missing body parts, but have made our bikes accessible for riding anyways. Yet, there are those who've decided to quit after the first accident. Many of us have been riding for many years; will continue to ride for many years to come. We feel that we need that freedom in the wind to express ourselves. Some of us use it to relieve stress, others to meet someone of the opposite sex. Rebel Ruthi Legal Nurse Consultant & Trauma Nurse Specialist FourSpeed 1997-98 All rights reserved
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