I recently ran across a fascinating story of a legendary hero, whose tragic death paved the way for the development of the motorcycle helmet. Being a bit of a history buff, I just had to share this bit of motorcycling trivia that led to the not-so-trivial safety gear we all (hopefully) utilize every time we throw a leg over and throttle out on two wheels.
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The 10th-annual international Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride for men’s cancer and mental health was back on for 2021, having moved to Sunday, May 23 worldwide. I joined in on the Atlanta ride, among hundreds of like-minded and dapper-dressed men and women riders. A great ride, among great people, astride great motorcycles, for a great cause. And it was a perfect, beautifully sunny spring day in Georgia, USA. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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MV Agusta just pulled the wraps off their updated exclusive RUSH 1000 for 2021, with styling cues and performance upgrades over last year’s debut of the bike. First revealed as a limited edition 2020 model, the 2021 Rush offers the same 998cc inline four powerplant in the tubular trellis frame that their Brutale 1000RR rolls with, but sports a rounded LED headlight, trimmed and reshaped tail section, and a cool rear disc wheel, among many other improvements. Each bike will be sold with a numbered certificate of authenticity as well.
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I still remember the first time I viewed the movie, “Easy Rider”. The grand, sweeping scenery, the memorable soundtrack, and those motorcycles piloted by Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, absolutely captured my imagination. Riding through wide open spaces has since become a joy I’ve experienced myself many times over the years. For all of the movie’s faults and foibles, those two motorcycles took on personalities themselves in the minds of riders everywhere, as much as their riders did in the film. “Easy Rider” effectively captured the essence of the 1960s hippie culture, as well as it’s bitter end. The movie has since grown beyond cult-classic status to downright movie icon, at least in the motorcycling culture.
But whatever became of the famed “Captain America” bike in the film?
There is a group of motorcyclists in our area, known as the Night Riders, who enjoy carving up the country roads outside of town after sunset. I hear them many warm, spring-summer evenings, their sport bikes howling through the dark, engines revving, clicking up and down through the gears as they slice their way along the curvy blacktop that snakes around our north Georgia home. Sometimes I just stand outside and listen, trying to count how many there are, guessing which roads they are running- and occasionally, wishing I were riding with them.
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Small, simple, and very approachable, the Trident is nonetheless a rowdy little hooligan bike, built rock solid, that will immediately respond to a throttle dare and hurl you into a thrill ride. The bike possesses that same “What do you want to do? Well let’s go!” attitude, which I picked up on the first time I turned the key, thumbed the starter, engaged 1st and launched out down the rural roads surrounding my home in the north Georgia hill country.
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Italian women are often portrayed in pop culture as sophisticated, sensuous, and svelte. They are also frequently portrayed as hot-headed and mercurial, quick to slap the crap out of you should you press your luck. And yet who among us guys, at some point in our lives weren’t gobsmacked at some Italian beauty we beheld, on screen or in print? We desired her, dreamed of her, even if we knew we might never have her.
Such is often our reaction to the sleek Italian motorcycle brands, and their exotic models. Beautiful yet volatile, alluring yet threatening, they beckon us to take them for a ride, dare us really, and yet are more than prepared to smack us down should we misbehave with them.
I’ve long harbored a fascination and great affection for the classic British motorbike brands. I grew up on and around my father’s Triumphs, and have owned a series of them myself over the years. Yet the Grand Marshal of the Brit parade to me was always the BSAs. With their polished tank medallions, exquisite paint schemes, compelling names (Gold Star, Rocket, Lightning, Spitfire, Bantam, etc.) and racing pedigree, the BSA brand for years has been, as fellow writer Ted Edwards might quip, my “unicorn.” I’ve longed for and lusted after them, but have never owned one. Yet.
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An admission up front- as much as I’ve been looking forward to sampling this brand new offering from Royal Enfield, I didn’t have high expectations. Heck, it’s a single thumper 349cc for Pete’s sake, making all of 20 horses to the rear wheel, and would be the smallest street bike I’ve ever ridden. I planned to ride it mildly, and report on it as the small displacement stepping-stone bike to their 650cc Twins that I perceived it would be. Talk about mistaken first impressions!
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