Brotherhood Of The Bike

Brotherhood of the Bike

“It don’t matter what you ride as long as you ride.”

So sayeth one of my hardcore biker buddies. He rides a black and silver, chopped Harley Softail, extended forks, leather saddlebags, fringed and buckled, with long, sparkling chrome pipes that rumble like thunder from Hell. He has long, gray-streaked, black hair tied with a strip of rawhide into a ponytail that hangs down to the small of his back and a thick but scraggy beard that shelters his sun-creased face from the winds of the road. Tattoos running down the length of his arms display grandly beneath the old and battered, sleeveless, black leather jacket that seems permanently attached to his barrel chest. When he is required to wear a helmet, it will be the barest minimum black shorty allowed by law. I’m surprised it doesn’t have a spike on top.

Me, I ride a purple Honda Shadow with chromed engine, a full windshield, quiet pipes, zippered saddlebags and, yes, a sissy bar on the back to keep my wife from falling off when I crank ‘er down. My road suit is not leather, has armor in the knees, elbows, shoulders and almost all the vital areas of my body (they missed the crotch though. A serious oversight to my way of thinking.). My black helmet is full-faced and shielded to keep my delicate skin wind protected and my pearly-white teeth free of bugs.

But we’re all the same on the road. It don’t matter if you ride a chopper, cruiser, sport bike, scooter or crotch rocket. Bikers are bikers and you’re part of the Brotherhood.

So what is the Brotherhood? (Not to disrespect the Sisters out there. ‘Brotherhood of the Bike’ just fit together more poetically.) Here are a few thoughts on the subject from me and fellow riders from around the country and even Canada.

For me, the Brotherhood means being there if my biker buddies need help on the road. What if I get a flat? Unlike a car, it’s difficult to strap a spare to the back of your bike. It might mean sharing info and a place to bed for the night or maybe where the locals get together for a cool glass of intoxicating beverage after a long ride.

When I see another bike on the road, I know we share much in common. We share the love of the open road, the wind whistling around us. We love the camaraderie shared between fellow bikers.

In the old days, the deep base rumble of a hundred bikes rolling into a small town filled the inhabitants with fear, mothers dragged their children from the streets, doors and shutters slammed and locked. It’s sorry to say that much of the reputation was well deserved, but today things are much different. Biker clubs are well known for their service to the community. Hundreds and thousands of bikes roll down the pavement to support major charity events. In Missouri, there are events like Bikers for Babies, the annual ride for the March of Dimes. Phil and Cindy’s Bike show benefits the Marine ROTC in support of our veterans and military. The St. Louis Ride For Kids raises money for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

My personal favorite is The Patriot Guard Riders whose motto is “Standing For Those Who Stood For Us.” They are a very special organization that deserves a tribute in this book.

There are a lot of terrific events just for the fun of it. Bike shows, the Rat Ride, Outlaws Bar & Grill Summer Bash, Poker Runs and so many more I couldn’t name them all. Bottom line, bikers take care of their own and the community around them and have a hell of a time doing it. They are politically active and joined by a deep sense of brotherhood. Bike organizations raise more money for charities than almost any other single group out there.

Riding a bike is not only a blast, but means you are part of a greater whole that shares many experiences. In the following pages, others and I will share some of those with you. We’ll share the good, bad and the ugly and let you new riders out there know just what you’re getting yourself into.