Wild Motorcycle Tales

There are four new motorcycle stories this week for your enjoyment. Two involve motorcycle trips through Afghanistan. One takes place in Venezuela. The last has to do with a '57 Triumph and a fire. Got your own motorcycle story? Send it to me. Now, read Wild Motorcycle Tales, especially the first four.

Jack Riepe -- Motorcycle Humorist

When I first met Jack Riepe at the 2006 BuRP Rally, I was amazed at his spontaneous humor. To be around Jack is to be around laughter. Jack now has a blog of his motorcycle stories. I'm listing a few that I particularly like. In fact, this is my Top 10 Riepe Stories. Your choices may differ. Read all his stories and choose your own favorites. I warn you ahead of time that his writings are for adults. Read more.

Picture courtesy of Dick Bregstein

Big Sid's Vincati - Dads and Sons and Their Motorcycles

I just saw this article in my Google Alerts. It's actually a review of a new book, "Big Sid’s Vincati: The Story of a Father, a Son, and the Motorcycle of a Lifetime," by Matthew Biberman. The article is on the Opinion page of the New York Times and written by Stanley Fish. It's thought provoking and even involves motorcycles. If you ever read Pirsig's, "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," you'll be even more interested in the article. If you never heard of Pirsig, read the article and then go get a copy. It's easy reading but deeply involved in philosophy too.

Here's an excerpt from the article, "Fathers, Sons and Motorcycles":

"What is it about motorcycles? I have never been on one for the same reason that I don’t go on roller coasters or other amusement-park rides. I’m terrified. Yet every so often motorcycles come into my life. When I met my wife in the middle ’70s her primary mode of transportation was a motorcycle (a small Honda). She specialized in terrifying situations. She rode it to and from work in South Philadelphia and was once robbed at an intersection while waiting for the light to turn green. She took the bike onto the Baltimore Beltway, where I felt nervous driving a car. She says now that she got it because something was missing from her life. And she bought it immediately after having read Robert Pirsig’s "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values" (1974)." -- Stanley Fish

Now, read the complete article and don't forget the comments at the end.

Modular Motorcycles - New Obama Energy Plan

A joint statement released today by Steven Chu, Energy Secretary, and Ray LaHood, Transportation Secretary, unveiled a bold new plan to make future motorcycles out of modular components and to also enlist new renewable energy sources for their propulsion. This plan has become the latest stimulus package from the Obama administration. This time it directly affects all motorcycle riders. Read more.

Wild Motorcycle Tales - Motorcycle Stories to Remember

We've all heard motorcycle stories and wild motorcycle tales.

Every motorcyclist has his or her motorcycle stories or wild tales to tell.

Why not write down your best motorcycle stories taken from your own personal experiences and submit them to Motorcycle Views. I'll pick the funniest, most interesting motorcycle stories and make them available on the site. It's your chance to get your 15-minutes of fame and give others a great motorcycle story.

Are you ready for some Wild Motorcycle Tales? See if you can top these motorcycle stories recently sent in by your fellow motorcyclists.

Here's a sample Wild Motorcycle Tale called Chicken Caper:

When I was in High School way back in the early '60s, I had a 175 Allstate. Back then motorcycles only had 2 speeds to me -- off or wide open. Of course that was only about 65 mph on the Allstate.

Riding along a country road one day, I topped a small rise in the road and found a flock of chickens covering the road. Too late to slow down so I plowed right through them. When I looked back, all I could see was a white cloud of chickens and feathers flying in the sky.

When I got to my friend's house he came out and said, "What's that on your muffler?" I looked down and found I must have caught one unfortunate hen with the foot peg and knocked an egg out of her. I had a perfectly scrambled egg splattered down my exhaust pipe. -- John

Now, read all the Wild Motorcycle Tales and then write up your own story and send it to me.

A Motorcycle Comedian is Born

It's rare when a motorcycle comedian is born.

I had the good fortune to become acquainted with Jack Riepe on my old forum a few years back. Jack is a true wit. With no preparation whatsoever, Jack is capable of spitting out one-liners and stories that keep you and anyone standing near you, in stitches.

Jack is the author of Politically Correct Cigar Smoking For Social Terrorists, a book on men's sensitivity. He had not written much on motorcycles except for occasional work on the forum where he posted some of the most humorous motorcycle stories imaginable.

When planning was underway for the 2006 BuRP Rally to be held in Maggie Valley, NC, Jack decided he wanted to attend. BuRP is a small rally close to the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's run by forum members and attracts riders from all over the United States. We all looked forward to the rally to see Jack in person.

I know that often a funny guy in person doesn't write funny things on paper. Similarly, someone who is funny in print, often is pretty dull in person.

Fortunately, Jack turned out to be funny in person and funny in print.

Check out my BuRP Motorcycle Rally Day-by-Day Blog for 2006 to see my recollections and pictures of BuRP 2006. They are sprinkled with comments and pictures about Jack.

Now Jack has begun his own blog, Twisted Roads, specializing in motorcycle stories with a heavy dose of humor.

Jack's blog has recently given his take on the 2006 BuRP Rally discussing his complete trip, the people he met at the rally, and all the funny things that happened.

You owe it to yourself to read Jack's Twisted Roads blog. You have my personal guarantee that you'll be laughing all the way through.

Picture of Jack Riepe © 2006-2008 Walter F. Kern. All rights reserved.

Joe Motorcycle - Just an Average Guy

I happened to run into a biker friend of mine named Joe Motorcycle. Now Joe is an average guy, kinda like Charlie Brown in the comics. Joe spends a lot of time on the Internet, especially on the Motorcycle Views site and on the Motorcycle Views Forum when he's not out riding his bike.

Joe has consented to answer a few questions for me. I must warn you though. Joe is a man of few words.

Oh, and please resist the temptation to click on the links until we get to the end of the interview. If you do click the answers, please remember to use the Back button to return to the interview with Joe.

Walt: "What brand of motorcycle do you ride Joe?"


Joe: "Hey, I just got a new Harley-Davidson Softail Rocker. It's great!"



Walt: "How did you learn to ride?"


Joe: "Never went to one of those new schools. Learned on my own."



Walt: "What color is your scoot?"


Joe: "Some people around here seem to like red but the only motorcycle color I like is black."



Walt: "How many motorcycles do you own?


Joe: "Well, I used to have an old Panhead but had to sell it. I only have one motorcycle these days."


Read the rest of the interview

"Borrow a Bike" - New Economic Stimulus Plan

The Department of Transportation released plans on Monday to create a new economic stimulus plan tailored to those who ride motorcycles.

Transportation Secretary, Mary Peters, an avid motorcyclist herself, has been studying the increased costs to the total economy of having motorcyclists continuing to spend money to buy expensive motorcycles and maintain them only to let them sit in garages all over America without being used much.

"The average yearly mileage on a motorcycle is 2000 miles," said Peters. "We have in mind a new economic stimulus plan geared toward helping all our motorcycle friends." read more