Five Rider Resolutions for 2014

By Bud Wilkinson of RIDE-CT.com

Eat less. Exercise more. No matter how hard we try, these two traditional New Year’s resolutions usually fall by the wayside before January has expired. Good intentions often don’t translate into action because lasting results are just too difficult to obtain. Marie Osmond may be able to shed pounds from everywhere but her Botoxed lips – and how many times has she lost weight thanks to Nutrisystem anyway? – but it’s not so easy for the rest of us.

The key to success when it comes to resolutions is to set the bar low and pick ones that are enjoyable rather than burdensome. One motorcycle resolution that I make annually at this time of the year, and always manage to keep, is to discover new roads in the coming year. Taking the path always traveled may get you to the destination quicker, but it can also be predictable and boring.

So, before I forget, I hereby vow to take some unexpected turns in the year ahead. If I get lost, so what? If I end up on dirt, so much the better. It’s the ride, not the destination, that matters, right?

Indeed, motorcycling lends itself to resolutions because the recreation is all about the ride. Here are some possible resolutions for 2014 that you might consider making. All are guaranteed to either put a smile on your face or make your riding experience less hazardous:

1) Resolve to attend a motorcycle meet or rally. The choices here are many, and it doesn’t have to be a huge event like Laconia or Americade, although both are fun if crowded. Maybe pick one that’s contrary to your brand or style of bike. If you ride a recent model, attend a vintage meet, such as the one in Rhinebeck, NY or Brit Jam. If you ride an American-made bike, go to Rice-O-Rama for Japanese or the IMOC rally for Italian bikes. It’s often the case that there are just as many noteworthy bikes in the parking lot as on the show ground. While the meet may a specific identity, all riders are unvariably welcomed.

2) Resolve to take a demo ride. You say you’re not in the market for a new bike? So what? Many dealerships have new models available for testing and it’s never too soon to start doing homework for your next purchase. Maybe you’re a novice on the verge of moving up to a larger model. Or maybe you’re an old-timer who’s thinking that something smaller, lighter and lower may be in order. A demo ride can answer all sorts of questions that maybe you haven’t even thought to ask. I’ve already made of list of some models that I’d like to ride in 2014, including Harley-Davidson’s Street 750, BMW’s R NineT and Honda’s Valkyrie.

3)  Resolve to improve your riding skills. This will keep you safer when riding. A common complaint among riding instructors that I know is that long-time riders frequently respond, “I already know how to ride” when urged to take a refresher course. That may be true, but skills can always be improved and bad habits do need to be excised. There’s no better place to bond with your bike and with other experienced riders than in the safe environment of a range. Ever done a track day? It’s worth considering, too.

4) Resolve to see more attractions. Ever visited the Motorcyclopedia Museum in Newburgh, NY or the Indian collection at the Lyman & Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History in Springfield, MA? Both are well worth the trip, so if you haven’t visited either make 2014 the year that you do it. Less well known but equally interesting are Jim Hoellerich’s Museum of Vintage Trail Bikes in Cheshire, MA or the Weaver family’s Bultaco Museum in Craryville, NY.

5) Resolve to improve the overall image of riders. Sure, there will always be a few narcissistic Neanderthals who insist on having loud, window-rattling exhaust pipes that give us all a bad name. There will always be squids who do wheelies on freeways and stoppies in traffic as well. Many drivers dislike us enough already, so do what you can do to thwart a negative image of riders this year by setting a good example.

Happy New Year!