Tangible versus Intangible reasons for riding a motorcycle

For motorcycle riders, the question "Why do you enjoy riding a motorcycle?" seems pointless. The stock answer from an impatient rider would be, "If you want to know, why don't you ride one and find out?" The question may be hard to answer because the answer requires a rider to communicate his or her thoughts, feelings, and emotions and connect with the listener. And the listener may have never ridden a motorcycle, and may have no interest in doing so. This is not easy.

If I were to give it a try, my response would be, motorcycle riding generates the right balance of tangible and intangible feelings in the rider. If you care about this sort of thing. Caveat: For those who have substantial barriers to appreciating motorcycles (fear, preconceived notions, bias, indifference), this or any other explanation will seem completely pointless. 

(Which leads me to the best possible advice I can give--do not try to convert anyone to be a motorcycle rider or make them like it. But that is a topic for a different blog)

You entire body and mind is engaged when riding a motorcycle. You have to maintain your balance, constantly use your hand-eye coordination, you hear and feel the motorcycle's engine and change gears to keep it smooth and comfortable, I could go on and on.

The intangible part is the sensations that are generated when you view a beautiful scenic route, smoothly taking a curve, and the feeling of independence.

It is crucial that you observe the thoughts, feelings, and emotions with complete equanimity. I have noticed more than once, if I give in to the pleasant sensations, if I relax to much, or my concentration wavers, I am swiftly brought back to reality when my motorcycle twitches because I went around a curve too fast, or hit an unseen bump on the road. This generates a lot of unpleasant sensations, which I have to observe with complete equanimity as well. In simple terms, avoid panic and rash moves when moving at high speeds.

The tangible and intangible feelings perhaps sum up the value proposition of riding a motorcycle. You can get these feelings from other sources, some may say this is true of flying aircraft and sailing boats. Yes, that is true. But you are here because you have an interest in motorcycles, so I will proceed with that assumption!

This leads me to the general principles of communicating with your fellow human beings. How to provide the information required by your listener, whether at work or at home, how to assess readiness for change and action, and how to deal with the pleasant and unpleasant sensations that arise when communicating with your fellow human beings, is a vast topic and takes years of practice to master. Numerous books have been written and more continue to be written. Most of these focus on the "how" and the "mechanics" and very few try to teach the "feel" part of communication.

Ultimately, mastery in communication requires skill and taking an interpersonal risk. The ultimate skills of communication--knowing when to be quiet and not say anything, and knowing when to listen, and knowing when to speak--can only be learnt, not taught.

Escaping from/to Reality (on a motorcycle

As I begin to ride, I feel a sense of calm come over me. I am not wildly excited about riding, nor am I petrified with fear. I feel calm, or, if you prefer, equanimous. This is the zone where I can truly enjoy the ride, without anxiety or fear or over-confidence.

When I lose equanimity during a ride, I tend to take risks that prove disastrous (yes, it has happened, but I recovered quickly) or I tense up and open myself up to the possibility of mistakes.

As a fellow motorcyclist put it in his post somewhere, when I ride, the "layers of bullshit" just peels away, as I get away from the ups and downs of my daily life.

This troubles me. I wish to ride because it requires me to be equanimous, and there is joy in being equanimous. But I do not wish to run away from reality to get this joy. I wish to enjoy my day-to-day existence as well, with the same joy that I get when I ride. What I am trying to say in a roundabout way, is that I am trying to be equanimous in my day-to-day life, but succeeding better when I am on a motorcycle.

Why is that?

For one thing, when I am on a motorcycle, I have to pay complete attention to what I am doing. It is a matter of life and death. I plan ahead, but also adjust and go with the flow. For another, I take action or take evasive action without judgment. There is no room for losing my temper or being critical of events and people. People around me treat me with respect and caution because what I am doing is very clear. I ride to enjoy myself, they don't want to spoil that. I could be of danger to them, so they are careful around me on the road. I train hard, practice my skills, read a lot about motorcycles, but ultimately, the tasks on a motorcycle are simple.

Reality is different, tasks are more complex, there are multiple personalities at home and work, thoughts (cravings and aversions) crowd into my mind and paralyze me, I lack skills in a few crucial areas, and I have trouble decoding the contradictory and critical feedback from my fellow human beings.

This means I have to work harder in my day-to-day life. If I accept this reality (hard work), then the situation begins to resemble a motorcycle ride. It actually feels like a lot of little motorcycle rides, and so I need to stop between rides, clean my bike, check fluids, give the engine a rest, and then continue. 

One way my day-to-day life is "better" (not a satisfactory description, but you'll get the point). I can afford only one bike, and that bounds my capabilities. In real life, I can become a bigger bike with my efforts.

Perhaps this is too simple an analogy. I know there is more to it. But for now, this gives me some calm.

How to pass a motorcycle written test

First, let me make it very clear, I despise and dislike tests. Second, let me also make it very clear that tests are necessary.

Why this oxymoronic observation? Read on to learn more...

I prepared hard for the motorcycle written test at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). I read the California Motorcycle Handbook end to end. I read the California Driver Handbook, both the iBook and PDF versions. I took the sample tests in the iBook version and on the DMV web site. I downloaded apps for my iPhone and took those tests as well. The online tutorial was helpful as well.

I did not make many mistakes in the practice tests, but it really bothers me when I don't know the answer or if I have to guess. I went back into the Manuals, and occasionally the YouTube videos to seek clarification. The thought at the back of my mind was, questions I've never seen may appear on the test and I have to have all the information I need in my head so I can get to the answer by using common sense and first principles.

Having taken the Basic Rider Course sponsored by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, I was exempt from the skill test at the DMV, but I was determined not to let that lower my guard. While you cannot learn how to drive by reading books and manuals, the information provided will save me time when learning on the bike.

Fast forward... I passed the written test. I was pleased, because my plan worked. My plan is described below:

• I accepted that tests are necessary and it will keep me and others safe if I go thru the process. This foundational and fundamental belief cleared the way for me and every obstacle to preparing and taking the test suddenly become enjoyable.
• I separated "knowing how to ride" from "taking a test." Knowing how to ride will save my life. Knowing how to take a test will get me a license. No license, no ride.
• Knowing how to ride is also foundational and fundamental. Otherwise I might pass the test with guesswork, and that will result in my forming bad habits. If I can guess my way out of a test, I can guess my way out of tough situations, right?
• I noticed most of my issues were with the vocabulary used in the manuals and by the instructors. The concepts were easy and intuitive, after all I have the experience of riding motorcycles. So if I did not understand what was spoken or written, I would take extra care to research and learn it.
• Some of the questions were phrased ambiguously. At such moments, it is critical for me to suspend judgment and focus on what the answer needs to be. This taught me how to focus on eliminating the wrong answers or selecting the best one. Getting upset at a poorly worded question is pointless.
• I looked for and used all the free resources. There is quite a bit available. I almost paid for iPhone apps to get additional practice questions, but their design did not inspire confidence and ultimately it did not matter.

Here is the tipping point for me: On the morning of the test, I watched a few YouTube videos where actual tests administered recently were posted. After going thru a few, I felt really well prepared. Was this cheating? Not in my case. I was determined to be knowledgeable and the written test was just a mere "check in the box" at this point. If I did not pass the test, I would spend time preparing for the next one, not to mention added cost and a loss of confidence.

Psychologists will have a field day with my line of thinking. They will tell you about my "fear of failure," "obsessive compulsive behavior," "perfectionist," "anal retentiveness," and perhaps an esteem problem. Napoleon Hill will tell you it is perhaps a "fear of success."

Whatever.

On the one hand, such coaching and feedback is distraction. None of these people are experts on who I am. It is critical that I understand what makes me comfortable, what makes me tick, how I learn and retain information, and what test taking strategies work for me. Once I understand myself, I will be a high performance test taking machine. 

On the other hand, such coaching and feedback is a description of how I come across. To that extent, it is valid and useful. There is no way to keep everyone happy along the way, but I try not to do anything to make it worse. For example, if I am studying hard, I try not to ignore my duties (doing the dishes, walking the dog, take the garbage out, put the laundry away) and try not to be irritable in my demeanour. No one should feel I am under stress from studying for a test. 

Focus and dedication will pay off. I can only get better.

Day to day interactions and incidents in the workplace are also tests. A dysfunctional co-worker, micromanaging boss, irrational executive, demanding customer, you take your pick of what causes you stress in the workplace. Your task is to treat each interaction as a test and learn how to pass it using systematic methods and without stress. 

Add to that marital challenges and teenagers in the house. In my case I have a spouse who is 99% perfect and kids who are near role models of good behavior. So why do I have trouble with "tests" at home? See above for some reasons.

The virtue of Patience

The dictionary defines "patience" as "the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset."

Being patient is not the same as being "laid back." Patient people can come across as lazy, disinterested, slow to act, or even of low intelligence. This distinction is important so you do not misread the other person or develop wrong traits in yourself under the impression that you are cultivating patience.

"Patience" requires you to avoid actions triggered by anger, irritation, or impatience. But action is key, sometimes the action must be swift and almost instinctive.

Let us review a couple of examples.

• You sit on your motorcycle at a busy intersection, waiting for an opportunity to join the traffic and continue to your destination. You wait, and you wait. If you get impatient and force your way into the traffic, you could trigger a collision. In this situation, you must patiently wait for a safe opening for you to proceed.
• Your motorcycle stalls in the middle of the road and you resolve to be patient. You calmly troubleshoot your motorcycle and are mowed down by a motorist who did not see you in time. This is not a good example of showing patience, this is an example of a poorly chosen action. Quickly move your motorcycle to the side of the road and proceed to patiently troubleshoot.
• You call your spouse from a scenic spot on the highway and tell him or her about how beautiful the scenery is and how you wish he or she was there with you. You are then subjected to a tirade of how irresponsible you are for not finishing your chores prior to going on your ride. If you are patient, you will calmly interrupt your spouse, tell him or her you will hear the rest when you get home, hang up the phone, and continue to enjoy the excursion. Avoid replaying that conversation in your head during your drive home.

When I purchased the motorcycle, the accessories had to be ordered and installed. This took a few days. A snowstorm delayed all deliveries, adding to the aggravation. It was a moment to practice patience. I took care to inform the dealer that just because I am patient, not being a "squeaky wheel," he is not to put me to the back of the line. I expected installation and delivery the day he gets the accessories. Sometimes, it is necessary to inject urgency in your request, find ways for doing so without becoming impatient.

An extreme example: If you are a firefighter, and the victims trapped in the fire are not cooperating, or moving fast enough, you have to keep the urgency high, and showing impatience may make the victims tense or they may panic, making the situation worse.

If you are patient on the "inside" it will show externally, even if you are raising your voice. If you are impatient on the "inside," no matter how polite or restrained you are externally, people can tell that you are an impatient person. This may go against you if you are looking for agreement, cooperation, or support for your ideas.

You know from your experience how valuable patience can be. Practicing patience is easier once you understand the nuances. It also helps if you are not tired, physically in good shape, and generally a positive minded person.

The question in my mind is, should we ride motorcycles after developing patience, do should we ride motorcycles in order to develop patience?

Learning to ride a motorcycle

During the motorcycle class conducted by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), I resolved to retain a heightened sense of awareness every moment. I wanted to test my hypothesis that awareness would result in maximum learning.

Here are some tips that emerged from my experience:

• Do not blame the motorcycle. If the class you signed up for provides a motorcycle, it may not be the right size, more than likely the clutch will not be smooth and the engine will falter at the wrong time. It does not matter, you have a certain number of hours to learn how to ride and pass the test, you have to find a way to master the motorcycle quickly. I found this attitude led me to be "in the moment" and seek solutions, not excuses.
• Do not blame the instructor. Thankfully, the instructors were top notch. They were experienced, patience, and funny. From time to time, they used words that were strange to me, and not every explanation was understood by me. When you don't understand, speak up! They would not hesitate to correct me on the spot, and a person with a lesser ego would have felt bruised by all that direct coaching. And they held firmly to their standards of skill and safety. I found it very productive to keep trying to change and adapt to their feedback.
• Do not blame the weather. The second day of riding lessons was wet and gloomy. It was freezing cold when the wind picked up. When riding, even though the highest gear was two, we could feel the bite of lower temperatures. The first thought that came to mind was, "Should have prepared better." I shrugged and returned to being in the moment. I somehow survived the day, and resolved to buy clothing that would protect me from the elements. Without that experience, I might have overlooked certain things when buying clothing for motorcycles. I realized that I could not have purchased this experience, I had to be in it to learn how to protect myself against the weather.
• Be prepared. Prepare before the course by reading the educational material on the MSF web site. Use their checklist to pack water and snacks. If the instructor does not have to correct you for small things, he or she will have more time to give you valuable and hard to find advice to make riding a motorcycle safer and more enjoyable.
• Discover your weaknesses. Some exercises and maneuvers were easier than others. Even though I was coached, cajoled, and coaxed to improve, some exercises and maneuvers continued to be challenging. I made a note to practice, practice, practice until my skill and confidence grew. This is not a matter of, "I got only a couple of answers wrong in the riding test." Out there in the real world, everything has to work in harmony, all the time, if one safety check is out of place, or one maneuver is flawed, the result will not be pretty.
• Discover your strengths. This is important, because when you are displaying your strength, your guard will be lowered, and that is when you are the most vulnerable. Hubris is very obvious after the fact when analyzing a motorcyclist incident.

Thus, awareness is crucial. It is how you determine if you are in the right gear, whether you are entering a curve at the right speed, and whether you need to stop or swerve. Danger lurks all around, and it will take you by surprise when you least expect it. It was clear to me that enjoying a motorcycle ride is not the same as relaxing in a hot bath. You can't drift away and hope the world will still be the same when your attention returns.

On a more happier note, fond memories of riding a motorcycle came rushing back to me. I was reminded of the thrill and joy of riding in my days of youth. At the end of the class, I knew that my desire to ride had not diminished. 

Fear and education

When buying motorcycle gear, you will quickly learn that there are many choices. This is a good thing, it means sellers have studied and segmented the market to cater to a variety of choices. It also makes shopping a confusing experience for a newbie.

I've found many online forums with excellent advice. But if you are new, the best way to select gear is to touch and feel it. I've been to a couple of stores, the customer service has been excellent, with knowledgeable staff willing to patiently explain the smallest details.

However, every one of them turned to fear when persuading me to upgrade to a higher priced option of a product. They paint gory "what if" scenarios and quote case studies of how a product saved a customer's life. One of them told me that he does not get paid a commission so his advice is keeping my best interest in mind. This is not totally plausible, because a higher price means higher margins, and perhaps a reward in the form of monthly bonuses.

They do this out of concern, but they also do this because this is how they have been taught, and because they do not known how to educate differently.

The best sales people will explain the risk of choosing one quality level over another, and they will encourage you to decide for yourself. They will have an opinion, but they will explain how they arrived at their opinion, and not force you to follow it.

Using Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD) is a poor strategy, because it breeds more FUD, and does not promote clear thinking. Customers will eventually figure out what works and what does not. Sales people who use FUD will have lost credibility and future business. In a small market, this is not the way to build relationships and recurring revenue streams from a customer.

Come to think of it, this is true in all endeavors that involve danger and risk.

Kids enter a "twilight zone" as they become teenagers. Frustrated parents use fear to try and get thru to them. In this fast paced world, and with no proper training, most parents do not have the patience or skill to communicate and coach their kids. It works out in the end for many for some kids, but other kids take longer than they should to learn life lessons.

In the workplace, manipulative bosses and co-workers use fear to influence and get things done. This is so pervasive you cannot be faulted for thinking this is normal.

What can you do about it? First, become aware of your fears. This is not easy, it is hard work, and requires you to face the truth about yourself. Second, do something about it. I'll have more to say on the latter shortly.

What is "Vipassana?"

You don't need to ride motorcycles to understand what I am about to say, but it helps.

It is the weekend and the weather outside is gorgeous. You feel a tug inside you and you decide to go for a ride on your motorcycle. As you dress for the ride, the anticipation creates pleasant sensations in your body. You walk to your motorcycle, you note the stiffness of your walk, and remind yourself that riding boots are not meant for walking.

When you mount your motorcycle and start the engine, you feel the vibrations all over your body, some of which is from the engine and others generated from the excitement within your body. You feel something is not right about the vibrations. You lean down and adjust the motorcycle engine, ah, now it sounds right!

As you ride, you can feel the wind in spite of your helmet and riding gear. The thrill and joy of riding creates an urge to go faster, but you resist the temptation. You ride for a while, then stop to admire the scenery.

When you return to your motorcycle, you see it has fallen to the ground. You had not parked it on firm ground. Anguish rips through your body as you anxiously lift your baby and lovingly dust the chrome and leather.

This should be enough to make my point...

When you ride a motorcycle, your body generates sensations. If you are vigilant, over time, you will know each one of them. You will use pleasant sensations to enjoy yourself, the unpleasant sensations to anticipate problems, and to raise your guard, and you react instinctively to almost all of them when riding (this last point can be a boon or a curse).

You will practice Vipassana when you observe your sensations in a two step process:

• Observe ALL your sensations, gross or subtle. It takes a lot of practice to observe the subtle sensations, trust me, they are there.
• Observe your sensations with equanimity, without craving and aversion.

As you can imagine, all your day to day actions generate sensations, and you can practice Vipassana even if you don't ride a motorcycle. You can practice Vipassana professionally (become a monk) or practice it from time to time (go to a meditation camp) or make it part of your daily routine.

Motorcycle riders experience a range of sensations that only a fellow motorcycle rider will truly understand. This understanding creates a bond that does not require words to be exchanged when they meet. The best motorcyclists are mindful, careful, manage risks, and do not give in to urges to ride fast or dangerously. They know when to keep riding and when to take a break to stretch their legs.

Such motorcyclists are practicing a form of Vipassana.