Motorcycling is a romance of speed, line, technique, and refinement. And like a romance, there are ups and downs. Much of my blog, the Art of Motorcycling, stews in a romance of riding, yet, there was something important I needed to address. I love riding my 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900, but, at the back of mind, I often think….what if I breakdown? What would I do? How would I get home? As a new rider, I overlooked solving a breakdown on my motorcycle, by focusing my energy on learning, practicing, and surviving my commute days and weekend rides. As far as putting in an effort to acknowledge that my motorcycle can and will, at some point, break down, I just looked at my triple A card and thought, “this will take care of that”. Lately though, I have been putting together plans for a motorcycle trip to Western North Carolina next year. Since August, I have invested in a luggage system, which includes a left side saddlebag, and mount. I visited my local Triumph dealership and spoken to an employee there who has made multiple motorcycle trips to Western North Carolina to learn about setting up a base camp and riding the amazing roads in this area. Research also included watching a few YouTube videos on motorcycle trips, but I knew one thing was missing; an emergency roadside kit. But where would I start? Sure, breaking down in a car sucks too. Yet, most of vehicles I have owned come with equipment to at least get you home or to a location for additional assistance. Heck, I have driven cross-country twice, and always packed an emergency roadside kit. But on a motorcycle, what do you take for a blown tire? What if your gear shift pedal gets bent and you can’t get out of second gear? What do you do? Questions like these and more got me thinking about addressing my need for a motorcycle emergency roadside kit for my Triumph.

The legendary fork bag has had a long and storied tradition in motorcycling. Though you don’t see many fork bags on the road in my area, I knew adding a fork bag to Lucy, my Triumph motorcycle would be the first step in having a resource to save my bacon. From my internet research, the fork bag made complete sense. Just enough space to carry essentials for solving multiple types of issues in the event of an unfortunate occurrence while riding. Attaching the fork bag would continue to keep a lovely retro vibe that my saddlebag does for Lucy. Appearance wise, it didn’t seem that it would create trouble while riding. Now finding a particular fork bag that meet my needs and looked that part, would be fun to find. The most important was not adding a big block of plastic to Lucy. The magic of Lucy is the iconic style this motorbike showcases and slapping on a big bulky piece of plastic was not going to work for me. Searching through various images of fork bags, I kept coming back to a fork bag made by Longride, out of Brussels, Belgium. The fork bag from Longride got my attention because of the overall appeal. A retro style made of robust materials like leather and cotton to really give their fork bag a proper look. Seeing the internet pictures of their fork bag on motorbikes like mine, I knew I had to pull the trigger. I placed my order on a Tuesday and by Friday, Leo, my fork bag arrived at my doorstep. “So what the heck do I put into Leo?”, I thought. Space was limited. I knew what to do. It was time to hit up ChatGPT for support and build my first motorcycle emergency roadside kit.

For me, I can honestly say, I have broken down on the side of road a few times. It is never a fun experience. Yet, I learned a lot. Through surviving the unexpected, I knew a few items would need to be included. But packing a spare tire on my motorcycle was definitely out of the question. To build my first motorcycle emergency roadside kit, I had to address the tires first. Lucky for me, the first item on ChatGPT’s roadside kit list, was a tire plug system. Fortunately, I had experience with a tire plug system when I repaired a hole in my rear tire on my first bike, the Moto Morini. I ended up riding three thousand miles on my first plug, probably not a great idea, but hey, tires ain’t cheap y’all! Finding my tire plug kit, I packed the tools, sealant, and tire ropes in a plastic baggie. Though ChatGPT didn’t recommend my next item on my list, I knew my 30 year-old Leatherman was next. Maybe not the most sexy tool in my tool box, but I wouldn’t be honest if I haven’t had my Leatherman by my side in all types of adventures. Add that to my kit. The third item I selected, and recommended by ChatGPT, was power related. My iPhone is wonderful, until it dies from loss of power. So packing my power brick with a 10 foot lightning cable was a no brainer. In theory, this would allow me to run my lightning cable from my power brick to my iPhone mounted to my handlebars. Thus, I could ride for hours with full bars, without worrying about Google Maps draining my battery life. Finishing off my kit, and with the help of ChatGPT, I added zip ties, electrical tape, rubber bands, nylon cords, a zip lock bag for emergency cash, a pair of scissors, and a microfiber rag. Not included in Leo, but will packed in my saddlebag, is my portable tire inflator, and a headlight I can wear. Expect the unexpected.

Sitting in my room writing this blog post, I feel confident as I prep for my Sunday ride, with Leo attached to my fork, and confidence knowing I am prepared as best I can be. Having no experience using Leo yet, I trust the process. Knowing I have tools to save my bacon makes me happy. Preparation is an essential part of life. Maybe tomorrow I will realize I need to add another component to my kit, or remove one, I don’t know yet. But today, I feel I have made an effort to believe I can make the journey north to Western North Carolina, or at least get to work if I have a flat tire. Addressing this need has been long overdue. But the pieces fell into place this week and seeing Leo attached to Lucy in my mom’s garage, makes me smile with confidence. It is amazing how an idea forms into reality. And as a new rider, evolving into the best motorcyclist I can be, is a must.

Rolf

Since I started my motorcycle career, I have had a fear of riding my motorcycle in the rain. Even when I drive my SUV during a rain storm, I find myself gripping the steering wheel tightly and my heart rate goes up. So when I started riding my 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900 named Lucy, I made a point to avoid the rain as much as possible. Wet roads and poor visibility made me swear to never ever, ever, ride in the rain. This has changed over the past year since starting the Art of Motorcycling.

The first time I did ride in the rain, it was unexpected. A beautiful Summer Sunday morning gave way to a huge downpour and I was caught in the middle of it. What I remember most about raining in the rain was how scared I felt. Like at any moment my tires would slip and I would hit the asphalt…hard. I fondly remember being soaked and having a passing car’s puddle splash over me completely. It was such a huge splash that I was temporary blinded for a few seconds. Not the best way to start a relationship with riding in the rain.

Checking the weather yesterday morning, I noticed that rain was expected but not a monsoon. I was eager to ride, and I thought “how bad could it be?” I suited up early Monday morning. Prepped myself and Lucy for our AM commute ride to the office, and fired up the Bonneville engine on Lucy. As I sat on Lucy, pulling in the clutch and pushing the gear lever into first gear, rain started to come down. It was light but not heavy. “I can manage this,” I thought to myself. Riding to the local Circle K for gas I quickly realized this light rain was becoming a bit heavier and I had not reach top speed for commuting yet. Gassing up, I knew I would need to trust my training, my instincts, my experience, and above all, keep a positive attitude. Reading the book “Total Control” by Lee Parks, over the Summer, Mr. Parks says that riding in the rain is a GREAT opportunity to learn how your bike handles wet roads, and most importantly how your decision making must be in tune with the rain. For instance, allowing plenty of space in front of you for braking. Reducing lean angle on turns. Downshifting when coming to stops to reduce the need to hammer the brakes. And most importantly, riding at a safe speed. So, as I left the Circle K, rain falling harder, I smiled to myself and said, “I CAN HANDLE THIS”.

By the time I reached the office, I was soaked, and Lucy looked like she had been off-roading. Yet, a huge smile graced my face and I pulled a strong fist pump in the air that made me believe…I LOVE RIDING IN THE RAIN. I don’t plan to ride in every rain storm that passes Charleston, but weather changes so quickly. Putting in the effort to ride in the rain will only increase my confidence when dealing with Mother Nature.

One of the best aspects of this experience, was finding my inner strength in adversity. Because it can quickly become overwhelming, very quickly, on a motorcycle. But as I am learning, taking control of the situation, focusing on what is happening in front of you, and above all, believing in yourself, fear and panic will not take over. Some of my best moments of this commute was laughing out loud when rain splashed onto my riding goggles, creating a strange double vision for a few seconds. I learned so much about myself and Lucy while riding in the rain this day. Like how painted lines on the asphalt are super slippery or how puddles hide what could be a dangerous fall. It was the type of ride that I will remember for a long time and a turning point in my motorcycle career.

Rolf

Last weekend I attended “Scrambler Saturday” at my local Triumph Dealer and had an amazing experience. With a bit of light rain, I rode two different Triumph Scrambler motorcycles and had a blast. During my three-hour visit I met other motorcyclists who, like me, shared a love for all things two-wheels, especially Triumphs. We talked about motorcycle travels, life, and how much we all love riding motorcycles. It was fantastic. After a lunch break, I spoke with a fellow rider and described how I navigate the busy Charleston roads. During our conversation we discussed matters about how much traffic impacts our rides and how being aware while riding is so important to our safety. I soon revealed a philosophy of mine, I called it “The Box”. I described how I think of a box that surrounds me while I ride my Triumph on the busy Lowcountry roads. The Box is an imagery box that keeps me safe and aware at all times. Using this particular mindset, I know that any vehicle or animal that enters my box, I must take action. What surprised me is how well this resonated with the person I was speaking too.

To break it down The Box theory, it is an invisible boundary that surrounds me at all times while I travel on my Triumph. The box expands the slower I go and tightens up the faster I go. Thus, the box protects me from myself and makes me consider all that surrounds me while on the road. I must be patient. I must acknowledge that I am vulnerable, and above all, threats that enter my box, at any time, must be dealt with. This can mean either speeding up to create more space, which means my box tightens up, or slowing down and moving to a more open space on the road, if possible, which thus keeps the box wide and me safe.

I honestly don’t remember when I started applying The Box theory to my riding but lately, I have been using The Box while riding each time. The Box is a constant reminder to be ever on-guard against threats. Motorcycling is an amazing experience. But with such high risk, the out comes can be life-changing. By instituting The Box into my rides, I have quickly learned to always check my mirrors, every 5-10 seconds, watch my speed, be aware of traffic patterns in front and behind me, and always, always, prepare for the unexpected. The Box is a testament to understanding space and lane position on the road. This negotiation of position, especially on two lane roads, keeps me focused and ultimately as safe as I can be while riding. Of course, shit happens. But if I can improve my changes of being successful with The Box, I feel more confident each and every ride. Feel free to use The Box theory yourself while riding. It might just save your life.

Rolf

Four weeks ago, I woke up on a sunny and hot August day, noticed I didn’t have any K-Cups in the house, and thought, “let’s go to Starbucks”. Yet, I didn’t want to drive. My local Starbucks is a little over a mile from my Mom’s house and the James Island Sunday traffic was building up. So, I put on my running shoes, dressed in my active wear, loaded up my hip bag with my wallet and iPhone, and starting walking towards Starbucks. Soon I found myself running along Camp Road, an activity I had not done in many years. Lucky for me, I spent the month earlier working out doing strength training, so running was not too difficult. But man, my form was terrible, and my legs soon reminded me that I should stop running, like quit before my legs fall off. Yet, memories of running in Charleston 20 years ago flooded my mind and I remembered how much I enjoyed running as I made my way to Starbucks. Running is both a simple activity, and extremely difficult one the farther away from home you run. Once I reached Starbucks, I took a sit in the cool A/C and drank a cup of coffee. I was in heaven. Yet, as soon as I finished my coffee, I remembered…“shit! I have to run home now”.

This morning, about 2am, I dressed for a run. Put on my new running shoes from Fleet Feet, grabbed an energy gel, my iPhone, and placed them in hip bag. I put in my headphones, launched my SiriusXM app, tuned to the Chill channel, opened my mapmyrun app, hit start, and began running. Running under the moonlight is part of my fitness journey the past month. When I first started running under the moonlight, I was very nervous. The World is a much different place at 2am. Neighborhoods are sleepy, the roads are quite, and the wild life lets you know it’s their time. Running down Folly Road, I felt amazing. My pace was strong. My breathing steady and the music light to keep me occupied and focused. To consider my first mile of running in middle August, to the 10k I complete today, I am so proud of myself! And running is addictive y’all. I now have to plan my rest days between runs but don’t count on that LOL. There is also the mental toughness that is growing within me from my moonlight runs. As someone who battles a mental health disorder, running is transforming my life. I highly recommend trying a moonlight run at least once in your life.

So, how does moonlight runs support the Art of Motorcycling? My best evidence is when I commuted to work yesterday on Lucy, my 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900. After three days of runs, equaling about 12 miles, with a strength and conditioning day as well, I felt awesome on my bike! Plenty of energy to prep for my AM commute. Beautiful focus on the AM commute ride. And the best part, the PM commute, when I head home from the office, I was alert, positive, and confident to handle the PM rush hour Charleston traffic. Please note, the PM commute is by far the most difficult for me. As I wrote a note to myself post ride yesterday, a commute day on a motorcycle is a FULL DAY. Meaning, you ride to work. Work a full day. Ride home. Surviving this is a beautiful gift from God! Running helps me so much with my mental attitude towards everything that this powerful mind enhancement, crosses over to motorcycling very naturally. I am able to relax myself with breathing exercises when nerves jump up with motorcycling. Also, I feel strong throughout the PM commute after a long day at the office, something a few months ago I did not experience. It is really interesting that these two movements, running and motorcycling, pair so well together. Aside from the physical improvements from running towards motorcycling, the mental toughness needed for motorcycling is developing very quickly through my moonlight runs.

So is it a run day or ride day Rolf? Funny, it is a decision I never thought I would have to make before work. By riding Lucy under the moonlight and running the twist single lane roads of James Island under the moonlight, I am so happy for achieving new adventures in my life. Because if you don’t push yourself, challenge yourself each day, you will be left wondering what have I done with my life? Trust me, the radical changes you make in your life will be the most rewarding of all. Ok, time to wait for the moonlight.

Rolf

My experience with the Art of Motorcycling is about self discovery and exploring new places as well as rediscovering old places. Lately, a shift is happening for me both physically and emotionally. When I started my fitness journey about a month ago, it was grounded on getting fit to ride my motorcycle longer and feel stronger during rides. While that is happening, what I didn’t expect, is that my fitness journey is becoming much more than just getting fit for motorcycling. My fitness journey is transforming my life day by day. This past July I setup my first home gym in my mom’s backyard. It is perfect! I purchased some equipment and started working out for about 10 minutes until I had to stop. A few weeks later, I am now working out up to 30 minutes and I am using my entire body to help me get in the best shape of my life. Not each workout is 30 minutes but I am consistently working out multiple days during the week with durations well past 10 minutes. This feels amazing. My fitness journey is taking shape and getting me into shape as well.

Through this experience of pushing myself to the point where I feel I might pass out, I have discovered an inner strength I didn’t know I possessed. The past four weeks I have challenged myself to get up early, before dawn, and workout before I head to the office. I have even developed quick ten minute explosive workouts during office hours so I don’t have to wait until I get home to work up a sweat. Doing workouts in the Charleston heat and humidity is both difficult and painful. But through this experience I have developed a deep passion for working out in the outdoors. Maybe its reliving Rocky 4, when Rocky went to Russian and trained in a harsh environment, that I thrive on the environment awakening my spirit each day that has caused me to find my inner strength. Something I have always possessed but didn’t really tap into until now. Today, I am stronger physically and emotionally than I have been in years. There is a specific confidence that comes from training in the outdoors that leaves me feeling so at peace after a workout. I absolutely love it!

Early this morning, on a Friday, I cranked up Lucy, my Triumph Speed Twin 900, for the first time in over a week. And after a great week of working out. I wanted to see how my workouts have translated to my other passion, motorcycling. Within a few minutes of riding, a calm, magical feeling took over me. I felt relaxed, mind sharp, focus deep, and concentration strong. My body felt alive, and the few weeks of working out with kettlebells really allowed me to control Lucy in ways I had not felt before. “Who is riding this thing?”, I said myself with a laugh. The commute to work was sublime. Errors were few and I didn’t feel tried at all. I arrived at the office in one piece, as well as Lucy, and applauded myself at the cool, calm, collective demeanor I possessed throughout the ride. Definitely looking forward to the commute ride home and will tap into my inner strength again. Sure, I don’t motorcycle as much as I have earlier this year. For one, the weather is a bit crazy with extreme heat and humidity plus downpours in the afternoon. Yet, today was eye opening at how much working out is improving all aspects of my life. I am so proud of myself for taking this step and putting the work in. It is only the beginning of my fitness journey, but finding my inner strength now will keep me going for the rest of the year. So, listen to your inner voice when it stays take a walk outside and see what will happen for you. Maybe like me, you will buy a punching bag and let out all your frustrations and feel so much better about yourself afterwards.

Rolf

It is hard to believe that I have finished my first year of motorcycling! I am thrill to have reached this milestone in my motorcycling career. What started as a trip to Charleston Triumph last August, to purchase my first motorcycle, a Moto Morini SCR 650, has evolved to owning my first Triumph motorcycle, a Speed Twin 900, which I call “Lucy”. Learning to ride a motorcycle might be one of my biggest accomplishments in my life. As someone who never rode a motorcycle in my life prior August 2024, learning to ride is something I feel has changed my life. I still vividly remember taking my MSF Basic Rider Course at Trident Technical College in late July, in a hot and humid parking lot, riding a Yamaha 250 Duo Sport Motorcycle and absolutely loving every second. The MSF course was groundbreaking for me. It taught me the basics, got me to understand how to start a bike, turn a bike, and most importantly, STOP A BIKE LOL. The brakes on a motorcycle are your friend. Finishing the MSF course at Trident Technical College on a Sunday afternoon, with my certificate in hand, I was proud of myself. Yet was I ready for the public roads of the Lowcountry? NOPE.

The teaching drills that MSF taught me didn’t stop when I started up my first motorcycle on a hot day in August, outside my mom’s house in 2024. Since then, I have read a few books on motorcycling, developed a training plan each time I set out to ride, becoming very confident riding to work then home from work, navigating Lowcountry traffic in all types of weather, and exploring the beautiful landscape of the Lowcountry while on two wheels. Today on a ride to work, I had a moment where I said to myself, “Rolf, you are RIDING A MOTORCYCLE!”. It’s this child like euphoria that makes me want to ride as much as I can. Recently, I started a fitness program to benefit my riding so I can ride longer and feel stronger during rides. I am always looking for ways to improve and push myself while riding. Yet, I know my limits and do my best to ride my ride. This is why I am so happy I started motorcycling in my late 40’s and not in my early 20’s. Honestly, I don’t know if I would be here today if I started my motorcycle career earlier in my life. I am thankful for riding later in life.

And like any new adventure, there have been the ups and downs of learning something new. This I embrace completely. From my first crash, to having to trade in my first bike, this all makes me aware that that motorcycling is a lifetime pursuit. Nothing like a big slice of humble pie to know that the Art of Motorcycling is accepting your failures and learning from them so you can live to ride again. And knowing not to rush yourself when learning to ride a motorcycle is all too important. So much of my life is about getting things done as quickly as possible. Be it work, or things I do outside of work, I tend to rush myself. This is NOT what you want to do on a motorcycle. Instead, I take my time. Either when I put my gear on, to my pre-ride stretching routine, I pause, breathe, and let go of my negativity and embrace the moment. Because what I have learned in motorcycling, is that what is happening in front of you is the most important thing. Not what is behind you.

Another thing to respect while riding a motorcycle is speed. Because speed kills. And speed is one of most preventable things you can do during a motorcycle ride. Now, I can’t say I haven’t raced past the speed limit in my past year of motorcycling. But I highly respect speed. Speed does have it’s benefits though. This is especially important in traffic when you can be stuck in a pack of cars and must roll the throttle to free yourself. Blind spots, unexpected lane changes, are just a few things to note when riding on public roads. Applying speed to the equation will free you from dangerous spots in traffic but the faster you go, the more risk you have. Its a delicate balance. And the various videos I have see of motorcycle crashes where speed was the factor makes me very nervous exceeding the speed limit more than twenty miles per hour. For now, I will be happy just cruising and rolling the throttle at specific moments.

Looking forward, I will be looking to take a long ride on Lucy. Be it a camping trip or a visit to capital of South Carolina, Columbia, I feel the desire to leave the Lowcountry and take a road trip. I will also continue my training program and start riding on the highways before the end of year. One of my biggest fears is riding my motorcycle on the highway. It takes courage and discipline to ride at highway speeds. But I know I can do it. I am excited to see how the Art of Motorcycling progresses into year 2.

Rolf

Recently, I have started a fitness journey. It may not be the best time to start a fitness routine in the middle of July, in Charleston, South Carolina with the heat and humidity can be brutal. Yet, that is what I have done. Since losing over 20 pounds, I have noticed an increase in energy and a desire to be more physically active. Motorcycling is a very demanding physical sport. And to fully enjoy my motorcycle rides, I must start working out. If I look to my past physical activities, I think about the time when I played competitive youth tennis. Aside from tennis drills, emphasis was placed on cross-training to help improve my tennis game. This could be weight training to increase muscle strength or playing another sport like basketball to improve footwork. My tennis coach at the time always made sure we practiced non-tennis drills to develop endurance and improve reaction time which benefited my mental toughness on the tennis court. Because if you were fit on the tennis court, both mentality and physically, you would be a tough to beat during long rallies in tennis matches.

Remembering my youth tennis training, I decided to begin a fitness routine for motorcycling. Yet, I did not want to go to the local gym. Instead, I decided that training in the heat and humditiy of South Carolina would increase my ability to ride a motorcycle in these extreme conditions. Over the past few weeks while riding my motorcycle, I noticed that I would quickly lose energy, become fatigued, and would need to get home before my body temperature reached an unhealthy temperature. This would affect my riding both mentality and physically. I knew it was time to start training so I could ride longer and enjoy the experience more.

As of today, I have completed my first week of training. What I have developed as my training program is a bit of HIIT, High Intensity Interval Training, and Circuit Training. Both training experiences have quickly improved my strength, endurance, and increase my mental toughness. To see if this week of training had any impact on my motorcycling, I decide to ride to work on one of the hotter days of the week, with temperatures in the 90s and the heat index above 100 degrees. The AM ride to work was smooth. I was relaxed and focused. Got to work with energy for the day. Yet, the true test to see and feel if my training programs were working was the PM commute. The PM commute is when heat of the day is at its highest and riding during this time of day makes you feel like you are riding in an oven. My PM commute was a great measurement of performance. I felt strong on the bike. Mentally alert through the PM rush hour and most importantly, did not feel overwhelmed by the heat and humidity while waiting at stop lights.

Understanding this experience allowed me to realize how important my training is to my mental state, as well as physical state. My brief motorcycle training helped me reach a relaxed state during my ride that my mindfulness practices help me with. By being in a bit of better shape, I was able to isolate my riding state to the present moment throughout my ride which develops a clarity in my riding. I plan to continue my training program throughout the Summer and hope my results continue to improve. As Summer rolls on, I know I will be in a great place both mentality and physically to enjoy riding and not be limited by weather.

Rolf

As we welcome Summer, I wanted to express how important it is to take care of yourself during the extreme temperatures that occur this time of year. As someone who lives in the Southeast, the heat and humidity during this time of year have a great impact on your physical and mental well-being. For someone who enjoys motorcycling year round, Summer requires a bit more work in terms of preparing yourself for the extreme heat that you will experience while riding. To better serve the motorcycling community this Summer season, I have developed a game plan to help you prepare and enjoy your riding experience this Summer. Below is my personal steps for improvement of mind and body during these hot and steamy days.

Hydration

The importance of hydrating to prepare and replenish your body before and after a ride can not be stress enough. Personally, I drink almost a gallon of water a day. I have been doing this for a few years and the results are amazing. Not only do I feel good, but my body can regulate itself, and my mental state is strong throughout a rigorous activity like motorcycling. During long rides in the Summer, I make a point to stop a few times and buy a bottle water and a electrolyte drink to help with replenishment and keep my mind alert. Making a habit of drinking water throughout your day goes a long way. My key advice is to start hydrating for a ride the day before with water and electrolytes giving yourself plenty of time to allow the benefits of hydrating go into effect. Post ride, I make it priority to begin my hydrating process immediately which includes water and electrolytes as part of my recovery process. Fun fact, I recently began using a powdered form of electrolytes that I mixed with water that provides me great benefits without sugar or caffeine. The key is to start as soon as you know you are going to ride, and after your ride, to reduce cramping and mental fatigue.

Rest

Rest might be as important as hydrating before and after a motorcycle ride. The heat and humidity of Summer not only take a toll on you physically, but your mental state can be affected by the elements. That is why I do my best to rest the day before a ride and honestly, after a hot day in the saddle, I will take two or more days off from riding to recharge my batteries. This break from riding helps me relax my mind and refocus my thoughts towards my next ride. If you are a daily commuter on a bike, you might want to find moments to relax your body and mind prior to jumping back on the bike. Often, I find that getting a good night’s sleep and relaxing in the AC are amazing ways to recharge. Fatigue is one of the evils of riding as it can play havoc on your mental state and ability to operate a motorcycle successfully. If you can, break up your riding schedule so you have a day or two between rides so you can operate your two-wheeled machine at your best. I often will take a nap after finishing a hot day in the sun while riding and afterwards I feel so much better. Rest is your friend. Invite them over when you need too.

Gear

This might be a controversial point, but I strongly believe in full gear during the peak Summer heat. From my research, and own experience, sweating provides a great cooling layer while wearing gear. What I mean is, if you sweat with full gear on, your sweat is trapped against your skin and a barrier is formed against the heat. This allows for you to remain cool, calm, and in control while sitting in traffic, at a stoplight, cooking in the Summer heat. Sure, t-shirts, and shorts seem like a great idea for riding gear, but, not only does this invite severe road rash, the lack of heat protection will create a unhealthy experience for yourself on your bike. Remember your motorcycle engine beneath you gets super hot during the Summer. The clothing I wear during rides is made up of wicking fabrics. This material pulls the sweat away from my skin which leaves me dry in all the right places, and provides that heat barrier I need. Stay away from cotton fabrics, as cotton tends to become a bit of wet towel when sweat builds. Invest in the best gear possible, and you will ride like a champ.

Diet

A diet is important throughout the year, but I find that I make small changes to my diet in the Summer that greatly impact my riding health throughout the Summer months. Diets rich in fiber, fruits, and vitamins will go a long way to increase your ability to perform on your bike, as well as feel fantastic throughout the day when you are not riding. Let’s be honest. Sure a fast food stop will be quick, cheap, and fill your belly, but what are the lasting impacts? For me, when I started my weight loss journey in February, I made small changes that developed into full meal changes. I quit drinking soda, drank more water, and removed my McDonald’s lunch break which resulted in losing weight and feeling so much better. I promise you that watching your diet, making small changes that grow into better food choices will set you up for a fantastic Summer riding season. And who doesn’t want to lose weight?

Exercise

It is really that simple folks. A ten-minute workout on a non-riding day will increase your performance greatly on your bike. That is what I do. About ten-minutes of high impact training which helps me perform better on my motorcycle. I am not only more alert during my ride, but I have the physical strength to operate my motorcycle successfully. While gyms are great. Indoors, lots of machines to use, inspiration watching others workout, a community aspect, but you don’t ride a motorcycle indoors. I highly recommend exercising in the elements that you will be riding in. That means outdoors. My workout consists of a run, spirit, walk for 5 minutes. I follow this up with 3-5 minutes of a wall squat, planking, and what the internet calls a “superman pull up”. The idea is to workout continuously for about 10 minutes with no breaks. You want to keep the heart rate up. Adding a weekly workout schedule will tremendously improve your motorcycle journey and make you fit in Summer and the rest of the year.

As with any advice, it is up to you to make it your own. I just wanted to express some of my own personal strategies towards preparing to ride a motorcycle during the Summer. You can always store your bike during the Summer, but who wants to do that LOL.

Rolf

Keith Code is one of the foremost motorcycle educators for the past three decades. He operators his legendary motorcycle school; California Superbike School throughout United States and I have a dream of attending this school in the future. For now though, Keith Code’s book “A Twist of the Wrist Volume 2” is my gateway drug to high-performance motorcycle riding. Summarizing the book is to think of motorcycling in a varied of aspects. Keith writes about throttle control, vision, cornering, braking, and ends with a quick chapter on racing. Not street racing but racing in a controlled environment like a track. This is where I desire to be in a few years, racing my motorcycle around a track. Again, another dream but I feel to fully evolve into the best motorcyclist I can be, I must try the track at least once in my life.

Each chapter within A Twist of the Wrist builds upon the previous. Concepts and exercises are written in a way that didn’t really go over my head. I did re-read a few ideas related to throttle control and vision just to fully grasp the point while reading and taking notes. What is so fun about reading a wonderful motorcycle book like Keith’s is that you get to take the knowledge you learn and apply it directly to your riding experience. A few hours of practicing turning points, I began to feel much more confident in taking corners quicker, smoother, and safer. This I tribute to a great teacher like Keith. I will be honest, that by the end of the book, I had experience brain overload LOL. If there is one short coming of the book, is the graphics. The graphics in the book are a bit dated, but if you can get past the cosmetic shortcomings, the ideas Keith teaches you are very paramount to successfully operating a motorcycle.

One of the things I was a bit unsure about before reading A Twist of the Wrist, was if the racing techniques Keith teaches would help me, a street rider. After the introduction, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the racing techniques apply brilliantly to the street. Of course high speed turns are not something I am comfortable with doing on public roads, but the understanding of how to approach a turn, identify turning points, lean the bike over, and complete a turn smoothly with effective throttle control are very important. One of my favorite sections within the book is $10 attention. Within this idea of $10 attention, Keith writes how you start with $10 of attention while riding, and distractions either physical of mental, begin to deduct from your $10. You don’t want to go bankrupted while riding, so it’s important to stay focused on the road, what is happening in front of you, and keeping your bank full.

I really enjoyed the chapter on Vision. I didn’t really understand how important “seeing” your environment physically, and subconsciously, was while riding. I tend to have the habit of looking at everything while riding. This is not effective or safe while riding. Allowing my mind to “see” and my eyes to stay focus on the road ahead is a wonderful method Keith teaches about. Oddly enough, putting Keith’s vision technique to test the last few of my rides, I soon became more relaxed, and focused. Mental fatigue was greatly reduced and I enjoyed my ride even more. It really comes down to trusting yourself on your bike.

A Twist of the Wrist Volume 2 is wonderful! I highly recommended it to all riders. There is something so satisfying with seating down to read a motorcycle book and learning new techniques to help you grow as a motorcyclist. Get your copy today and maybe one day, I will see you at California Superbike School.

Rolf

Sitting on my 2024 Triumph Speed Twin 900, that I call “Lucy”, at Parker’s gas station in West Ashley, I decided to check my mileage before I shut down my bike and hunted down a hot cup of coffee. Pressing the info button, I reached the odometer and to my surprise, it read 1004 miles. “Wow!” I thought, one thousand miles on Lucy. To give this some context, I am a new rider and Lucy is my second bike after owning a 2023 Moto Morini scrambler that later died. Being so early in my motorcycle career, reaching a thousand miles on a bike is huge for me. As a new rider you are faced with so many new challenges and situations that you must learn quickly how to survive on a motorcycle before shit goes south. Seeing over a thousand miles on my new bike made me sing my praises but also is a reminder, I have so much more to learn and do on my motorcycle.

What has transpired over the past few weeks while riding Lucy throughout the Lowcountry is amazing. I have commuted to work, completed a round trip of 70 miles, made the effort to practice motorcycle technics each morning, and swallowed my prided and let the professional motorcycle mechanics at Charleston Triumph work on Lucy. I also took part in my first Distinguish Gentleman’s group ride and ultimately discovered the joy of owning a modern retro motorcycle made by Triumph. Riding a Bonneville engine is truly an exciting experience. It has changed my life.

As my confidence grows with each ride, I am at my heart, a student. I love to study and learn from others who have great knowledge in motorcycling who share their passion either with YouTube videos or the books I read. Recently I have connected with a few motorcycle instructors who have help shape my thinking towards motorcycling and how to overcome my fears and struggles with this sport. I am mapping out a way to keep me safe and alert on the public roads as well as enjoy each ride to the fullest. Finally, my motorcycle career is about taking the next step. I am hoping to attend an advance motorcycle class in the fall and in four years, or sooner, I plan to purchase my second motorcycle that will introduce me to track racing as well as riding throughout the Lowcountry. As a former artist, I always looked to improved and use different materials in my artwork. Adding a second motorcycle that focuses on performance is a long term goal of mine. Wonder what will happen in the next thousand miles with Lucy.