Motorcycles Trump Racism

Canada is far from free of racism, but it plays at a much lower volume here.  Canada's mosaic approach to multiculturalism and more open immigration policy probably have a lot to do with this.  The United States' melting pot must feel especially hot if you're not what the ideal American is supposed to look like.

One of the things that always strikes me when I cross the border south is the unspoken friction between black and white Americans.  Being a big, white, bald Canadian means I'm often assumed to be an off-duty cop, which doesn't help things.  There is so much history wrapped up in this that it feels heavy, even to an outsider.  When trying to strike up a conversation with a black person in the States you are usually met with polite reticence, like they'd just rather not speak to you.  It's more trouble than it's worth.

I get that reticence.  On a previous trip, out of nowhere, at a gas stop a white guy told us that his parents told him never to put money in his mouth because black people had touched it.  I guess we were supposed to laugh and feel a sense of camaraderie with this man, instead my wife and I looked at each other with WTF looks on our faces.

On my first solo trip to the States in the late '80s my buddies and I walked into a Burger King in Milwaukee and were met with forty black faces looking at us with, 'what the hell are you boys doing here?' expressions.  It was one of the only times I've been stopped in my tracks by that kind of stare (we hesitated and then went in, had lunch and all was good).

MotoGP has riders from all over the world, from Japan to
South America and everywhere between.  It's a multi-cultural
global event that doesn't cater to racism.

On our recent trip to Indianapolis a young black woman at the counter dealt energetically with the four black people ahead of my son and I, but when we finally got to the counter she gave us a sideways glance and sauntered off in a kind of dance, eventually disappearing into the back, singing to herself.  We both stood there wondering what we were supposed to do (it's hard to pay for gas in the States when you don't have a ZIP code).  A few moments later another girl came out and served us.  It's not easy explaining that sort of thing to your ten year old.

Motorcycles on Meridian has riders of all kinds digging bikes.

That friction began to break down when we were at the Speedway.  Suddenly everyone there was a motorcyclist first, even before what colour of American they were.  I found it easy to strike up conversations with people regardless of colour.  That positive energy followed us to Motorcycles on Meridian, where I once again found the motorcycle community outgunning any sense of racism.

The next morning at Cycle Gear we got into conversations with several groups of black riders coming into town for the Indy weekend.  Once again the walls were down and we could just talk bikes.  Again in Ohio, Max and I were taking a break in Wendy's when a group of tough looking black bikers on Harleys came in, on their way from Detroit to Indy. The reticence was there at first (we were far from Indy at that point) but they soon warmed up to me.  We exchanged advice on road works and left wishing each other a safe ride.  Other people watched the exchange with interest.

Up in Detroit the lovely, young black woman who got our Little Caesars order sorted out had all sorts of questions about the bike and riding.  Motorcycling works even if you're not talking to another motorcyclist.  There is something about the vulnerability of riding that encourages people to talk to you.  They find it admirable.

The kinship you feel while riding is a very real thing, but motorcycling reaches out into the general public too.  If motorcycling can overcome that tiring American black/white friction, it might just be able to do anything.

Mostly Ironheads

The Connie is off getting safetied, and the Ninja has found a new home.  I'm bikeless!

One of the things you learn about motorcycle culture is that it tends to exist underground, out of sight.  For example, this week I discovered that there is a bike shop in the small town that I've lived in for five years.  I had no idea that down the back of the industrial mall behind the country market is a specialist motorbike shop.  This reminded me of our trip to Old Vintage Cranks a couple of summers ago.

I'd contacted the owner, Lloyd, over the phone during the week about getting the Concours safetied.  He doesn't usually work with 'metric bikes', but he was willing to look after me.  Mostly Ironheads is a full service shop that, in addition to offering everything you need to maintain your bike, also offers you some genuine historical motorcycling perspective.  While chatting with Lloyd he showed me a 1934 Harley Flathead engine that he was in the process of rebuilding.  In the front of the shop you'll also find a collection of customized Harleys from various decades.  I'm going to bring the 3d-scanner when I return for the Connie next week and get some models of this classic American iron.

It's convenient to wander around department store styled dealerships and bike shops, but it isn't all that interesting beyond what you're shopping for.  Places like Mostly Ironheads run at a different speed.  The proprietors are always happy to spend some time chatting with you and the chances of seeing something genuine and learning something about motorbiking are much higher.

If you're travelling through Elora, Ontario on two wheels (and many people do to have lunch by the river in the summer), be sure to pop down behind Dar's Country Market to Mostly Ironheads and have a look at a hidden piece of Ontario motorcycle culture.

Mostly Ironheads Website

Mostly Ironheads on Facebook

3d models of some historical Harleys

Thanks for Nothing Toronto Spring Motorcycle Show

On March Break this week my family is hanging out with my buddy's family.  He has been riding for years but didn't actually take his bike out at all last year.  He's thinking about getting a new bike so I pull up the Toronto Spring Motorcycle Show online.  I tell him how much fun my son and I have had attending the mid-winter supershow and the manufacturer's show this year.  I suggest we all go down, four professionals who earn over $300,000 a year between them and their three kids.

Special Guests?  Anything about
motorcycles?

My wife has doubts, the 'feel' of motorcycle shows online isn't always very friendly toward educated, professional women and she's also had concerns about our son going - it doesn't seem a very family friendly affair.  She pulls up the website to see what's going on there and this is what comes up.

Guess what?  We're not going to the Spring Motorcycle show.  My buddy with all that earning potential and a want for a new bike and his wife who is keen to adopt his old one but has no kit of her own aren't going.  My wife, who I think I can convince to get on two wheels if I can Vespa her up, isn't going and has had her suspicions confirmed yet again.  My son, who is on the verge of getting his first 50cc isn't going, and my buddy's kids, who are also two wheeled curious aren't going.

The irony is everything else on the site is actually motorcycle related and would have had us there, but you had to lead with the playboy model and list all the motorcycle related people below as an afterthought.  Not cool.

If motorcycling in North America would just grow up it would have a chance of becoming more mainstream and less an excuse for creepy old men to act like adolescents.  I live in hope.