The Good, The Bad, and The Women

When it comes to the 'Biker Culture' as viewed by the, I'll call it 'civilian' world, there's basically three types: The Good, The Bad, and The Women.

The Good are the quite obviously nice guys- they ride with their friends and/or brothers in their motorcycle club, doing charity rides and taking their wives as the passengers as they travel around town or even across country.

The Bad are pretty easy to spot by the civilian world- the 1% motorcycle clubs that make a living through selling guns and/or drugs. Their rough lifestyle is too far out on the fringe. Their 'balls-to-the-wall' lifestyle is very foreign and frightening to most of us. Yet they have the mystique and allure that's similar to that of the vampires on Twilight - but that's another blog....

Last but certainly not least, we have The Women. And within this group, there are two sub-groups: controllers and the cool ones.

The controllers are, in my opinion, more interesting - at least to me. They're not interested in much outside of attempting to control their husband/boyfriend and keeping themselves '#1' in their significant other's eyes. "Before I can get a Harley, I have to run it by the wife...." - I work at a Harley-Davidson dealership and have heard that more than once. Another favorite is: "My wife/girlfriend said I can't get a bike....."

It begs the question, what are they trying to achieve? Safety? Yet trying to keep a loved one 100% safe 100% of the time is impossible. Even if it's achievable, the loved one being sheltered does not get a chance to get out and LIVE their life. Control? But the power of having that kind of control is stifling for the other person and ends badly.

A few weeks ago, we had a customer share with us an experience he had as a boy: His dad used to ride his '62 Sportster to work everyday. And everyday he'd take his lunch with him on the bike to eat while on his lunch break at his job. One day he forgot his lunch so called his wife and asked her to meet him half way between his work and their home with his food. So she packed the kids and his lunch in the car. They got to the halfway point but he wasn't there. So they traveled on until they were stopped by police for- you guessed it- a motorcycle accident that involved their dad. He was ok, just a few bumps & bruises, one broken collar bone. The ambulance showed up and was preparing to take him to the hospital. Before they left, the dad/husband asked his wife to, "Make sure the bike gets taken care of!"  Sure enough, after the ambulance pulls away, the wife promptly asks to the crowd of onlookers: "Does anyone want to buy a bike??" She received an offer of $25 there & then... and took it!! Our customer said his parents very nearly got divorced over that incident.

The controlling women will read that story and conclude that yes, the bike was taken care of.... it was off the side of the road, it was in good hands - that of a new owner, and they didn't have anything else to worry about. But, despite his injury, the dad had a part of his freedom taken away. And the way it had been done, to a Harley lover, it is akin to ripping a beloved baby right from his arms. It was humiliating as well as insulting.

The cool women will read that story and think - what a tragedy! They understand the passions of life and going out to LIVE them. They know that a truly happy life is OUT THERE- beyond the control of any one person.

I'm so happy to be part of the B.O.B. Sisters- one group of very cool women who love to live life to the fullest. We are always there for each other, helping each other live the life worth living!!!

My first ride with the B.O.B.s - August 2011