Weekends are too short. Two days isn’t nearly enough time for doing all the fun things that I want to do, plus recuperating from all those fun things that I did do. We should all get 4 day weekends, and while we’re at it, a full working day should only be from 10am to 3pm. That’s pretty much when i’m most productive anyway. A good 4 hrs of work (5 including lunch, which is kind of like work) is all this company gets out of me anyway, especially when my company likes doing this. Thanks for the options at only 4 cents cheaper! The paper they are printed on will serve me well as they burn in my fireplace during long, cold winter nights.
Anyhow, something that I would definitely want to spend more time on is riding. There are only a few things that can compare to the pure exhilaration that a motorcycle provides. But why does it seem like suddenly everyone wants one?? Ever since probably 2 or 3 years ago, everyone including their grandma’s has seemingly wanted to ride motorcycles. Sure, I jumped on the bandwagon early on, but it seems like the phenomenon has now taken ahold of any asian male between 18 and 28.
I do have a few theories…
My primary theory on this pop-culture takeover deals with the excessive usage of motorcycles in box office movie hits. Back in the day, you’d only see maybe one motorcycle in 20 movies, but now, they seem to be in every single one. Thinking back, the only movie I can recollect having a motorcycle was T2 (and maybe Terminator 1). Here, I will provide you with some of the more recent movies that have undoubtedly effected my decision, and the decision of others in purchasing a bike.
Movie #1 - Kill Bill Vol. 1
You might be saying to yourself, “huh????” but let me remind you of screen capture A:
Now is it humanly possible to resist this image of Uma Thurman on a bright yellow Ninja 250 with the same seizure inducing colored gear??? To top it all off, the score for this scene was the ultra-bassy Tomoyasu Hotei - Battle Without Honor. The movie basically just calls out to you, saying “This could be you! This could be YOUR theme song!” I can just imagine zooming down the busy streets of japan wearing a neon yellow jumpsuit on my way to mow down waves and waves of Crazy 88’s (those guys in the masks), can’t you? How cool is that!
Movie #2 - Matrix Reloaded
Now, Ducati’s aren’t usually my cup of yogurt, but this 996 was ultra l33t in this movie that was specially targeted for h4×0rZ. And of course being the uber l33t h4×0r j00 b0×0rz kind of guy… I instantly fell for it. I plead you to look at exhibit B:
I mean, who wouldn’t want to look like Carrie Anne Moss in S&M leather clothing with cool shades? Now, some of you might say that riding against the traffic may be a little dangerous… but I say it’s not NEARLY as dangerous as carrying a small china man in the back seat of your bike! Just look at his face… I am positive you can tell what’s on his mind….
Movie #3 - Biker Boyz
This one is pretty self-explanatory… isn’t it? I think this is the culmination of all biker movies ever made… except with black people. Why? Because for some reason, if you throw a bunch of black folk on the screen with a bunch of bikes, everything just becomes THAT much cooler. The last shot I’d like you to gaze over is this Shot C:
Here you see several “Biker Boyz” doing endo’s (stoppies) on a bridge. Apparently this is their way of saying “The BB krew has come into town and we challenge you to a death race!” The plot of this movie? Kind of lacking… something about the revenge a mechanic’s son seeks when the mechanic was killed in a freak accident in a race between two rival biking “krewz”. And the MC who resides over all the street races? None other than Orlando Jones (7-up guy) tooting his horn in leather gear and half shell hog helmet. But who is he behind all that street gear? A lawyer… not kidding…
So to sum it all up, I believe motorcycles have been a lot more accepted, if not even labeled “cool” by society. Sure I still get glares from middle aged asian mothers. Sure grandmothers pull their grandchildren away from me while I cruise by at 15 mph, two lanes away from the sidewalk. But the rest of the younger generation has grown comfortable with the idea that just because you ride, doesn’t necessarily make you a badass/gangbanger. If anything, ride because you want to look cool. Cool like Uma Thurman. Cool like Carrie Anne Moss/Small China Man. Cool like… like that mechanic’s kid in Biker Boyz. So “Ride Out!” and be safe!
