Opinions - Of motorcycles and love stories

Love is a complex affair. It ranges from deep interpersonal affection to the simplest pleasure. Love varies for each person, but I think we all tend to ultimately associate it with a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment with another.

So then, what would you describe a love affair with a motorcycle?

I would say it means the same;

An (extremely) strong and (extremely) emotional attachment with a two wheeled machine.

A machine that is an unique means of transport. A combustion engine that is suspended between two wheels. A mechanical marvel that originated in the petro-chemical era.

To ride a motorcyce is a harmonious merger of man and machine, the combination of an organic brain working in tandem with a mechanical heart.

A twist of the lever, a shift of the gear, all combine to make no room no conscious thought, but an impulse reaction of muscle and metal. A reaction that sets the nerve centers jangling, everything working together to give a rush, the rush that is similar to the release of endorphins, feelings and a high. This is an addiction to many, an obsession to some.

For me, it is all this. For my motorcycle, the Yamaha R3, this is what I feel.

Her name is Hope. And I am head over heels in love with her.

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It feels a little strange when I think of Hope now. After a year and a half and 30,000km of riding, racetracks, commutes and some heart beat moments, I have come to think she has a very unique personality. It is something I have come to notice and think a lot about over the days. It seems to me that she has a personality of calm aggression, coupled with a strong sense of reassurance, thrill, quite confidence and a lust for adventure. (Now you know why I have named her Hope)

Motorcycles are somewhat of an emotional subject to us riders, and some of us, if not all, look for one that fills more than functional efficiency. In my case, I am in love with bikes, but there are only a few that I feel emotionally attracted too. Most of them, I would be happy to have as flings, but there are some that are keepers.

Hope is a keeper.

It feels to me that we have an emotional spark that has bound us. I remember the day when I first saw the R3 in the showroom when I went to make my booking. Blue, silver and full of attitude; that is what I recall when I saw the R3 live and upfront. It was an emotional beat that my heart took when I first swung my leg over Hope and flicked the kill switch.

Hope sounded angry, eager to let her horses loose. She felt lighter and responsive than she looked, and I realized that she could be modded and prodded into a much angrier state - That is the way I like my motorcycles.

And now, 30,000km and a year and a half later, the blossoming love that I felt when I first got her has blown out and is bursting at the seams. Sometimes, words fail to explain my feeling when I feel her heart beat calmer and calmer as we get faster. She lets out a responsive scream, the sound music to ears and the adrenaline feeling akin to an orgasm.

And like anyone you're in love with, you need to take care of her and spoil her, tell her she means everything to you. For Hope, it is the regular service, the wash and the polishing to make sure she flaunts her attitude and poise with grace and beauty. Not to mention the times I pat her (which is everytime) or hold on to her a second longer than I need to at times.

It is a very personal connection this bond between man and bike. In motorcycle language, love is described as the "feeling you get when you love your bike as much as your wife (or Husband)"

And when I look back at her before she goes out of sight, I know the feeling I have is real. I am in love with her. Intense, grateful, passionate love.

To write how much I enjoy riding Hope and do the roadtrips, carve a corner knee down, and ride some awesome roads is hard. It is intensely difficult to quantify and articulate, but these feelings are as real and tangible as Hope herself. These feelings are intensely personal, and they are just like motorcycles - Intensely personal.

Love is a passionate, strange, crazy amazing ride and that is what I am having with Hope.

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Please upvote and comment. Read more of my articles via the links below

Of Scuba Diving and Motorcycle Racers - A slow life between fast lanes?

Motorcycle Stories - How I got into Motorcycle racing

Pursuing an experience with Scuba Diving - Why I want to do it

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