Mixed Messages

Guest Post - Mixed messages by John Fischer

There is a bar in Laguna Beach, CA that becomes a celebrated biker hangout everySunday afternoon. There is always a live band playing and rows of gleaming Harleys on either side of the street, with people inspecting them as if they were in a showroom. The riders all leave their helmets out with their bikes, and I've found the helmets to be a study all their own. The most popular look like they are from World War I, with various kinds of rebel markings, and a few have little stickers that serve as a sort of biker bumper sticker. One I saw particularly caught my attention because it said, "JESUS LOVES YOU." Now I am aware that there are various biker ministries out there where committed followers ride for Christ and seek to spread the word about his grace and forgiveness. I have always loved this - the Gospel in a rebel context - being aware that the message of Christ is in some ways better suited there than it is in more respectable circles. You can't read about Jesus without coming to the conclusion that he would be right at home with the biker crowd. But as I got closer to the Jesus sticker, I noticed there was another message in much smaller print underneath the more visible "JESUS LOVES YOU." It read: "I think you're a jerk!" (That isn't exactly what it said, but it will work for our purposes.) At first, I was somewhat repulsed. Where I thought I had a Jesus biker, I actually had a form of sacrilege. But the more I thought about it, I realized there probably was more than a kernel of truth in this version of a familiar Christian message. I can think of times when I might as well have been sporting a "JESUS LOVES YOU; I think you're a jerk" sticker for all the thoughts I harbored toward the people to whom I was announcing His love. And, of a certainty, He does love them. The question is, do I? "How can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?" wrote James (2:1), or in the words of John: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar" (1 John 4:20). It's not enough just to announce the love of Jesus without loving the same people he loves. If "Jesus loves you" is going to be our message, we need to make sure that we do too.  Read more of John Fischer's thoughts on Fischtank.com

Motorcycles vs Boats

I love boats.  I like big boats and small boats.  Fast boats and slow boats.  I like to ride in boats and I like to drive boats.  I recently had the pleasure of going out on a boat ride with one of my clients, who owns a 19 foot fishing boat.  We went out on the Missouri river and went to the confluence of the Mississippi river, up the Mississippi to Alton, IL then back to the Missouri to St. Charles, MO.  A very pleasurable afternoon.  Afterwards I reflected on the similarities of boating and motorcycling.  They are both fun activities that are best enjoyed in the warm summer weather.  Both allow you to take in the scenery, sights, sounds and smells of nature, in a way that cars and trucks cannot.  But then I realized a major difference between boating and motorcycling that is huge.  The reason that I own a motorcycle and not a boat.  You see, with boats, unless you live on the water (and most people don't), you have to tow your boat to the river, lake, or ocean, and put it in the water, in order to be able to enjoy your ride.  When I went with my friend, we drove for an hour and a half, before we were able to find a spot to launch his boat.  And getting the boat in and out of the water is a lot of work, too!  Backing the boat trailer down a steep ramp into the water.  Releasing it into the water.  Taking the truck and trailer back up the ramp to a parking lot, etc.  Only to repeat the entire process in reverse when you are done.  That's a lot of work!  With a motorcycle, you can simply back your bike out of the garage, start the engine and take off!  No time wasted in travelling to the desired destination first.  In fact, riding to your destination is one of the most enjoyable parts of the journey.  So for me, even though I love boats, I love motorcycles more because of the fact that there are more opportunities to ride a motorcycle, than a boat.  It's no big deal to decide on a moments notice to go out for a spin, even if it's only for a half hour!  So even though I dream of retiring in a place on the water.  It will be a place with a motorcycle in the garage!

Rev it up!

Pipes save lives!

If you've ever been at a stoplight in the summertime with your window down, sitting by a motorcycle in the next lane, you've probably wondered why they are so loud. Now there are some sports cars and old jalopies that are loud too, but in general motorcycles are louder than cars. Well for one thing, motorcycle engines are exposed, not under a hood. But another reason is safety. Motorcycles are harder to see than cars or trucks, they have a smaller profile, taking up far less room in the driving lane. So if you can't see the motorcycle, maybe you can hear it. One of the most quoted statements at an accident scene involving a motorcycle is, "I didn't see him officer!"  So while some motorcycles are louder than others depending on their size or style, the fact that motorcycles are louder than cars is a good thing. Now some local municipalities have ordinances against excessive noise, but most motorcycles, unless outfitted with after market pipes and accessories, will fall under these guidelines. I don't know about you, but I would rather pull up next to a motorcycle at a stoplight than a teenager with his stereo blasting any day! So look before you switch lanes. Check your rear-view and side mirrors and listen for a motorcycle. We're watching you too!

Hurry Up and Wait

Blog Rewind...In the Shop

Most motorcycles owners will tell you that the worst season of the year is winter, because for most people living in an area that experiences all four seasons, winter riding is not an option. Well while that may be true, the worst time for a motorcycle owner is really when your bike is in the shop. This is because not too many people want to ride their motorcycle in the winter when the temperature is below 30 degrees, but when the temperature is perfect for riding and your bike is in the garage getting serviced or waiting for a part to come in, boy, that just makes you want to scream! I experienced this firsthand recently. About a month ago I went out to my garage to start up my bike to take it to work. It was a very nice warm day. The bike started, but when I gave the throttle some gas, I felt something snap. My throttle cable broke. Bummer! Luckily, my bike was in my garage, but I still had to call my local HD dealer and ask for them to send a trailer out to pick up my bike. After waiting over a week for the parts to come in, I got a call from the dealer. The parts came in and they were working on my bike, but they found a problem with my carburetor. Great, more bad news. Now I had to wait another week for more parts that they didn't have in stock! By the time I got my bike back, I had missed 3 weeks of spring riding and I was $800 lighter in my wallet! Now my bike is running like new and I'm happy to have my bike ready to take a spin when ever I want, but now I can tell you this, having your bike in the shop is way worse than suffering through the cold winter!

Best of Thoughts from Scott.  This post was originally written in June of 2012.

Safety First