Pittsburgh Rides: Enjoying the silence
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So maybe I'm a little spoiled. The motorcycle I ride has to have a windshield, a backrest, saddle bags, a tour pack, an upper and lower faring and, most importantly, a radio. For the longest time, I could never figure out how people kept themselves entertained on the motorcycle without a radio.
The motorcycle I've been riding recently doesn't have a radio. In fact, not only did it not come equipped with a radio, it also didn't have a tour pack or a lower faring, and the saddle bags were a little different from what I was used to ... but it was a motorcycle, so I had to "rough" it, so to speak.
I overcame some shortcomings. I was able to put soft lowers on, so that helped keep the wind and rain off of my legs. I was able to get everything I needed into the saddle bags with some rearranging, and a mesh bungee cord with a garbage bag cover was my temporary tour pack for my computer bag in case it rained.
I was able to come up with a fix for everything I thought I was "missing" except for the radio, so I improvised. I purchased a set of earbuds, plugged them into my BlackBerry and attempted to listen to music. I soon learned that using headphones while driving is illegal in Pennsylvania and the BlackBerry wasn't practical for the road. Not only that, it was hard to hear someone riding in your blind spot on the highway.
So everything was figured out except for the radio. I remember jokingly asking an old-timer sitting on the porch of the shop, "How do you ride without a radio? Doesn't it get boring?" He just chuckled and said, "You should try it sometime, you may actually like it."
Trying to convince myself that I wasn't a spoiled brat, I climbed on the motorcycle and began to ride it to and from work without a radio for a few weeks. At first it was a little awkward, but as time went on, I gradually came to like what I was hearing.
For the first time in a long time, I could hear the purr of my engine and the roar of my pipes without interference from the radio. I didn't have to turn down the radio when a guilty-pleasure song came on. Sitting in traffic, I noticed the crisp sounds of my surroundings that seemed to bring everything to life.
Then an "ah-ha" moment hit me. In my mind, I compared it to a home entertainment system. A high-definition television can only do so much. To complete the entertainment experience a quality set of speakers is needed.
For the longest time, I was enjoying an amazing panoramic view of life from the saddle of my Harley in high-def, but I was ruining the soundtrack of the road with my radio. I finally got what the old-timer was saying. It completely changed my routine and sometimes mundane commute to and from work listening to the same music, the same talk radio, and the same commercials.
For once, I was experiencing my true surroundings without interference from the radio. Although I enjoy the newfound sounds of my surroundings, I don't think I'm going to totally give up on the radio with my next bike. It's great for long distance traveling, but around town, I think I'll just enjoy the sounds of life for a while.
First Published September 16, 2010 12:00 am
