What 2 Do... What 2 Do...

By Inkslinger

I’m sure that you, the faithful Dixie Biker reader, no matter where you might call home, have noticed the growing number of benefit rides, “bike nights” and such. On any given night around these parts, you can “bike night” at any number of establishments, from an owl-themed place to one who uses an American icon for it’s name, and all within ten miles of each other, and all on the same night. For those of you relatively new to the motorcycling family, you may not recall “theme nights.” On Monday you had to be a cowboy, Tuesday a “Blues Brother”, Wednesdays were 50’s sock hop and so on. Just try to get into techno-night at the “We are Going to Jump on Whatever Fad is Going to Make me the Most Money Bar, Grill and Poser Store” dressed in your finest blue jeans, black t-shirt and riding boots.

     I realize the economy sucks right now, and that’s the very reason for this article. I recently had the good fortune(?) to be approached by a restaurant manager who wondered “if having a ‘bike night’ would be good for business, and if he did have a bike night did I think that he should have a motorcycle so he would fit in?” Also, I’ve noticed there’s been an increase in the number of “benefit” rides. Do you check to make sure that the organization exists? Or that there really is a need? There recently was a case in which an individual was going around to various organizations and getting them to have fund-raisers to help with his “daughter’s ongoing medical expenses”. Turns out his daughter did in fact have cancer, but she had died some two years earlier.

    Do you pass up an event put on by a group in the motorcycling community where you only have a chance at some junky door prize, to go to something where you know you’re gonna get a fancy T shirt? There’s more and more bars, taverns, organizations and people trying to keep their head above water than ever before, and a lot of these folks are realizing that the biker community is now suddenly acceptable and represents a vast, untapped resource. A perfect example is right here in Florida. Just look at how fast Orlando put together a “Bike Week” when it looked like Daytona was trying to get rid of Bike Week. (And now Sanford is having an event to coincide with Biketoberfest event the third weekend in October.)

     There’s lots of opportunities to “do good anyway” out there, just pick and choose wisely when faced with choices.   Don’t be one of the ones showing off your collection of worn out T-shirts for the first annual this or that while wondering why the bikers down the street don’t have parties anymore. Or why the little corner bar, with the old retired biker running it, that sold longnecks a buck cheaper than anyplace in town has suddenly gone out of business.

     True friendships and camaraderie last a lot longer than t-shirts. The feeling you get when you see the smile on a kid’s face that you helped will last a lot longer than the picture of you and some swimsuit model that you had to PAY big bucks for just to get her on your bike for 50 miles. If she ain't on yours, she'll be on some other sucker's, smiling just as pretty.

      The editor of this esteemed magazine recently wrote about the numbers of people moving to Florida, and the effect it was having on the biking community as a whole. The concept of searching out the most bang for yer buck applies to partying as well as motorcycle service and sales.

     The RUBS and WHOREs of the motorcycle world don't read this rag. Hell it's printed on newsstock for chrissakes, and doesn't have whole layouts of cookie cutter bikes, including color, glossy, non-stick photos of chicks who ain't never had their ass on a motorcycle seat until this gig, along with the name and addresses of the latest fad supplier. Those folks ain't the ones I'm talking to anyways.

      Don't misunderstand, there's nothing wrong with trying new things. HELL, the USA wouldn't be here if there was. Just remember your roots, remember what the motorcycling community is all about, and don't let big coalitions and corporations with fancy  colorful posters and flyers and a hundred different ways to raise money win out over sick kid who only has us….   

      Just remember in your search for the ultimate weekend party……T-shirts and photos fade, but memories made with good friends LAST A LIFETIME.

     Till next time,

     Inkslinger

  

Monk's Two Cents

   Thanks for the editorial, bro. ‘Bout time we heard from you again!

   Inkslinger included this statement at the beginning of his essay: “the views and opinions that follow are mine, and mine alone, and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of DBI, with the exception of one area.”

   I don’t know which area Inkslinger’s talkin’ about, cuz we agree with his essay and his views. Most of our readers will, too. I’ve never understood why people put that statement, or something similar to it, on their masthead or in a controversial article or essay in their magazine. If you don’t agree with an article or essay, don’t print it. Jeez. Who's payin' the bills anyhow?

   We know that sometimes we piss off some of our readers with some of the things we write or run. So be it. We’ll stand by it, and not worry about being politically correct. It’s like the phrase “illegal immigrants” that the mainstream media likes to use - politically correct, of course. They’re not “immigrants.” They’re friggin’ trespassers on our property - American citizens own our soil.

   Even if we disagree with something y’all might write or send in, or you disagree with us, we'll run your views and then run ours with it. That's called debate, or discussion. And even if we don't agree, we still like hangin’ with y’all. It’s okay to disagree. Biker’s do it all the time over things and that’s also what made, and makes, America great. Like I mentioned somewhere else in this issue: “You got to stand for something,” sings Alan Tippen, “Or you’ll fall for anything.”

Benefits, Bike Nights and Such...

Gettin' Outta Hand?

Originally published in the June 2005 issue of Dixie Biker Illustrated.