Being a Born-Again Biker

I'm a born-again biker. You know, one of those guys who got into riding a motorcycle later in life. Sure, I rode mini-bikes and the occasional dirtbike when I was a kid, but I never really felt it was a part of who I was. I was always a car guy – I've loved sport cars my entire life. I thought motorcycles and cars were pretty much the same. Boy, was I wrong!

I have a friend here in Thailand, who introduced me to biking, he is also a car and bike guy. He's been riding his entire life, and was always trying to convince me to get a motorcycle. I'd tell him that one day I'd get an motorcycle and he and I would ride. I've always tried to be different and classic looking motorcycles were the only motorcycles that gave me that feeling cars did – like I had to have one. But there was one major problem: I suck with a wrench, I'm absolutely not technical.. And with a 40 or 50 year old motorcycle, I knew I would be stuck on the side of some road, getting greasy. Not my idea of a good time.

Finally at the beginning of 2011 I got a brand-new Triumph Thruxton. From the first time I rode my bike, I discovered that riding bikes was nothing like driving cars. That day changed my life forever.

As I rode with my friends, emotions stirred inside of me I hadn't felt since I was a kid. This was what it was like the first time my parents let me ride my bicycle off the block – that feeling of independence and camaraderie when my friends and I rode around town, Khao Yai, or just someone's house. One of the greatest thrills of my live had been reawakened – and I loved it! I cannot get enough of it...