I am often amazed at the quality of rendered custom motorcycle artwork showcased by talented artists. I also find it equally intriguing that the majority of representative themes created, for the most part tend toward the dark or macabre. Dead Heads, skeletons, and copious amounts of unusual creatures from the underworld, all seem to have principal sway in their portfolios. Granted while these depictions are usually extremely detailed and in a lot of cases, quite lifelike, I have often wondered about the influential sources of inspiration for designing them in the first place.

I do not mean to disparage the obvious talents of the aforementioned creative individuals, but the ingrained societal stereotypes that are attributed to motorcyclists and their rides, only get more entrenched when an unsuspecting, non-riding person, comes face to face with something that could easily have followed Meatloaf's iconic Bat Out of Hell. Conversely, any self-respecting bat-loving biker would probably argue that creating a Tinkerbell-themed airbrush rendering, does not lend itself to showcasing a bad-ass looking bike. I guess the fear may be that it would take away from any real or perceived mystique.

At the risk of sounding too philosophical, the fabric of passion that is motorcycling, can in some small part, weave itself into the canvas of life. Tastes will differ, since all of us have our preferences. Whether you ride a cruiser or a sport bike; wear chaps or a full leather body suit, our individual differences and choices, can either enhance or detract from (your own, or any) person's perceptual experience as it pertains to this chosen two-wheeled culture.

For me, I enjoy diversity. While I may not share your particular preference or predilection for a certain style of bike or riding attire, I thoroughly enjoy the fact that I get to engage with you, and learn about something that gives you a sense of motivating identity. If it were up to me (meaning if I could afford it), I would have a cruiser for the laid back riding style; a sport bike for aggressively leaning into curves, and a dual purpose/adventure bike, for those days when I feel like taking the road less travelled.

The thing is, the older I get, the more I am learning to appreciate the differences that give meaning to life's adventure. Especially those things that challenge established preconceived notions and the perpetual creep of the status quo.