Road Warriors

The wind in your face, the fresh air and the open road ahead of you, the freedom to go where you want and the thrill of adventure - these are many of the reasons IU students ride motorcycles.\nIn Bloomington, motorcycle riders are greatly outnumbered by the number of students who drive cars, but this doesn't stop motorcycle riders from getting to class and doing it with a style all their own.\nChris Jonnum, associate editor of Cycle News magazine, says that over the years the types of people who ride motorcycles have drastically changed along with the bikes themselves. \n"The culture has shifted from a Hells Angels gang mentality to where the public considers it more recreational," Jonnum says. "The public now realizes that riding a motorcycle requires a degree of skill, and they in turn give riders more respect."\nHere in Bloomington, the diversity of people who buy bikes is noticeable. Jim Markland, a sales associate at the local Harley Davidson dealership, Buell of Bloomington, says people from all different walks of life are motorcycle owners.\n"We have a real eclectic customer mix that ranges from blue-collar people to businessmen," Markland says. "On a Saturday by the coffee machine you might find the owner of a large corporation conversing with a plumber."\nA reason for the change in riders has to do with the ever-changing market. Jonnum says that in the past 10 to 20 years, bikes have become more specialized.\n"More bikes are now offered other than your traditional Harley," Jonnum says. "Now people can choose from bikes for beginners, motocross, off-road and sports."\nThis change in the market has also resulted in a change in the sale of motorcycles in the past few decades. \n"There was a point in the early '80s when more overall units were being sold," Jonnum says. "In terms of all cycles, there have been good sales amongst teens. In general, more Cruisers and Harleys have been sold to middle-aged people, but across the board, there have been good sales amongst all age groups."\nAll different brands of bikes are being ridden around campus, including Harley Davidson, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and BMW. Bikes other than Harleys have been dubbed "crotch rockets" by Harley riders. \nHarley Davidson may not be the most popular model of bike on campus, but it does have its share of followers.\n"For many younger students, owning a Harley is more of a dream that they have after graduating from college," Markland says. "However, that doesn't mean that some of our bikes don't appeal to younger riders."\nMarkland says that the three most popular models at Buell are the Fat Boy, the Heritage Classic and the Road King Classic. He says that the Fat Boy typically appeals to younger riders.\nEven though the brands of motorcycles vary, the reasons they are used are very similar. \n"I ride my bike to class every day because parking is much easier," says David Parker, a junior, while parking his blue metallic 2002 Yamaha FZ1. "My bike also gets better gas mileage than a car and gets me where I'm going a little faster."\nOwning a motorcycle on campus is an ever-growing trend for both males and females. More people are buying them thanks to increased media exposure. \n"Events such as the X-Games and movies which feature people riding motorcycles make people want to purchase a bike," Jonnum says. "Many people see bikes being used in the media and then decide that riding a motorcycle is something they really want to do."\nParker says his dad introduced him to motorcycles.\nSome students ride them because a member of their family introduced them to motorcycle riding. \n"When I was younger he used to let me ride in front of him and hold on to the handle bars," Parker says.\nAt different times on campus you are likely to find a few people riding motorcycles. During class hours, you will often find many of them parked in the small circular parking lot across the street from the IMU. Once the sun sets, they move on to different hangouts. Parker says that as a result of owning a motorcycle, he has developed a new group of friends.\n"Motorcycle riders don't specifically have their own hangout," Parker says. "They go to local bars and clubs much like other students here on campus do. Sometimes people meet up at the parking garage across the street from the sheriff's station, but we usually just leave notes or send emails to each other to decide where to meet up."\nFreshman Joshua Glassburn says becoming a licensed motorcyclist is difficult, though certainly worth the effort.\n"During the test you are required to make some sharp turns and maneuvers. My Yamaha is not an easy bike to maneuver," Glassburn says, adding that life on the open road is always an adventure. "My favorite type of road would have to be a curvy highway. For a motorcycle rider, curves are more fun to ride, and on the highway there aren't as many potholes." \nFor many students in the motorcycle culture, an important, often-overlooked issue is safety. Glassburn says he always wears a helmet; he once came close to losing his bike on some loose gravel, causing him to be more cautious. The majority of riders tend to wear at least a helmet, while some wear more protective gear, such as heavy jackets, gloves and boots.\n"Many students, even if they don't ride Harleys, stop in and buy safety gear and apparel from our store," Markland says.\nParker particularly understands the essential nature of safety gear; last month he was involved in a serious wreck, but suffered minimal injuries because he was wearing full safety gear.\n"Hopefully I can create some positive publicity for motorcycles," Parker says. "Most importantly, (I want to) inspire other riders to be more thoughtful in their riding behaviors and gear that they wear because of my terrible wreck and how my motorcyle specific gear saved me from serious injury or, if I was helmetless, most certainly death."\nWhile the cold weather may diminish the number of motorcycles around campus, many students still choose to brave the cold air for the thrill of the ride and prime parking position, but come spring time, the bikes will return en masse.