Inhalt
Reading sample
The Meaning of Bike
This book is a dedicated, passionate and occasionally irreverent examination of why motorcycles exist at all.
It turns out that we shouldn’t be without one
i1 Freedom rider. http://www.laut.de/Richard-Dorfmeister/accessed 2 April 2016
Do you know,
- Why scarves are so important?
- How many speed blurs are enough?
- If you ride, fine weather is guaranteed
- Long legs appear to be mandatory
- Red motorbikes are best
- Motorbikes are better for you than a personal trainer
DEDICATED To every rider who has waved, nodded, stuck a leg out, flashed or otherwise acknowledged my presence on the road - there must be thousands of you by now - cheers
The Meaning of Bike
Chapter 1 - Fun, but Oh the pain of it
Chapter 2 - Get your motors’ running get out on the highway
Chapter 3 - Good Old USA1
Chapter 4 - Family and Friends, Young and Old - Come on Down
Chapter 5 - The Ton’s the thing
Chapter 6 - Style or Substance?
Chapter 7 - The Pin-Ups2
Chapter 8 - Feel Free to be Motivated
Chapter 9 -The Great Adventure
Chapter 10 - Let’s Hear it for the Girls
Chapter 11 - Celebrity, Celebrity - Am I the person you want me to be?
Chapter 12 - The Modern Way
Chapter 13 - The Many Faces of BIKER
ADDENDUM - SAFETY FIRST, SECOND and THIRD
COVER IMAGES AND REFERENCES
About the Author. Rob has ridden for close to 50 years - right around Europe and bits of Africa. He hardly ever falls off and regularly enjoys the joy that motorcycling brings. A former academic and writer he is now happily retired and spends more time tinkering than is right and proper.
The Meaning of Bike
Introduction
This book is a dedicated, passionate and occasionally irreverent examination of why motorcycles exist at all.
It turns out that we shouldn’t be without one3.
In an exploration of the motorbike from its very beginnings to the super-bikes of today, fascinating facts emerge,
- What scarves and ties can tell us
- How many speed blurs are enough
- If you ride fine weather is guaranteed
- Long legs appear to be mandatory4
- Red motorbikes are best5
- Motorbikes are better than a personal physical trainer
HEATH CHECK
Can you ride a motorbike6 - chorus - yes you can
Can you have fun on a motorbike - chorus - yes you can
But can you improve your overall sense of well-being - chorus - yes you can
Healthy Lifestyle? - This one’s for the doubters.
Can you believe that riding a motorcycle can?
- Increase cognitive function
- Improve mental and physical health
- Reduce stress levels
- Provide a full body workout
As well as provide all the fun and thrills of a lifestyle choice that never gets ‘old’
Too much to believe?
The text below is an assessment of the key points from an online article7 which reports on academic research8 into the benefits of motorbiking.
YOUR BRAIN ON A MOTORCYCLE
Key Benefits of Riding a Motorcycle
- Promotes an active and healthy brain.
- Improves physique and levels of concentration
The study at the University of Tokyo, titled “The relationship between motorcycle riding and the human mind,” tested male motorcyclists between 40 and 50. They evaluated two groups, regular use cyclists and a non-rider control group. Each individual was examined for brain function9 and cognitive skills.
After two months on two wheels, research results were able to conclude riders who drove their motorcycles to the office daily had
- increased cognitive functioning when compared to those who did not. The motorcycle riders’ scores had increased more than 50 percent, in contrast, the control group’s scores slightly decreased.
- The study’s rider participants noted that after 60 days of consistent motorcycle use, they had reduced stress levels and were generally happier.
TOTAL BODY FITNESS10
Two contrasting pictures follow...
From 'maybe get a big Harley' to 'really fit but I bet he can't ride'
i2 Funny motorcycle problem. http://www.adventurerider.net,accessed 11 July 2017
From 'needs work' to totally fit in just a few rides11
i92 Motorcycle Man (Dream Man #4) by Kristen Ashleyhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13448656-motorcycle-man, accessed 1 November 2015
Taking it too far- Don't do this yet! The expression on his face says that going up is easier than coming down
i3 High_Flyer. Supercross http://fasthouse.tumblr.com/post/30183802663 accessed 11 July 2017
REALLY REAL FACTS
Did you know that you could get your entire daily exercise through riding? Using a motorcycle is a calorie burner similar to fast walking; motorcycling generally burns around 200-300 calories per hour. Riding in an enthusiastic style1213 can burn up to 600 calories an hour as a result of the exercise required to control a bike at higher speeds
While burning these calories, you’re also gaining a full body workout. The muscle use and energy required to maneuver a motorcycle help make your abdominal muscles stronger14.
As a bonus the result of the intense use of thigh muscles in motorcycling, riders end up with stronger knees and become less susceptible to knee injuries.
It is a great pity that medical practitioners cannot prescribe motorbikes as a means of improving their patients’ lives!15
BUT YOU COULD ALWAYS BUY A MOTORCYCLE!
The history of the motorbike is full of character, from the individuals who first made them, and the people that got to ride them. The sources used as research material for the chapters that follow include early posters, photographs and cultural references from film, songs and celebrities over the last 150 years and more.
The rest of this book is an examination of why motorbikes came into being and why people wanted to buy them so much.
Starting with motorbikes without engines, more commonly known as bicycles
Peddle with the Devil - beware that bike!
CHAPTER 1 - FUN, BUT OH THE PAIN OF IT
To invent you need a good imagination, and a pile of junk ~ Thomas A Edison
i4 Bicycle. www.bikeengines.com, accessed 12 May 2017 i5 http://cyclingisgoodforyou.blogspot.com accessed 12 May 2017
But you could be uncomfortable in the 18th century!
The first person to sketch a bicycle was Leonardo da Vinci16back in the 15th century, but there is no evidence to show that one was ever made.
The early cycles were little more than two wheels and a wooden beam which was propelled by pushing with the feet on the ground. The cycle below is the Celerifere by Comte Mede de Sivrac of France in 1790. Note that there are no handlebars, brakes, suspension or chain drive17. It was big and heavy with little concession to comfort. The Celerifere was literally a bone-shaker. It was also expensive - one for the hobbyist only.
i6 http://joannabicycle.hubpages.com/hub/celerifere-first-bicycle, accessed 22 December 2016
A short ride on a Celerifere would suggest that welcome improvements could be made. Let’s add a seat and some handlebars for a start. We now have a better cycle (see the picture below) Bikes of this type were often referred to as a dandy horse18 and they were invented by Baron Karl Draisin of Mannheim in Germany around 1818. How fast would it go? Well - not very, and without brakes something of a test of nerve.
It isn’t clear whether these machines were intended purely for travel or exercise or just for their novelty value. Clearly and factually one for the rich guys.
i7 https://userscontent2.emaze.com/images, accessed 29 December 2016
In practical terms - still some way to go.
So? just stick some pedals on it!
The idea of pedals occurred in the 1860’s with the invention of the Velocipede
The form of the bike varied from 2-4 wheels but the important change was the addition of pedals onto the front wheel as in the wood engraving below
i8 published in Harper's Weekly, December 19, 18688
OY - get you…hope the hat helps in the event of a topple.
Not a woman pedalling in sight but they were allowed to sit next to or in front of a man!
i9 http://lprbicycles.net, accessed 2 August 2016
There is quite a sense of style going on here - not one for the masses yet; nor for any distance work. Is she happy?
Safety First
Impressum
Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Texte: Robert Hopwodd
Bildmaterialien: All images are notated throughout the book including the cover design
Lektorat: Robert Hopwood
Übersetzung: not required
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 30.06.2017
ISBN: 978-3-7438-2059-3
Alle Rechte vorbehalten
Widmung:
DEDICATED To every rider who has waved, nodded, stuck a leg out, flashed or otherwise acknowledged my presence on the road - there must be thousands of you by now - cheers