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Then our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with joyful songs.
—Psalm 126:2

I enjoy telling dad jokes. Once he even laughed.

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“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
—Matthew 14:28-29

How do you know the gender of an ant? Drop it in water.
If it sinks – girl ant.
If it floats _ _.

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August 2024: RIDING A MOTORCYCLE WITH A PASSENGER

Riding your motorcycle alone is a great time, though sometimes it’s even more fun to share the riding experience with someone else—but that comes with its own set of rules and responsibilities. The most common term is “passenger”, some may say “pillion rider”, but my favorite is “co-rider”. Like a co-pilot, there are some things a co-rider needs to do, so here are some tips that will make the experience more enjoyable for both the rider and co-rider.

ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time:
Always ensure that your co-rider is properly equipped with a helmet, armored riding jacket, full-fingered gloves, armored riding pants, and boots. With an unscheduled dismount, co-riders probably won’t see it coming, and won’t have time to brace themselves. Just like you, the better protected they are, the safer it is for them.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:11)

ARMS & HANDS:
On smaller bikes, some recommend that co-riders rest their hands on the tank, but leaning is easier and less restricted if they put their hands on the rider’s waist. Bigger bikes usually have passenger grab rails, which are the best choice if the bike is equipped with them.

THE HOT STUFF:
If your muffler and exhaust is exposed, make sure your co-rider is well aware that it’s hot! It can severely burn them before they even realize they touched it. While we’re warning them about hazardous bike parts, please also make them aware of the chain and sprocket (or pully & belt), that can quickly devour shoestrings and other loose clothing, and cause certain disaster.

MOUNTING & DISMOUNTING:
Make sure your passenger knows to only get on or off the bike when you tell them it’s okay to do so. If they jump on or off unexpectedly, it could easily lead to your dumping the bike! Then, after they’ve gotten off and moved out of the way, they should tell you it’s okay for you to dismount.
If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. (Ecclesiastes 4:10)

BE SMOOTH:
Pay a lot more attention to being smooth with the clutch, throttle, and brakes. What you think might be a normal transfer of weight under acceleration, shifting, or braking might be very disturbing for the passenger. It’s probably safe to assume they have no idea what you’re about to do—because odds are, they don’t. Riding 2-up is a good reason to use skills like trail braking and clutchless shifting to keep things moving along smoothly.

LEANING:
Tell your co-rider to simply look over your shoulder in the direction of the turn, or to just sit straight up. When passengers move their heads to the rider’s shoulder that’s on the inside of the curve, the center of gravity remains the same. Moving to the outside of the corner might make the bike wobble, and it will lose ground clearance that could come in handy in helping to avoid a wreck.

WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION:
Let your co-riders know they should transfer some of their weight from the seat to the pegs when the road gets rough, and they should also stay relaxed, and not hang on too tightly, or make any abrupt movements. If you have adjustable preload on the rear suspension, you may want to crank it up. You’re adding enough weight to the bike to drastically change the way it corners, stops and accelerates, but adjusting the preload will make it more manageable and predictable. Also, mention to your co-rider that they need to remain still when you’re slowing to a stop, or in the middle of a turn, because shifting their weight will have a greater effect on the way the bike handles at slower speeds. Before hitting the streets, maybe start out by practicing with them in a vacant parking lot.
One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

THE WAVE:
Don’t forget the biker wave! Co-riders usually have a lot of fun with this, especially if they’re new to riding. I still enjoy it myself, even after almost 45 years!

When riding any kind of motorcycle, it’s always better to be safe than sorry—but when you add a co-rider, it's even more important because you’re accepting the responsibility for someone else’s safety. Make sure you know what you’re doing and are comfortable with giving them instructions concerning how to ride safely as well. Once you have that figured out, all that’s left to do is to enjoy the ride and the companionship!
And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. (Hebrews 13:16)

Kurt Repsher
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. (3 John 1:2)

The 33rd Annual Motorcycle and Scooter Ride To Work Day is Tuesday, June 11. Worldwide, more than an estimated million riders become two-wheeled commuters to demonstrate riding as a fun and practical form of utility transportation. Over 100 American cities formally recognize Ride to Work Day by proclamation, and riding clubs around the world encourage their members to participate in this annual demonstration.

According to the Ride to Work nonprofit organization, for hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers, riding is a socially beneficial form of transportation that provides a broad range of other public benefits. According to the United States Census Bureau and the Department of Transportation, over 80 million cars and light trucks are used every day for commuting, and only about 200,000 motorcycles and scooters are a regular part of this mix. On June 11, the practical side of motorcycling and scootering becomes more visible as a higher percentage of America’s 8 million cycles and scooters replace automobiles.

The first Ride to Work Day was July 22, 1992. For several years, various motorcycle businesses informally promoted every third Wednesday in July as Ride To Work Day. These early advocates included Road Rider magazine, Dunlop Tires and Aerostich/Riderwearhouse. The event continued to grow as an informal grassroots demonstration every year until 2000. That year a nonprofit organization, Ride to Work, was formed to help organize and promote Ride to Work Day. The first Ride to Work Day led by this group was the third Wednesday in July of 2001.

Starting in 2024, the day was changed to the second Tuesday in June to avoid conflicting with Juneteenth, a United States federal holiday, going forward. This day was chosen because A) it breaks up the workweek better than a Monday day does (RTW Day is a demonstration day), and B) a midweek day is more likely to receive media coverage than a Monday or Friday. Ride to Work is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, all-volunteer effort. Organizers include Andy Goldfine and Lynn Wisneski.