{"id":6411,"date":"2024-12-20T12:53:06","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T17:53:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bmwownersnews.com\/?p=6411"},"modified":"2025-03-29T21:58:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T01:58:39","slug":"moto-music","status":"publish","type":"moa_podcasts","link":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/moa_podcasts\/moto-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Moto music"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all reveled in the glorious symphony of internal combustion\u2014the whirring and rhythmic chatter of valvetrains and clutch baskets, the throbbing basso profundo idle of a big twin, or the soaring wail of a high-revving four \u201con the pipe.\u201d To enthusiasts, these can be as moving (pun intended) as any musical masterpiece. I still vividly recall my first visit to a racetrack: Loudon, 1991. The sounds literally brought tears to my eyes, and I could feel the resonance of millions of tiny explosions vibrating powerfully within my chest each time the cacophonous pack of riders passed by at speed. Truly awe-inspiring.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4299\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4299\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4299 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Mark-Barnes-w-RS-tight-2-350x338.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4299\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-4299 lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Mark-Barnes-w-RS-tight-2-350x338.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"338\" \/><\/noscript> <i>Mark with his R 1250 RS.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to think of motorcycles as musical instruments on the basis of their aural magnificence, but I want to consider this from a different angle\u2014that of the rider as musician. This notion originally came to me during another racetrack initiation\u2014my first track day. I was at \u201cLittle Talladega\u201d (a.k.a., Talladega Grand Prix Raceway in Munford, AL) on an appropriately also-little Honda Hawk GT. It was the perfect combination for a track virgin: a lightweight, highly maneuverable, modestly powered motorcycle on a small, flat, easily memorized racetrack with almost no visual obstructions. Back then (early 90s) TGPR\u2019s layout was barely over one mile in total length, although it\u2019s been expanded since then. By mid-afternoon, I\u2019d developed a cadence, with my braking, turning and throttle opening points for each corner coalescing into a recognizable, recurring pattern. These weren\u2019t evenly spaced like a toe-tap keeping time, but rather formed an irregularly syncopated sequence of beats more like an intricate series of riffs in a guitar solo. There was much to enjoy that day, but best of all was this quasi-musical element emerging from the repetition of my actions, lap after lap. As my inputs became increasingly automatic, I could start to \u201chear\u201d the racetrack\u2019s \u201csong\u201d played out in movements (these puns are just too easy!). It was a genuine peak experience, nearly synesthetic and definitely surreal. Upon leaving the track, that pattern continued cycling (sorry!) through my mind like an earworm. I\u2019m guessing racers can recall racetracks in exactly this same way, like the rest of us remember familiar tunes from our formative years.<\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"lazyload\" style=\"border: none;\" title=\"Embed Player\" data-src=\"https:\/\/play.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/34817815\/height\/192\/theme\/modern\/size\/large\/thumbnail\/yes\/custom-color\/f2cb9f\/time-start\/00:00:00\/hide-playlist\/yes\/download\/yes\/font-color\/000000\" width=\"100%\" height=\"192\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Of course, there\u2019s another artistic medium using physical movement quite straightforwardly for expression: dance. Maybe that would be an even better metaphor for this phenomenon. However, I can also make the case for similarities to two- and three-dimensional art, with an elegant arc through a corner analogous to a painter\u2019s subtle brushstroke or the delicately precise tracing of a potter\u2019s sculpting tool through soft clay. Any of these parallels might be compelling to a specific rider, depending on how they process their sensations and the art forms with which they\u2019re most intimately familiar. No doubt, there are others beyond what I\u2019ve mentioned here.<\/p>\n<p>My point is simply this: Riding can be an art form, not only in terms of achieving certain technical ideals, but also as a form of individual expression. This is commonly understood as part of customizing a bike, though now I\u2019m referring to how it\u2019s actually ridden. In most cases, there are some constraints placed on the artist-rider. A road or trail imposes limits on motion, not unlike those a cover band must contend with when playing a song written by someone else. Stray too far from the source material and you can end up with a mangled wreck, unrecognizable to the audience and lacking whatever virtues made the piece worthy of imitation; going back to the visual art metaphor, a rider does have to \u201ccolor within the lines.\u201d On the other hand, there is some room for idiosyncratic modification, as the character of the original is translated through the personality and instrumentation of the covering musician(s), with both layers clearly discernable. Does this make the road, track or trail architect a composer? Is the rider then an interpreter of that work? I guess it depends on their motives and creative sensibilities, but surely one or both might be true.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6414 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1176\" height=\"588\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6414 lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1176\" height=\"588\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr.jpg 1176w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/bmw-m1000rr-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1176px) 100vw, 1176px\" \/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>We can go a little further with this. Some riders are like professional studio musicians, aiming to nail a certain length of dirt or tarmac with conventional efficiency and consistent grace. Other riders could be more improvisational, like a jazz player, always looking for inventive variations on the established theme and delighting in defying expectations with unexpected flourishes. These folks must still adhere, at least loosely, to a minimalistic structure and maintain coherence with certain overarching principles; after all, the laws of physics remain in effect. Obviously, various environments allow differing degrees of freedom, but each rider also decides how much latitude to take. An unfamiliar, free-flowing road will be approached with a specific set of skills and tools, but with no fixed standard of \u201ccorrectness\u201d many possibilities might be strung together in endless variations, each with a unique aesthetic reflecting a rider\u2019s preferences and proclivities\u2014their signature. There\u2019s probably a fastest line, for example, but that will depend on the bike\u2019s handling and power characteristics, the rider\u2019s risk tolerance, and other factors. And \u201cfastest\u201d is only one criterion for defining an ideal; there are others. While smoothness often serves as the foundation for speed, it can be a goal in itself, likewise with any isolated technique. Just as an artist may use a piece to \u201cstudy\u201d specific methods and configurations, a motorcyclist may do the same with any particular outing. No artist puts all their abilities on display in a single work, nor does any rider.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the freest expression is possible on the large, unmarked surface (blank canvas?) beneath the tires of the stunt rider. That \u201cdance floor\u201d allows virtually limitless movement, constrained only by the hardware in use and the rider\u2019s skill and imagination. Is the proper analog some sort of interpretive dance? Breakdancing? Or, back to music\u2014something highly conceptual, wherein the artist is exploring the envelope of what\u2019s possible with their instrument. At the opposite extreme might be a police moto team, riding in uncannily tight, perfectly coordinated formation. Now we may be in the realm of ballet, pointillism, or an orchestral production of the highest order. It turns out the absence of freedom may be just as challenging as the absence of structure, with equally impressive artistry employed in each case.<\/p>\n<p>Similar to how a musician must first learn scales, or a martial artist must first learn katas, motorcyclists have to master basic skills before they can launch more creative efforts. It\u2019s only when foundational elements become second nature that space opens up for self-expression and spontaneity. Technical proficiency by itself yields a rather sterile performance, albeit one that may also be admirably effective. The addition of creative expression brings character and soul to the mix, even as it may involve breaking some of the rules governing an earlier stage of development.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bmwmoaf.org\/fundraising\/safemiles-endowment\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4560 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"135\" \/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-4560 lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200-300x34.jpg 300w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200-1024x115.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MOA-Foundation-Logo-1200-768x86.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>The Ride Inside with Mark Barnes<\/em> is brought to you by the <a href=\"https:\/\/bmwmoaf.org\/fundraising\/safemiles-endowment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MOA Foundation<\/a>. You can <a href=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/page\/membertypes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">join the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America<\/a> quickly and easily to better take advantage of the Paul B Grant and Clark Luster programs mentioned in this episode.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Whereas a true virtuoso can make any version of their instrument sing, a Stratovarius or Stratocaster\u2014or an M1000RR\u2014allows next-level precision and the most nuanced embellishments. Exotica delivers rarified experiences, but lo-fi hardware may offer just as much fun at the other end of the spectrum, with restricted execution and elements of wonkiness challenging the artist to loosen up and play in a more carefree manner. Jamming on a thrift-shop guitar (with only the finest plastic strings!) or careening around a lumpy field on a clapped-out 100cc kid\u2019s bike will produce plenty of smiles and allow levels of abandon typically prohibited by more sophisticated equipment. You don\u2019t need the finest cutlery to create an extremely tasty burger!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6412\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6412\" style=\"width: 350px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6412 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Wes-playing-Hello-Kitty-Strat-350x234.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"234\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6412\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-6412 lazyload\" src=\"http:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Wes-playing-Hello-Kitty-Strat-350x234.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"234\" \/><\/noscript> <i>Somebody you might recognize &#8211; MOA Digital Media Editor Wes Fleming, playing a Hello Kitty Stratocaster.<\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Viewing the motorcyclist as a musician, the bike is merely an instrument being played, a tool for self-expression. One machine may be better suited for this purpose than another, but the more important matter is the rider\u2019s ability to get something internal into an external form. This is true of all art; it is the \u201cex\u201c in \u201cexpression.\u201d The wordless, ineffable essence of some private experience gets captured in an image, a chord progression, a sequence of gestures, or even a series of arcs and velocity changes on an empty country road. Movement through space on two wheels can mirror an exuberance, a determination, or a serenity defying representation via other means. The motorcycle is a conduit\u2014a vehicle, if you will!\u2014for that which we cannot describe in language. When we get it just right, it\u2019s as rapturously satisfying as hearing perfect pitch, the most exquisite polyrhythm, or the sonic textures of our favorite band. We might as well catch lightning in a bottle.<\/p>\n<p>Whereas a musical instrument serves as a prosthetic voice, motorcycles extend the capabilities of our legs, virtually transforming them into wings. The extra range of motion allows us to reach further toward matching some unspeakable abstraction within our core, something we\u2019re naturally compelled to express, like a songbird\u2019s melody or an otter\u2019s acrobatics. The concrete, physical match is never perfect, never complete, but our desire to make it so is inexhaustible. When we get close, we feel an intense sense of accomplishment and pride\u2014not because of someone else\u2019s admiration, but because it evokes approval from our inner self, like a guitar string brought into tune; it\u2019s akin to profound, existential agreement. The instrument is no longer something separate, but an extension of our spirit.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><i>Mark Barnes is a clinical psychologist and motojournalist. To read more of his writings, check out his book <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Why-Ride-Psychologist-Motorcyclists-Relationship\/dp\/1620082284\/ref=sr_1_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why We Ride: A Psychologist Explains the Motorcyclist\u2019s Mind and the Love Affair Between Rider, Bike and Road<\/a>,<i> currently available in paperback through Amazon and other retailers.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all reveled in the glorious symphony of internal combustion\u2014the whirring and rhythmic chatter of valvetrains and clutch baskets, the throbbing basso profundo idle of a big twin, or the soaring wail of a high-revving four \u201con the pipe.\u201d To enthusiasts, these can be as moving (pun intended) as any musical masterpiece. I still vividly [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6414,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"podcast":[81],"class_list":["post-6411","moa_podcasts","type-moa_podcasts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","podcast-the-ride-inside"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moa_podcasts\/6411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moa_podcasts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/moa_podcasts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moa_podcasts\/6411\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6414"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"podcast","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bmwmoa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcast?post=6411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}