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Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist By Ron Davis #111820
LOOKING FOR A MOTORCYCLE book featuring life or death encoun- ters with road bandits, heroic expedi- tions crossing trackless wastelands, or tense confrontations with armed bor- der guards? To paraphrase that famous Stormtrooper, this is not the book you’re looking for. Instead, Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcyclist by Stuart A. Kirk offers a thoughtful, ele- gantly-written narrative of one man’s reintroduction to the motorcycling life that will reso- nate with practically any rider who shares his “obsessions.” Following a preface by
Melissa Holbrook Pierson (The Perfect Vehicle), Kirk’s story begins with an ignominious account of his first real ride after taking a 20-year break from motorcycling. Aboard his shiny, fresh-out-of- the-box BMW R 75 S, he crashes. But instead of giving up his dream of becoming a motorcyclist, he begins a methodical journey through stages of studying, out- fitting himself with the proper gear, attending training classes, and practicing riding tech- nique, which he comes to rec- ognize are essential milestones on the road to experiencing the sublime pleasures motorcycling can present. Flannery O’Connor once wrote
something to the effect that she wouldn’t read “the Lord’s own book” if it didn’t hold her attention. It’s a view I share, especially since in my role as an English teacher, I’m besieged each day with all kinds of writing I have to read, whether it holds my attention or not. Divided into a series of essays of
26 BMW OWNERS NEWS May 2016
varying length such as “Terrors of the Track,” “Finding My Niche,” and “Lane Splitting in La-La Land,” Revved! easily kept me engaged. Kirk’s storytelling is free from awkward prose and long, philosophical dis-
on social welfare, psychiatry, and psychol- ogy, Stuart Kirk devotes considerable space to his efforts to join and even create small communities of riding compatriots. I’ve never been much of a joiner when it comes to riding, but reading how Kirk sys- temically seeks out motorcyclist gath- ering points to find a group of like-minded riders and then describes the benefits of riding with a group have made me reconsider this dimen- sion of motorcycling I’m sure many riders enjoy. As community building is one of the most remarked-on ben- efits of belonging to the MOA, I’m sure many member-readers will be nodding in agreement as they “listen” to the quiet conversation Kirk’s book provides. Readers will also appreciate Kirk’s
descriptions of some of the best roads for motorcycling in Southern Califor- nia and Arizona. Having owned something like 30 motorcycles and toured over much of the country, Stu- art Kirk can obviously speak with the voice of experience, and though some of the author’s advice on gear and techniques like cornering and lane splitting may be familiar to more experienced riders, these passages will be helpful to neophytes and are not delivered pedantically. Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife
Motorcyclist is a road map for those just saddling up for their journey into motorcycling and, at the same time, a
courses, and this kept me reading at a steady pace, almost like a gentle cruise down a favorite highway. One facet of the book I found intriguing
was the attention Kirk gives to the social aspect of his burgeoning motorcycling experience. A former professor of social welfare at UCLA and Columbia as well as the author and co-author of a host of books
reflective trip log for those who have been riding for years. “Obsessed” or not, riders of all types are sure to find a run through this
book will enhance their joy of
motorcycling. Revved! Obsessions of a Midlife Motorcy-
clist, 178 pages, Corkscrew Publishing. Available from
Amazon.com, $16.95 paper- back/$9.95 Kindle.
member tested
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