You shouldn’t need another excuse to get on a motorcycle, but June 15th is Ride to Work Day. So be an ambassador for motorcyclists: get out there and remind people that motorcycles are more than just go-fast toys – for some people bikes are day to day transportation and a way of life! On this day, there are usually an estimated extra 150,000 motorcycles on the road. Will you be one of them? (If, like me, you’re working from home, then I guess you just have to get out there and do your favorite loop!
Ride to Work is a non-profit that champions the use of motorcycles and scooters for transportation. Every year (on the 3rd Monday in June) they organize an international Ride to Work day, but they work year round to raise awareness about motorcycles as transportation and to educate the public and politicians on the benefits of what we do. So I’m sure that rear tire you just killed by doing a burnout can now be written off on your taxes!
One of the organizers of Ride to Work is Andy Goldfine (the great guy behind Aerostich). I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with him a few times in the past, and he once shared the story of how this organization got started – it all began at a road race where Andy found an old Honda homemade cafe among the spectator motorcycles with a tank that said “Work to Ride, Ride to Work”. Inspired by this, Aerostich created stickers and apparel with the same phrase – and it was a T-shirt that prompted editors of Road Rider magazine (the predecessor to MCN, RIP) to call for a national ride to work day.
This Ride for Work Day, I’ll be goofing around some more on the 2020 Kawasaki Z900. Photo by Nathan May.
If you want more details on the history of the organization, head on over here. Like what you see? Feel free to donate/support the cause here, or head on over to their website to get more information and see how you can get involved! And no matter if you ride every day or once a year – stay safe and have fun.