Make something of it, it's worth it...

You are drifting Harleysite.de around, so I can assume that you have at least one motorcycle in the garage? And what do you do with it? Are you one of those people who ride it to the next meeting on a Saturday afternoon for a bratwurst?

The art of this motorcycle business is not just about selling a motorcycle. It is far more difficult, but also more rewarding, to get the customer to ride.

Do something with your toy, otherwise the manufacturer will lose a customer who might have shot a buck or two in the course of his motorcycle career. Harley-Davidson was the first motorcycle manufacturer to recognize this and has consistently implemented it since the 1980s at the latest.

Die HOG ist nur ein Beispiel, die zahlreichen Harley-Davidson Events im in und Ausland dienen ebenfalls dazu, den Kunden zu binden, aber vor allem ihm Erlebnisse auf dem Bike zu bieten.

Owning a motorcycle only makes you happy for a very short time and this feeling of happiness fades at least as quickly as it arrived.

Much more important is what happens after the purchase. I myself can hardly remember how many and which bikes I've ridden, which is hardly surprising given my profession as a motorcycle journalist... but I could fill entire books with my experiences on two wheels alone.

I always knew that I wanted and needed to ride a motorcycle. Long before I had the coveted license, it was clear to me where I wanted to ride. Well, not with what, but that I wanted to ride.

And that's still my favorite thing to do today, ride a motorcycle... Does that sound logical to you? Then why the heck do so few of you do it? Saturday's for a bratwurst and in September to Faak... that's it?

Did you know that you are in Carinthia, including neighboring Tyrol, Italy and so on, in one of the most beautiful motorcycle regions in Europe? Well, if I didn't have to go to Bike Week every year for work, you might meet me for a nightcap beer by the lake.
And once you are infected, there will soon be no stopping you.

In my opinion, the Pyrenees are by far the most beautiful motorcycle region in Europe. Sparsely populated, perfect stretches of asphalt, fantastic mountain landscapes that extend into the Mediterranean and, on top of that, an increased guarantee of good weather.

As a novice rider, one of my first motorcycle tours took me right across France, all the way to the Pyrenees. Since then, I've been there at least once a year. And I've hardly ridden a road or pass twice since then.

Initially with two buddies who were just as weird as me. Since the two of them have mutated into professional family men, I usually travel alone. In the meantime, there's hardly a continent that I haven't explored, at least to some extent.

It's not about breaking any mileage records or boasting about where I've been. On the contrary, I've even gotten out of the habit of talking about it in front of motorcyclists. Why? If you only do „bratwurst tours“, then nobody will believe you anyway... really.

For me, riding a motorcycle is not a way of life or anything like that.

Riding a motorcycle makes me happy, feeling the airstream, the acceleration forces, centrifugal forces... But also the experiences, the people I meet, the friends I make. There are so many memories and impressions that nobody can take away from me. I realize that very few of you can spend 6 months of the year on two wheels.

But honestly, how many days do you get? No matter what's slumbering in your garage, you've definitely got one of the coolest toys you can imagine.

And if you're only going to the Black Forest, the Odenwald or an area within your reach for the weekend. It doesn't matter whether you stay in a tent, a guesthouse or a fancy hotel.

The important thing is that you find the beginning and you will see how quickly it can become an addiction. The fun really does start right outside the garage door, you just have to take the plunge...

And if you don't want to set off on your own, you can always choose one of the many tour operators that specialize in motorcycle tours. I highly recommend SKS-Reisen, who I also travel with from time to time.

With this in mind, see you somewhere out there on some street
Yours sincerely, Peter

Text & photos: Peter Schulz

Kolumne: Gastautor Peter Schulz  / Motorrad Redakteur, Buchautor, Foto und Filmemacher