Motorcycle and Life Lessons From a Wiser Man Than I - A Triumph Bonneville T120 Ride
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- Опубліковано 18 тра 2024
- As older motorcyclists, we've built up a lot of riding knowledge over the years. But if you think about it, how much of what we know came from our fathers? My dad never rode, as far as I know, but the lessons he taught me as a kid carry through to every one of my rides. Join me on my Triumph Bonneville T120 Black on a relaxing ride through the country, and I'll share some of those lessons with you.
I'm making a Father's Day tribute video, and I'd love to add your voice. If you'd like to record a quick message about the lessons your dad taught you about motorcycling, and about life, visit my website. You can record your story here:
Thank you. Submissions are closed now.
Come visit over on Instagram: / bugmotochannel
Here's my silly side, over on my Vespa channel: / @bugscooters
Filmed on my 2017 Triumph Bonneville T120 Black.
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Tech Notes (current as of Feb 2024):
I shoot these videos mainly on DJI equipment:
• DJI Osmo Action 4 cameras
• DJI Osmo Pocket 3
• DJI Mic 2 (used with Pocket 3 and in-helmet with Action 4)
• Sony ZV-1
• Fuji X100f for stills
All video is edited in Davinci Resolve Studio on a Mac Book Pro
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Thanks for your comments! I’d love it if you’d take part in our next video by recording a story about your father. Go here for more: www.bugmo.to/fathers-day
My father was an absolute swine. Never heard one piece of praise in my whole life. Those of you with great dads I have nothing but envy for. So if you are lucky enough to enjoy a great relationship with your dad never take it for granted. Embrace every day for they will not last forever. ❤️🏴
I never had a Dad, but I made sure I was always there for my kid.
Cheers!
I believe that those of us that never had a father who was present and to grow up to have our own children, there is redemption in being that who you don’t want to be.
Unfortunately I know what you are talking about. So I try to make it better. And it's not that hard.
To my Dad I should be seen but not heard - what a prick! I'm the total opposite of my Dad. My 3 kids get showered in love and support. So in a way my shit Dad did me a great favour in terms of what not to do/be
My Dad passed last year. He rode motorcycles all his life. He raced them too. I learned how to ride three years ago. I wanted to do something for my big birthday this year and to feel my Dad. I just got back from a solo ride across the US. He was with me all the way. He travelled on his 1964 BMW bike across the US in his 20s with my Mom on the back. I feel proud and connected to him even more. Love riding and wish I would have learned earlier. I have my son to thank as he asked me to take the safety course with him. Just do it!
I'm about 5 days back into my riding career after having taken 12 years off when I moved to Canada. Your videos have reminded me that there's a peaceful, non-adrenaline filled aspect for riding, and it is so appreciated. I didn't have my father to look up to- he was emotionally, mentally and physically distant, but my mother taught me more about driving and being safe than anyone else. I still hear her in my ear even when I ride.
“Doing something for yourself is not selfishness. It’s self preservation” - Papa
My Dad introduced me to road bikes when I was 15. In his youth he rode a Triumph. He was concerned with how I was turning out. I was nerdy, safety conscious and serious. I was the safe side of mainstream ordinary. I became addicted to riding and enjoyed being the opposite of who I was. Riding and the culture of riding changed me and gave me a thirst for life - exploring the world on long tours. I could tell he was proud. In the last couple of months, BugMoto gave me the confidence to return to bikes after 21 years. I am 58 and now have a Triumph T120 Black, with heated grips - and loving it. I can feel my mojo returning. Thank you.
Wow, thank you for saying that. I really appreciate it.
God bless good fathers. Mine passed 9 years ago. He liked motorcycles. I rode with him on the back of his. The man knew what "full send" meant. He too was hardworking, organized, disciplined, and kind. I learned I couldn't tell him I liked his watch, or whatever else he had that I thought was nice, because he would just try and give it to me. Take the watch off his wrist and try and give it to me. He taught me that peace was better than reason. Having peace was better than being right. Your video was a great ode to great fathers. Thank you.
Here lies the body of William Jay
Who died maintaining his right of way
He was right , dead right as he sped along,
But he's just as dead as if he were wrong.
I always keep this William Carnegie poem in mind when out there. Love your post. I lost my father when I was 21 . He was 61. I'm grateful to have such fond and loving memories of him.
I am a father of 2 sons oldest being 50 years old. When each one of them reached driving age, I told them both don't die for right away.
I am lucky. Both my sons turned out to be excellent drivers. Neither one ever wrecked a vehicle that was beyond driving.
Your video brought me to some tears, especially the part about developing community and empty funerals. I just passed my foundational safety course and I’m looking at my first bike, a Kawasaki Vulcan.
My dad passed away in 2017, like yours he never rode but he was a goofball that could light up the room. Thanks for this video.
Your such a good story teller, My dad is a car mechanic, always so helpful when i grew up, he was known for being The Mechanic in town he could fix anything, That had an engine, i could walk up the stair he and he would sit there and study a random engine or car manual, he loves it, he thought me, it don`t matter what you do, as long as you love it, be humble there is always someone that knows more then you, unless you made it your self,
he once said if you cant learn it away, then you don't know it good enough.
and when it comes to any engine, if you show it some, Care and love, and take care of it, it can last a lifetime.
Hehe, the only thing I learned from my father was how not to parent. But, he did one, and only one, singular, totally surprising, and out of character thing that permanently changed my life. When I was eleven years old, I begged him to buy me an old piece of junk Honda CL90 Scrambler a neighbor was selling, and he did. I guess, on balance, I have to be grateful for that. Thanks, Pops. Y' old SOB.
My Dad was a mechanic, he fixed bikes, cars, there wasn't much he couldn't do.
When l was 12 he taught me to drive 🚗
He took me to a museum car park when it was empty and got out of the car and lay in grass , were he read the Sunday newspaper.
He told me to work it out by myself, it easy he said, you've watched me for years, better to work it out by yourself.
It was a manual gearbox and l didn't stall, l simply drove away and never looked back.
He died aged 93 and l loved him very much.
That’s such a great story.
Hey Bug, I don’t ride but love your videos. Mine would be, “Even if the sun doesn’t seem to be shining, it still shines”. I take it with me everyday. Keep safe,and, thanks.
Oh, I like that a lot.
Bugmoto, thank you. So. Much.!! My dad was distant, and what I got from him was stern discipline. The kind of discipline that makes one get out of bed and go to work, and work hard. So i thank him for that. But another kind of discipline......when he was growing up on the farm, he evidently had lots of elbow room, which led to some experiences. He had 2 Indians, both in bad condition. On two separate occasions he crashed on the same corner on the way to town, breaking the same collarbone, twice. One of those accidents was due to falling asleep, and the other--someone ran him off the road. Mom told me that during one of those accidents he laid in the middle of the road for awhile before anyone helped him. While I was growing up my folks taught me about bikes, and during the 70's we lived in a wild neighborhood, with kids riding 2 stroke bikes like crazy, having a good time (one ended up in jail). On top of "those things will kill you" they also told me things like "bikes are invisible" and "he should have his lights on". All of this factored into my consciousness when I finally got my bike at age 40. And immediately I fell into love with the Zen of motorcycling. My folk's DNA of freedom, experience, and discipline all surface when I swing a leg over the W800. Thank you Mom and Dad, I love you.
You were very lucky having the dad you did! I can only imagine, but really I can’t even imagine!
I was indeed very fortunate.
My father was not anything I would want a child to endure. Thankfully I had other male role models that got me through my pain and they showed me what good men should be. My father was a Dad only a handful of times during my life. He did teach us how to ride, and it was one of the few useful things we got from him. During some of his better times, he bought new motorcycles for my two brothers and me. My new bike came when was in grade school. I had a year-long book report project that I never started. I only had 8 weeks of the school year left to do the project, so I was terrified when my father found out about it. However, instead of giving me some of his “strict physical discipline”, he challenged me. He told me that if I finished the project and got a passing grade, he would buy me a new motorcycle. I did make a good grade on it, and true to his word, we went to the dealership and I picked out a new Yamaha 80. He passed away several years ago, and besides my siblings and their children, only about 12 other people showed up at the funeral.
Bug, thanks for another good video. I like the idea of your tribute project too.
My dad had a '55 Royal Enfield 500 Bullet that was stripped down and made into a bad-ass dirt bike. With cut pipes, that thing was loud. Really LOUD. He was a machinist, by trade, and could do most anything (as men of that generation tended to do). He welded steel rod to the frame to give me a place for my feet. (One set of melted sneakers was enough.) At about 4-years-old, my mom was less than thrilled to see her helmet-less first born on Dad's bike, tearing up the neighborhood. It was even more fun in the hills (where she couldn't see), especially on the jumps, pipe burns and all.
We were introduced to riding quite young and did most of it in the Mojave Desert (before the Desert Conservation Act). My brother and I continued riding well after he left, following an acrimonious divorce. I've always had a thing for bikes. I rode a Honda 350 for a couple years, then stopped. I kept renewing my California motorcycle endorsement. In '04, I got one for Washington... but have never used it. Now, nearly 45 years since my last confession, I bought a newer T120. (I've promised not to ride it until I take an intermediate course, come the end of June.) It has after-market, cat delete, British customs headers and Predator pipes. I guess loud bikes is genetic?
Anyway, as always, I enjoyed this video. Life with my dad was mixed. He's been gone 13 years, this month. You helped me recall the better-times Enfield adventures. Thank you. (Noticed the new flyscreen and Triumph jacket/glove ensemble. Nice.)
:) Thanks for noticing!
I love the ‘45 years since my last confession.’ That’s a great line.
I can vivdly imagine your dear father which I have never met. Thank you for the kind words you use to introduce him to us! I am sure he is joyously gazing on you from up above...
Thank you!
I lost my Dad in 2017. He was never interested in motorcycles, but enthusiastically went for a ride in the sidecar of my old Triumph Bonneville the year before he passed. I miss him.
Im turning 65 years old tomorrow and started riding when I was 12. And I still ride today. Just like you, my father was not a rider. Also, just like you, I had the best dad in the world. He passed away 27 years ago and there is never a day I don’t miss him. Though he never rode a motorcycle, his words of wisdom and guidance have made me, I believe, a good and safe rider. Your video did bring tears to my eyes as your story made me miss him even more. Thank you for sharing your relationship with your dad. We are blessed.
My dad has always been my Plumb Line. He had the knack of keeping me centred with just "one word" Amongst many life skills he taught me he showed me how to "wear a tie" correctly. He is now 90 and I'm 63 and one of the greatest people I've met on my way. I see the essence of my father in my son's and I will allow myself a little credit for that. He's a rich man (not in the material since) in so far as he is always giving and humble enough to accept your gifts to him.
My Dad was always too busy to bother teaching me anything. Oh well, thank god for motorcycles 🏍😎🍻
My Pop got me my first bike in 1978 I stoped riding when got married in 1982 I just got a T120 2023 last June and every time I ride Great thoughts of Pop
Such a great video, Dan! Our dads were pretty alike, by the sounds of it. My own died way too young, right after I was out of college. He was very concerned about driving and drove very cautiously. He was incredibly kind and generous and gentle, but was adamant about safety around anything that had a motor-- to the point that he told us, "If you ever get in a car accident, and you're not wearing your seat belt, I won't visit you in the hospital!" That was so unlike him and out of character, we never forgot it! Happy (upcoming) Father's Day, everyone.
I was expecting more father/son messages. Like others in my case Mom did it all. My Dad had his own life. I didn't know much about it.
Be young.
Be foolish.
Be happy.
To all of the brilliant fathers out there, “Cheers!”
Ride safe.
🛵🏁🎯
Your Dad sounds like a great man! I lost my Dad almost five years ago. Though he wasn’t there for a lot of my childhood, we bonded as adults and I miss him a lot. Thanks for sharing your story with us and thanks for the great video!
My Dad (89 now) was always tinkering with engines and one of my first memories was him trying to start his Aerial square 4 motorbike, it had so much compression he had to stand on the kickstarter throwing all his weight on it and bouncing off the seat, so when I was young I thought that to start a motorbike you just had to bounce on the seat. He'd take me for rides round the farm, no helmets or anything. I started riding at probably 7 or 8 when he bought a lighter 2 stroke farmbike, so I credit him with my love of motorbikes. PS I normally ride solo but if there were more riders like you I'd happily do group rides it would be way more relaxing. Great videos.
"...and if you wanna be free, be free...'cause there's a million things to be...you know that there are..." My dad was truly a very nice man, but we didn't have what you'd call a close relationship. He didn't really say a whole lot. He wasn't into motorcycles or scooters or rock 'n' roll or Fender amps or Gibson guitars. But he was into his job at the Post Office, and he was into the Chicago Cubs. Now that I'm older...almost the same age he was when he died...I've realized that my dad did like his music about as much as I did/do mine. Turns out he was into some pretty good stuff: Bob Crosby and his Bob Cats and Django Reinhardt and Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman and Pete Fountain and The Mills Brothers and Stan Getz and Peggy Lee (I swear he'd have left home and my mother if Peggy Lee had so much as crooked her finger in his direction...and, given my mother, I'd have totally understood...and I'd have helped him pack.). I didn't pick up any real life lessons from him that I can put my finger on -- he just wasn't that kinda guy. But he did expect us to be nice to folks and to do what you say you're going to do. Oh, and he taught me how to drive our '41 Plymouth Business Coupe with drum brakes, no power steering, and 3-on-the-tree without yelling at me. I feel pretty sure he woulda been pleased with how my life has turned out...maybe even proud. At least I can hope so. "...and if you want to say yes, say yes...and if you want to say no, say no...cause there's a million ways to go...you know that there are..."
I’m sure he’d be proud. You’re a great guy. Also, I want very much to drive a 41 Plymouth Business Coupe. I just absolutely love the way that car looks.
This is one of your best vlogs. AWESOME!
Thank you!
My mother showed me that I can learn to ride and drive better than most men lol
Happy late mother's day
My Dad has never been supportive of me riding my motorcycle. My love of motorcycles began in the 60’s, heck he bought my brothers and I a mini bike. I’m 67 years old, my Dad is 92. I’ve been riding now for over 50 years, still to this day he doesn’t approve of my riding. He’s quick to bring to my attention the latest motorcycle fatality as if to convince me to stop riding. Non riders don’t understand the freedom and peace one experiences on their motorcycle. Although if I had a child I’m certain I wouldn’t be supportive about their riding either. Yes there is a certain risk in riding which I’ll continue to take.
So TRUE!
I like to think that the person I help today will help my child or grandchild someday. Just because I made an example.
Definitely you had and you still have a great Dad even if he is not in life but he is still inside you and that count the most…and definitely your videos are awesome, thanks.
Thank you!
Bless your dad x
god bless your dad !
Thank you.
This video made me sad....My father is in late stages of cancer right now. Reminds me of all the things my dad taught me as well.
I’m sorry to hear that.
Wow awesome video and great content lessons to be learned and practiced indeed!
I notice you've added a smoked Dart flyscreen. I put one on my t120 a couple of years ago and immediately felt a decrease in wind blast on my chest. It make 70 mph a lot more comfortable. Plus it looks very cool.
Well truth be told, it’s a $20 Amazon knock-off. I only got it because I wanted to try it out and see if I liked it. Planned on buying a nicer one if I did. But it turns out this $20 thingie is actually quite nice, and does what it’s supposed to do, while not looking too shabby! So now I can’t justify buying the expensive version…
@@BugMotoChannel I also replaced my worn rear shocks with Progressive 412s. They are a little stiff but thats down to me being a 150 pounder. They make a huge improvement while carving the twisty roads here in TN
transcendent!
Wise words indeed.
What a great vid- thx.
I love your stuff mate. 😊
love
Great video!
I so look forward to these videos. Wonderful and heartfelt stories. I'm also really talen by the fabulous film like footage. I'd say its the best I've seen on any motovlog. I'm just embarking on a tour of the Pyrenees with my T120 and Osmo Action 4. Any tips on how you got your beautiful footage? A LUT? I have Davinci Resolve free version
Wow. Thank you!
I too use an Action 4 (two of them sometimes). I've got a bit of experience with color grading so I usually do a custom color grade for each video, depending on the mood. I sometimes, but not always, start with the DJI LUT for the camera. Sometimes I skip it and just go at it all manual.
However. I have Davinci Studio 19 (beta) and it includes a new film-look type LUT that is quite wonderful. Easy to use and you can get some great stuff with it.
Mostly I just like color grading from scratch.
@@BugMotoChannel Hi, thank you for your reply. Much appreciated. I'm struggling with my Action 4 and Davinci Resolve as it's not recognised as a camera. Do you use the downloaded DJI lut? Just wondered which film like lut you use?
unrelated to dads...or maybe not...how do you like the windshield? I am looking at getting one for my Bonneville Speedmaster.
I like it quite a bit. Mentioned in another comment thread that it’s a cheap Amazon knock-off bought solely to try it and see if I liked it. Turns out I like it a lot and it looks pretty good, so I’m gonna keep it (and not upgrade it to a more expensive one, I don’t think). It doesn’t make a dramatic difference with wind, but it does make enough of a difference to be worth having, in my opinion.