Recently, I had the opportunity to log miles on a new BMW S1000XR. Over the course of a few days, I experienced the exhilarating and advanced engineering feet that BMW has been known for. Not only was this bike loaded with features and tasteful upgrades, but it kept true to the brand without losing the soul that connects it with so many of its riders. This is not so much a review as documentation of the thoughts it evoked within me.
Riding motorcycles has always checked a few boxes for me. Each ride is different and oftentimes is aimed to scratch an itch. Whether it be to blow off steam after a long challenging work week, an affordable way to travel, or simply—a more pure immersive way to explore and connect with nature and the communities we have built. Every moment spent behind the bars brings a flood of thoughts and emotions, giving me the space to unpack them and, hopefully, learn something new about myself or the world.
Living in the northeast of the United States, I am blessed with some amazing riding locations and some of the most historic locations in the country. It's the architecture of each small town that I ride through that I find artistic inspiration. Nothing quite compares to stumbling upon a quaint new main street after carving through the mountains and valleys. Some townships have found ways to be reborn after the manufacturing that they were built on had left many years ago, while others continue to struggle and their historic buildings fall into decay.
Whenever I arrive in one of these places, I pull off the main street in search of the stories of the past, the memories left behind. The stories that are told, come to me in the ironwork of old fire escapes hanging on the side of buildings. I hear them in the brickwork and ornate fixtures that are adorned proudly on old structures. There was a time when a designer and tradesmen were able to leave their mark ever so subtly to be appreciated by future generations. It’s this that not only draws my eyes but also my soul. I’m inspired to shoot photos and do my best to share the feelings that each line on a building fills me with.
Great design is timeless and I often feel the same sense of inspiration on new structures as well, but they tend to be built for more grandiose reasons and not for the simpler utilitarian purposes that it seemed we focused on in the past. As humanity evolves, so does our design and the functionality needed from it. In the past, we needed our objects to be able to do multiple things out of scarcity of raw materials and necessity. Now as the modern world is so interconnected, we have the opportunity to refine our tools for greater specificity. It’s this privilege that makes possible the abundance or luxury we’ve grown accustomed to, depending on your perspective.
One thing is for sure: as I ride through some of my favorite cities, they all have one thing in common. It’s the tasteful blend of old and new. I'm fully aware this is as subjective as my taste in motorcycles. Some will argue that new buildings and businesses do not have the same soul or longevity as those of the past, while others have disdain for the primitive design and faulty aspects of the past. Whether you're a nostalgist or a realist, the common ground can be found in the juxtaposition of the two. It’s only in the comparison that either side has any ground to stand on.
As I found myself riding this brand-new machine, I could not help but fall for the tasteful touch points that were so carefully crafted to lure me, the rider, in. It might have been the feel of the upgraded features of the M package that was tastefully peppered around the machine, or maybe it was the way the seat cradled me so carefully—so as I leaned effortlessly into each sweeping turn, I felt like a baby swaddled in the arms of its mother. One thing was for sure: the 170 hp, 999cc, inline-four machine was lightweight, extremely nimble, and fast!
I’ve been known to be a sentimentalist and get lost in the longing for yesteryear far too many times. Just like the towns I discover in my riding explorations, I too find myself holding on to the utilitarian machines of the past and making claims that the older bikes will stand the test of time and the new ones will fall victim to the same technology that makes them so exhilarating.
Having the opportunity to own multiple bikes—more notably BMWs from different generations—I am fortunate enough to have a perspective and draw from direct comparisons back to back. The aging rider in me will always long for the simplicity and visceral feeling I get from riding an old airhead. The connectivity I have with those machines is closer and heartfelt in a very deliberate way. With that said, I can easily take my grandpa hat off and enjoy new things and make space for them in my life.
You see, 150 miles on the S1000XR may not have been enough time to connect emotionally with the bike in the way I have with others in my life, but it was enough time to learn something about myself and tell a story. The lesson learned was that although the age, design, and technology of the motorcycles and things in our life may vary, we must not look for what it doesn’t have but what it does—and how we can find joy in the present.
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