According to our publishing calendar, our dear readers will be huddled around the Yule log, or perhaps spinning the dreidel, when the January 2025 issue of Ultimate Motorcycling is sent into the proverbial cloud. With a combination of beeps and boops that work well outside my understanding, this latest issue is shot across the internet, where our subscribers are surely set to receive updates alerting them to another installment of exciting two-wheeled content delivered to their fingertips free of charge.
For those familiar with Christmas folklore, consider UM staffers the mindful elves powering Santa Claus’s highly industrialized toy-making machine. We generally don’t track who is naughty or nice because that seems draconian. We say, “Do wheelies, stoppies, skids, and reasonably thumb your nose at authority.” (Disclaimer: don’t commit real crimes, kids).
As a lifelong California resident, I view winter as a slightly colder time of the year when it gets darker earlier. Thankfully, we aren’t socked in with snow, though I’m sure more than a few of us would like rain by now. Fingers crossed.
Still, there is an overriding theme for December. The calendar year is ending, and soon, we’ll all have to order a new, quirky cat-related calendar to replace the old one because being an adult has proven one thing to me: I can spend my money on whatever I want, which is pretty awesome. Alas, that’s beside the point.
2024 was a whirlwind year with loads of travel for all of us that make Ultimate Motorcycling happen. Hours on the road, planes, and even a few trains on my own account start to add up. Our little collective has covered many miles these past few months, and the theme I’ve been reluctantly hinting at is reflection.
Maya Angelou, an author who I confidently say is far more eloquent than any motorcycle writer, is quoted as saying, “You can’t really know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been.” I can dig it. In fact, the statement alone seems like perfect common sense to me. We’ve all got to know history to know where we’re going. Some might see that realized in data; some may see it realized in becoming encyclopedic forbearers of knowledge. Yet, there is a strong foundation to that statement that resonates with my sappy ol’ self.
The fun thing about ruminating about a topic like this is where that idea takes your mind. I was returning from the launch of the new Triumph Speed Twin 900 in Spain this week, and a fellow airline passenger asked what I did for a living. Generally, talking to strangers on planes is something that my antisocial behaviors frown upon, though even I’ll admit that it was warranted due to the random riding gear latched to my backpack.
A few of my colleagues actively pursued the idea of motojournalism, pouring over bike magazines in their youth and hoping to become part of the ranks one day. Weirdly, and despite being familiar with the BMX publishing industry, the idea of becoming a motorcycle journalist never crossed my mind. That’s just showing a lack of imagination on my part. The reality is that any skill can be applied to a trade; after all, there are those out there who are paid for their expertise in tasting foods. You might be thinking of something fancy like wine tasting, while, I assure you, I was thinking of pies.
How we got here makes sense in a roundabout way. A kid (me) grew up riding BMX, got into motorcycles, and studied creative writing. Since going back to manual labor seemed unappealing, I’d wondered how to combine two of my hobbies and convert them into a livable wage. Equipped with the rare and mysterious skill known as “typing,” this line of work seemed like a natural fit. I’d hardly call it natural since writing takes a lot of effort and often consumes any idle thought—heh, get it.
That’s how we got here. What’s the point in all that? Well, I suppose it is to remind me, and my readers, about perspective. We all took different pathways to where we ended up, and as luck would have it, a motorcycle is usually a big part of how we traversed those paths. Be it a teacher, doctor, fry cook, or artist—whatever trade funds your passion, the fact is we all should stop and reflect. Don’t do it too long, though because there is a big year ahead of us. So, it’s time to look forward to that.
