Santa Claus and cynics
From the small office in the back corner,
near the water cooler

November 29th, 2007

Who needs any reindeer or the silly red suit?

Okay, maybe the suit isn’t so silly and surely enough bikers will tell you that well insulated Santa attire is just what the bike-doctor ordered for your upcoming local and possibly cold Toy Run. It even looks good when you make the local paper and for some, it’s the rare occasion a color other than black can be worn while riding.

These observations and strange thoughts bounce around because it's that time of year again where bikers and riders alike across the country come together in assorted varieties of motorcycles, routes and numbers to raise money for charities as well as toys for children.

Sad to think that if it weren’t for big-hearted bikers and of course, the hard work done by the U.S. Marine Corps, many children would wake up on Christmas morning with no presents to open.

What’s most interesting about this time of year and the generous outpouring from riders coast to coast isn’t the amazing effort put forth by organizers of the different Toy Runs, or the huge participation by bikers from every type of social background, but more the public response.

There are certainly crowded roads with onlookers wishing riders well as they pass along the route, and go to any Toy Run destination and you’ll find a majority of the attendees in fact drove their cages to the events. Although some may be bikers who’d rather not face the challenges of participating in a Toy Run, many are people who want to donate both their cash as well as a toy for the good cause.

But essentially, Toy Runs are organized by bikers and the ride's success has been built on the shoulders of your everyday big-hearted biker. As a result, the average rider is appreciated and respected throughout their communities for the obvious display of charity of course.

Not quite.

Some Toy Runs face annual difficulties with planning routes or even acquiring locations to hold whatever destination celebration is planned. Even though the Christmas Toys in the sun run in Fort Lauderdale, Florida raises anywhere between $300,000 to $500,000 for the local DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, some people question whether it should occur at all. Before and after the event a few local residents complain about closing a highway used exclusively by the run for a few hours on a Sunday morning.

Why the animosity, both for these types of events or even throughout the year?

Admittedly, bikers and riders don’t have the tainted image carried through the last few decades, but there’s still some hesitancy from the general public about who we really are and how they should treat us. Must there be the public extremes of shying away from some to out and out hatred from others?

Because we’re an independent bunch we may dress a little differently, have a few more tattoos than your average person and let’s be honest, some bikers revel in the rebel image. But we look the same every other day of the year as we do when the time is taken to ride for a cause, for a reason, or in the case of a Toy Run, for the children.

Yet these are the same riders who are treated with suspicion, stereotyped and singled out by the public and law officials alike. Some cities won’t welcome them while others even entertain special ordnances and laws aimed at specifically at the biker.

The twist in this perplexing puzzlement of human nature comes back to the very independence that most likely sets bikers apart from non-riders to begin with. Whether we understand why Joe Public feels the way they do or even if we encounter being treated differently, it won’t matter.

Quite frankly, we don’t care what anyone else thinks which funnily enough will only upset people further. Sorry, what really offends a person who doesn’t already like you is graphically explaining what can be done with their misplaced misunderstanding. Once again, bikers have no shortage of the ability to do that either. (Don’t get us wrong, no-one at Clutch and Chrome encourages this type of aggressive behavior. Seriously.)

So we bikers will go about our business, riding because we love to, raising money for the causes that need it and of course, donate presents for the children who should have a Christmas, regardless of what anyone says or tries to do.

And it’s not about being the better person, because that doesn’t need to be proven to anyone for any reason.

As for those naysayers who want to stop the Fort Lauderdale Toy Run, maybe they could be the ones to tell the recipients of the four 40’ trailers of donated toys why they won’t have a present to open?

If you’ve already ridden in your local Toy Run, well done! If its coming up, have a safe and fun ride. Dress up like you mean it and smile for any cameras, after all, you never know whose watching.

Clutch and Chrome would like to wish everyone and those nearest and dearest to them a very safe and happy holidays.

The Editor 

Past Editorials

July 18th
The only thing missing is an engine
The day this editorial is being written, aside from the motorcycle deaths and endless riders who insist on trying to outrun law enforcement at triple digit speed, no notable news stories have crossed the desks of Clutch and Chrome. Although both types of stories are tragic in their own particular way, we have long decided to run neither for a variety of reasons.

June 23rd
Fixing political mistakes with good old fashion biker sense
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Charles Dickens opened his novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ with that seemingly contrary sentence. Even though the famous British author wrote his contemporary stories during England’s Victorian Era, the sentiments could be about bikers in Anytown USA, here and now.

April 25th
Stereotype or Savior. What will motorcycles be for the struggling drivers?
The recent news story about the general attitude of road-users in Connecticut surprised many around the Clutch and Chrome offices. Not because the general feeling was drivers didn’t like bikers. No, we’re used to that.

April 10th
Welcome to our new home
Sure it may look like we've knocked out a few walls or something as extreme as adding a whole new wing, but its amazing what a little bit of paint, some well-placed plants and a new set of curtains can do.

March 20th
American Idol, frontier of biker's rights?
So American Idol’s Queen of rock is gone. Long live the queen. This editorial is being written the day after Amanda Overmyer was asked by the viewing voters to hop on her Sportster and ride off into the graphically-enhanced, blue back-lit Fox sunset.

March 5th, 2008
Thankfully, life isn't a bumper sticker
The bumper sticker, whose quick phrase put a smile on drivers faces or could solve any of life’s problems, seemed to infect every car on the road with its humor, wit and thought provoking slogans has become a rare sight in recent years.

January 11th, 2008
Throwing names into the Dunce Cap
With Clutch and Chrome’s Best and Worst of 2007 just recently published, the morning meetings which ran into afternoons and occasionally finished over drinks are still fresh in everyone’s minds around the office. It’s not surprising then to read every news story that finds it’s way onto the pages of Clutch and Chrome with an eye to what will be nominated, and possibly win next years awards. But who would’ve thought that just ten days into the new year we’d not only be reading, but for some possibly living, a shoo in for Dumbest motorcycle moment of 2008?

January 2nd, 2008
Riding one big bottle-rocket into 2008
Like trying on a new pair of jeans in one of those trendy boutique clothing stores with too many younger shoppers looking on, we find ourselves awkwardly in a brand new year wishing it would fit better and the whole episode just didn’t feel so weird.

December 20th, 2007
Like looking in a mirror
One of the biggest ironies must be that of the holiday season and the biker.
In many ways, your average rider has so many similarities to the big man and his magical visit that children the world over look forward too.

November 29th, 2007
Santa Claus and Cynics
Who needs any reindeer or the silly red suit? Okay, maybe the suit isn’t so silly and surely enough bikers will tell you that well insulated Santa attire is just what the bike-doctor ordered for your upcoming local and possibly cold Toy Run. It even looks good when you make the local paper and for some, it’s the rare occasion a color other than black can be worn while riding.

November 2nd, 2007
Facing down destiny with a Podcast
The road ahead is lit by sunlight streaming through dark, looming storm clouds. It’s not just the turning of the season bringing a chill to the heavy lying air. Bikers are riding across the Great Plains of life straight towards a menacing storm front, stretching for as far as the eye can see.

September 25th, 2007
Trying to ignore the sound of crashing celebrities
So it had been weeks in the making, between the first few thoughts, organizing them into some kind of order and then typing it all out. Everything was looking great. It was a deep introspective into our riding world, what bikers are facing, possible consequences and most importantly how we as a group will face them.

July 24th, 2007
What every biker has in common with Brad Pitt
It’s not often that Clutch and Chrome has the opportunity to share common interests with world of gossip, stars and glamorous Hollywood.

July 1st, 2007
The new darling of advertisers everywhere
There is no doubt the humble motorcycle is experiencing a wave of popularity and acceptance across all sections of society. Our riding brothers of yesteryear who were at best judged and at worst actively discriminated against could only watch in amazement at how beloved bikers and their machines have become.

June 11th, 2007
Riding gear, new look and life lessons
I know, I know, certainly a lot of road to cover in one trip, but it has been two months since the last editorial so it’s understandable having a lot to write about.

April 3rd, 2007
Our big screen biker brothers.....
After nearly a year of the first inklings the demonic motorcycle daredevil would burst onto the big screen, and a shorter six months of build-up for the all-star comedic biker-buddy movie, both Ghost Rider and Wild Hogs are quickly fading into movie history.

March12th, 2007
Perfection over passion
Although this editorial may at first feel the furthest from motorcycles and the people who love to ride them, I’d ask for indulgence and patience while we go around the houses eventually getting to the point.

February 2nd, 2007
The fresh smell of fines in the air
The first month of the New Year is still fresh in our minds and already the world of riding is greeted with gainsaying.

December 26th, 2006
Why Bikers are dogs
Admittedly it’s a loaded and possibly inflammatory headline, open to a range of interpretations. But before all the female readers have their heads fall off from nodding in agreement with much enthusiasm, don’t jump ahead of me.

November 12th, 2006
Politics on Two Wheels
Just when you thought there would be a sanctuary from the endless stream of political reporting, electoral Monday morning quarterbacks and analysis of the analysis which picked apart the original analysis, here’s an editorial which should be about motorcycles but instead references the mid-term elections.

October 23rd, 2006
Riding with a bullseye on the back
There are always signs. This editorial isn't about the ones that stand on the side of the road which help various vehicles navigate the endless roads of this great country.

September 20th, 2006
Changes and perspectives
It's always a hard making a decision for change, with the degree's of difficulty usually corresponding with how much it impacts your life.

August 19th, 2006
Two sides Of the Worlds Coin
A quick informal survey around the cyber-office has all the staff of Clutch and Chrome admitting the same thing. Everyone is crazy about motorcycles. Sure some may lean, if you'll excuse the pun to one kind or even one brand of bike, but all in all if it's moves, is motorized and has two wheels, we're interested.

July 26th, 2006
Life is like A sharp blind curve
I always find the best friendships are those built on complete understanding and upfront honesty. Certain buddies are quite happy with riding once a month while others look forward to weekly mini-excursions. Being the easy-going biker types and not pushing anyone for more than they're willing to give has our circle of friends happily wearing smiles and enjoying life.

June 16th, 2006
Limited run only!!! Tragic news and moral outrage
The last week just goes to show that any type of momentum, regardless of how strong it may appear is stoppable and maybe even reversible. But before we get to the conclusion, lets baby-step our way through the connecting dots.

May 1st 2006
Looking back, glancing forward
It’s been just over three weeks since Clutch and Chrome has been ‘live’ on the internet. That is, according to the official launch date and schedule the Clutch and Chrome staff was working with.......

April 1st 2006
A note from the Editor
I’m honored to be the first to welcome you to Clutch and Chrome, a website devoted to news, information, facts and figures about motorcycles for those who love to ride them.......