Need a New Dream? Demo a New Bike

Any time spent on two wheels is blessed. This past riding season was particularly notable for me for several reasons. Among other things, I checked off a lifelong bucket-list ride through the mountains north of my house, my girlfriend and I took our first tandem ride together, I logged more miles than any riding season to date, and I demoed a half-dozen of the most desirable motorcycles money can buy.

Not too shabby.

Riding those new bikes came courtesy of the Ducati/Aprilia/Moto Guzzi dealer located about 20 minutes from where I live. They hired me to try out a few bikes they were looking to promote for a few days and then write reviews for a new blog section of their website.

Ride some of the finest Italian machinery with no mileage restrictions, for free, and chase my dream at the same time?
Why, yes. That’ll do nicely.

As you might imagine, I had a blast. All the motorcycles I rode were fantastic in their own way, but there were two clear highlights – the Ducati 959 Panigale, and the Ducati Scrambler Café Racer. Wildly different machines certainly, but close siblings in philosophy and passionate pursuit.

Everyone I talked to about this wasn’t the least bit surprised the 959 was one of my favorite bikes.

The little brother to the now defunct 1299 Panigale, the 959 is a brilliant blend of usability, performance, and supermodel looks. Everything about it felt tight and purposeful, and was deeply satisfying to ride. Handing the keys back when my time with the bike was up was genuinely difficult. It’s rational to ignore responsibilities and finance a new motorcycle, right?!

Where the 959 was thrilling, the Scrambler Café Racer was thoughtful and interesting. I’d never much been a fan of café racers until I rode this iteration of the Scrambler.

Its looks turned heads everywhere I went, had character to spare, and actually helped change my view on this unique style of motorcycle. My most vivid memory of riding the Café Racer was cruising the strip late on a warm Saturday night. Out there on the city streets, it was king.

Riding different motorcycles is a great way to gain a new perspective on what it means to ride and the different ways we all experience it. If you normally ride a cruiser, swinging a leg over a sport bike might open up a whole new attitude on that kind of motorcycle, and vice versa.

Either that, or you’ll just have a sore back.

Experiencing new motorcycles can also be incredibly motivating. Riding badass bikes all summer made me want a badass bike, which inspires me to earn a badass bike! Trying new things is a sure-fire way to expose yourself to new ideas, new people, and new dreams.

One simple way to demo motorcycles is during your local dealer’s demo days, something a lot of dealerships do.

And while you may not be able to take out the pricey flagship bike on the showroom floor (it’s still worth it to ask anyway!), dealers are normally happy to letting you take different bikes for a spin.

My advice is to get out there, sample as much as you can, and watch your appreciation for two-wheeled joy grow.