For the…?

Corporates tend to make brilliant promo films (for they are films, and shouldn’t be saddled with the slightly dismissing ‘videos’ label).

They have soundtrack, they have narrative, they have a visual story, they have production values better than the production values of Oscar winners of 70 years ago.

They are not ‘videos’.

Suzuki (don’t worry, this isn’t really about motorbikes) made one recently. It was an awesome visual representation of what owning and riding a fast motorbike was all about. Ironically I can’t find it at the moment – it was a Japanese promo, not one made for the European market.

Triumph have followed suit. They have produced a stunning film about… well… about ambition. And desire. And goals. And they have turned it in to a film that’s all about them.

I am bringing no criticism here; I’m just aware of the subtle manipulation that the medium of film is capable of delivering.

Triumph’s film is here:

The flow of words in this film is interesting. They’re an art form, almost like a medieval sonnet, or a WH Auden or RL Stevenson burst on the human condition:

For the leaning in, for the powering out
For the wind in your face, and the sun on your back
For the isolation, and the friendships
For the destination and the getting there
For the feeling
For the freedom
For the open road, and opening it up
For everything that makes you a rider
And everything you’re still searching for
For the ride

I’m not a terribly social person, but I crave the occasional company of one or two very good friends. And the near-permanent company of a loved one.

In what I think is a direct reflection of my social personality, I’m not a terribly social motorbiker. I’ll arrange to hook up with people, now and then. I’ll arrange to join a ‘flock’ (or whatever the collective noun for a collection of motorcyclists is), and we’ll go off for a trip to somewhere and back.

And there will be socialising. And I’ll also join a pub meet, now and then. For an hour or so. Until I get *that* feeling of just wanting to go.

But like my social self, my motorbiking self also enjoys my own company.

The Spanish Tour amounted to ten days and 1,400 miles of two-wheeled, self-centred, isolation.

Oh, sure, there were some times when I socialised. I chatted to waiters and waitresses, talked about random things to random strangers. And I spent some quality time with my daughter.

But there were also long stretches (of time and distance) when my only company was me.

And I enjoyed that. I enjoyed the many hours of thinking time. I enjoyed the quality time that I had with… well… me.

Sure, I missed the people I care about. And I was in touch with one or two of them every evening.

But for the most part, the only company I had was me, and my thoughts. And I did a huge amount of thinking, over those ten days and 1,400 miles.

I feel that motorbiking, like horse riding, isn’t a naturally social pursuit.

Oh sure, there are clubs, and meets, and ride-outs.

But I feel the majority of bikers don’t get involved. Like a large number of horse-riders don’t get involved with riding clubs (etc).

But we enjoy – or love – what we do. And how we do it.

Whether we ride a nippy little pony, or a Warmblood, or a Thoroughbred.

Whether we ride a supersports bike, or an off-roader, or a laidback cruiser.

Is it wrong to see points of similarity between horse-riding and riding a motorcycle?

I don’t think so.

And like the Triumph film says, it’s

For the isolation
For the freedom
For the open road
And everything you’re still searching for
For the ride