More Baby Boomers joining motorcycle clubs, for fun and to help various causes

By Mary Beth Roach

The Baby Boomer generation is revving up the sport of motorcycling. Whether they call it a sport or a hobby, all biking enthusiasts would call motorcycling fun.

Often referred to Baby Boomer Bikers, they are the fastest-growing segment of America’s 6 million-member motorcycling population, and their numbers are increasing 10 percent a year, according to an article which appeared recently on Time.com.

This increase is due, in part, to the fact that the Baby Boomers make up such a large segment of the overall population, and many in that age group have the financial means now to afford a motorcycle.

Many of them are returning to the sport after years spent raising families and building their careers. They might have ridden when they were younger, but got married and traded their motorcycles for sedans.
However, now their children have grown, they have reached some financial security, and the open road is calling them.

Their heart is still in the motorcycle, said Bill Novak, 63, of Manlius, who has been hooked on bikes since he was about 12. He is the proud owner of a Honda Gold Wing, a touring motorcycle, sometimes referred to as a “road sofa, a big-boy easy chair,” he said, laughing. His bike, for example, has air ride suspension, cruise control, a seat with armrests for his wife, a sound system that is piped through the helmets, allowing rider and passenger to talk, and an interlocking brake system and air vents, to name just a few of the features.

The price range for motorcycles is vast, and then, of course, there’s the “farkles,” or the accessories to customize the bikes; the apparel; and the collectibles.

Steve Evans, 55, of North Syracuse, returned to riding in 1999, and bikes with his wife, Mary, and the Salt City Riders, of which he is the president. The club has approximately 100 members, many of whom are 55-plus, and there are several couples, including Phil and Sue La Barge of Fulton and Sunny and Dave Van Auken, of Moyers Corners.

Most of those in the club, Evans noted, are 55-plus, and many are couples, including Phil and Sue La Barge of Fulton and Sunny and Dave Van Auken, of Moyers Corners.

Regardless of their club affiliation or their bike brand of choice, the riders all commented on the camaraderie they have found and the friendships they have forged through motorcycling.

One for all—Novak tells of the Gold Wing Road Rider Association and “The Gold Book,” which lists GWRRA members by state and town who offer their fellow drivers assistance, from the use of a phone to the use of some tools to lodging.

“You’ve always got a friend wherever you are,” he said.

And a few have even found romance. Two members of the Salt City Riders found romance through the club and are now married.

In contrast to the counterculture image so often associated with bikers, Evans joked that their group is a little more sedate, with their Wednesday night rides being to ice cream shops. After the Blessing of the Bikes Ceremony in early May, the group was planning an ice cream social. The club also organizes longer rides and is planning a tour to New Hampshire in August.

Ice cream and romance aside, bikers agree that the open road, the smells, and the camaraderie fuel the love of motorcycling.

The smells of the seasons are part of the joy that Toni Gary, director of community relations for the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, has found while riding with her husband, local radio personality Rick Gary.
“You can tell whether or not they’re fertilizing,” she chuckled.

“I think it’s the freedom of the open road, the smells, the air blowing by you, and on rare occasions, the sun shining here in Syracuse,” said Bill Hanna, 57, of Syracuse, while chatting on a cloudy Saturday afternoon in April.

A former deputy chief for the Syracuse Police Department, Hanna has been motorcycling for 40 years. A few years ago, before retiring, he joined friends, among them some Syracuse firefighters, for an extended road trip. While recapping the day’s ride in a place called Hog Heaven in Indianapolis, he decided that that the group should have a name.

Hence, the Guns ’n Hoses Motorcycle Club was born.

The license on Hanna’s 2005 BMW bike reads “GUNS” while the license on the 2010 Harley Ultra Limited owned by Mike Dineen, 52, a lieutenant with the Syracuse Fire Department, reads—yes, you guessed it—“HOSES.”

Today, the club numbers about 45 to 50 members—many of who are neither police officers nor firefighters—and they range in age from 20s to mid-70s.

Long, winding road—Hanna has logged thousands of miles, and almost as many memories—some emotional, some humorous.

He has attended the Rolling Thunder Ride in Washington, D.C., as both a participant and a spectator, and found the experiences moving.

Another favorite was the ride to The Tail of the Dragon, located between North Carolina and Tennessee. The Tail is actually a section of U.S. 129, and legend has it that there are 318 curves in the 11-mile stretch.

Along the Tail is the famous (or infamous) Tree of Shame, from which hang parts of motorcycles that didn’t fare too well at the Dragon.

A photo from the website—www.dealsgap.com—shows the tree, decorated with motorcycle parts and a placard that seems to sum it all up: “No Gain & a lot of PAIN!!!!”

One ride Hanna’s still got planned for himself is the Four Corners Tour, which involves traveling to the four corner cities of the United States: Key West, Fla.; San Ysidro, Calif., Blaine, Wash., and Madawaska, Maine, in 21 days.

“It’s given me a lot of good miles,” he said of the bike, while proudly pointing out some of its many features, including a GPS system, loaded with satellite radio, CB, cruise control, heated seats and hand grips and adjustable windshield, and a six-disc CD player.

It’s not so much the destination, it’s the “getting there,” according to Stu Cavuto, 52, one of Hanna’s fellow Guns ‘n Hoses members and a deputy chief with the Syracuse Fire Department.

Bill Novak has logged an estimated half-million miles, and he shows off a vest adorned with various pins and badges from his biking associations. On the back of the vest is a map of the contiguous 48 states, with all but three states colored in. He still needs to get to the Arizona, New Mexico and the state of Washington, to complete the map. And although he’s biked through Ireland and Scotland, one of his ultimate goals is to do the Centopassi in the Alps, especially geared for those who love the challenge of mountain roads.

For a good cause—Many bikers throughout the area put their hearts—and their bikes—into charity rides, for example Bikers for Babies, the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s Ride for Life, the Miracle Ride to benefit the Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, and the Ride for Research for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, to name just a few.

“The bikers throughout the whole community are generally pretty generous,” Evans said. “They’ll put their differences in bike brands aside and participate.”

The SRC doesn’t limit its philanthropic ways to the riding season.

In February, the club hosted a Valentine’s Toy Party, with six tables filled with gifts and toys for the MDA and Vera House.

The VanAukens have also ridden in support of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. Their daughter, Sunny explained, was born with kidney problems. “Her illness led us in the right direction,” she said.

Novak has also ridden for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, as well.

“It gives us a sense of good,” he said.

And not only do the Garys ride for enjoyment, with Toni’s position with the Golisano Children’s Hospital, she is involved in the Miracle Ride, which was held on May 22, and benefits that facility.

It started out with just a handful of participants, she said, but in its 16 years, it has grown to where it can attract as many as 800 to 1,000 riders.

The monies raised from the 60-mile ride through parts of Onondaga and Madison counties stay in this area, benefiting the care and programs at the children’s hospital, which helps up to 100,000 children a year, Toni said.

The riders “are committed to doing good in their community,” she noted. The rides bring in a different segment of the population, in addition to those people who take part in the runs, the bike rides and the walks.

Beth Baldwin, executive director for the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, said funds raised from the local Ride for Research also stay in Upstate.

This event, which can draw as many as 600 to 800 motorcyclists, is slated for Sept. 19 at the Dinosaur Barbecue in downtown Syracuse.

The fund is named for Beth’s mother, Carol Baldwin, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990. She is also mom to the Baldwin brothers of Hollywood fame, but some might contend, good-naturedly, that Carol’s prominence has eclipsed that of her sons.

Beth explained that her husband and a couple of her brothers are bikers and they were enthusiastic about a fundraising ride.

She tapped into local riders like Hanna to develop a ride that is, first and foremost, safe and also enjoyable for the participants.

An added feature to drive the excitement at this year’s ride will be the raffle of a $35,000 bike, called “Twist Out Cancer,” custom built by Pat Briggs of County Line Choppers.

The monies garnered from the ride, along with other fundraisers the organization has, help to underwrite three research grants of $50,000 each, which are awarded annually and presented to the recipients in honor of someone who has passed from breast cancer.

Another program sponsored by the foundation is a lectureship, and each year it is named for a survivor.

Safety first—Many news accounts speak to the issue of increased safety risks for older bikers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers some somber statistics on its website.
According to reports in 2004, the number of rider fatalities aged 40 or over has increased steadily since 1993.

Some might maintain that because Baby Boomers make up a large proportion of the overall population, and that more and more are taking up motorcycling, it would stand to reason that the statistics play out in this way.

Regardless, safety is paramount.

Long road trips can challenging the endurance and strength of older riders. With some bikes weighing 800 pounds or more, that’s a lot of machine to maneuver as well as pick up should it get dumped.

A strong advocate for biker safety, Novak offered some insight and advice for those returning to motorcycling after a few years’ break from the hobby: Know your limitations and re-establish yourself.

If you rode a bigger bike in earlier days, he suggested that you start back with a mid-sized one for a year and then trade up, if you wish, and take safety instruction and classes.

Bikes have changed a great deal over the years, as well.

“There’s no substitute for training,” he said.

Of all the accessories on Novak’s Gold Wing, he says that his best investment is the flashing headlight, which helps make him more visible to oncoming traffic.

Numerous motorcycle organizations have websites with links on safety and education programs, such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation—www.msf-usa.org—and the Motorcycle Association of New York State’s websites (MANYS)—www.manys.org.

“Now, go out and get your toy,” Novak said, grinning.