Welcome to issue 1 of Big Sid's, our motorcyclist's ezine. What's a motorcyclist? Someone who loves motorcycles. Someone who rejects the tired and empty images the media projects about what kind of person a motorcycle rider is suppossed to be, what they are suppossed to look like, what they are suppossed to ride, how they are suppossed to dress, behave, etc. So whether you have been riding for years or just contemplating buying that first motorcycle, if you love bikes, we think you will love Big Sid's.

And what is Big Sid's?

It's a small out of the way bike shop. You know what I mean--

Tucked up a side street, an independent store, not a dealer. You spy the sign one day while out for a ride, go right by it, and then--

Something makes you turn around and pull in.

You park your bike, and walk inside to check it out. Its looks dingy, but you never know. Maybe there are some nice bikes, some rare machinery.

And friendly people, with stories to tell. It's empty, and there's not much work to be done. There's a sign up that says customers aren't allowed in the work area, but Big Sid doesn't give a damn about

"liability"

and you get to go back and see for yourself.

At Big Sid's you got the run of the place: look, read, learn. And maybe you got a question, that's ok--just contact Big Sid and we will do what we can.

What else?

Well, if you like the vintage pics and the writing, then please sign our guestbook. We hope to use this ezine in order to generate a list of individuals would be interested in purchasing two books:

A Wish in the Veins,

a novel of motorcycling,

and

Vincents
with Big Sid:
A Photohistory.

If enough people show interest, Big Sid's will self-publish these titles and sell them via the mail. We are also contacting editors and agents, and we believe that a strong web presence might help us secure publication through an established press.

So spend some time at Big Sid's. We humbly think that if you do you will want to own the books excerpted here, and with luck, and your support, we can make that happen.

Big Sid's. Only on the net.

Through the Megaphone #1

ye ol' editor shouts it out!

True there were absentees when Mr. Streatfield called his roll call in the church. The motorbike, the motor bus, and the movies--when Mr. Streatfield called his roll call, he laid the blame on them.

And ridden away we have (Good-bye Mr. Streatfield!)... away from the monotony of being locked inside of old buildings dedicated to pointless abstractions...

tin boxes

away from those who don't understand that there is a difference between the verbs "drive" and "ride"... not that there isn't a place for the automobile--adverse weather, cd player, room for a few more people who share your attitude and, of course--when done right--nice grill work, maybe even some fins...

ride away from the CROWD--in the process passing:

Wynn and McQueen, the best of Hollywood's immortals ...

PASSING the young men who covered theirs with a sheet and went off to fight in the killing fields ...

But plenty still here realize the beauty of an exposed engine and two wheels...the panache of black leather...who keep the tunes on their lips without the aid of a radio and you don't need Karaoke when you listen to Gerswin, Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hart...OK, AND a few later individuals who understood Robert Lowell:

Hip cats, you recognize them all as you ride on past, you recognize them and wave--as does any soul who understands why the Greeks said the Golden age ended long before we were born...

Of course we knew that old chestnut to be true looong before we stopped growing up, always knew, "You can never ride backwards," but we never wanted to because we can