June 2022 - Chad Rickenberg

Fast Facts About Chad:

• Purchased his first bike when he was 15
• Currently owns six bikes
• Commutes regularly

How long have you been riding?
Since I unwisely purchased a 1986 Yamaha Fazer 700, thirty-two years ago. WAY too powerful for an inexperienced 15 year old. I loved every minute of riding it.

How many years have you been riding to work?
A solid decade, exclusively by bike. Before that, I commuted via motorcycle sporadically.

Why do you choose to ride to work?
Mental health. I found that, after battling city traffic daily in an automobile, I arrived home not in the best mood, typically irritable and fatigued. Switching to motorcycle commuting completely reversed that for me. I now get home energized and in a positive state of mind.

Where do you keep your gear at work?
I purchased some cubicle wall hooks and hang my Falstaff jacket and pants or Roadcrafter Lite on the cubicle wall. The helmet, gloves, and other accoutrements remain in the bike luggage (or sidecar).

How do you set up your gear at home for easy access?
I purchased an inexpensive particleboard wardrobe from a home improvement store, which sits in the garage, near the bikes. It's not quite large enough for my embarrassing amount of riding gear (and my wife's gear, to be fair), so there are helmets and gloves piled up on top, as well.

Tell us about your route. Does it vary on different days?
It depends upon which motorcycle I choose to ride. I don't take my Ural cT on the interstate, so on sidecar commuting days, I take a delightful winding country road to work. If it's the BMW K1200GT, then I take a slightly longer route that is mostly interstate highway. The commute times for either route are about the same, since the BMW takes advantage of highway speeds.

Was your bike chosen for the purpose of commuting? Tell us about it.
Well, I have six bikes at the moment, so I'll focus on the two I've been favoring lately. I was in the U.S. Navy, commuting back and forth to my ship on a 1994 Honda VFR750 to which I had added Givi luggage (and the old Aerostich Lane Share Tool [tip o' the hat to those that remember that delightful gadget]), when I decided that I wanted a roomier and more modern motorcycle, to be funded by an upcoming 9-month deployment. I had decided that a BMW R1200GS would do nicely. While I had always been aware of their existence, I never gave the Ural sidecar motorcycles much of a thought, but during my monotonous days at sea, I used my limited internet availability to learn more about them, to the point that I bought a new 2015 cT instead of the BMW adventure bike. The Ural opened up a whole new aspect to my riding. So much so, I guess, that I ended up accidentally acquiring three more. Yes, I unintentionally own four Urals.

As for my BMW K1200GT, there was a period where all five of my motorcycles (four Urals and the Honda VFR) were down for maintenance, so instead of fixing one, I decided to add a Royal Enfield Himalayan to the fleet (I'm not the only motorcyclist that thinks like this, am I?). Except that they were unobtanium. So popular, I couldn't find one anywhere. I was in my local BMW dealership and saw a very clean 2007 K1200GT, a sport-touring bike that reminded me of a Yamaha FJR1300 that I once owned and remember fondly. It was priced to sell, so I abandoned my Royal Enfield aspirations and gained an exceptional commuter bike.

Did you modify it at all? How?
I added a navigation unit to the BMW, along with a USB port and RAM X-grip 'phone holder. I've been eyeing some auxiliary lights for it, but have not yet pulled the trigger on a purchase. The bike really doesn't need anything else; it's packed with amenities from the factory.

My Ural cT is highly modified, but items relevant to commuting are the addition of Koso Apollo heated grips, a three-pack of auxiliary lights (I call the set 'The Deer-spotter 3000'), splash guards for my legs, and a metal fairing with a huge old Honda Goldwing windscreen atop. Oh, and a RAM swiveling cupholder for milkshakes.

Do you carry a backpack or a messenger bag? Why?
In the past, before selecting motorcycles with integrated luggage, I commuted with a backpack, but I much prefer keeping my flotsam and jetsam off of me and on the bike.

When do you choose to take a car instead of your motorcycle?
Only during torrential downpours or if I need to transport something large (and I mean LARGE, because a person can haul some pretty ridiculous items with a sidecar). I haven't yet encountered a temperature so high or low as to discourage me from suiting-up and riding.

Any tricks or tips for commuting?
Naw, nothing an experienced rider doesn't already know: stay out of "cagers'" blind spots, always dress with what you want to be wearing while you're crashing (padding, Kevlar, and clean underwear), and get a sidecar to continue motorcycle commuting when it's icy and snowy.

What benefits do you receive from riding to work?
Aside from the previously mentioned positive state of mind, I save a few bucks on gas and a few minutes walking to and from my vehicle. I also get to meet a lot of interesting people when I fuel-up the Ural during a commute (although, I guess this is only a benefit if you're extroverted).

Favorite Aerostich gear?
I really like the Falstaff jacket and pants. The Roadcrafter Lite is a technological marvel, but I really enjoy wearing my Falstaff ensemble. It's comfortable, it's warm in the winter, and it just looks 'right' on a vintage-looking bike. AND, through some kind of strange 'Benjamin Button' sorcery, the more you wear it, the BETTER it looks. I wish Aerostich made a hybrid mesh-paneled version for summer wear, because my one nitpick is that, even fully opened-up, the Falstaff set is just too warm for summertime use. If you build it, they will come, Aerostich; think about it.

Aerostich-related or Aerostich-specific stories?
When I was in the Navy, I commuted about 40 minutes between my home in Virginia Beach and my ship, the USS WASP (LHD-1) in Norfolk. I had (and have) the Aerostich Lane Sharing Tool installed on my Honda VFR, which, for the unfamiliar, is a James Bond -esque motorized license plate rotater, intended to reveal a smiley face when the license plate is rotated in order to show gratitude for allowing space in traffic. Beginning my commute home one day, I noticed a shipmate behind me in the parking lot, so I pressed the handlebar button and looked in the VFR's mirrors for the response. After seeing the Sailor's smile and thumbs-up, I knew they saw the smiley face where my license plate had once been and made my normal commute home. Upon arrival, I got off the bike and was startled to discover that the Lane Sharing Tool did not flip back closed automatically, as it was supposed to do, and I had made the entire commute with a hidden license plate and a big ol' smiley face prominently displayed! Fortunately, there was no law enforcement behind me that day and the electrical issue was quickly rectified. I still get a kick out of that gadget.

Anything else you would like to share with our audience?
I'm sure that 90 percent of the folks reading this are already Aerostich enthusiasts and know about the company's excellent customer service, quality products, and quirky sense of humor, but for those that aren't, you're in for a treat. Aerostich has enhanced my motorcycle lifestyle with their thoughtful, convenient, and long-lasting riding gear, plus truly great service and support. I'm looking forward to seeing what new products they develop [like the summertime mesh Falstaff ;) ].