June 2023 - Ethan Taylor

Fast Facts:

Rides to Work
Has four boys (all who want to ride one day)
Had a motorcycle crash that changed his life

How long have you been riding?
I have been riding for a total of 4 years.

How many years have you been riding to work?
1.5 years.

Why do you choose to ride to work?
Riding fuels my soul. It turns the mundane drive into something engaging & revitalizing. It’s these short drives that are my own little escapes, as riding requires me to be fully present.

What type of work do you do, and why is it convenient for you to "Ride to Work"?
My brother and I started a landscaping & tree removal business about 3 years ago. We discovered after our first year that I drove thousands of miles within a 60-mile radius. It had been years since I rode, but my brother suggested we get a bike for fuel & maintenance savings (and he knew I’d love it). Typically driving a car, I find myself thinking about the “next” thing. Which can be good, but since we started our business, I find that to be a consuming mental headspace. So, when I swing my leg over the bike, hear that first rev, all that's on my mind is the road ahead.

Where do you keep your gear when you ride to work?
On a typical bid I will take off my helmet and set it on the mirror, I hang my backpack on the right handlebar, and my suit is draped over the handlebars, fully off the ground.

How do you set up your gear at home for easy access?
At first, I had it all in the mud room, but if I was riding in the rain, it wouldn’t always be warm enough to dry. The suit was too long for the standard hook height, as the legs would be on the ground. Now in my home office, I have a heavy-duty coat rack that holds all my gear. I hung it about 7’’ off the ground so my suit wouldn’t touch the ground. My helmet and gloves hang on that as well.

Was your bike chosen for the purpose of commuting? Tell us about it. Did you modify it at all? How?
I bought the green 2022 Honda Rebel 500. The modification list is short for now. I have a slip-on muffler with a single baffle. The bike was quiet, and I wanted to add another element to bring attention to my presence while riding in traffic. My riding experience started with a Ninja 600. It was from riding that bike that helped me make a decision about what I would like to ride daily. I knew I needed a bike that would put me in a more neutral position. I also wanted to take into consideration the perception of future customers. To me the bike looks more utilitarian than anything else. I climb and cut trees for a living, so I wouldn’t consider myself risk averse, but I have come a long way from the college kid with a “fast” bike. I didn’t want a bike that was begging me to knee drag around every corner or rip down every straightaway. Simply put, I wanted a work bike, a cruiser, and to me, this one checked all the boxes.

Do you carry a backpack or a messenger bag? Why?
I wear a waterproof backpack. My backpack holds water, laptop, ipad, 100’ tape measure, tree tape, business cards/flyers. I have found that I don’t need too much with me to do just about any quote for a customer. When I am riding, I occasionally see a tree that has fallen or is in poor health and I am able to quickly drop off a flier and go.

When do you choose to take a car instead of your motorcycle?
If I need to pick up things for the business that will not fit in my backpack. If it’s 40 degrees or lower it is a challenge as well. I have a few more things to buy before that temperature feels comfortable for longer rides.

What benefits do you receive from riding to work?
Peace. When I ride I feel at peace.

Favorite Aerostich gear?
Men's R-3 Light One Piece Suit

Aerostich-related or Aerostich-specific stories?
Well, I used to dress for the ride, not the slide. I was young and dumb. I paid the price. I wrapped myself around a tree going about 55mph. When I decided to start riding again safety gear was at the top of the list. At first I was skeptical of whether or not I would like my R-3 Light one-piece suit. I gave it a try and fell in love. About a month after I had the suit I went to put my bike away and needed to swing around the block to do it. I didn’t grab my suit, I hopped on and went around the block. I was amazed how vulnerable/naked I felt without my suit. The suit has become as vital as the helmet I wear when I ride.

Tell us about your family.

I am married with 4 boys and a 5th child on the way!

Do you think any of your kids will want to ride a day/do any of them talk about wanting to ride one day?
The boys love the bike, when I pull in the garage they ride their bikes to park them next to mine. It’s great. They always want to hop on the motorcycle and wear Dad's helmet. I think they would love to try it. They were able to have a little experience riding on 50CC dirt bike with training wheels and an accelerator limiter. I hope they ride someday.

How did you overcome the fear of getting back on the bike?
After the crash, still on crutches, I walked the road where I crashed. I could still see the skid marks from my tires, over 100’ long. I saw the tree I hit. I watched the film from the mounted camera on the bike and I heard the sound of my own body strike the tree. The sound of the wind getting knocked out of me. I was a leaf in the wind. Helpless. The mistake was made and I didn’t have any control of what came next. I broke down in tears when I saw where I landed. Three cinder blocks. One above my head, one to the left and right. I knew I should be dead or paralyzed. It is only by God's grace that I am here. I was 21, I thought I was invincible, but I was confronted with my own mortality. It was one of, if not the most humbling moments in my life.

As I write this, I still find myself holding back tears. It changed the trajectory of my life. Beautiful things came from the crash: I met my wife, I started living life differently. It changed me. I have been pretty tenacious about overcoming things that bring me fear. After the crash I was determined to rebuild the bike and reclaim the same road that I crashed on. So that’s what I did. I rode that road as a different person. Soon after I started pushing the limit again, it felt like the bike controlled me, not the other way around. It was a difficult decision, but I decided to sell the bike because I was not mature enough to ride and I was about to start a family. It's been 11 years since the accident. You wouldn’t be able to tell that I once rode a bike like the world revolved around me. I now ride with the awareness of what can happen and how quickly. It is a profound privilege to “ride to work”.