We motorcyclists understand risk more than the average person. We think about risk when we choose the color of our riding gear or how we dress, when we take rider training courses, when we maintain and farkle our bikes, and every time we retract the kickstand and head down the road.
The COVID-19 pandemic is here and it is having a profound effect on our health, our healthcare systems, and our economic security. It is also affecting our favorite motorcycle makers and dealers, our favorite coffee and breakfast stops, our favorite accessory and gear manufacturers, our favorite racers, and our favorite rallies and events. Many of the riding plans we made in the dead of winter are in doubt as the novel coronavirus tours the country instead. With all of this weighing us down, wouldn’t it be great to get away from it all? Riding, after all, is the perfect social distancing escape valve, right?
Not so fast.
With motorcycling, the level of risk that we choose to accept affects mostly just ourselves and our families.
With motorcycling during the COVID-19 pandemic, the level of risk that we choose to accept affects not just ourselves and our families, but our communities as well. Things we do impact not only if we get infected but if others get infected too and how long we all live under this long shadow.
We don’t want to lecture riders on whether they should or should not ride. That’s your decision to make. We do encourage everyone to listen to local, state, and federal healthcare officials and consider their advice on travel restrictions, closed roads, and social distancing. We particularly urge you to consider the consequences should you have an accident while riding right now. The response and resources you would normally expect from a local hospital might not be available, putting your recovery from any injuries at greater risk.
These are difficult times. These are historic times. But do not despair. We’ve been through worse and we’ll get through this too. Do what you can to support your riding community and do just what your beginner riding instructor taught you to do – focus on the path that gets you safely around the obstacle in the road. Together, we’ll #RideItOut.
Be well,
BMW Riders Association