20 Reasons and Excuses To Go Riding Today

This is July. The sun is out. The roads are hot. This is summer. Please don't tell us your bike is garaged. Why aren't you riding? Do you need a reason? An excuse? A little motivation?

We can give you all that and more! Here are 20 more than great reasons and excuses why you should be on the road, and 3 reasons why you shouldn't :

Why You Should Go Riding Today: 

1. There is something you need from the store.

2.You need to fill it up with gas.

3.You just need to listen to the engine.

4. Everyone else is doing it.

5. There is someplace you need to be.

6. You just need to get a little fresh air.

7. You can get there quicker.

8. Parking is easier.

9. You need a happy thought.

10. You promised someone.

11. There's nothing better to do.

12. Why not?

13. Because the road is out there.

14. Because you just found a great new riding song

15. You are already dressed for it.

16. It is a shame to waste good riding weather

17. Because you want to.

18. Because it is Sunday. Or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

19. Because you have a bike.

20. You are alive.

3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Ride Today

1. Your bike is busted.

2. You are in the hospital.

3. You are dead.

(And really, those are 3 pretty lame excuses.)

Celebrities On Motorcycles

Liz Taylor and her Custom Purple Harley

5 Celebrities and Their Love of Motorcycles

Hollywood and motorcycles go together like nuts and bolts. Usually it is the unsung heroes, the stunt guys, who really ride the bikes we see in films.

But some actors and actresses prefer to keep it real by doing their own riding, both on and off-screen. Some of them spend more time on two wheels than they do on film stages.

1. Tom Cruise 

Even requests certain scenes in his movies to be written to allow for him to ride onscreen.

Brand of Choice--Ducati

2. Brad Pitt

Well-known for collecting vintage and custom bikes of all brands and styles. No favorites, he seems to love them all equally. (he does have an impressive collection of one-of-a-kind Harley Choppers though...)

3. George Clooney

His films might suggest he would be more into sport's cars than bikes, but Clooney is seen frequently on two wheels when he is off-screen.

Bike of Choice: Harley-Davidson Road King

4. Nicolas Cage

Well-known for playing Johnny Blaze in "Ghost Rider", he is seen in many films riding a motorcycle. In real life he once had a collection of over 30 bikes.

Brand of Choice is varied, but is seen often on Moto Guzzi's

5. Harrison Ford

He can fly his own planes. And helicopters. So why shouldn't he have a motorcycle?

Harrison Ford, known for doing his own stunts in most of his blockbuster action films, owns eight or nine motorcycles. And just like his planes and helicopters, the bikes aren't just collectibles.

According to an interview with Mail Online in 2010, the actor said that he enjoys riding his BMW's, Hondas, Triumphs and Harley-Davidsons around LA, as well as through the mountains of Wyoming with groups of other bike enthusiasts.

Other Celebs That Have Been On Bikes

Who hasn't sat on a bike in Hollywood? Very few people! From Elizabeth Taylor to Sylvester Stallone, motorcycles have been more than just stage props for hundreds of celebrities. Here are four more famous people who have ridden two wheels:

• Ann-Margret--(The iconic actress admits to loving and racing motorcycles since her teens. After a bike crash in 2001, she had a custom painted Harley ordered in lavender. She is still riding today, despite many injuries.) 

• Jay Leno--(Has been grand marshal for over 20 years for Love Ride, a motorcycle charity event. At one time, Leno owned over 90 motorcycles. He  details, repairs and maintains his collection himself.) 

• Malcolm Forbes--(Known by many as the man behind Forbes magazine and one of the wealthiest men in America, Forbes might be better known in biker circles as the founder of a motorcycle club known as the Capitalist Tools. He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999...and is pretty popular for giving Elizabeth Taylor a custom painted Harley.) 

• Elizabeth Taylor--(The queen of Hollywood loved more than expensive jewelry. She loved motorcycles. Friends with Malcolm Forbes, she would often ride with him and his club on motorcycle tours, and attended many rallies as well. The custom purple Harley-Davidson gifted to her by Forbes was known as The Purple Passion.)

Sharpie Art Motorcycles

Sharpie Art by Jodi Whitsell 

There is custom paint...and there is CUSTOM motorcycle art. These amazing artists are taking plain old Sharpie markers and turning bikes, cars and other vehicles into masterpieces on wheels. 

What is different about this graphic style of art over traditional motorcycle paint jobs? The variety of symbols that the artist can work into each section. If you can't decide whether you want skulls, dice, flames, hearts, or wings...why not go with something like this that combines all of it? 

Look close and you will also see that artists are putting in their own signatures, favorite movie characters, song lyrics, personal mottoes and more. 

Art by LeeRichy via Deviantart

These aren't all pros either. Some of these artists are teens and young adults working in their parent's garage. No matter how much experience you have, it takes guts to put a permanent pen to a bike and have no fear of making a fatal error. 

Art by jlctoban via DeviantArt

Sharpie Harley owned by President of Sharpie Company. 225 hours of work!

Pinstripe Chris--Master of Sharpies! 

If you like seeing amazing art on bikes and cars, you really should check out this guy's site. He has taken a marker to everything from a Harley to a Ferrari.

photo via pinstripe chris

And just for fun...look at what a Sharpie can do to a car. If you happen to have a pen laying around...and a Lamborghini...why not give it a shot? 

Photo via imgdonkey

Check out this video of an artist in action!

Motorcycle Photos--Fallen Heroes Ride

Had a beautiful day for riding yesterday. Except for the time when a truck made an illegal turn through a parade of motorcycles, there were no major incidents either. Luckily, all the bikes had good brakes and good riders.

Bikers lining up to register and draw their first cards.

Board members and leaders in formation and ready to ride

Board members leading the riders out

Sheriff Shannon Smith leading the ride

First stop

Wow

Valkyrie!

All the way from Mississippi to ride!

It is a rule. At every stop, you MUST walk around and admire other bikes. 

2014 CVO Road Glide seen at gas station. These were "his" and "hers" actually. This one was hers.

His

Sorting the poker hands

This place serves enormous hamburgers. Brangus Steakhouse, McAlester, OK

Biker Photo of the Day--Funky Trike

This is one of the most eye-catching bikes seen often around town. Don't know much about it, just that it is custom "home-made" special with a Volkswagen motor.

Biker Photo of The Day--1985 FXRS, The Shop Mascot

1985 Harley-Davidson FXRS with Evolution Motor

Introducing Ol' Blue, the shop mascot. It has been owned by both of the Two Wrenches, and they both agree that it is THE best motorcycle either of them has ever ridden. There will be more about Ol' Blue in the future, as this bike has many stories to tell.