I'm teaching a motorcycle course!!

[D-Mac]

Hi all,

As some of you know, when I'm not touring the landscape on my FZ6, I'm a College Professor. It's generally a fun job and it pays the bills. It also gives me lots of time in the summer to ride.

Normally I teach Biology of various flavors (mostly ecology and zoology courses and a lot of general biology courses). However, my insititution also has a cool program for first-year college students where they take a 'fun' seminar in their first semester while working on basic writing and presentation skills (all students must select a seminar). Faculty can basically teach whatever they want in this program, although I haven't had a chance to do a seminar for years because my department is usually full and needs me teaching biology.

So, what the hell does this have to do with motorcycles? Well, I got a great surprise today when I got the 'go ahead' from the administration to teach my new course..... MOTORCYCLE CULTURE! (that's a crappy working title).

That's right folks. Soon 18-year-old college students will be paying $30K per year to take a list of courses that includes one about motorcycles.

I'm super excited. Now I can talk about my life-consuming 'hobby' at work and no one can tell me to shut up. Better yet, I'll have a budget to bring in some riders/speakers, take students on 'field trips' to motorcycle-related places, buy books and videos.....you get the idea. I've even toyed with the idea of having them turn a wreck into a track bike or mod a DS. :thumbup:

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Pretty damn cool. Sign me up! I would have taken the class if it was offered at my college.

 

[Mississippi]

That sounds great....Not fair, but great for you. That is going to be a blast!!! Get payed to play with a motorcyle...Nice:Flash:

 

[Hellgate]

Now that is freaking cool D-Mac! And to think I had to take Sociology of Minorities. If I have to learn about a minority group why not motorcyclists?!?! Hey if you need a guest speaker give me a shout I'll zip over. In my SoM class we had a real, genuine Hopi visit. I'll even wear my leathers. :thumbup:

 

[wrightme43]

Cool, now maybe you can get to bottom of why the wave is so cool.

 

[flamewulfe]

I'm so jealous! Come to my school, please!

 

[Luiz]

I'm so jealous! Come to my school, please!

Noo Please come to mine! I would definetly take that course!

 

[Smittyboy]

Sign me up...

 

[Red Wazp]

Soooooo you going to take them to a "Biker Bar"?

 

[xj750_Pete]

I wish I had more professors like you.

 

[rider1a]

Hi all,

As some of you know, when I'm not touring the landscape on my FZ6, I'm a College Professor. It's generally a fun job and it pays the bills. It also gives me lots of time in the summer to ride.

Normally I teach Biology of various flavors (mostly ecology and zoology courses and a lot of general biology courses). However, my insititution also has a cool program for first-year college students where they take a 'fun' seminar in their first semester while working on basic writing and presentation skills (all students must select a seminar). Faculty can basically teach whatever they want in this program, although I haven't had a chance to do a seminar for years because my department is usually full and needs me teaching biology.

So, what the hell does this have to do with motorcycles? Well, I got a great surprise today when I got the 'go ahead' from the administration to teach my new course..... MOTORCYCLE CULTURE! (that's a crappy working title).

That's right folks. Soon 18-year-old college students will be paying $30K per year to take a list of courses that includes one about motorcycles.

I'm super excited. Now I can talk about my life-consuming 'hobby' at work and no one can tell me to shut up. Better yet, I'll have a budget to bring in some riders/speakers, take students on 'field trips' to motorcycle-related places, buy books and videos.....you get the idea. I've even toyed with the idea of having them turn a wreck into a track bike or mod a DS. :thumbup:

What a great way to explore popular culture as High Tradition. The range runs from the post WW2 motorcycle boom among returning soldiers and their clickish clubs into the Hell's Angels and the mainstream movement by the Japanese companies to popularize motorcycle for the masses. Remember Honda's motto in the late 1960s..."You meet the nicest people on a Honda"



Of course, all the lingo is fun too...where did these crazy words originate anyway like squid riding, farkles, cage, leo, etc.

 

[opds9091]

That is fracking great, i know one thing they will learn for sure about motorcycles, is that you can tell them everything about the hobby and that most important, that like you RED IS THE FASTER COLOR.

 

[marke14]

Now that is freaking cool D-Mac! And to think I had to take Sociology of Minorities. If I have to learn about a minority group why not motorcyclists?!?! Hey if you need a guest speaker give me a shout I'll zip over. In my SoM class we had a real, genuine Hopi visit. I'll even wear my leathers. :thumbup:

Ha!

I took a class called Modern Western Civilization as an underclassman. It was taught by a man who wore a sort of a dress to class (and everywhere). He assigned uber-esoteric books that were filled with nonsensical postmodern tripe that was utterly indecipherable. That was a waste of time and I ended up dropping the class after like 3 weeks.

I echo the others' sentiment in saluting you D-Mac! Distance learning anyone?

 

[Outlaws Justice]

Maybe in the future we can coordinate some riding classes in with your lecture classes!

 

[The Toecutter]

Soooooo you going to take them to a "Biker Bar"?

That would be the best feild trip ever!!!!! LOL

 

[Hellgate]

Ha!

I took a class called Modern Western Civilization as an underclassman. It was taught by a man who wore a sort of a dress to class (and everywhere). He assigned uber-esoteric books that were filled with nonsensical postmodern tripe that was utterly indecipherable. That was a waste of time and I ended up dropping the class after like 3 weeks.

I echo the others' sentiment in saluting you D-Mac! Distance learning anyone?

I had to take the class as it was required by the university. I know I would bolo to I "kept my friends close and my enemies closer". Once he found out I was a graduate teaching assistant in the art dept I volunteer to teach a class. I titled it something along the lines of, "The Impact for the Visual Arts at Crossroads in History". Or some such noise. Well bottomline I got an A.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

So who invented the Motorycly anyway?

Let us know how your turnout is?

 

[Red Wazp]

AL Gore... right after he invented the internet

 

[Smittyboy]

And global cooling, I mean warming, I mean change, I mean... what is it this week?

 

[D-Mac]

Thanks for the interest and suggestions.

I plan to have them meet me outside for the first class.....and then ride up with about 100 bikers from the area. That should set the tone! (assuming I don't ride up and drop the bike of course!)

YES - there will be a trip to a biker bar. I'm thinking Hell, Michigan on a Saturday afternoon. TONS of bikes there, and I know some of the regulars there too. I also hope to take them to a custom builder in the area (there are a few around here).

YES - there will be class field trips. When I first designed the course it included a proposed trip to the Honda plant in Ohio, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and a big leather goods store in Ohio. Since the Honda plant is now closed (or closing anyway), I'm likely gonna take them up to the new HD museum in Milwaukee and perhaps on a factory tour if I can swing it (Buell would be cool if that's possible). I'm also thinking I could have the trip coincide with the part of the Iron Butt Rally that will be passing through Chiacgo at some point in late August-early September. I've also thought that a race would be cool for them to see.

As for speakers, I've got a line of some former 'club' members and I know a couple of biker cops who might come in as well (perhaps not at the same time).

I'd love to give students the option of taking the MSF course. However, I'm sure my employer would freak. Of course if they decide to do it on their own time with their own money.....

As someone suggested, riding culture is a window into broader social events of the past several decades. I'll definitely be taking them through the 60s, 70s, and 80s through the lens of riding and bikes of the time (not to mention the image of bikers!)

As for global warming (?).....yeah....it's real.