Accessibility links

Breaking News

Born to Ride


((PKG)) BORN TO RIDE
((Banner: Born to Ride))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Writer/Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Editor: Stefan Pildes))
((Map: Brooklyn, New York))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 7 males; 2 females))
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Moto Noir))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
About year 2000, I was riding down the West Side Highway on a
Tuesday morning. I just got a Ducati N900, ran up to a guy in a
similar Ducati. And we complimented each other on our tastes in
bikes. And he said, “Are you coming to bike night?” And I said,
“What's that?” He said, “Come on down to the Ear Inn at about
six o'clock tonight.”
((Courtesy: Lucinda Jacobson))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
I did and was overjoyed to find about a 100 to 150 other guys that
just wanted to talk about motorcycles. And it was a weekly
recurrence that had been going on at that point for something like
15 to 20 years, as far as I know.
((NATS))
Biker 1: Know where the meet up is?
Biker 2: Yeah man, follow me.
Biker 1: Alright.
((NATS))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
My name’s Demian Neufeld. I own and run Ryders Alley. It's a
business born of passion.
((NATS))
Biker 2: I've been coming to this meetup ever since they moved
to Brooklyn.
Biker 3: Two Wheel Tuesday was happening at a different
location for many, many years. I think it goes back to the 50s or
60s and now we're in Brooklyn, now we're in Williamsburg.
((NATS))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
Eventually bike night moved. It got a little bit younger, a little less
silver hair and a little more neon.
((NATS))
Biker 4: I actually just found out this meetup a couple weeks ago
from a barista at JANE Motorcycle, one block away. So, it's been,
this is only my second time being here.
((Courtesy: Lucinda Jacobson))
Biker 5: These are the most friendly group of people I've ever
met. Actually, like, people are really willing to help you out and
get you started and give you advice on how to ride safely.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Lucinda Jacobson))
Biker 6: I definitely appreciate the community aspect of it,
absolutely.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Lucinda Jacobson))
Biker 7: I looked on social media. I found this group in New
York and I mean, lucky me, I found like over 100 women riders
that I could just ask a ton of questions to.
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
Pretty much I see a lot of people just looking for someone to listen
to them, ramble on about the technicalities of their bike, how
they've modified the exhaust pipes or certain rides that they've
done.
((NATS))
Biker 8: This second button, two, three, back to one. And yeah,
again, it's just roll and go.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Moto Noir))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
It used to be about the speed. It used to be about the sensation
of dragging a knee through a corner at first on ridiculously
irresponsible street rides. And then for about 12 years on the
racetrack, and then racing, and then coaching,
((Courtesy: Ryders Alley))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
and now it's more about dirt biking for myself personally, the
vistas, the feelings of wind and not really going as fast now. It's
more like 15 to 20 miles an hour. And the common thread would
still be comradery.
((NATS/MUSIC))
Biker 9: It's, you know, just like a brotherhood and a sisterhood
that you couldn't imagine, that, you know, we just have with each
other. We don't have to know you.
((Courtesy: Matt Emmi))
Biker 9: We feel that brother or sisterly love. And it's a
motorcycle that brings that into power. I ride a Harley Davidson. I
have two of them.
Biker 5: I ride a Yamaha 2018 MT-07.
Biker 6: This is a Honda 919.
Biker 4: I really love the style that the new design of Rebel 500,
Honda Rebel 500.
Biker 3: I am a KPM guy. I've always been a KPM guy. Biker 7:
So, I ride a Triumph Street Twin.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Moto Noir))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
Has there been the change in the supply chain of motorcycles
since pandemic? Yes, absolutely.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Moto Noir))
((Courtesy: Matt Emmi))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
Am I teaching my children how to ride bikes? Definitely.
((Courtesy: Ryders Alley))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
I have three kids, a boy, girl, boy, all three of them have electric
bikes. Interestingly enough, what they ask me is not let's go ride
bikes, but they say to me, “Can we go into the woods?” And
when I say, “Do you want to go for a hike or for a walk?” They're
like, “No, no, no, no, no. On the bikes of course.” It’s my favorite
answer.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Ryders Alley))
((Demian Neufeld, Owner, Ryders Alley))
You're good. Keep going, keep going. Yeah. Turn right. Okay.
Stop.
((NATS/MUSIC))
XS
SM
MD
LG