Mid-Life Rider

Lowell Goss is too young to be having this much fun. (I think that’s known as a “Zimmerman” opening.)

Lowell is yet another boy-genius who has figured out a way to combine a passion for riding with making a living. Actually, he’s working hard on a new internet venture called Fast3R, so the making a living part is still a fiction buried on page 11 of some PowerPoint. (If you haven’t checked it out, you should . . . but only after you finish here!).

Fast3R has huge promise. I say that as someone who has spent more than a little time and effort on “web 2.0″ (look it up yourself) businesses and applications. The part that has been so roundly missing, and the part that I think Lowell is on to, is linking all this cool community-building technology that’s floating around out there with communities that already exist. That’s where we motorcyclists come in.

Lowell’s tale of popping a wheelie in the Rose Bowl parking lot the first time he rides a real motorcycle is a smiler. I wasn’t that clever or brave, but I do remember the parking lot part (except it was outside D.C., the bike was a Honda CB500, and the guy’s name was Ralph). But I was hooked, just like Lowell. It just took me way longer to do something about it.

He’s still a ways from Mid-Life, but kudos to Lowell for being thoughtful and articulate about riding and the great meanings of life. Anyone who has ridden as many bikes in as many fun places as Lowell has gets a place at the big table.

Tell me a little about yourself. What do you do, do you have family, that sort of thing.

Here are some facts about me.

• 34 years old
• Married with one kid on the way
• Grew up in a small town in Indiana
• Mother was/is scared of motorcycles. they were never allowed.
• My dad had motorcycles in his teens and early 20s. He has several good stories about them including hitting a large pig while riding and wrecking with my mother on the back.

Do you remember your first bicycle? Is there a good story about it?

My first bike was a black and yellow Huffy. Nothing special. When I got older my dad bought me a Schwinn that he had the bike shop customize for me. It was a yellow Stingray with a banana seat, BMX bars and yellow fiberglass mag rims. When I first got it I thought it was super cool. It was certainly unusual and extremely heavy. Other kids made fun of it for being weird looking.

Sadly for my dad, that made ME think that it wasn’t cool. I started trading other kids for parts to customize it. Eventually I traded for a Mongoose BMX frame that I used to make a BMX bike. The frame was all scratched so my dad took me to a local body shop run by a car customizing guy name Johnny Guardo (sp?). Johnny painted the frame candy apple and metal flake. It was super cool.

When did you first ride a motorcycle?

I guess there are really two stories here. When I was about 12 my uncle John bought a 50cc moped. I think it was a Puch. When I would go to visit him all I wanted to do was ride the moped. I rode it flat out all the time. By this time it was clear that I liked things that had motors and went fast.

My re-introduction to bikes was in 1997. My friend Jerry had just started riding and purchased a Yamaha Seca II. The Seca II was not a great bike, but I really wanted to give it a try. We went together to the Rose Bowl parking lot in Pasadena. Lots of people go there to learn to drive and practice. He parked the bike, handed me his helmet and the keys. I got on the bike and started it up.

Now on the old moped you had to give it a handful to get going. This is not the case on a 900cc motorcycle. I gave it a handful of gas, let out the clutch and pulled a huge wheelie. I managed to not fall off, but scared myself silly. I was hooked. Now I don’t even really know how to wheelie.

What was the first bike you owned?

I immediately went from my first adult riding experience to reading everything I could find about bikes. I ended up buying an ex-press fleet 1997 Ducati Monster 750 from Pro Italia in Glendale. I didn’t even have a permit yet. Earl delivered the bike to my house in the back of the shop van. The bike was a steal. It had about 550 miles on it. I bought it for way under sticker price because it was a press bike. A couple years later I sold it for almost exactly what I paid for it. Since it was a press bike it had probably been ridden hard, but other than a faulty rectifier (which all Ducati’s of that era suffered from), it was great.

How many bikes have you owned?

Let me see

• 1997 Ducati Monster 750
• 1998 Yamaha R6
• 1999 BMW R1100S
• 199? Gasgas trials bike (never ran)
• 1999 KTM Duke II
• 2003 Ducati ST4s
• 2004 Ducati Multistrada 1000DS
• 2004 Ducati Monster S4R
• 2006 KTM 950 Supermoto
• 1965 BMW R50/2

How many bikes have you ridden?

Many. I have had the good fortune to have great relationships with Pro Italia, Ducati North America, Ducati (in Italy), Dylan Weiss and the Motorcycle Industry Council. This has given me many great opportunities to ride lots of bikes. Here are a few.

• Ducati 999
• Ducati 748RS
• MV Agusta F4 750
• MV Agusta Brutale 750S & 910
• MV Agusta Brutale 910
• Every Ducati Monster, ST and Multistrada
• Harley V-Rod
• Suzuki V-Strom, SV 650, SV 1000
• KTM 950 Adventure
• Kawasaki KLR 650
• BMW R1150GS, R1200GS, R1200RT, R1150R, K1200S

What do you own now?

Right now I own a KTM 950 Supermoto. It is a fantastic bike. I think KTM makes the coolest, sexiest, most fun motorcycles on the market.

How many miles do you expect to ride this year?

Not that many. Probably about 10,000.

You are the moving force behind Fast3R. I spent a lot of time and money over the last two years on a “web 2.0″ project. I have lots of my own observations about what’s going on, on the web. One of them is that there is a lot of money and technology in search of an audience and a purpose. What inspired you to start Fast3R? Was it an extension of your interest in motorcycles, or did it just seem like a logical market?

I started Loud3r Inc. in June of 2007. Our aim is to build a network of enthusiast content sites for many topics. When it came time to pick topics to test the software, motorcycles were an obvious choice. There is a great passionate community of people involved with motorcycling. The content and interest areas are very diverse. To be successful we needed to be able to find and publish the best content about everything from Sturgis to World Superbike to Stunt riding.

Because motorcycles are a huge passion for me I knew that I could provide a good eye in judging whether the product was really working. When I started finding cool articles every day that I couldn’t easily find elsewhere, I knew we were on to something.

Motorcycling isn’t a singular thing. In fact, there is arguably a fair distance between the person interested in sport bikes, the person interested in heavy cruisers, and the dirt bike rider (just to name three). How do you see bridging those diverse interests? Few traditional media companies even try.

I think you’re right that motorcycling is incredibly diverse. At the same time, every time I go to MotoGP at Laguna I see many guys there who love racing, but rode there on their Harleys.

Riders have much more diverse personal tastes than traditional magazines and sites seem to understand. How many riders have a dirt bike and a sport bike. Here in Southern California, many Ducati riders also own custom bikes. The idea with FAST3R is to let the individual user pick the content they think is cool. The product helps you find just Honda content if that’s your thing or you can choose to read about Motocross or Adventure Touring. I think that’s much closer to the reality of people’s interests.

There are certain brands that inspire a great deal of passion. I’ll name a few. I’d be interested in what you observe based on what’s going on with Fast3R and the sources you feed from: Harley, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, KTM, Triumph, BMW, Buell.

Wow. That’s a big question. The site has been live for a little over a month, but we are definitely seeing trends from both writers and from readers. The big areas of activity so far are around BMW, Ducati and KTM. The Moto Guzzi Stelvio has gotten a fair amount of attention. The KTM RC8 launch is a big deal.

How would you describe your involvement with motorcycling now? Do your business ventures suck all the air out?

Business is time consuming. I try to ride every weekend, but sometimes 2-3 weeks manage to slip by without starting the bike.

What attracted you to motorcycling? Why do you ride?

My dad rode bikes when he was younger, but motorcycles were forbidden when I was growing up. I guess that was part of the initial interest. My friend Jerry was riding and it seemed fun and cool. Once I started to ride I got swept away by it.

With all of the intrusions of work, life and technology, riding is one of the few things that requires my full concentration: 100%. There an incredible satisfaction in riding and controlling the bike. There’s also a paradox of being in greater touch with the world around you. Let’s face it, a motorcycle is an artificial intrusion into the world. It’s loud. It pollutes. But, when I ride I do feel more in touch with the world around me. The smells. The changing light. The surface of the road.

You said you’re married. Was riding something you discussed? Were there issues? Were there deals made?

I am married. Twice. No deals. My wife loves riding on the back. The Multistrada was a great two-up bike. I would not date or marry a woman who tried to forbid me from riding. I meet guys all the time who say. “Yeah, I loved riding, but my wife made me give it up.” I have a hard time understanding their situation. I am not interested in anyone forbidding me from doing anything. I like the illusion of free will.

What do you think about when you ride?

I really try to not think about anything. For me riding is an opportunity for focus and concentration. Especially at track days, but even on the street. The ride is the point.

This is perhaps an indelicate question, but how do you think about the “dangerous” part about riding?

Riding a motorcycle is a dangerous activity. It’s a fact. Other drivers are hazards. The road surface can be dangerous. We sometimes exceed our own skill and ability.

It’s important to try and manage risk. I always wear a full-face helmet, gloves, jacket (back, shoulder and elbow armor) and boots. I should wear leather pants, but I often don’t. I try to keep my skills sharp with track days. I NEVER DRINK A DROP IF I AM GOING TO RIDE.

I believe that people are free to make choices, but wearing no helmet (or a skull cap), no protective gear, not getting training and drinking are stupid choices.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone coming to motorcycles for the first time? I’m thinking about the “mid-life” rider now?

Acquire skills through training. Take the MSF course. Take advanced rider courses. Ride your bike on the track to keep your skills sharp.

What bike would you recommend (and why)?

I love KTMs. They deliver sharp riding performance. Their design is distinctive. I like orange. The 950 Supermoto is a great “sport-bike”. It will do about anything you’d want except touring. If I was buying a bike for distance I’d get the Moto Guzzi Stelvio or a KTM Adventure.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve done on/with a motorcycle?

I went with a group of friends on a trip riding across part of Alaska on KLR 650s. Fast dirt roads. Glaciers. Moose. A great trip with a great group of guys.

If you could pick one place you’d recommend as a riding destination / experience, what/where would that be?

Last summer I rode in the Italian Alps with my friend Bill Nation. We rode over the Gavia Pass in the cold rain, which sucked. Gavia is a one lane road with two way traffic. The next day we rode the Stelvio Pass. Absolutely the best road I have ever ridden. It was cold (late June), but clear. Snow at the top. The Italian Alps are absolutely fantastic. Great roads. Great little roadside cafes.

If someone handed you a blank check and said “go buy a motorcycle you’d enjoy riding (not just collecting), what would you pick?

Hmm. I keep a wishlist of bikes that I’d like to ride or own. Right now the #1 spot on the list is the BMW HP2 Megamoto.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Tags: LowellGoss, Huffy, Schwin, BMX, Mongoose, Puch, Yamaha Secca II, wheelie, Pro Italia, Ducati, Dylan Weiss, Motorcycle Industry Council, Gavia Pass, Stelvio Pass, Moto Guzzi Stelvio, KTM Adventure