James “Hollywood”Macecari

So what is Freedom mean? Where has that ideology gone within the biker community? Sure, many profess it. But do they actually know what the concept of freedom really is?

The idea of freedom of the open road and partying to all times of the night was what got me hooked on motorcycles.

The freedom to be who you wanted no matter what anyone in society thought was what led me to getting my first motorcycle.

A 77 Triumph Bonneville.

I believed back then that the kickstart was the truest form of motorcycle. That is what enticed me to the Triumph. That and it had a storied past and it wasn’t all that bad of a bike money wise back then.

I believe I bought it for $1800.

First thing I did to it was put on a set of ape hangers. A love affair that I’ve had ever since then.

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Almost every bike I owned had a set of Apehangers on it.

Something about the look and feel gave the impression to the rest of society the big middle finger.

Now, I’ve had dozens of bikes since that first one.

I was never into the “Harley is the best, or you needed a Harley to be a biker.”

As you can see I’ve had many Jap bikes as well. Actually, most of the time I had a Harley for a main bike and a jap for a backup bike.

So to those who always think they need a Harley to be part of the crowd you’re actually going against what Freedom really means.

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Not giving a damn what anyone else thinks.

So next time someone gives yeah hell about what you’re riding knock their teeth right out. That will shut them up about what your riding.

Anyways, I’ve been afforded to live the lifestyle in many different ways. I’ve always believed in working hard and playing even harder.

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I started off as a Truck driver hauling Rock and Asphalt. A job that truly allowed me the freedom away from having a boss hang over my every move.

The added bonus was I was on the road doing my thing for 10-12 hours a day.

Driving a truck was being as free as riding a motorcycle.

Regrettably, I was forced to hand in my CDL when the seizures started.

That’s when I started tattooing full time.

I was actually doing it part time since I was a kid. Ever since I picked up a sewing needle and string. Yeah that far back.

Eventually, I went on to open a string of Tattoo Studios. Something that really allowed me to enjoy the biker lifestyle.

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Back then it was really only bikers, convicts and military who got tattoos. Tattoos were not popular with society as today.

But that job afforded me more freedom than I ever experienced in my life.

It led to meeting new people and gave me the opportunity to do my thing.

If I needed money for a project, I would sell and make a damn good profit on a shop and reinvest in another business.

I’ve always believed in a person’s ability to make money on their own.

I never believed a person should be subject to another persons will. I hated the thought of having to work under some prick. Especially those who had college degrees and had no life experience. So starting and owning my own businesses was my freedom.

My plan was a simple one for all those who are wondering.

Start the business, build up the clientele and then turn around and sell it for a profit.After selling it I would open another one and start the process all over again.

Crap, I’ve owned tattoo studios bars auto repair shops and more.

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So following this process, I never had to worry about my freedom being held back because I had to depend on a paycheck to survive.

Not saying there is anything wrong with that. Just something that wasn’t for me.

China doll, on the other hand, always wanted the security of working with a company.

Not me, though. Screw that.

Back to what Freedom means being a biker, though.

The one time I really think I sacrificed my freedom was when I joined a motorcycle club.

Now, my time with the club was fantastic. Loved every minute of it. It wasn’t until I got to the point with seizures I decided to hang up the colors . Why ?because I didn’t want to be responsible for causing a wreck and taking others with me.

With a club though you sacrifice a lot. Especially with your home life and marriage.

I was lucky in that China Doll was my ride or die chick.

She raised the kids while I was out living the life.

But the pressures of being gone all the time will take its toll.

This is something many people do not understand about the club life.

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The most important thing though about the club life is you give up your freedom more than you know.

Sure, it’s cool having the patch and a bunch of guys behind you. But your freedom of choice is next to nothing when your in a club.

Politics will come into play and people you would’ve liked to associate with is no more. Especially if they were playing for the other team.

I think that’s what really changed my thinking about a lot of things lately.

AS many can see I really don’t talk about clubs except with the biker news.

I actually made a mistake in not being all inclusive to those in the biker community.

All the subjects were nothing but club related. Let me tell you. There is way more in the biker community then just clubs.

The problem is many people lose themselves and that idea of freedom because they are too worried about chasing an image.

Hate to break it to those who want to wear a patch.

But the patch is not representative of the lifestyle.

The independent biker is what makes up the majority of the lifestyle and there is a very good reason for that.

The independent biker is the closest thing you will ever get to being truly free.

Your ideas are your own. No one tells you what to do and when to do it.

Politics never come into play and you can associate with whom you want when you want. Plus it doesn’t cost you a boatload of money to be involved in the lifestyle.

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I could remember spending thousands of dollars each year on the club. Something that could’ve been used elsewhere to make a more free life for myself.

But like many, since the day I bought that 77 Triumph Bonneville I always thought that being in the club life was the purest way of living the life.

The parties were legendary, and the comradery was next to none. But I lost out on a lot of experiences I could’ve had without the restrictions of the patch.

Again, I’m not bashing clubs. I already know whenever I do a piece like this some idiots will email me saying how wrong I am and go screw myself.

That’s a problem right there. The group think of some of the majority of people out there.

Hey, I was one of those people as well so I won’t bash on them for doing it.

The only difference between them and me is I got older and more focused on what the lifestyle should mean.

That awaking was I wasted a lot of years not living the lifestyle I imagined when I picked up that first bike.

The freedom of the open road was stymied by ideology that smack dab contradicted everything I wanted out of the lifestyle.

I guess this is why I decided to address the topic.

I see so many people who envision themselves in a club. Especially writing and hosting programs for Insane Throttle.

I actually feel for those people .Because you cannot convey the importance of being independent until they actually go through the process and wake up. This is what  I did one day and knew my freedom was compromised.

Again, I’m not saying clubs are bad. I’m just saying if your freedom is important to you then that might not be the route to go.

I cannot say it any better than that.

But let’s get off the club crap. That’s a subject that’s been beating and spoke over and over again. It actually gets boring after awhile.

What can you do to actually live a life of freedom?

I guess that would depend on what your definition of freedom is.

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Mine was being able to work for myself and ride independent. Not being tied down to anything and forcing myself to make it on my own merits.

Maybe for you it’s a hard days work then coming home and getting into the garage doing projects or a hobby.

I can tell you one thing. Bikers have skills that most normal citizens do not.

I’ve met some of the best mechanics, welders, wood workers and other tradesmen that would blow your mind with their skills.

Those types of trades I actually believe are the essence of the biking community. Reason why I’ve always been a little prejudice against the rubs.

I’ve always thought of the biker lifestyle as a blue-collar type of thing.

Not some suit sitting behind the desk and pounding on a keyboard every day or ordering people around to get their rocks off.

That kind of person is not free but power hungry in my opinion. Something that really don’t jive with what being a biker is all about. Not to mention that kind of profession doesn’t allow any freedom to grow one’s self. Those types of people always gotta worry about who they are going to screw next in order to get ahead. Instead of embracing true codes of loyalty and honor they embrace lies and deceit to get ahead.

Now that’s just my own opinion and don’t expect anyone to agree with it. This has just been my experience in dealing with many of them over the years in the businesses I’ve owned.

Let’s get to the elephant in the room, though.

Many say those who sleep in an RV or trailer their bikes are not real bikers.

You have to ride millions of miles each year in order to be considered a real biker.

I say screw that. I’ve had my share of sleeping on the ground and if I’m going on a long trip I’m going to be sleeping comfortably.

My young days are over with and that crap don’t jive with me any longer. As for trailering a bike, I’ve never done that. But I don’t think badly about anyone that does.

Being a biker again is doing what you want and how you want.

Screw those who want to put a tag on you. After all is this high school or some crap where you’re playing to be apart of the popular kids? Or are you choosing to live life according to your own terms?

By the way, it’s 2019 not 1980 or 90. There is a lot of technology out there and has changed the lifestyle as we know it.

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Maybe it’s time for people to evolve. Accept that a lot of people desire comfort over breaking balls or backs to fit some others definition of what they should be doing.

It’s funny. I see people cracking on Black Dragon all the time because he has an RV and sometimes trailers his bike.

I can guarantee he has more miles on his bike than most of you out there.

The problem is people only see one or two videos of him in an RV and automatically jump to he doesn’t ride much. Those are the truly ignorant asses right there.

Have no idea what the hell they are talking about. They would rather be led by the balls by someone who likes to talk shit that has no idea what BD does.

Hate to break it to you folks. But video doesn’t tell the full story.

There is something called editing.

Example. Here is a question for you all. What makes you think that someone is actually riding their motorcycle across the country and not trailering it between shots? You freaking don’t because video is something a creator can make to give the illusion they want people to believe.

Keep that in mind when you see some of these fools talking that crap over on YouTube.

I guess the moral of the story here is to get back to what being a biker was about in the first place. Freedom to make your own way in life without worrying about someone else telling you what the lifestyle is supposed to be about.

I say challenge them right away. Ask them how the hell they become an expert on what it is to be a biker. More importantly, ask them what freedom means to them. The answer to that question will be very telling. Something that will give you concrete proof they are for real or not.

I’ll leave it at that.

Till next time, rock on!