Bruin motorcyclists gather outside Pauley Pavilion
By Jae Yang
Feb. 11, 2009 10:11 p.m.
There weren’t any Harley Davidsons, but there were Kawasakis, Suzukis and even a B.M.W. on Wednesday, as 25 motorcycles lined the North Concourse of Pauley Pavilion.
They didn’t wear matching leather jackets with insignias representing UCLA or a Bruin, but members of the Bruin Motorcycle Association rolled their motorcycles onto the concrete like a traditional motorcycle club.
For those ignorant of the motorcycle culture, Andrew Lin, external vice president of the Bruin Motorcycle Association, explained the dearth of Harleys as generational.
A Harley Davidson is a cruiser type of motorcycle, Lin said.
“We’re younger. We want sports bikes that go faster,” the third-year neuroscience student said.
The showcase was an informal swap meet. A Suzuki 750 was on sale for $3,300, and signs on learning how to ride were taped on the ground next to the bikes. A heap of helmets, gloves and jackets formed a mountain of gear behind the motorcycles, stressing the importance of safety throughout the day.
In the wake of the motorcycle accident that killed sociology Professor Peter Kollock last month, organizers and sponsors stated the importance of helmets and speed control and discouraged stunts such as “wheelies” and “stoppies.”
Scott Royce of the Redondo-Beach-based Del Amo Motorsports, which helped sponsor the event, said the motorcycle community has a responsibility to keep each other accountable.
“We’re all riders, and we like giving back to the community,” Royce said. “(The Bruin Motorcycle Association) is a good group. They promote safety.”
The motorcycle club members also talked about their Tuesday club meetings and Wednesday bike rides, which attract as many as 25 people.
Lin, who rides a Kawasaki ZX-6R63C, said he got his first motorcycle when he was in high school, finding it much cheaper to maintain than cars.
“My parents weren’t thrilled about it but knew it was more practical,” Lin said.
Once enrolled at UCLA, he said the free motorcycle parking coupled with less expenses for gas made keeping a motorcycle an easy decision.
“Part of it is being cool,” he said. “But it’s perfect for a college student to get around campus.”
There have been cases of stolen bikes he said, so the group is working with UCLA transportation to get more locks and cameras installed at motorcycle lots located on campus.
Jacob Janco, a fourth-year neuroscience student, said his eyes constantly peruse motorcycle magazines.
So when he saw the event listing on Facebook, he said he was eager to make the trek to Pauley Pavilion. He said he’s looking to buy a motorcycle in the summer.
“I don’t have transportation,” he said. “This seems like a cheap to way get around.”
Meanwhile, Maggie Pham, a fourth-year physiological science student and club member, stood by her Kawasaki Ninja and pinpointed the reason on why she rides.
“My boyfriend,” she said.
“I sat on the back of his bike, and I got sucked into it.”
But she shrugged off the suggestion that she was attracted to the rebellious nature of the motorcycle.
“It wasn’t a main factor,” Pham said.
