DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Damarron At 13th & State Streets

Q: Do you have a nickname for your motorcycle?

A: Negola. I named my bike after my female best friend who is my riding partner. We've known each other since we were little kids.

Q: What does your wife think about this?

A: She is totally cool about it. She even laughs about it.

Q: What is Negola's main use?

A: I use Negola for any and everything. There isn't really too many places I won't take her. Anywhere I go, she goes.

Q: What made you decide to buy a cruiser instead of a speed bike?

A: I waited until I was 39 years old to buy my first bike. I knew that I wasn't ready for going too fast. I decided to buy a cruiser.

Q: What was your favorite trip from home on Negola?

A: My favorite trip was to Indianapolis, Indiana. I went there with my club the Dirty Dozen. It took us about five hours to get there because we kept stopping at different places on our way there. But once we got there, I had fun.

Q: So what do you like about being in a motorcycle club?

A: I think riding in a club is a lot more fun than riding by yourself. Clubs attract all types of people from all different walks of life, but they share a commonality that you can branch off of, riding.

Q: Do you have speakers on your bike?

A: My friend Knowledge is showing me how to hook up speakers on my bike in the next couple of weeks. So when I'm on these trips, I can bop my head to some music.

Q: When you get your radio, what do you plan to listen to?

A: You might not know this artist, but his name is Jack McDuff, otherwise known as Brother McDuff. He is a Hammond Organist. He was pretty popular in his day during the '60s and '70s. I also plan to listen to some Billy Preston.

Q: If your motorcycle had a theme song, what would it be?

A: I would go with "Music is My Life" I think this song fits Negola because it starts out slow and it just builds up. It reminds me how I ride Negola. I start off slow and once I hit the expressway, I roll the throttle and take off.

Q: So how did you get this motorcycle?

A: When I joined the Dirty Dozen, I didn't have a bike at the time. Since it was the off season, I was given a certain amount of time to buy one. I knew I didn't want to buy a crotch rocket because I knew I could break my neck. So my friend from the club told me to just buy a cruiser. So one rainy day in February, I walked into a dealership, saw Negola, and told them this was the one I wanted.

Q: What would your dream bike be?

A: Realistically, my next bike would be the Honda Gold Wing. People make a big deal out of Harley Davidsons, but Harley is more of a status symbol than anything. If you want the best bike, it's the Goldwing. It's like the Cadillac of motorcycles. It has the works: GPS, cellphones, air-conditioning, armrests, and cup holders.

Q: Was your family nervous when you started riding?

A: My wife was nervous about it, but she got over it. She was the one who finally gave me the green light to get my first bike. She is in the IT field and she was working on a contract. She didn't know whether or not her contract would be extended. I held off on buying one due to her work situation. One day I came home and there was a helmet sitting on the bed. She told me to go ahead and get my bike.

Q: You have a teenage son. When he gets older would you encourage him to ride a bike?

A: Yes, I would, as long as he knows to be responsible. Riding on a bike doesn't offer the same safety as a car.

Q: Do you feel that riding a bike is similar to riding a motorcycle?

A: It's easier to get your balance on a motorcycle than it is on a bike. When you own a bike, you have to remind yourself that if you want to stay up, you have to pedal faster. But with motorcycles, all you have to do is roll the throttle and you can easily find your balance.