THE ECHO

by Jacob Vereb

When did you receive your Motorcycle license? 

I started working on my motorcycle license as soon as I possibly could. Right as I got my car license, my dad and I would start doing small little practice rides around parking lots and neighborhoods. Once I was old enough, we signed up for a motorcycle safety course. After I completed that, I was able to go to the BMV and get the endorsement on my license. 

When did you discover your love for bikes? 

Basically, right when I was born. It’s one of those things that’s been in our family for the longest time. My grandpa had an old Bonneville, and there’s pictures of me on it. I’ve always liked bikes; I’ve always wanted to ride. So now that I’m old enough and I’m finally legal, it’s very exhilarating and all that. 

Is the shared interest in bikes a good way to bond with friends and family? 

I would absolutely say that it is a very decent way to bond just because, you know, whenever you go on your evening rides. Ya’ll take your bikes over to a restaurant or something like that. It’s a great way to have a little community. The bike community in general is very open and welcoming to each other. So if you’re on the road and you see a random stranger and they’re on a bike as well, it’s really easy to strike up a conversation. 

Is motorcycling a good hobby for people to get into? 

I would definitely say it’s a good hobby to get into just because there’s so much joy you can get out being on the road. You can’t really describe what it’s like being on a bike unless you’ve actually done it. It’s just one of those things where it’s basically life changing. It’s just a whole different feeling than riding in a car. Just being able to have those experiences and be able to be a part of the bike community and bond with others, it’s not something you’d be able to do if you weren’t a bike rider. 

Do you have any other hobbies? 

I’ve been in the Boy Scouts for most of my life. It’s been around seven or eight years now. I started off as just a little kid, and I’ve grown up in it. It taught me a lot of the skills that I know today. It taught me leadership skills and communication skills and it really shaped me into the person who I am today. I’ll forever be grateful for the Boy Scouts for that.