Zen and the Art of Peace of Mind - A Rider’s Reflection

That deep connection between rider and machine isn't just sentimentality—it's at the heart of Robert Persig's philosophical masterpiece, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."

Today we're winding through the philosophical landscapes of Persig's influential work, exploring what it means to truly engage with our motorcycles and, by extension, with life itself. When we're cruising at 70mph and it suddenly feels like we're perfectly still while the world moves around us—that's Peace. That's presence. That moment when time disappears as you work on your bike late into the night, completely absorbed in the task—that's mindfulness.

Persig suggests we can look at motorcycles (and life) in two ways: as fragmented collections of parts or as unified living systems. This perspective shapes everything—how we maintain our bikes, how we approach problems, and how we find harmony in a world that feels increasingly disconnected. We explore "gumption traps"—those frustrations like stripped screws or self-doubt that drain our enthusiasm—and the practices that restore our energy and focus. At its core, motorcycling offers us a path to that elusive peace of mind we're all searching for, if we approach the journey with awareness and care.

Ready to find your Zen on two wheels? 

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Episode Transcript

Ron (00:12):
Any number of times when folks ask me what the podcast is
about, I generally say it's ahippie take on motorcycling, and
that's probably a very poor andtoo broad of an explanation.
But by hippie take I mean, Idon't know, laid back maybe a
philosophical attempt todescribe how much we love to

(00:33):
ride, how much we enjoy beingout on the bike.
You know that it has meaningand you know I've been riding
for so many years, just like youhave, and again, I'm just
trying to figure out more day byday.
What does it mean to me to getout on the bike and be in this
community of ours?
Well, it's just somethingreally important.

(00:54):
It's this constant search forpeace of mind.
I suppose Maybe that's just me,but I get feedback from others
that, yeah, you kind of feel thesame way.
We're out on our bikes in acommunity of other riders, which
is great, and we commune withmother nature, which is even
better right.

(01:14):
More often than not, too, when Idescribe the podcast to people,
they'll immediately say haveyou read Zen and the Art of
Motorcycle Maintenance?
And I respond yes, I have readthe book, and I also have the
audio version on Audible.
Honestly, I think I understandthe meaning of the book, I think
after several readings anddescriptions of it, but probably

(01:36):
not near as well as others.
But I think that the name ofthe book only captures a snippet
of what it really tries toteach us.
There's a lot of depth there.
I think the beauty of the booktoo well like with any good book
for that matter is it's openfor interpretation and it means
something different to differentpeople, and I think that's

(01:58):
great.
So today I want to take aslightly different road, one
that winds through thephilosophy, the mechanics and
the search, maybe, for peace ofmind.
We're diving into the bookthat's been on so many
motorcycle riders' shelves, andmaybe yours too Zen and the Art
of Motorcycle Maintenance byRobert Persig.

(02:20):
Now, if you read the book, youknow it's not really about
fixing your motorcycle at all,it's not really about
maintenance, but maybe it'sabout our relationship with
others and our relationship withlife, or at least a better
understanding of the combinationof all those.

(02:40):
If you haven't read the book,don't worry about it.
We'll talk about the highlightshere a little bit, but for now
let's zip up your jacket and puton your helmet and let's talk
Zen.
Stay tuned.
Thanks for joining me today,recorded in beautiful Loveland,

(03:04):
colorado.
Welcome to Peace, love Moto,the podcast for motorcyclists
seeking that peaceful, easyfeeling as we cruise through
this life together.
Are you ready?
Let's go.

(03:36):
So here's the basics of Zen andthe art of motorcycle
maintenance.
Robert Persig, the author, takesa cross-country motorcycle ride
with his son, chris.
It sounds like a travelogue,but it's really a philosophical
journey, a chautauqua as hecalls it, and that's an old term
for storytelling and teaching.

(03:57):
As he rides, he weaves togethertwo worlds, a mechanical world
and a philosophical world, andhe suggests that we are most
happy in life when we embraceboth.
He talks a lot about quality,not just in machines but in life
, and honestly, that's whatsticks with most of us, I think

(04:22):
Sticks with me when we're outriding, really riding.
You know when all things arejust right in the world.
It's on those long, multi-dayrides where I really feel it.
It's those hours and hours at70 miles an hour out on the open
road, the engine and the tiresjust humming along.

(04:43):
Your mind clears.
That's quality, as he describesit, it's quality time.
You might say.
It's not the specs, it's notthe particular bike that you're
riding, it's your experience inthat.
That's quality and quality oftime.
I believe that I mentioned thisexperience, this feeling before

(05:06):
, when I've been out on longrides and it feels, even though
I'm cruising along at 70, 75miles an hour, going down the
highway, it feels like I'm notmoving at all, but rather the
world is moving past me.
I'm just perfectly still andit's like, too, that I'm forming
a relationship with the bikebeneath me, the machine that's

(05:30):
connected to both of my hands,that's in contact with both of
my feet, full contact with thebike, with the road and with
myself.
When we're out like that, maybeit's a relationship with our
inner being.

(06:05):
Persig talks of the meaning oftaking care of your bike, taking
care of the machine that youlove so much.
One of the big ideas in thebook is that maintenance on a
motorcycle isn't something to bedreaded.
It can be really satisfying, itcan be joyful and even lead to
mindfulness.
You're honoring the process.

(06:25):
I think it's about appreciationtoo.
I mentioned recently how I'm abit of a nut when I walk out to
my garage sometimes, and I'lljust pat my motorcycle on the
tank and say thank you for thejourneys that you've taken me on
.
I know what it's like, too, tobe just so fully engaged in what

(06:47):
I'm doing with a bike.
Or I actually have a 1926 FordModel T that was inherited from
one of my uncles and I rememberbeing underneath the car doing
some work on it and in thegarage and my wife comes out and
she says you know, it's 11 pm.
And I said, no, I was not awareof that.

(07:10):
But I think it's the same thing.
Sometimes we just get soentrenched in our minds that
we're just fully engaged withthe object In this case fully
engaged with the machine, andit's wonderful.

(07:43):
So the author said that there'stwo ways of looking at a
motorcycle as a collection ofparts or as a single living
system.
Sound familiar.
It's kind of like how we seepeople too, and even our own
lives in this confusing timethat we're living in right now.
We're either fragmented orwe're whole.

(08:10):
We're either fixable or doomed.
We're either collected orisolated.
He reminds us the way you fixyour bike is the way you live
your life.
You take care of things, youtake care of yourself and you
take care of others as best youcan before problems occur, and
then you resolve those problems,one at a time, as best you can,
with a good heart.

(08:31):
One of the things I love aboutthe book, too, is how it doesn't
pretend that life is easy.
Persig talks about gumptiontraps, as he calls it, those
things that drain your energyand make you want to give up
this stripped screw or theseized bolt on your bike, for

(08:51):
example Even self-doubt.
But he also talks aboutgumption builders, like a clean
workspace, a good night's sleep,the right frame of mind.
And again, that's just nottalking about a shop, that's
talking about our lives.
That's talking about our lives.

(09:11):
That's life advice.
He says gumption comes frombeing in harmony with what
you're doing, and harmony withothers too.
And when you're out of sync,the world will resist.
And when we're in line oraligned, things will flow.
And isn't that what we'relooking for on the road, in the

(09:37):
garage, in our relationships?
Aren't we looking for, hopingfor a flow?
Aren't we looking and hopingfor peace of mind?
I know I am Zen and the art ofmotorcycle maintenance doesn't

(09:57):
give us all the answers, but Ithink it asks the right
questions.
What does it mean to care, tocare about machines and to care
about ourselves and to careabout machines and to care about
ourselves and to care aboutothers?
How can we live with integrityin a world that seems so

(10:18):
fragmented, especially today.
Have you looked at the newslately?
Yeah, fragmented is a prettygood description.
Fragmented is a pretty gooddescription.
So for Persig, the answer isn'tjust in philosophy, it's in the
ride, it's in the doing, it'sabout being fully aware, fully

(10:41):
in the moment, and for us maybethat's a lesson that each ride
is a chance to connect Not justwith the machine or with the
road, but with something,something deeper, to connect

(11:06):
with stillness, to connect withpresence and, hopefully, to
connect with peace of mind.
It's that peace of mind thateverybody's seeking right, and
some of us, if we're lucky, wemight find a little bit of peace
of mind from the seat of amotorcycle.

(11:28):
Hey, if you enjoy this podcast,thanks a lot for telling your
friends.
I really appreciate yourfeedback.
Send me an email anytime.
Love to chat with you there ortalk over Zoom or talk in person
if we can.
It's Ron at PeaceLoveMotocom.
Until we visit again, ride safe, ride true, and ride with a
little bit of zen.

(11:48):
I wish you peace and I wish youlove, thank you.