Guam bikers find paradise on island

By Donovan Brooks

There’s a two-wheeling population on island that’s picking up more and more members, if not speed.

The growing Guam biker population gathers together for annual fun runs and charity rides. They started three years ago and began organizing group tours to the neighboring Republic of Palau. They fly in for a week of riding and cultural exchange.
When Jim Denny was a boy his father would sometimes saddle up and ride his horse alone after midnight, out on the plains of the Texas panhandle.
“I thought he was crazy,” Denny, now 60, said.
However, a year after buying a pearl white 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King, Denny has found himself on occasion, after everyone has gone asleep, cruising alone on Guam’s then-deserted highways and byways, enjoying the solitude and having fun.
“Now I know how my dad felt,” Denny said with a broad smile. “But he rode a real horse. I ride a steel horse.”
Lifelong biker and Guam Harley-Davidson dealer Bill Neilson, 64, explained about a recent tour, “This is our third year. They’re already thinking about next year.”
Neilson said the trips are planned to include charitable donations to schools and other organizations on Palau and the trip coordinators solicit support from local businesses.
“We donate computers, stuffed animals. For us it’s fun. We give rides at the schools and the kids get so excited.”
Palau is the second largest landmass in Micronesia. However, the republic is just half the size of Guam. But a circumferential highway was recently completed on its largest island, Babeldaob, which provides about 42 miles of uninterrupted travel.
Mark Gumabon took part in the most recent tour, which returned to Guam Oct. 6. “It was pristine, no cars, a new road,” he said. “Palau was wonderful,” said Linda Lujan, 35, a mom of six who rides an 883 Sportster solo when her kids are at school and with groups of friends on the weekend. But even with field trips to Palau, Guam motorcycling enthusiasts have concerns.
“There is limited riding on Guam,” Neilson said. He added, “What makes Guam good is the social aspect.”
Guam bikers plan group rides and charitable events to coincide with Liberation Day and Veterans Day and Christmas, Easter and other holidays. Some group rides draw 700 to 800 bikes, according to Neilson.
Dee Concepcion, a National Guard family support center clerk, likes the fun she finds riding her 1200 Sportster, especially when accompanied by her two biker sons.
“That’s the best thing about Guam – all-year summer,” said Concepcion. Even night rides on Guam are pleasant, perhaps requiring a light jacket, but riding along with the wind in your face.
“That’s how to see Guam,” said Bon Maratita. “There’s lots of places to stop and relax along the way.”
Realtor Frank Santos puts 1,100 miles a month on his chromed-out V-Rod, a Harley rocket with a Porsche-designed water-cooled motor. “I ride,” he said. “That’s all I do. I love it. I go to go, rain or shine, day or night. It’s therapy.” Teresa Brewer, a software developer for U.S. Customs visiting Guam from Virginia for work, agreed, “Just the feeling of being out, focusing on riding and blocking out everything else. A 45-minute ride is enough to make you feel much, much better.”
“Most of your riding is by the beach,” John Fejeran said. “Down south, people are very friendly.” Guam Harley’s Neilson, who has been riding bikes since he was 15, now rides an Electra Glide Screaming Eagle with a 110 cubic inch motor, the biggest motor Harley makes. He is a firm believer in what many bikers echo.
“Problems go away when you’re out on a bike with the sun in your eyes and the wind in your face. It kind of blows all the cobwebs out.”
Denny, who got his bike as a 59th birthday present to himself, said, “You ride for a while and all your problems disappear.” Unless you crash. Gerald Aguon, 32, has been riding for three years but has dropped his bike several times. He received minor injuries and related another biker truism.
“If you ride, it’s not a matter of if you’re going to drop it, it’s a matter of when you’re going to drop it,” Aguon said. The drops haven’t stopped him from picking up his Street Glide and jumping back on.
“If we stopped doing things just because we get hurt, we’d end up not doing anything,” he said.