Cafe-Quest Volume 1: Because Man Does Not Live by Mile-Munching Alone

One of the things I have missed of late is having a breakfast cafe located about 30-40 miles away down some great motorcycling road.  You know, that destination cafe where bikers meet for a belt-busting breakfast and fellowship with the moto-breathern (and sistern).  I previously had two such locations close at hand, one in De Soto, KS - Marie's Cafe, right on Kansas Highway 10 about 15 miles east of Lawrence.  The food was great (best biscuits I've ever eaten!) and bikers from several miles around would show early every Sunday morning and hang out before a mid-day ride south to the Flint Hills or north to Leavenworth County for some of the best roads in North East Kansas.  Marie's served great breakfast classics and had some of the nicest wait staff who, after only a few visits and overly generous tips, would greet you with a genuine "Hi hun, coffee while you decide"?  I was crushed when they closed.   The second spot was in beautiful Parkville, MO, about 30 miles north and east along the banks of the Missouri River.  The food and atmosphere of the cafe were just OK, but the ride was beautiful, the town picturesque, and the bikes that appeared on any given Sunday were nothing short of spectacular!  Early and late model BMWs, Triumphs, Norton Comandos, several Ducati models and Moto Guzzi's galore!  I fell in love with a 1994 1100 Sport that stoked and unquenchable passion for all things MG!  I'll always remember the Parkville Cafe for my first Moto Guzzi love affair!  But, now, they are gone!   Although I can still ride to those locations, its just not the same without the gathering! I feel lost in the wilderness without my biker-fellowship!

Our town is blessed with numerous outstanding breakfast eateries - Places such as  Milton's, Global Cafe, and Myrth are just a few, not to mention great local coffee shops, The Bourgeois Pig, La Prima Taza, and Z's Espresso, to name a few.  They would be great moto gathering spots but for me they are too close to home.  I need some distance between my domicile and my Sunday moto-gathering spot of choice.  There needs to be a great ride between my garage and great food!  Plus, I need other riders to show up too!  Am I asking too much? I don't think so!

So, today I begin the quest the moto-cafe-quest!  Volume 1: Elle's Diner in Tonganoxie, KS.

The Farmer's Platter

I pass by Elle's on days I commute by bike to work along US 24/40 East to Kansas City.  The place is not much to speak of from the outside but the large sign above the door "Breakfast All Day" was a sufficient Siren's song to snag me from the highway.  From the parking lot, Elle's has the appearance of a double double-wide mobile structure, inside however, is a down-homey feel that is comfortable, inviting, and appetizing.  I got a friendly greeting when I entered and chose to sit near a window to be able to keep an eye on my RT while I ate.

The Farmer's Platter was a thing of beauty and a culinary delight as well! - it will definitely bring me back to Elle's!  The one thing missing however, and this was a big one...  was the absence of moto-brethern.  The dining room I chose had a long table that seated a dozen or so Tongi good-ole-boys deep in their morning chatter.  The room silenced as the stranger clad in riding gear conspicuously entered their domain.  I tried making eye contact thinking I'd get a "hi" a "howdy" a "nice bike" , or even the overly obvious "you 'aint from 'round here are ya"... but sadly no.   It had more the feel of a verse from Bob Segar's "Turn the Page" ... you know the one. Too bad...

 As I stood to leave I grabbed my riding jacket made one last attempt at eye-contact with the group.  I was able to force a smile upon one once cold set of eyes giving me a sense of real accomplishment!  Finally, some acknowledgement of my existence.  Baby steps...

Aside from the cold cafe reception by the locals, the ride was beautiful... Any day riding is a good day!

Despite the fact that I ride this road often, I still love US 24/40 between Lawrence and Kansas City.  The fast sweeping curves, the beautiful N.E. Kansas rolling farm-landscape, and the occasional spotting of wild turkey, deer, flights of geese low overhead, and bald eagles make this stretch of road a joy to ride.  Plus, it is a major thoroughfare for east-west US travel.  Route 40 is one of the classic "decade" roads of the US highway system that, when completed it ran 3,157 miles linking Atlantic City, NJ to San Francisco, CA. This particular stretch runs coincident with US Route 24, another classic US highway that linked Pontiac, MI to Independence, Kansas City and points further West including Topeka, KS.

My moto cafe-quest this morning was a success.  It was a great morning for a ride and I don't think I will eat another thing the rest of the day!  At least that's my story for now!!

Downtown Tonganoxie, KS

 The success of the day was not so much the experience at Elle's Diner but more so the fact that it taught me something.  Good food, a nice diner, and quaint small-town America is all fine and good - and, if that's the point of the ride... perfect!  But I was looking for more.  I was looking for the place where my tribe comes to gather.   The place where we share mutual admiration each others' machines, make friends, and set plans to ride.  And whether that ever happens or not, that's OK too.  Its the fellowship that counts.  I need that.  I think we all do!  -LD

Motorcycing for MENSA

I ride because I love to ride,  it's as simple as that!  .... Well, OK... full disclosure:  I do also love the mechanical esthetic of a motorcycle.  Some bikes don't even need to be ridden to be enjoyed - they are fine works of art and industrial design.  The mere sight (or sound) of them is not only pleasurable, it evokes a sense of well being, brotherly love, and.... yes,  even world peace!  OK, OK, maybe not the latter, but lets just say there is much more to the motorcycle than the inanimate object that it is.

So, imagine my excitement when I read a synopsis of a study conducted at the University of Tokyo demonstrating a significant improvement in the cognitive functioning of motorcyclists that commuted every day to work relative to a control group of individuals that commuted in cars.

Your Brain on a Motorcycle

The study also revealed that the use of motorcycles in daily life improved cognitive faculties related to memory and spatial reasoning capacity.  Participants in the study reported that their stress levels were reduced and their mental state had improved over the course of the study.

I don't think these findings would shock or surprise any avid motorcyclist.  We all experience the benefit of the release of endorphins while riding and with all of the mental inputs involved in safely maneuvering a bike through traffic or on seriously twisty roads, it's no wonder that there is a temporal physiochemical boost or perhaps even a lasting cerebral benefit from riding.  If nothing else, we are engaging in an activity that we love and extract immeasurable pleasure from.  And sometimes, for long periods of time -  8-10 hours a day for multiple consecutive days.

In a related study involving the Yamaha Motorcycle Corp. researchers also observed that the architecture of the brain was remodeled in that the brain devoted more cortical volume to the activity while riding.  Moreover,  the mental benefits of riding were extended beyond the ride to merely thinking about riding!

NOW we're talking!   Not only do we get a gray matter benefit while riding, we get a similar boost in cognitive function by simply thinking about riding.  Ohmmmmm ...

So, think of it this way the next time you are out for a ride... you're not just riding to get from point A to point B... you're not just commuting... you're not out just for the enjoyment of it... you are out building brain power!

So, don't be surprised if in households all across the globe you hear...."Honey, I'm off to dramatically improve my cognitive reasoning skills, develop my memory and spatial reasoning capacity .... and maybe just find world peace in the process!"  -LD

Riding With Soul

Disclaimer: This will NOT be a commentary on that feeling you get while cruising down the highway to the beat of Marvin Gaye, Al Green, or Gladys Knight's soulful tunes coming through the headset, although that is definitely a worthy definition of Riding With Soul.

No, I'm talking about riding with THE soul... MY soul... YOUR soul...

Those of you that ride, especially longer distances spanning multiple days, will relate to a special feeling that accompanies such trips.  The inner peace that comes as a result of escaping your day-to-day world and replacing that space-in-time with a focal point that is The Ride itself.  The experience is transcendental in that it is exacting in it's demand for precision; present, yet at the same time distant; mentally and emotionally demanding, but in no way taxing;  and, although confining (the cockpit), at the same time, it is completely liberating to the mind and spirit. The feeling is not unique to motorcycling, but, I will offer that the more intimate, contemplative, and introspective the activity, especially when exercised for hours on end, day after day, the more soulful the experience becomes.

How many times have you heard, or perhaps even said, I need to refocus life's priorities, -get in touch with my myself, -find myself!!  What we are really saying is that "I need to reconnect with my soul".  I need to connect with that part of me that defines the essence of who I am.  And, lets be clear, our soul is not a part of who we are, it IS who we are.

C. S. Lewis said, "You don't have a soul, you are a soul.  You have a body".  Quite too often we identify more with what we see in the mirror rather than what resides within our eyes.  Moreover, as unique as we are in body, mind, and personality, we are equally - understandably - unique in soul.
 
But, what does our soul have to do with riding?

My soul leaps at the thought of the open road, a handful of throttle, warm sun on my face, a deep exhaust note resonating through my body, and before me...  an endless chicane of sweeping mountain curves that stretch from here to the horizon and beyond.  There are few things in life that sound more appealing.  To my soul this scene is one of pure beauty.  And beauty, defined for each of us from within our soul is itself a continual spring of renewal.  It's now wonder we dismount from our ride with a smile on our face.  Our bike has become our vehicle, not just for transportation from point A to point B but to the very core of our being.

Souls In Flight: In some Middle Eastern cultures, birds symbolize soul transporters.  The soul guide in Jewish tradition is a dove.   In Syria, the images of eagles on a tomb symbolized the guides that lead our souls to heaven.  For motorcyclists, the soul vehicle of choice is obvious.  -LD

My 3-Horsepower Diet

This is not to say that I'm obese or anything, but... I'll confess, I can use to lose a few... but hey, who can't? ... right?  Statistics show that upwards of 30% of all Americans are overweight, if not outright obese.  So, with the whole New Years resolution thing staring down my hamburger I went against my better judgment and made one... Yeah, you got it... Even though a cliche, I vowed to drop some weight this year. 

Uggg!!  What have I done?! Gone are the chips and salsa, gone are the late night Oreos and milk, gone the ice cream with Hershey's chocolate sauce that I SWORE was necessary for my clinically relevant (yet, self diagnosed) calcium deficiency... no more snacking... all gone!  My sweet-tooth has definitely fallen on unrequited hard times!


This is all fine and good, but I was going to need some motivation and find it quick to keep me "on the wagon"... and fast!  I didn't really care that much if my jeans were to no longer cut off my circulation while driving, and so what it I were to actually see muscle definition where once there was nothing but bulging adipose beneath lose skin, so what it I no longer jiggled while I brushed my teeth, and so what if I lost the man boobs?... well, OK... losing the man boobs would be nice.  But what I needed, what I desperately needed was motivation.  POWERFUL motivation!  Something relevant to MY life.


And then it came to me... I once heard a statistic, although unproven and possibly nothing more than an urban legend, that suggested a weight drop of 7 lbs. in a motor vehicle would translate to the equivalent of an available horsepower increase of 1.  

Could this be true?  It certainly made some sense.  Reducing the payload of any moving vehicle HAD to improve performance - but by how much?  This concept was fully embraced by  the "bobber" movement of the '40s and '50s and the "cafe racers" of Britain during the same period.  Strip your bike, down tossing off as much unnecessary weight as possible, to improve performance. Sounds pretty straightforward.

Stripping my bike would have been an option for me if my Moto Guzzi V11 Sport  were not already stripped down, nearly naked.  Short of refinancing our home to free up enough discretionary cash to fund carbon fiber wheels, and other insanely expensive modifications.... it just wasn't going to happen.  So, the only viable storehouse of excessive mass was.... well, me!  But, could I shed sufficient mass to make a difference without having to shrink to the size of Michelle Kwan without her skates?


A little research was in order!   There is in fact a plethora of information on reducing rotational weight (i.e. flywheels, cranks, connecting rods, gears, etc. - essentially all rotating engine and transmissions parts) as a means of effectively improving engine and drive train output and efficiency.  And there is an equal amount of information on reducing unsprung weight, that is, everything beneath your suspension (wheels, tires, etc.) to improve handling.  But, surprisingly not so much on freeing up horsepower by shaving weight.  However, we know it's true!  Tracking power-to-weight ratios are huge in considering the performance of motor vehicles and since this is a rather simple principle, 

(Note:  Simple is in the brain of the beholder!!) there should be a rather straightforward formula not requiring the assistance of Sir Isaac Newton himself to figure it out!



After considerable research (nearly 15 minutes!!) at the undisputed repository of all knowledge (Wickipedia and assorted moto fora), I ran across the following post on a Ducati forum.

DISCLAIMER: The potentially flawed physics formulas to follow are not the responsibility of this fellow... blame it on the fora!

Since:  Force = mass x acceleration (F=ma) or:  a = F/m; and given that Force at the rear wheel is a linear function of  horsepower (Hp), rpm, gearing and rear wheel radius, and given that mass and weight are directly related.  Keeping constant acceleration,  then varying vehicle weight would require that:

F1/m1 = F2/m2.  

Substituting w for m and Hp for F you get:

Hp1/w1 = Hp2/w2 

and

Hp2 = (Hp1 x w2)/w1

 or

w2 = (Hp2 x w1)/Hp1

If you want to know the change in weight that would result in a horsepower change of 1

then:

delta w = w x [Hp1/(Hp1+1)] - w

My Moto Guzzi V11 Sport (stock) weighs in at 483 lb dry, (less ~20 lbs for modifications) add 58 lbs fuel and lubricants giving a total wet weight of 521.4 lb.  Factor in gear (boots gloves, jacket, helmet, riding pants) and me... +230 (I have some REALLY heavy gear!!), that brings total weight to 751.4 lb.

Horsepower on the V11 after mods (high compression pistons, PowerCommander, custom exhaust and K&N filters) comes in at an estimated 110 Hp.

Solving: w = 751.4 x (0.991) - 751.4 

w = -6.77

So, I need to shed 6.77 pounds to realize the equivalent on an 1 Hp increase in power. Not too unreasonable!

What you will find in this equation is that 6.77 is not a constant.  In fact with, lower initial weight and higher horsepower, the drop in weight to realize an effective gain in 1 Hp is considerably less than on a bike and rider combination weighing in at 751.4 lb!!

Consider Michelle Kwan (93 lb?) on a BMW s100RR (wet weight 451) and 193 Hp

w = 544 x (.995) - 544

w = -2.72

Given my current "state of the flesh", I think I can use to gain 3 Hp!! Now, THERE is motivation I can get behind!!  A genuine incentive that motivates me!!  

Whose counting pounds dropped when we can be contemplating an increase in available horsepower?

So, each time I see a Snickers bar, a bowl of peanut M&Ms, a sack of Oreos... (insert favorite guilty consumable pleasure here...  I'm going to remind myself with my new mantra...

All together now... say it with me all you horsepower-hungry lazy lard asses ...

"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS ADDITIONAL HORSEPOWER FEELS!"

-LD

 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Daydreaming

 Disclaimer:  What follows is not a literary critique  of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - I don't think I have that in me!  There will be NO metaphysical heavy lifting!  To do so would risk a cerebral aneurysm (i.e. brain strain!).  - Just a few personal observations.

Like many of you my age, I read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (Robert Pirsig), for the first time soon after it was published in the early 70s.   I honestly picked up ZAMM expecting to learn some of the finer  - more Zen-like, if you will - details of motorcycle maintenance.  Boy, was I naive at 21!  After about 100 pages and incessant forward skimming, it was clear that this was NOT going to be a metaphysical substitute for a shop manual, as I had hoped it might be.  Instead (at the time) I found it to be a bit of a slow read about an old dude  - all twisted in knots over his job, his kid, his friends his mental state - who was sorting through these issues on a motorcycle trip.  While at the same time on a quest to capture the philosophical essence of what defines quality.   It was pretty heavy stuff for a 21 year old in the 70s.  If you recall, if you can still recall … we were all wrapped up in Vietnam, the Stones, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix (already gone too soon), scoring good weed, and staying in school to avoid the draft.  So, at the time, Phaedrus (Persig's protagonist), was a bit more like Wolfman - our friend of a friend who was permanently altered, seemingly, from his drug excesses and trying to find his way back - rather than someone I could honestly relate to.

I recently reread ZAMM and, true to the original reading, I still found it to be a slow read (Note to self: my reading acuity is the suspect common denominator here!!).  But this time I could somewhat relate to Persig’s protagonist.   More on that in a moment…

This time I found the Sutherlands (Persig’s characters that epitomized the romantic view of life) a bit unrealistic, especially in a world that is WAY more technologically advanced than that of the 1970s… In part, what strikes me as so unlikely is that someone so seemingly fearful of technology, as defined by John and Sylvia Sutherland, would ever ride a motorcycle, let alone tour on one.   At the same time, in some small way, I could now also relate to John Sutherland.  Despite having my own technical background and some skill at general motorcycle maintenance, I share John's romantic view of the world.  A world where things work the way they are supposed to and all that's required is child-like trust that all is right with the world.  A world where we all get along, do the right thing, and be nice to each other!  As crazy as that sounds I honestly start each day with that (unrealistic) romanticized optimism for the world.  That is, until the first rude driver on my commute gives me good reason to think otherwise!  In addition, like John Sutherland, I own a BMW motorcycle and because of the manufacturer’s outstanding reputation, I expect it to run for thousands upon thousands of miles without any surprises.   And (unfortunately), like John, given the complexity of modern computer-controlled engines, I would be stuck by the side of the road if the CPU decided to go belly up on me, despite my better than average knowledge and skill at basic motorcycle maintenance. 

What struck me most about my re-reading of ZAMM is that I found myself having real empathy for Persig’s protagonist. Although he and I are very different - I’m a bit more about “don’t worry, be happy”  than I perceived Persig’s character to be -  there remains a soul connection that was hard to get my head around.   Thirty-eight years ago I was annoyed with the guy, today, I may have become that guy! … fundamentally all wrapped up over life, love, kids (grand kids!!), job, and the pursuit of….  well, something....  and using my motorcycle and the joy of riding as my tool, my soma, to unravel the knots in my soul.

But unlike Persig’s character, I don’t think of myself as needing to over analyze the physical relationship of the "man-bike-nature" or pursue the "metaphysics of quality" to solve my dilemmas.  For me, it’s more about riding, being out on the road, and the sensory overload accompanied by the endless daydreaming characteristic of any ride.

In any given minute, innumerable idle thoughts race across my mental visor in astounding continuity.  And sometimes, there is nothing at except the wind, the sounds, the smells.

“Lets see how long for a 6^th gear roll on from 60 to 80….. 1, 2, 3, 4… OK, too easy… lets see about 80 to 100…”

 "...what kind of mileage am I getting? … wow, only 41… OK I AM doing 80, lets see what I get at 60… cruise on, reset mileage on computer…"

"What did that hawk just pounce on?…snake!  Cool, love to see him try and eat that!!"

"... he really had some nerve ... who the hell does he think he is?... next time he comes in my office with that load of crap I'm tossing him out!"..."

"man, the new pipe sounds sweet!  lets get it up to 6000 and have a listen… OK, better downshift to get there under 90!... nice…"

"...here comes a tunnel… (downshift, throttle on) now lets get a good listen….. SWEET!"

"I've GOT to pee.... how far to next town?... too far... got to pull over... don't think about it..."

"... sweet truck! must be a '96 F350 single cab...diesel, oh, yeah!!"

"... it was 28 degree when we started out this morning and I had 36 psi in my rear tire, now it's 85... let's see pV=nRT...assuming constant volume... or can I?"

"...God, what a beautiful road! want to make sure we come back this way on our way home..."

And so it goes for miles and miles and miles.  The meditation of the road...it's intoxicating, addictive, and wonderfully therapeutic!  Just thinking of it makes me crave a fix!  -LD

 

Freedom Ride: A Tribute to MLK

My ride today takes me to some of the most enduring and significant symbols of freedom and justice in the American experience; places rich in history and places right in my own backyard.  

Lawrence, KS, the town where I live is, to some extent, a product of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, the legislation that, in part, would allow expansion of slavery into these new territories only by a majority vote of territorial residents.

Seizing the opportunity to spread slavery to the new territories, Missouri (already a slave state by the Compromise of 1820),  was positioned to influence the same outcome in Kansas.  

Not wanting this to happen, New England abolitionists, led by Amos A. Lawrence, planned an emigration to settle the area as a free territory.

In June of 1854, Dr. Charles Robinson and others, including Colonel James Blood, traveled to the the territory to survey the area between the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers for a pioneer settlement.

Founders' Rock, in Robinson Park, Lawrence, KS

On July 17, 1854, 29 members of the first pioneer colony left Boston for the Kansas territory, arriving in what would become Lawrence on August 1, 1854.  The purpose of the settlement, to establish Kansas as a state free from the "the national stain" of slavery.

Pioneers' Stone Inscription

"To the pioneers of Kansas who in devotion to freedom came into a wilderness, suffered hardships and faced dangers and death to found this state in righteousness"

 After the first pioneers arrived in Lawrence, a second party of 67 was soon to follow.  The neighboring Missourians, hoping to also influence the outcome of the territorial settlement, were caught off guard by the rapid appearance of "Free State" settlers.

Home of Colonel James Blood, Lawrence, KS

Soon, border violence between pro-slavery militia from Missouri and abolitionist free-staters broke out all across the northeastern corner of Kansas along the Missouri border.

Meanwhile the town of Lecompton, just northwest of Lawrence, was named the territorial capital and pro-slavery sentiment in the new government was at odds with the majority of territorial settlers.

Historical Marker on US40 west of Lawrence along the Oregon Trail

A pro-slavery minority attempting to control the destiny of the Kansas territory drafted a pro-slavery constitution for Kansas and rigged the ratification vote to pass it.  The fraudulent vote was so obvious that President James Buchanan was forced to reject the pro-slavery constitution.

Meanwhile the region had become a magnet for abolitionists and pro-slavery militias and other combatants from around the county.  Chief among the abolitionist radicals was John Brown who has staged a number of bloody raids in the area.  

John Brown

On June 2, 1856, John Brown led 25 abolitionists against a much larger pro-slavery group led by Captain Henry Clay Pate and defeated them at the Battle of Black Jack, a settlement just east of Baldwin City, KS.  This battle is now considered by many to be the first battle of the Civil War. 

Black Jack Battlefield

The Battle of Black Jack was, in part, a retaliation by Brown and Lawrence abolitionists for the

sacking of Lawrence which took place less that two week earlier when Samuel Jones, the deposed pro-slavery sheriff of Douglas County, led 800 pro-slavery southerners in an attack on Lawrence that resulted in the destruction of the Free State Hotel and the two city printing presses.  The town was looted and the home of Charles Robinson, the future first governor of the State of Kansas, was burned to the ground.

Eldridge Hotel today, Lawrence, KS

The Eldridge Hotel, on the site of the Free State Hotel, destroyed in the sacking of Lawrence, May 21, 1856.

After 3 failed attempts to draft a constitution for Kansas that would satisfy territorial voters and the Federal Government, a 4th version called the Wyandotte  Constitution, outlawing slavery, was ratified.  Kansas was admitted to the Union under the Wyandotte Constitution on January 29, 1861.

On April 12, 1861 the Civil War began, although the Kansas-Missouri border war over freedom and civil liberty had been raging continuously for the previous 7 years.

*********************************************************************************************

The events of those years leading up to the Civil War are so ingrained in the history and culture of our community that I am  often reminded of our city founders' commitment to freedom and justice, not to mention the sacrifices they and their families made - many, the ultimate sacrifice.  They died that all Americans would share the same rights and freedoms as they enjoyed.   

It's especially significant today, on the day we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., that the struggle for freedom should be celebrated.

Growing up, as I did, in the South during the 1960s you were never far from the daily reminders of Jim Crow and the American apartheid.  My hope is that we never forget the the cruel injustice of racial discrimination - that we will always be mindful of the sacrifices of so many that brought us to where we are today and that we continue to recognize how far we have yet to go.  -LD

Confessions of a "Molecular" Motorhead

Kansas "motorcycle roads" is a bit of an oxymoron, but there are a few really nice stretches of road in our state - though somewhat few and far between.  Riding west of Lawrence (KS) on US Highway-40 is one of those little gems “close to home” for me and thus, I find myself riding it frequently.   Just before the Douglas-Leavenworth County line the road starts to bend with decent regularity.   If you are like me, my senses begin to heighten just by the sight of the twisting road ahead.  Down shifting to engine-brake into the approach of a tight right turn, I look deep into the curve, apply a touch of front brake, counter-steer to lean the bike into the curve and hold steady on the throttle.   Once beyond the apex of the curve, I roll back hard on the throttle settling the rear suspension and lightening the front wheel as I pull away hard from the curve.  The deep, resonant exhaust note coming from the 1100 cc V-twin Moto Guzzi rumbles through my body and puts a grin on my face revealing my pure delight.  The 3-year-old in me says:…“Let’s do it again”!!

I’ve always loved motors and motor vehicles.  I think every kid loves to see things move and if they move under power of their own on-board motor, then this is extra special!   

Imagine my delight when, as an undergraduate student majoring in microbiology I learned that few, if any,  cellular processes occur without the intervention of motors – very tiny motors – molecular motors!  Motors composed of protein rather than metal, these sub-nanoscale mechanical devices function very similarly to the more familiar “conventional” motors that provide locomotion on the human scale.

Molecular Motor at the Base of a Bacterial Flagellum

There are a number of different molecular motors found in nature but my favorite has to be the one that powers bacterial locomotion.   The vast majority of bacteria (those that can move) are propelled by the rotation of a curved proteinaceous appendage called a flagellum (or flagella, pl.) that serves as a type of propeller.  The flagellum is driven by a reversible rotary motor at its base spinning at astounding rotational speeds as high as 1,700 revolutions per second or, 102,000 rpm!!!  Energy for motor rotation is supplied by transmembrane electrochemical gradients of either sodium ions or protons.   The electrochemical gradients are generated by a variety of mechanisms including oxidative metabolism, fermentation, and light, in the case of photosynthetic bacteria.    Imagine that! – solar-powered microbes!   The resulting electrochemical capacitor drives the motor that spins the curved flagellum, like a spinning corkscrew, and propels the bacterium at surprisingly stunning speeds.

BMW S1000RR

On a scale basis, the high rotational speed of the motor and the efficiency of the flagellum as a propeller translates into straight-line speeds of locomotion that far exceed that of the fastest of mammals. Speaking of speed, the BMW S100RR of the microbial world is the obligate predatory bacterium Bdellovibrio.   This tiny (1.4 microns in length) microbe possesses a single flagellum that propels it at speeds approaching 100 cell lengths per second.  If Bdellovibrio were the size of a typical motorcycle (~2 meters), it would be traveling at 200 meters per second or an incomprehensible 447 miles per hour!   

Bdellovibrio "T-Boning" an Unsuspecting E. coli at 100 Body Lengths/Second

Why would Bdellovibrio have evolved to become the “land speed record holder” of the microbial world?  Well, one answer might be the way that Bdellovibrio finds and eats it’s prey (other bacteria!).  Guided by chemotaxis, a form of “directional sniffing” Bdellovibrio finds its prey, propels itself towards the unsuspecting bacterial target at blinding speed and penetrates the target bacterial cell body by the sheer impact of the collision.  It’s somewhat analogous to a car being “T-boned” by a speeding sport bike…. Not a pretty sight! Once inside its prey, Bdellovibrio grows as a long filament approximately 20 times the length of a normal cell.  The filament separates into individual cells, each of which grows it’s own flagellum and the newly formed baby Bdellovibrio bust out of the prey carcass and speed off like hyper-sportbikes to slam into another bacterium thus, initiating a new lifecycle.  The high efficiency of the Bdellovibrio motor/flagella combination and its speed of locomotion are subjects of intense investigation.

So, the next time you are  zipping along your own favorite local US-40 enjoying the ride, grinning ear-to-ear, think about being passed by a motorcycle-sized bacterium traveling over 4-times your speed!!   -LD