Beating inside the leather-clad chests of many motorcyclists is the heart of a young boy or girl who remembers what it felt like to ride their bicycle as fast as they could through the neighborhood with the wind blowing through their hair on a sunny summer day.
James Sergeant, Jr., director of the local chapter of the American Legion Riders, a motorcycle group based at Oxford Post 108, wants to make sure every kid gets the chance to experience those feelings of complete freedom and utter joy.
‘We’re all about two wheels and we’re all about kids,? he said. ‘It’s not that big a stretch to put the two together.?
That’s why he’s working hard to pair young folks in need with bicycles through a program called Bikers Giving Bikes.
‘We’ve got them and we know there’s people out there that need them,? said Sergeant, a resident of Orion Township.
Right now, the program has approximately 24 donated bicycles just waiting for new owners.
‘Many of these bikes look brand, spanking new,? Sergeant said. ‘It’s one of these things where they get outgrown before they get out-used.?
‘We’ve got all sizes,? he continued. ‘We’ve got everything from a tricycle for a toddler all the way up to bikes for grown-ups, who might need them as their primary mode of transportation to and from work. It just depends on the need.?
The idea behind Bikers Giving Bikes took shape last summer when Sergeant and his wife, Sandra, were out and about. They spotted some bicycles just sitting on the curb amongst the garbage.
‘They really didn’t look like they were in bad shape ? nothing that couldn’t be fixed,? he said. ‘There’s kids out there that don’t have bikes and a few scratches wouldn’t really bother them.?
Sergeant grabbed two from the trash, plus another from a garage sale, took them home and refurbished them.
‘Sometimes it took fixing a flat tire,? he said ‘Sometimes it took lubing a chain or maybe fixing a broken cable.?
Bikers Giving Bikes was born.
People started donating bikes left and right.
‘When people found out what our motivation was at garage sales, they would give them to us,? Sergeant said. ‘That was nice of them.?
The North Oaks Corvette Club made supporting the group a project and donated more than a dozen bikes, according to Sergeant.
‘We’ve done a pretty good job of getting donations,? he said.
It’s the giving part that’s proving to be challenging.
‘We’re at the point now where we’re lagging behind in terms of finding those people that need them,? Sergeant said. ‘We’re looking to get the word out. We’ve got them. We know there’s somebody out there that could use them. We’re just trying to put the two together.?
But just because Bikers Giving Bikes has a full inventory doesn’t mean the program isn’t still accepting donations.
‘We’ll never turn down any bikes,? Sergeant said.
It doesn’t matter what condition a bicycle is in, Sergeant can make use of it.
‘Even if it can’t be refurbished, it may become a donor in terms of parts for something that can be,? he said. ‘We’ve taken a couple of bikes and made one good one out of them.?
To Sergeant, Bikers Giving Bikes isn’t just about helping kids, it’s also about creating the next generation of bikers.
‘We’re all about motorcycle riding and if you get right down to it, we might be cultivating some future motorcyclists by putting them on two wheels,? he explained.
‘Generally, the guys and gals who are riding motorcycles now, they started on their bicycles. They just couldn’t shake the two-wheel thing, so they went on to motorcycles as they got older.?
The Post 108 chapter of the American Legion Riders was established in 2012. It currently has close to 50 members.
Sergeant isn’t a veteran, but he is the son of one. His father, James Sergeant, Sr., served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He fought in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He’s now 90 years old and living in Fraser.
‘He was one of those guys that drove the landing boats and put (the soldiers) ashore and took the wounded off,? Sergeant said.
After that job, Sergeant’s father served with a Naval Combat Demolition Unit. Before troops went ashore, his unit would go in, look for obstacles in the water and blow them up, thereby clearing a path for landing craft.
‘They were forerunners to the (Navy) Seals,? Sergeant said.
For more information about Bikers Giving Bikes or to donate, please call Sergeant at (248) 693-8084 or American Legion Post 108 at (248) 628-9081.