December 2024 - Cong Wen

Fast Facts

• Rides To Work
• Rode through a 7-hour dust storm
• Instagram “Older Than Me” @otm.cars

Hometown/State?
Originally from China. Moved to SF Bay Area, CA when I was 10 years old.

First motorcycle?
BMW G310R in 2018

Current motorcycle(s)?
BMW R NineT Scrambler and BMW K100 Cafe Racer Project

Why did you first start to ride?
Purely coincidental, never thought about riding until a friend dragged me to take the motorcycle course. I can say now that was a life changing weekend.

Where are your favorite places to ride?
Honestly just anywhere with a specular view of nature, which usually comes with nice twisty roads. So far the best place I’ve ridden to has to be Azusa in Los Angeles.

Do you Ride To Work?
Yes, I prefer riding to work unless I need my car to haul things or when I feel extremely lazy.

Why do you like to ride to work?
Besides the obvious practicality reasons of cutting down my commute time, riding actually wakes me up in the morning and gets me excited for work; riding back home helps me relief all the stress accumulated from a long day of work. You’ve probably hear this before, and riding is a great coping mechanism for my mental health.

What is your commute like?
Around 30 minutes to Oakland: I can lane split in heavy traffic both ways, and I get to ride through twisty roads with an unbelievable mountain view. A little more than 1 hour to Sacramento: there is traffic depending on the time of day, this is more like long stretch of highway that would otherwise be boring in a car.

Describe a memorable motorcycle adventure?
In 2021, I rode from San Francisco to Los Angeles (approx 400 miles) and encountered a huge dust storm on the way back. It started with heavy wind that required no leaning on hwy corners through the Grapevines. As soon as I rode into the Central Valley, the wind picked up dust and sand from the surrounding and seemingly blasted me from all directions. I could not ride very fast and took lots of breaks. It was touching to hear concerns from other drivers, but I was determined to press on well into the night, with extremely short visibility and no fog lights. After almost hitting a giant tumbleweed, I started to realize the importance of having all the proper equipment and testing them to their limits. I certainly didn’t have the right gear that day, but how many riders have actually experienced a 7-hour dust storm.

What is the best motorcycle advice or tip you’ve received?
May sound cliche but I always remember to “not be afraid”. Pushing my limits little by little and explore outside of my comfort zone safely, like leaning just a little more than I’m used to, practicing new techniques that make me a more competent rider, etc.

Tell us about your Instagram page. What is the mission/purpose?
OTM is something I always wanted to do but couldn’t until recently. In its essence, OTM stands for Older Than Me, and represents a lifestyle of young enthusiast who thoroughly appreciates classic cars. I am probably the last generation of people who prefer gasoline-powered vehicles over electric and strive for the driving experience. Now that I am financially stable and knowledgeable (enough) in my 20’s, I‘ve been buying time machines (old car and bikes) to experience how people enjoyed their lives back in the days.

How did you first learn about Aerostich?
From a good friend who swears by Aerostich suits after having multiple accidents and he turned out to be ok (like BAD accidents that required surgery).

Favorite Aerostich gear?
R3 stealth one-piece suit.

What are your hobbies/interests outside of motorcycling?
Photography, camping, and classic cars all year round. Snowboarding is my winter favorite.

Aerostich-related or Aerostich-specific stories?
No extraordinary stories yet, but everyday I wear my Aerostich to work makes me happy. I love the fact that I can wear my street clothes under the suit and take it off in 10 seconds. If there is a cheat code in life, my Aerostich suit lets me arrive in style without the anxiety of wearing (or not) gear.

Yay or Nay?

• Backroads? Yay!
• Freeways? Yay!
• Gravel Roads? Maybe? No experience
• Roadside Motel? Nay
• Camping? Yay!
• Helmet Audio System? Nay