My New Ride: Why I Joined the EatSleepRIDE Team

BY IAN KELSO

Some say I pick careers like I do great motorcycle roads: full of twists and turns, fraught with hazards, full of amazingly rich scenery; roads that, at the end of the day, leave you completely exhausted with a wide toothy grin.

Recently, I made the decision to formally join the EatSleepRIDE team. I had the opportunity to do some work with ESR last summer acting as a contributing editor, riding bikes and writing reviews. I tested about 30 different motorcycles. Needless to say it was horrible 😉 The thing was, I was doing the writing as a way of blowing off stream as I was concurrently heading up another software startup. But in late December I decided to shift gears and pursue a new passion; to follow a different path: one that appeared to have the perfect balance of risk, adventure and reward.

EatSleepRIDE and all of its highly innovative content and technology is the co-invention of three people, all riders that felt a burning passion for motorcycles. A few years ago co-founders Marina, Alex and Nick saw an opportunity to blend their collective expertise in entertainment, digital media and software engineering to create high-quality technology created specifically for riders that until that time did not exist. To make that happen, they gave up their successful careers to embark on an adventure into the hilly, rocky off-road world of tech startups.

It was in those early days of ESR that I bumped into Marina, the team’s CEO. She is someone I’ve known for many years from the local digital scene. It turned out we both moved into the same startup incubator located right in the heart of downtown Toronto. That very day she successfully planted the idea in my head that I should get my license and buy a motorbike.

I have to admit that for most of my life--up to that point--I was pretty oblivious to motorcycles. It’s not that I didn’t like them: it’s just that I didn’t think much about them at all.

I grew up in a car family. My father was a small regional AMC / Jeep / Renault dealer and we always had many more cars then people at our house. (Yes, I learned to drive in a 3-speed Gremlin and my main vehicle was a Pacer in high school.)

The day I bumped into Marina, I had just moved my office downtown after years of working in a gentrifying historic industrial park (outside the city center where parking was still cheap). I was reeling in shock at now having to pay the big bucks to drive to work, and unfortunately public transit was not at all a convenient option. That was when Marina told me about Toronto’s free parking policy.

Within about two weeks I had written my basic license test, registered for rider training, and made a downpayment on a sexy silver BMW adventure bike.

I may have initially become a rider for economic reasons, but it took no time at all for me to realize that I had activated a deep-seated passion. It was in my blood. Since the first day I rode my F650GS home from the dealership I was a hardcore rider.

I am on my bike at every opportunity and in almost every weather condition. I often find myself making excuses to run out and “grab something at the grocery store” late at night just so that I can take the looooong way and squeeze a little more seat time. I like to say that motorcycles are like video games you can ride to work.

Riding changed much more than merely how I get around the city, or how I relax and have fun. Becoming a rider, I was suddenly immersed in an amazingly diverse and vibrant community of new friends; friends from a wide range of age groups, lifestyles and vocations; friends I’d otherwise never have found through my professional or family circles. And funny enough, some of those new friends have also turned out to be my neighbours!

I joined EatSleepRIDE not because the team builds great technology products, but because it was founded by fellow riders with a mission to enhance the social, emotional and visceral experience of motorcycle riding. EatSleepRIDE’s products are all purpose-built to help riders ride better, farther and safer. It is an honour to become a part of the EatSleepRIDE team, and I look forward to sharing with you all of the exciting things we have planned for the coming year!

We’re working on crafting the best motorcycle technology you’ll ever need. To learn more about the EatSleepRIDE Motorcycle GPS and the advanced motorcycle safety technology called CRASHLIGHT® click here

In the meantime, you can find me at EatSleepRIDE/rider/ikelso

Ian Kelso
EatSleepRIDE

Before joining EatSleepRIDE, Ian spent over twenty years as an entrepreneur and industry leader in digital media entertainment & technology. In 2002 Ian co-founded and was for many years CEO of Interactive Ontario, the provincial digital association that represents over 300 companies working in video games, mobile apps and social media. Later he co-founded and became CEO of the Canadian Interactive Alliance, the national association representing over 1000 companies from coast to coast. Ian started his career in 1994 as head of business development for early Internet social media and connectivity company Magic Online which was acquired in 1996 to eventually become a division of Bell.