Motorcycle Bell Rules - Your Guardian Angel on the Road
This article is part of CHAPTER 1 series.
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Like with all powerful talismans, there are certain rules to the Gremlin Bell that one most follow. A few rules are generally accepted and well known, while other came to be as a result of different interpretations, hard-core superstition and imagination.
Handling the bell and the understanding of it was interpreted more and more loosely over time, a certain portion of the biker community tends to buy one because it looks pretty darn cool without paying much attention to its original rituals and rules.
The most important rules of the bell would be as follows:
- Rule #1: Never buy your own bell – In order for the gremlin bell to work, it must be received as a gift. Its magical powers are activated by the gesture of good will and care, and the bell becomes especially powerful if received from a fellow rider.
- Rule #2: Never hang your own bell – Probably originated from the Old Bike's Tale, the bell should be hung on your bike by the person who gave it to you. Not only does the person give the sacred gift to you with intentional good will, but he or she makes sure that the protection is activated with good will intentions as well.
- Rule #3: Never leave your bell behind – If you sell your motorcycle, never leave it on the bike for the new owner. The bell should be cherished for what it represents, so you should take it off, keep it or transfer it to a new bike. If you want to give the bell to the new owner as a gift, you'll have to take it off and personally hand it over. If you don't give the bell with good will that is intentional, it won't have protective properties.
- Rule #4: Attach it to the lowest part of the frame – Since the little gremlins lurk by the side of the road, they usually grab the motorcycles from below. If you place the bell as low as possible and closer to the front, you'll ensure that that's the first thing they'll grab and that they are instantly captured by it without a chance of doing a mischief.
- Rule #5: A stolen bell loses its powers – Gremlin bell is all about good intentions, so stolen together with the bike, it will lose its powers and gremlins will run free. The thief won't stand a chance.
- Rule #6: The bell should be occasionally cleaned and polished – Every time the bike is cleaned, the bell should be polished. One must think of all the fallen friends while doing it, which is a way of paying them respect. One must also remember the meaning of being in the wind and importance of being free. Oh, and it makes the bell nice and shiny.
Rule #3 has been discussed a lot, and people new to this traditional usual ask the logical question: "Where do you put a gremlin bell?" Traditionally, the bell was hung as low as possible without hitting obstacles, but it seems that many bikers don't pay much attention to this rule anymore. They hang it anywhere from the front lower fork to the license plate. It depends on personal preference, and, well, how superstitious and traditional you exactly are.
A lot of other very specific rules do exist, and probably a lot of different bikers know about different rules. It's like with all folk tales and beliefs – they change over time, incorporating believes of different individuals who incorporate them into tradition. For example, they say not only should a fellow biker hang the bell on your bike, but you mustn't touch the bell at all until it's on the bike; or you cannot receive the bell as a gift before you make a ride of at least 100 miles; or some say there are specific rules to retiring the bell and paying it a respect.
Apparently, you should get a mason jar and put the gremlin bell in it. Then, you should cover it with a quarter of a gallon of motorcycle oil, close it up and put it on a shelf. They say the oil will continue to keep the gremlins away, while the bell will get its peaceful resting place.
Anyway, as the motorcycle club culture and community gained popularity, many accessory manufacturers began to make and sell motorcycle bells. Contrary to the strong original belief that the gremlin bells should never be purchased, only given as a gift from one fellow biker to another, manufacturers found a way around the story. It's completely ok to buy a bell for yourself, as it actually has enough protective powers to keep you safe. If given as a gift, however, the protective super-powers are doubled.
So, if buying a gremlin bell and giving it away as a present has double powers, the hand-made gremlin bell must have triple-protection powers for sure! So, have you ever thought about making one yourself and giving it to dear friends to keep them safe? If you have the skills and the right tools, put making a gremlin bell on the top of your list!
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