Thirty-six years ago today, a miracle happened: at 9:20 a.m. on March 15th 1970, an eight pound, two and a half ounce baby was born. That baby was yours truly, Unruly Todd Kuli. The youngest of three, I spent many years telling my older brother and sister that they were simply prototypes and, as my parents always boasted, “The third time was a charm!” This exchange was usually followed with my brother knocking me on my ass and my sister saying something about my mom, whiskey and the milkman. I know that isn’t true because my mom was appropriately nicknamed “June Cleaver” by my friends when I was growing up. Okay guys, this is my mom we are talking about so absolutely no jokes about “The Beaver.”

Every year on my birthday, I take stock of my life—going through a little mental checklist, to see what has changed and what has stayed the same. This past year has proven, once again, that styles change, women come and go, beer keeps going up in price and I am still infatuated with the sport of motocross and dirt bikes in general.

Kuli from his Morgan Racing days.

What is it that makes motocross not just a hobby, but also a lifestyle for so many of us? I guess you could consider me to be a moto bachelor. My house has a room dedicated to moto stuff. I have a closet full of—as an ex girlfriend called them—“dirt bike costumes.” Gear bags, new parts, helmets, team coats, hats and jerseys fill the closet and spill out into the room. My goggles (all 18 pairs of them) are organized in different colored bags. A white bag means that there is a clear lense in the goggle and a black bag means a tinted lens of some sort. Um, have I been a bachelor too long?

Some signs that made me think I might be a moto bachelor:

Barbequing and motorcycle maintenance takes place at the same time and there are an amazing amount of tools that cross over. Ever see a date’s reaction while you are flipping a steak with Vice-Grips, or breaking apart frozen chicken with a tire iron? Am I the only guy whose hamburger flipper has one corner machined down to four thou’ for intake valves and six thou’ on the other corner for exhaust valves?

The art in my house consists of autographed posters from JSR, Huffy, Randy Valade and others that cost me an insane amount of money to get hard mounted. Actually, I do have two beautiful pencil sketches—one deer and one duck—but they are moto related because they were done by JSR’s wrench, Andrew McLean. (Imagine that ladies: good with his hands, artistic and a wonderful disposition. What a catch!)

I have a Smooth Industries shower curtain displaying Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Windham and Chad Reed (also a March 15th birthday, by the way). The funny part was when Megan, my eight year-old niece, came over and saw my trick shower curtain. The first thing she said was, “Uncle Todd, don’t you think you are a little old for this?” Lets just say that I tossed her out of the bathroom before she noticed the matching garbage pail, cup and toothbrush holder!

My moto t-shirt collection now boasts over 50 shirts. Every coat I own has some sort of gear company name on it or is from a team I have worked for. Even my Aldo shoes have a moto connection for heaven’s sake. When I hang up my laundry on the line, there are three sets of gear, two helmet liners, five pairs of mechanics gloves and only one pair of underwear…

I have four toolboxes in my garage yet only three plates in my cupboard. There is no Pledge in my house but I have two bottles of Brazilian Wax to polish my helmet. (I finally found the wax after months of looking.)

So there you have it folks; take stock of your life and see where you fit in. We may all have the disease, but at least we are in it together! I must run now, I have to get ready for the party … it is a birthday, BBQ and carb rebuild theme tonight!