Our Story
The Bill Cooper Ride: Honoring a Brother on Two Wheels
Every biker has that one Sunday ride—the kind that feels like a ritual, where the road, the engine, and your soul all fall into rhythm. For me, that ride has a name.
The Bill Cooper Ride.
It’s named after my first biker buddy—the man who showed me what it really meant to chase the horizon. Bill passed away years ago from a brain aneurysm while teaching skiing in Vermont, but his spirit never left the road.
Every time I take this ride, I’m retracing the path he first led me on. From Long Island to Bear Mountain, this isn’t just pavement and curves—it’s memory, tradition, brotherhood, and freedom, all rolled into one long stretch of asphalt.
Some rides are about where you’re going.
This one is about who you carry with you along the way.
The Route That Changed Everything
The Bill Cooper ride begins on the Southern State Parkway, cutting across the Cross Island and the Grand Central before flowing onto the FDR Drive North. By the time you roll over the George Washington Bridge, the skyline starts to fade—and that’s when the freedom kicks in.
That’s where Route 9W takes over. A legendary stretch of road that Bill once yelled to me across a red light was “a lot prettier than the Palisades Parkway.” He was right. With its rolling turns and timeless scenery, 9W feels like it was built for bikers.
A few miles later, the road climbs into Bear Mountain State Park, up Perkins Drive, where the Hudson River opens up below you. It’s pure motorcycle heaven—lined with diners, roadside shops, and packs of riders who know exactly why you’re there.
Capturing the Ride
Here’s the thing about rides like this: they’re not just unforgettable; they’re magical! The rush of the wind against your skin, the breathtaking scenery unfolding before your eyes, the unbreakable bond of brotherhood—once you return home, a part of you yearns to relive those thrilling moments over and over. That’s precisely why I ride with my HD DVR Riding Glasses. These aren’t merely sunglasses—they’re a rider’s ultimate ally in capturing every exhilarating curve, every breathtaking stop, every fleeting moment of joy. With a built-in HD camera and polarized riding lenses, you can record your exhilarating journey completely hands-free, all while ensuring your eyes are shielded on the open road.
Throttle Hub 