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24 April 2007
In search of my do-rag...

The do rag, the motorcyclist's most insignificant piece of wardrobe has become an almost mandatory part of biker dress. But, what purpose does it serve?

In the old west; cowboys always wore a bandana. It was used for wiping sweat from a tired brow. Submerged in a stream and used to cool a cowboy while he was mending fences or riding with cattle across a dusty plain. It could be pulled over his face in dust, snow or any kind of storm to protect his face or keep him warm. He could use it to shield his horse's eyes from things he thought the horse shouldn't see to keep him moving along.

The cowboy had real uses for his bandana, but for some reason he never wore it like a hat, oh yeah I've seen pictures of cowboys in dead of winter using a bandana to keep that big hat on and cover the ears at the same time. But he never did wrap it around his head and wear his hat over it. Ok, the bad Mexican guys would, but then those outlaws where from the barrio and after all it was a gang thing or the mark of a real bad hombre.

Today just about every biker I know wears a do-rag which is an adaptation of the cowboy's bandana. Maybe somewhere back in the very beginning days of motorcycling in America; it was the cowboys who first rode motorcycles and started our traditions. Or did it come from some romantic notion that we are somehow similar to the cowboy. Our kindred spirits are linked through some magical bond, and like the cowboy we see ourselves as the lone rider braving all that Mother Nature can deliver. After all the Harley set loves the association to the old west. Or it was a way of poking fun at Harley's long time rival Indian motorcycles. Maybe those folks were just not through with playing cowboys and Indians.

Perhaps it has something to do with the romantic idea that the cowboy rides alone just him and his horse, the motorcyclists also rides alone, just him and his machine… We have borrowed a lot from our cowboy tradition. Chaps and saddlebags come to mind; if not some folk's predilection for things with fringe. For some reason we never did take the lariat or a blanket under our seats or even the practice of carrying a six shooter or trusty Winchester carbine.

I know folks who wear the do rag to prevent helmet hair; I guess they prefer do-rag hair instead. I wear one pretty much any time I have to put my helmet on; I find it keeps the inside of the helmet free of body oil. Being a rather smooth headed fellow (bald) and being blessed with an over active oily skin; I find it keeps my helmet nice and clean on the inside and I like that. I never have been able to take the inside out of my helmet for cleaning and then get it all back in correctly so the do-rag does help to keep it clean. When I had hair, it kept the helmets inside clean and very neatly hid my bald spot at the same time.

Do-rags have come a long way from bandanas. Today you get them for just a few dollars and they are cut to form a neat little hat with two ties in the back. New riders no longer have to learn the art of folding and fitting that square or rectangle bandana around your round head. In fact a lot of folks never learn the correct way to wrap a head in a bandana. And they do stand out when they try. They either capture a look similar to Mrs. Butterworth on the syrup bottles or Scarlet's nanny in Gone With The Wind, or a lady on her way to church. They just can't seem to get it right and give the image they're looking for.

The do-rag is quick and simple to put on. Head in, ties in the back and there you go. Just what is the extra piece of cloth they add to the back for? Only leaves me to wonder. It doesn't fool anyone into believing you actually know how to tie a bandana on your head. And unless you use them to wipe your eyes or blow your nose; they really don't seem to serve any purpose. Perhaps it just looks cool to have an apron for that graying pony tail.

I suppose those tails could be a warning device, when you reach speeds in excess of 55 mph they tend to flap and slap your helmet; the light tapping tells you to slow down and get back to the legal limit.

But I suspect they actually serve no purpose at all. And they look even dumber on a do-rag with elastic in it. These were invented for those who have never learned how to tie a simple knot behind their head. I guess it does cut down on the time you need to get ready to ride; after all you don't have to stop to wrap a bandana around your head or tie those two stringy things. It's just a pull it on and go thing. It's sort of like having zippers in your work boots, everyone knows those lazy guys who can't tie a simple shoelace or they're just too lazy. So they have zippers installed and the boots stay tied all the time.

The real problem with do-rags is the way they're sized. One size fits all; and just like a cheap ball cap with one of those plastic adjusters in the back, it never fits anyone and looks like it should. I've only had a few do-rags that actually fit my size 7 head, and they don't get to fit well until they are just about washed to the point where you can read through them. But most never do shrink down or fit correctly. The elastic banded ones are a headache in the making. The hat band is generally too tight and the hat part is too loose; wearing one makes you look like a French chef in training or a seasoned dish washer.

Of course the do-rag is another place we can show some style, they come in all kinds of colors and patterns you can imagine. The ones you pick to wear will make a statement about you. It's funny but I have never seen a pink one…. There are a couple of riders I think should be wearing a pink one. No, not because we suspect their sexual orientation has gone askew. But it's because they just can't ride. These are the guys who are always full of advice and sound so knowledgeable, but when you ride with them they can't get out of the parking lot without falling. Forcing them to wear pink could serve as a warning to the rest of us.

I think we should be glad that cowboys are part of our collective heritage. Just think of how it would look if we had emulated medieval Knights. We would be riveting chain mail into do-rags and somehow that doesn't seem like it would be as comfortable or warm. Never mind trying to dip a chain mail do-rag in a stream to cool our sweaty brow on a hot day of herding those white lines…