Matheny pushes safety as president of the Eagle Riders

He's a man with a motorcycle.

And a title - president of the Eagle Riders, the motorcycle club affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 200 of Fremont.

Ken Matheny, 64, says the

20 members of the club voted him boss for one reason.

“I'm retired,” he says, “and I've got more time than anybody else.”

That freedom allows Matheny to lead the club in various projects, including poker runs and other fundraisers.

“What we do, we do for the community,” Matheny says. “It may be out of town, but it's still helping people in the area.”

Since organizing in March, the Eagle Riders have cooperated with the Kearney Eagle Riders to raise money for a child who needed a liver transplant and with the Blair Eagles to raise funds for twins with medical problems.

A Super Bowl supper held Feb. 4 raised $200 for the Jefferson House, the emergency shelter and group home in Fremont.

“That might not sound like a lot,” says Matheny, “but at a dollar a ticket, it is.”

His own contribution to the soup supper? A big batch of homemade chili, with crackers on the side.

Matheny's motorcycling days began in 1955 when his father, a California business owner, accepted a Triumph mini bike from a customer as payment for repair of a television.

After he got his driver's license, Matheny took to the California highways and byways before moving to Nebraska in 1969.

He's been in two accidents, one at age 19 and another at 25. Both resulted in broken bones.

Both happened, Matheny says, when oncoming cars turned in front of him.

“Drivers don't always see bikes or realize how fast they're actually moving,” he says.

The Eagle Riders emphasize safety on group rides by staggering cyclists so oncoming motorists can see everyone in the group, Matheny says.

Before riders even take to the road, road captain Curtis Harris checks every bike to make sure it's safe.

Matheny advocates wearing a helmet, even in states which allow riders to go without one.

“I was on the rescue squad here in Fremont,” he says. “You get your head hurt, you're in bad shape.”

He also advises cyclists to be especially careful while riding in the city where traffic is more congested and visibility often limited.

“More accidents happen in town than out on the highway,” he says.

After 52 years, “out on the highway” still provides the biggest cycling thrill for Matheny.

“You set yourself free,” he says. “When the weather's warm, I get this itchy feeling to go for a ride.”

He says the Eagle Riders try to look out for one another when participating in poker runs, which include predetermined stops at businesses along a route and often, alcohol consumption.

“You have to be able to handle yourself and your bike,” Matheny says. “You're not the only one out there. If something happens, one bike can take out 10.”

A motorcycle is only as safe as the driver, he says.

“You've got to get it in your mind, about your safety and other people's safety.”