Bryan Kern, Hoka Hey Rider #1149, currently 53 years old from Northwest Ohio (Clyde). My wife Terra and I just celebrated our 21st anniversary and have added 3 grandbabies (Blaine, Everett, and Sebastian) to our family of 6 children (Braelynn, Kaylee, Mason, Jacob, Quinnela, and Dexter) since my first Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2024. I’ve worked in the mobile home distribution and manufacturing business for my whole life and while my background is mechanical engineering, I’ve spent most of my career in management and leadership roles. I don’t have the depth of motorcycle riding experience that many Hoka Hey riders have and it wasn’t part of my family growing up, but I jumped in with both feet in 2017 and bought my first bike and haven’t looked back since. I have discovered a love for all types of riding, from slow speed cone work to local day and weekend rides, but as I started to meet and become friends with serious long-distance riders, I found a place that I truly enjoy. This country becomes a lot smaller when you enjoy ripping off a 1000 mile day.
Going into my rookie Hoka Hey ride in 2024, it was a ton of emotion; excitement, nervousness, fear, doubt, and even some guilt. Heading into the 2026 event, there is still the excitement, it comes with a sense of calm, knowing that there will be challenges, but that they will be overcome. Crossing the finish line in Homer, Alaska, my dominant thought was, “I hate motorcycles”, I don’t ever want to ride again. I even started looking for someone to trailer my bike home instead of my original plan to ride. After a day’s rest, I started thinking that maybe motorcycles weren’t so bad, and by the second day, I knew that I was riding my bike home, and that I was absolutely riding Hoka Hey 2026. I didn’t have a good “why” for my first ride, and I don’t have a good “why” for ’26, but I do know it is where I want to be. Riding is a place where I find a peace and happiness that is hard to replicate, you either get that about riding motorcycles or you don’t. (I know it is cliché, but it is 100% true) I love this family that the Hoka Hey organizers allowed me to meet and become a part of. I love all the causes that everyone believes in so fully and work so hard to help and I could not imagine missing out on the opportunity to take on a challenge that is so unique.
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For 2026, I am again raising money for the New Perspective Foundation. New Perspective is an organization that helps individuals in Florida, Georgia, and Ohio who are hospitalized due to spinal cord injuries. My wife met Bob and Glorida Gentry on a random weekend and a random request for them to take her and her girlfriends on a boat ride. For some strange reason, Bob said “yes”, while Gloria was thinking, “we don’t even know these girls!”. Through that encounter she learned of their son Tyson Gentry’s injury suffered during an Ohio State scrimmage, where he was a walk on punter/wide receiver. Tyson suffered a spinal cord injury leaving him instantly paralyzed from the neck down.
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Throughout his recovery process, Tyson was moved by all the people that thought of him, sent him words of encouragement, or helped financially support the family and their needs. It was those people that motivated him to start the New Perspective Foundation in 2014. The money raised by New Perspective is used to help other families with travel-related expenses while supporting and caring for loved ones recovering from spinal cord injuries. The Gentry’s are a great family, taking their personal challenges and experiences, and doing what they can to help others in their times of need. I am pleased to have the opportunity to raise money for New Perspective Foundation.
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Bryan Kern
Hoka Hey #1149
New Perspective Foundation
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