Okay, I did it.
I took my MSF course last fall, and got my license. And all this year, so far, I’ve been hesitant about riding. I’m still a rank newbie, without any appreciable skills. I have been making excuses for some time now. I should probably get new tires. I should get a helmet that fits better. I ought to make sure it runs perfectly, yadda yadda, yadda. And the summer is slipping by, day by day.
SO last night I inspected the tires. No dry rot. Still pretty much full of air, so no appreciable leaks. I tire-foam ’em and they clean up OK, look ok. Tonight I just decided I’d procrastinated enough. I went to Wal-Mart and spent $83 and bought a helmet. Should do fine, because I only have an $83 wal-mart head. Anyway, I drove it. Yeah, I still have some futzing to do with the carbs. I should get someone who knows more to tune it for me. I haven’t even taken it a mile out of my neighborhood, this year.
But I rode.
it felt good. I’m still a little scared. Later, I expect to be a LOT scared. But I rode.
22 comments Og | Uncategorized
Details buddy, Details. The last bike I was on was a Suziki 850 set up to drag. Made me wonder what I ever saw in riding. Although I would like to have a low rider of some kind. Probably just polish it but I do hate to have something I don’t use.
Oh well. here is to a youth well misspent.
Saw an 07 Harley Springer I could have bought the other day for 11K. It had 1500 miles on it and it scared the guy.
Kelly reminded me we have a house to dump money into.
Oh well…
Something will come along.
Og, feel free to email me. I’m no pro, but I have friends who are. You’ll at least need to balance the carbs. Might be a good idea to take ’em off & clean ’em, if you haven’t already–I know you know how to work on engines.
I just got the swingarm, chain, etc., back on my Moped (450SC), & got my CB900F fork back from the shop, so I can finish rebuilding the F’s front end. I’ll at least be able to ride the Moped this week; haven’t ridden since May, & I can feel it.
By the way, an $89 helmet isn’t a helmet. I got my girlfriend 2 nice HJCs on eBay for less than $40 each. I was probably lucky, but…
Enjoy that Zook.
Budd, it’s not a great hat but better than what I had. And a new hat I knew was unscathed was better than an EBAY had I knew nothing about.
That is so cool!! You’ll have to join us some day.
Heading out at 0530 tomorrow, should make Milwaukee by 1800. It’s gonna be a riding weekend.
If I don’t get to comment again, be safe and I’ll blog at ya Monday!!
As long as the head bucket is DOT *and* SNELL certified, it oughta be Ok.
We sold our GoldWing a few years ago. Of course, sorry we did that now.
Wife and I took the first course together, but I had to delay the ride test a month due to a conference. She actually got her ticket before I did!
I still recall her on the little Yami
in class, after a ‘stop’ command. She stopped all right, and sat there with everyone looking. Stopped, and never put her feet down till the instructor pointed it out to her. Weird…
No SNELL, but Dot certified. According to the info with the helmet the lack of Snell certs has something to do with the kind of visor, I’m not sure I understand, but hey. Like I said, it is the right size (an XL) instead of the SMALL I had, so it FITS and doesn’t give me a headache.
When I kitted up a few weeks ago to take delivery of my KLR I had the shakes, was sweating, pale as a ghost and almost shitting myself… 100 meters later it all came back to me… now I lay it low on the corners and am having FUN. Sometimes I swear it is better than sex!
Congratulations! I had a sneaking suspicion you had a scoot or were about to get one.
You just gots to share details. Like, whadayagot?
Nothing special, Fodder. A $25 Zook. Learning to ride on a cheap bike, so maybe I can graduate to a bigger one.
Just remember that you are the Deer, and everyone else is the Hunter.
Sold my ‘Wing in 1986, quit riding after about 15 years. Enjoyed the heck out of it, but just kinda quit riding, was lucky to put a couple of tanks of fuel through it the last couple or 3 years. That was after putting 24,000 miles on it the first 2 years. Loved that bike, but other interests called.
Get the book – “Proficient Motorcycling” by David L. Hough (Huff). Good info on the ride, why’s and how’s and a lot of good common sense and what to watch for when on your ride. Makes things much more enjoyable and safe. I’ve been riding since 1964 when I got my first bike, a Yamaha 125 and read this just last year – wish I had picked it up years ago. Enjoy your ride!
LMAO Og-
I went to the doc to get something for the red schmutz on my face & he gave me a script. The drugstore gave me the stuff & asked for $95.00 American!
I went back to the doc & told him I only had a $10 face, ain’t cha something a little more reasonable???? He LHHAF.
On the bike thing- don’t be such a pussy. I started riding when I was 16 & INVINCIBLE, & I rode some pretty godawful shitty machinery from a safety perspective. We all get more “concerned” as we get older, but the fuqqer won’t ride itself, & you gotta make her go.
Good luck & best…
WooHoo! Good for you! And it’s about damned time! ;-)
$83 dollar Wal-Mart head……that’s just funny!
Enjoyed the heck out of it, but just kinda quit riding,
As a good friend of mine likes to say: You don’t quit riding because you get old, you get old because you quit riding.
On piece of advice…be careful with the tire cleaning goop…some of that stuff makes the tires as slick as snot on ice. Be careful not to get any on the tread…which is most of the tire on a bike.
Syncing the carbs is not difficult but requires a special tool. Most of them consist of a calibrated pair (some models have four) of vacuum gages. Mine is a “push-pull” setup that you adjust until the needle is in the middle. Very simple to use and seems to be very accurate…plus no mercury and no worrying about calibration between gages.
Anyway, welcome to the club brother and keep the shiny side up.
Just member It’s not how fast you can go that is important, it’s how fast you can stop!
Don, thanks, I will look for that. Curt, Double, thanks. Thanks all. I have a long way to go but I’ve come a long way too.
You best get ready for Sturgis, og. I’m swinging in on my way by one of these years…
;)
Will they let me in Sturgis with a rice burner?
*You* they’ll make an exception for.
Otherwise you can ride bitch with me…
So jay, you have experience riding a unicycle? Because with me opn back, there won’t be any front tire-to-ground contact.
Tire Foam? That can take a tire that sticks and turn it into one that slips.
Want to feel like you’re goin’ real fast? Armor-all the seat. Heh – really, please don’t. Helmet’s that fit make riding more fun, comfortable, and rides last longer – man I had a helmet that rubbed a damn hole in my forehead but I kept it because I thought it was kewl lookin’ – damn finally got rid of that POS and rode happy ever after.