cbacton
Big Wheel
I am a basically new motorcycle rider having bought my first (and so far only) bike , a 1990 C10 Concours, in Feb. So far I have dropped my bike (the reason for this post), been in an accident (wasn't hurt, didn't go down, wasn't my fault, she didn't look before changing lanes into me), been bruised by hitting road debris( car kicked up a large chunk of truck tire tread which folded my right foot down over the peg) and had the shift linkage break while driving (this morning). After seeing it for the first time, my daughter promptly named her Buffy. Not because of the TV show, but because she resembles the horse she was riding at the time, a haflinger pony.
I think you might see a resemblance!
My short riding history: When I was a teenager (in the mid 70's) my dad bought a Honda 50. It was red with a white fairing and had a windshield.
It could go about 35mph downhill with a tailwind! Only after I got a motorcycle license was I allowed to drive it. Driving it home from school one evening, I managed to hit a rock that had rolled from the center median. I saw it in the headlight beam but didn't have enough experience/confidence to swerve around it. Instead I turned the bike enough to clip the front tire, causing the wheel to turn abruptly right and flip me to the ground. I skidded with the bike for about 20 feet and got a good case of road rash on my hands (no gloves of course but I was wearing a helmet!). Thus ended my confidence and the riding motorcycles. Fast forward 10 years. I moved to LA and thought a little about getting a bike. Took a look around at the traffic and craziness on the freeways and, having all that confidence from my first riding experience, thought to myself "no way!". Thus ended my riding career for next 20 years. At the beginning of this year, 2011, I stared a new job. The drive is about 34 miles, the time to travel it in a car between 1 to 2 1/2 hours depending upon weather, accidents, traffic, butterflies farting and anyting else that can cause a delay. It was costing me about $400 a month in gas in my car, a Chevy Aveo getting 33 mph! So motorcycles again entered my world. It seemed that the only viable cost effective option for me was to get a bike. Public transportation was no cheaper and took 2 1/2 hours one-way! So with the help of my best friend William, who has been riding for 35+ years and has been trying to get me on a bike since we met 18+ years ago, I found and bought my first bike off eBay.
After riding it for about a month it finally worked out so William and I could take our first ride together. We rode about a mile and a half to grab a couple of burgers. It was grand fun riding with him. The grin wouldn't leave my face. On the way back, with visions of CHiPs(and the theme song) running through my mind, we stop at a traffic light. the light turns green and William accelerates through the intersection. I lift my feet onto the pegs, apply too little throttle and pop the clutch, stalling her immediately with no forward momentum. I realize too late that I need to put my feet down and catch her from falling. Instead I manage to just arrest the fall enough so that, to all the lanes of traffic around me, it looked like I just decided to very carefully lay my bike on the ground and then dismount , run around her and lift her back up. I was so embarrassed! The whole thing was over in 30 seconds but it felt like 2 hours before I got her vertical, started and drove through the intersection to meet William on the side of the road.
The result of my incident was scratching the right hand mirror and saddlebag as well as a bruised ego and a good laugh with William.
So I thought I would share my experience and earn my first riding award!
Just for the record, I have gotten a little better at riding and have a little more confidence. I have put almost 4000 miles on my bike commuting in all weather. A couple of weeks ago William and I got a chance to commute together to work. He followed me and said I now look like I have been riding for a lot of years! I love my bike and am so glad I wound up getting a Concours! Now I can't wait to ride. Driving a car feels so wrong!
ps. What I looked like two weeks ago when the lady merged into me.
Results: Broken left hand mirror, saddlebag, antler, lower fairing and louver. $2300.00 in damages!
My short riding history: When I was a teenager (in the mid 70's) my dad bought a Honda 50. It was red with a white fairing and had a windshield.
The result of my incident was scratching the right hand mirror and saddlebag as well as a bruised ego and a good laugh with William.
Just for the record, I have gotten a little better at riding and have a little more confidence. I have put almost 4000 miles on my bike commuting in all weather. A couple of weeks ago William and I got a chance to commute together to work. He followed me and said I now look like I have been riding for a lot of years! I love my bike and am so glad I wound up getting a Concours! Now I can't wait to ride. Driving a car feels so wrong!
ps. What I looked like two weeks ago when the lady merged into me.
