Today I rode my motorcycle the first time.Got it on Monday. Today is Thursday. It was standing there for 3 days. Waiting for me to get the gear, and get my guts to give it a try.
The bike is Kawasaki Vulcane 800 classic. Year 2004, 6K only, super
clean and very well maintained. Licked all over. Beiuty. Quite bigger then I wanted, and on the border for the first bike. May be over the border. But I just couldn't pass this deal. But riding it is a bit intimidating. 550 pounds makes it heavy to push, and powerful engine requires fine touches. It may be very unforgiven. Well, I made my call, and I will tame it.
The first drill was geting the bike out of garage. Well this aint easy: the driveway slope which I never noticed turned out steep enough so I can't hold the 500 rolling pounds. Turning it around. Push down
the street. Turn the engine on. Warm for 5 minutes. Power walk. This is just releasing the clutch a bit, giving a little push, and walking with a bike. Ride on a first gear. Stop on the stop sign (where the
hell is the break?) Turning around... Getting back into the garage: storming the slope. Pushing is not
working again, power walk makes me nervous - this is really a lot of power in the beast. Little by little, parked it out, and I took a break.
Well this is not enough, and I am backing up from the garage for another ride. Now after a quick powerwalk I got on it and rode down the streets. Stop signs, mirror checks, turning signals, riding on the second gear. Turns off the stop (we didn't do this in the class!) Making turns. It rides! I am doing it! It feels so good! Man this is better then sailing!
The dusk fallen and I am turning onto the driveway. Getting in a garage now is already easier. I even got tired, but it feels good, and I can't wait till the weekend to ride it again.
PS. Getting the gear, apparently, is a big deal. Bigger then I though.
Bigger then buying a bike, at least as many think. It's not easier to
figure what is needed, what is right. So that it fits and looks cool.
I went over the budget for a jacket but no regrets - it is comfy, well
made and stylish. Thinking of getting pants. And boots - my boots are
perfect for riding, except one problem: the rubber/plastic sole melts
touching the exhast pipe, leaving ugly black marks on nice polished
chrome. Well ok need boots.
Good advice: get the gear before getting the motorcycle.
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