New old guy.... or old new guy

[Bandit Brad]

Hi-
I'm Brad. I am 49 and I live in Highlands Ranch Colorado.
I ride a 2002 Suzuki Bandit 1200S. I have been married for over 30 years and have to grown kids. (Neither of whom ride)
I have ridden many different motorcycles over my 24 years of riding. At one point in my life, I lived on 120 acres and was completely surrounded by national forest with access to hundreds of miles of forest service roads. I rode just about every day of the year. Because of the location, (no one around for miles) I did ride my XT500 in the snow when possible. Although I will not take the Bandit out in bad weather now. Conditions are different, I am back in the big city. I am 100% sure of my riding abilities off the street. On the street, although I am very confident, I am always riding like i am about to be run over. I didn't used to feel like that. Possibly age or even reality of what can happen when you throw in people who eat, text, blast the radio, drive too fast, apply make up, shave, program their GPS and even read the paper while they drive. Here in Colorado you can not split lanes, not even at a stop light. So stopping at any light means making sure the cage behind you stops.
Funny, looking over this, I sound scared. But no, safe in my riding habbits.
My wife is usually my passenger any time I ride other than when I am going to and from work.
That's me!

[ZRex]

Hi Brad.
Welcome, the Suzuki Bandit is a great bike, sounds (reads) like you had fun on that XT.
Definitely be careful out there, for some reason people don't want to pay attention when they drive a car, motorcycle riders usually pay more attention because of self preservation and because the ride is why we are on the bike, and to some people a car is just an object that gets them where they need to go, and they think the car will "save" them if anything happens. Besides the things you mentioned I have had people look me in the eye and then they turn their head and pull out in front of me. I am done with my rant about bad drivers, most drivers can drive it's just the bad ones put us all at risk, and there are some awful riders also, anyway be careful out there and have fun.

[sunshine229]

Hi Brad!



The Bandit is a fantastic bike, I'm glad you are enjoying it!

[blues2cruise]

to TMW.

[Joe_F]

Welcome