I want to motorcycle ...

[Hanson]

Let me join the Hawk 400 first bike club too, mine was an 81 CB400T that I put 6 months and 6k miles on before trading it in on a 82 CB750K. I mention this because the first time I cranked the throttle wide open while accelerating I didn't have my body set right and almost threw myself off the back. I hesitate to suggest more than bikes like the GS500 or Ninja 500 for new riders or for returning riders without much experience although many consider the current 650 twins to be suitable. The current 600cc sportbikes are far more powerful and responsive than that 80's CB750 I had.

Although most consider the GS500 to be a good beginners bikers I consider it to be a good enders bike too. LOL I've put my last 13 years and 170k of my 400k miles on a couple of GS500s and enjoyed every mile of it. I was running it thru the mountain twisties with friends on bigger bikes 10 year ago but am just putting around trying to act my age now. Bikes like the Ninja 500 and GS500 are good all around go anywhere do anything bikes so stick with them until you learn to ride them well. You didn't mention your age but I was 52 when I got my first bike 28 years ago never having even sat on one before.

gsJack,

I am 50 and I was 19 when I first road a motorcycle 31 years ago. I rode for about a year and a half but I consider myself as having exactly 0 years of experience as I think this the more prudent assumption. I thank you for your advice and wisdom.

Richard

[blues2cruise]

If you are considering a helmet purchase online you first need to go to some motorcycle shops to try on helmets to make sure of the fit.

Helmets come in various shapes and sizes...no standardized size and shape between manufacturers or even between different years and models from the same manufacturer.

[Hanson]

blues2cruis,

If a person asks for advice, then it is prudent to think hard about accepting that advice. Thanks blues2cruis.

Today I took a long "lunch" and went to a motorcycle gear shop in North Dallas, a new store called Moto Liberty on Lyndon B. Johnson freeway. Moto Liberty also has an online store. I was fitted for a helmet but I did not purchase one as of yet. My understanding is that they have to be replaced every 5 to 7 years and so I decided to wait until I am actually going to need it. In any event, the man that helped me was both knowledgeable and patient, lets call him Joseph, and he measured the ugly block on my shoulders and said I am between a medium and large with a long oval shape. The Arai RX-Q I was looking at, I had crammed one down over the top of my skull, is just not going to work but the Signet-Q gives more room front to back and fits quite a bit better. It is very tight in the cheeks but the cheek pads, as well as the temple pads, can be adjusted by removing thin layers of the padding. The Signet-Q also comes with a pinlock visor which is a feature I wanted for cold weather commuting. The only downside was that the Signet-Q doesn't come in Hi-Viz Neon Yellow like the RX-Q (more on that at the end of this post).

Next, I looked at options for year round touring boots. I have big feet, between a US size 13 and 14 depending on the shoe, and I had no honest expectation that the store would have anything in my size. I was not disappointed. The ever help-full Joseph did, however, order me a boot that should fit after comparing the fit of some other options in the same brand. He is going to call me when they arrive and I will return to the store to try them on. If they don't fit me the boots will just go into store stock. I am looking at the Dainese Fulcrum Gore-Tex boot that should be good for all weather and all year round.

I also ordered a pair of Dainese gloves that are black with Hi-Viz neon yellow accents and lots of protection. They did not have my size in stock but they did have the exact same glove in a different colors so I am confident that the XL will is a good fit.

I am looked at jackets and pants, but I am going to spread out my purchases over a few months.

I also asked Joseph about local MSF classes and he instantly recommended that I take a class with a lady named Kelly at WeRideSafe. He said she was the best and he was quite enthusiastic about his recommendation. He even gave me a pamphlet for the school and wrote her name on the outside. I think either Joseph and Kelly are dating or she truly is a great motorcycle instructor.

This weekend the Progressive International Motorcycle Show is in Dallas and I am thinking hard about going on Saturday. Normally, I hate this type of event with the large crowds and all the noise, but I can ride a commuter train, DART - Dallas Area Rapid Transit, almost to the front door of the Dallas Convention Center. I snagged a discount card for the show before I left Moto Liberty. I left with a massive smile on my face despite my distaste for shopping and the fact that my hands where completely empty.

I get back from "lunch" and I sit down at my desk and I can't help but think about looking for a bit more information about the Arai Signet-Q. I bring it up on revZilla and right there in the middle of the page is a Signet-Q in Hi-Viz Neon Yellow, just the color I want and at a price point $50 dollars less than the Moto Liberty store price. I find this to present a bit of an ethical dilemma as normally I think you should not go to a store and avail yourself (meaning I and not blues2cruis or anyone else on this forum) of their expertise and time, and then turn around and buy the same item online. I did not log onto revZilla with any intention of buying a helmet, but that is exactly what I am going to do. I will be buying quite a bit of other gear from Moto Liberty and Joseph told me that the Signet-Q was not available in Hi-Viz. When I checked Moto Liberty online, they do not carry the Hi-Viz for the Signet-Q. Joseph might not have been aware that it was available from other sources so I don't think that he was attempt to mislead, but I am still going to get the color I want. I read a motorcycle safety study conducted in New Zealand and the color of the helmet has a statistically significant impact on how conspicuous a rider is with the neon colors doing the best job in reducing the number of serious injuries and deaths in multi-vehicle accidents by reducing the likelihood of getting into such accidents. The helmet alone is as important a factor as the color of the jacket and I have every intention of contributing to environmental color pollution every time I ride.

...

I just pushed the submit button on my helmet purchase, an Arai Signet-Q Hi-Viz Neon in medium. I am excited about just a helmet purchase and I confess that I feel a bit foolish, and yet this is the first significant step toward getting back onto a motorcycle. I think it represents a decision point where I am not just thinking about doing this motorcycle thing, I am doing this motorcycle thing. I am not at all superstitious, but the only size revZilla had in stock for this helmet and color combination was "MD", my size! Everything else was out of stock. I think this will also give my dear wife Suzi a bit of time to come to grips with the idea that I am going to do this. When I sit on the couch in a neon yellow helmet watching TV, obviously only to verify that it is the right size, she is going to be compelled to consider the reality of my decision to ride. It is one thing for her to say "yes dear" and another for her to comprehend that I am actually going to get on a bike. She is concerned for my safety, just as am I, and I don't mind her having whatever time she needs to get more comfortable with this change in our lives.

Live free ride far,
Richard

[blues2cruise]

Hanson, you will be glad you tried a helmet on for fit before ordering. It is just too much of a hassle to return things.

[Hanson]

I just got back from another long lunch at Moto Liberty where I picked up the Dainese boots and gloves I had ordered just over a month ago. The gloves are a bit harder to get on and off than I expected but I expect them to break in a bit and the next size up was defiantly not going to fit. I tried on the boots and did not like how my heal was sliding around, but I borrowed a pair of heavier socks and walked around in the store for a while looking at other gear and the boots just disappeared from my mind. I think the fit is just fine with a sock that is a little heavier.

For those in the Dallas area, the people at Moto Liberty are fantastic and I would recommend the store despite the terrible construction that has turned 635 into a moonscape.

To date, I have purchased a helmet, boots, and gloves, and I am reading my fifth motorcycle book, Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling. I think it it time to give Kelly a call at WeRideSafe and sign up for my basic motorcycle safety course.

I am right on the schedule I had in my head when I made my first post on this forum, but that is going to change. My wife drives an Excursion and one morning it just would not start. The water in fuel light was on, so I pushed a front tire up on the curb in front of our home, dragged the creeper out of the garage, and slid under the front end to drain the separator which is located inside the frame on the drivers side. Crank... crank... crank... nothing. The water in fuel light was still on and so it was time to iterate, back on the creeper, drain more fuel from the separator, crank... crank... crank... nothing. I had her Excursion towed to our local mechanic but he could not get it started. Dennis Jackman of Jackman's Automotive does a great job but he is not equipped to do major work on diesels. The next step was to have Mrs. Hanson's truck towed to North Texas Ford where it sat for almost two weeks before it was even diagnosed. The main problem was a dead fuel injector control module and some issues with the cooling system with a total bill of $2300. Apparently, the water in fuel sensor is also bad but I was not going to fork over another $480 to have the sensor replaced when I can just drain the separator when I change the oil. I also put a new pair of Michelin tires on the front of my truck and will be doing the other four now that I know that I have Mrs. Hanson's ride up and running again. The new rubber put another $1700 dent in my motorcycle budget. Now, it will likely take six months or more to save up the money for my bike and I am disappointed with the delay.

I think I will still take the basic riding coarse and get my endorsement out of the way, but then my progress toward motorcycling is going to grind to a rather long and painful halt.

[sunshine229]

Now, it will likely take six months or more to save up the money for my bike and I am disappointed with the delay.

I think I will still take the basic riding coarse and get my endorsement out of the way, but then my progress toward motorcycling is going to grind to a rather long and painful halt.

Oh no, what a shame! Sorry to hear about your wife's vehicle and even more sorry that your dream of returning to riding will be significantly delayed. All I can say is that everything happens for a reason.

Your choice in books is awesome and I hope you have enjoyed reading them!

[Hanson]

Yesterday, I received the following email on a rider list to which I subscribe:

For Sale:(1) 2008 Ninja 250, 12k miles, red, new tires, completely stock, no crashes, cracks, or scrapes. Needs carbs cleaned, will include new battery still in box.

Included in purchase, (1) 2002 Ninja, 58k miles, trashed and modified bodywork, tires hard as rocks, ran well when parked. Has new clutch installed, but never ridden afterward. Also has throttlemeister and K&N air filter.

Will also include lots of spares, we'll clean out my garage when you pick up the bikes.

$1800 takes all, pick up in Independence, MO.

My heat skipped a few beats, not a full on myocardial infarction, but close, or perhaps just a touch of gastroesophageal reflux. In a few moments I had a route planned on Streets & Trips of just under five hundred miles each way, I had checked on cycle trader to get a feel for just how great a deal this would be, and I had looked at UHaul trailer rental prices. It is truly not that expensive to rent a trailer for a day or two with a loading ramp and that would be easier on my back than trying to lift the bikes into the back of my pickup truck.

I hastily sent this reply, trying hard not to sound overly eager:

[Name Redacted],

Does "needs carbs cleaned" imply that the 07 is not running or that it is just in need of scheduled service? Does it start and run? It sounds like the overall condition of the bike is very good.

I will have a chat with my wife tonight to see if I can get a kitchen pass.

Best Regards,
Richard Hanson

My wife has my truck right now as hers is in the shop again, grrrr, and on the way home from work I told her about this "great opportunity". The look of horror on her face was only a bit of a surprise, but she did not vomit and I took that as a very auspicious omen even if all the blood had drained from her beautiful face. Clearly, I still had a bit of work to do and all the time I had spent watching TV in bed while wearing my pristine Aria Signet-Q, in Hi-Viz Neon Yellow, had not yet convinced her that I am truly serious about this late onset midlife moto madness I am experiencing.

"Where are you going to get the money", she asked with blue tinged lips?

I am no lawyer, but I knew this question was going to be the first so I had given careful consideration to my response. "What money baby?"

"Damn you, the $1800", she screamed.

"Look, I want the 02, and I can easily sell the 07 for $1800 after I get it back to Dallas. My bike will be free." I said this with a straight face, with a calm and rational voice, and it had the exact impact I had expected.

"Bull sh*t!", was her bitter response.

Now this might have altered the course of a man with less determination, or better judgment, but I was not at all deterred, and, considering that Mrs. Hanson is a redheaded native Texan with an honest Irish temper, her response was the equivalent of the discharge of an air gun instead of a full broadside from the fourteen inch rifles of the Battleship Texas.

Our conversation continued for some time, with long pauses on her part, and with very substantial dynamic range. Luckily, OK it was planned, I had already opened the sunroof on my truck to make certain that the overpressure waves generated by Mrs. Hanson's responses would not blow out my windows. It must be understood that Susi is literally a Sunday school teacher, she is the director of children's ministries at our church and also the director of the preschool, but I dare not repeat the expletives that escaped her tender lips else I will be forever baned from this form. Nor does Susi deserve to have her reputation damaged as she was driven to her verbal excesses by my impertinence.

In the end I got about what I expected and deserved.

"I will think about it. I have a headache and I am not going to talk about it any more right now."

It was clear that I would be sleeping on the couch.

After dinner, which I cooked as an act of contrition by a repentant supplicant begging forgiveness, I checked my email in as inconspicuous a manner as possible. The bikes had already been sold and a dark shadow momentarily griped my heart.

Despite my disappointment, I did learn a lot from this experience.

First, my dear wife is honestly worried about my physical safety on a motorcycle and however determined I am to ride I am also determined to do my very best to make her comfortable with the idea.

Second, my first bike will not be my last bike. I was truly happy, even gleeful, with the prospect of riding a high mileage 02 Ninja without regard to what the bike looked like. My first bike will be a first bike, a tool for learning, and it does not matter in the least if it is new or cool or powerful or even if it has a wonderful pizza aroma.

Third, my truck will be paid off in just one more year and Mrs. Hanson is already talking about how that would be a better time for me to get a motorcycle. I understand that she is continually praying to God, Susi is good at praying, that I will somehow wake up and be miraculously restored my faculties of reason, or perhaps that I will simply parish, but this still creates a definitive time frame and I view that as a modest but significant victory.

I am resolute in my determination to ride, I am indefatigable, and Mrs. Hanson is starting to accept that reality. A year is nothing, less than two percent of the days I have already experienced in my life and the best of those days where gifts from my dear Susi. I am a lucky man.

Live free ride far,
Richard

[blues2cruise]

Well, Mr. Hanson, at least the seed is planted.

[BobK]

Patience pays off. After 22 years (!) Mrs K finally agreed to go for a ride with me last summer:



She doesn't look too unhappy, does she?

[Hanson]

BobK,

That is just awesome, and Mrs. K. does look like she is having a great time! Thanks for the photo.

Safe Travels,
Richard