Today, I learned the basics of riding a motorcycle.
My buddy Erik took me out in a field and put me on his 250 Honda dual-sport. It’s such a forgiving bike that it managed to compensate for all but my worst starts, and once I was going, there was no problem keeping it steady, even when I double-shifted from first to third (something I need to work on, it seems).
I rode it back and forth for an hour or two, getting as high as third gear on the little dirt trail. I only managed to scare Erik once as I came around a turn slightly hot, fishtailing just the littlest bit. I thought it was good fun, of course, but he didn’t want to explain to Heather if I ended up on my face.
I would still do the multi-day training course before I actually got the “M” added to my license and started riding on the streets, but man was it fun!
The Wife, afterward, asked “Was it fun, feeling the wind through your hair?” My answer: “Well, I had a helmet on…” “Good answer!”
Tricky woman. 
So here’s the kicker: I’m adopting Erik’s basket case project bike.
Here’s the first load of parts:
You bought it ?!?!
I *adopted* it.
Dang. That looks like fun. I want a basket case, but Harleys are too expensive to buy in that form and I refuse to ride anything else. Maybe a vintage Vespa so the wife can have two?
Learning to ride is mad fun. The most critical aspect is to remember that, although it feels kinda like a bicycle, it is in no way related.
Yeah, honestly, now that you mention it, there was absolutely no similarity in the sensation of a motorbike and that of a bicycle.
You need to look beyond the Harley world, dude. Jeez.
That’s like asking kinyahbrutha to look beyong the Catholic religion. Ain’t gonna happen. And the weirdest thing is that I hate te Motor Company. They’re bitches. But I only like their products.
Get yourself an SPS choppah and we’ll both be happy.
Oh, I already talked to the guys at SPS on the phone. They don’t offer financing, so I’ma make sure I have ca$h to buy one in 1-2 years time. After my first novel is published, I’m going to upgrade to an Exile.
Have you been watching Russell’s new show on Speed? Build or Bust
DK, wtf do you mean ? i’m wicked open to all types of religions, and frequently question my own. for some very informative, easy, and excellent reading i suggest “portrait of jesus” by joe girzone.
having felt poorly about my spiritual life lately, it helped me come to some good conclusions about who i am, what god’s intended for me, and how no action or event (sin?) can seperate me from my relationship with christ.
powerful stuff.
Dude, nice.
That’s how religion s’posed to be, IMHO.
Religion/spirituality oughta be an introspective endeavor. Even if you choose to follow a belief system with more layers of government than many European countries, it should ultimately be more about what *you* believe and how that makes you behave in your day-to-day life. After all, religion is about the “soul” (in most cases) and the soul is the essence of the individual. Even if you think it eventually goes back into one big soup pot, the individuality of the “you” in the “now” (go ahead and say it: “Shut up, hippie!”) is always key to any sort of faith, in my interpretation.
I distrust religious “leaders” because they have a fairly bad track record historically, but religion itself is A-OK in my book. (Not that anyone needs or wants my validation.)
I guess I have to start thinking outside the box as far as motorcycles go, now. I’ma Tivo that show, though.
Steve McQueen rocked the Triumph back in the day, y’know.
He was actually a fairly equal-opportunity bike lover from what I can tell.