Tag: motorcycles

Adding to the Stable?

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I will never again buy a new or used petrol/gasoline or diesel-powered car or truck… but I will quite happily add all manner of petrol-powered bike after bike to my rather small stable.

Top slot on that list is a Vaquero to replace my V Star. Or add to it.

Maybe a 250-class bike — I have fond memories of the adventures that I had on the baby Ninja many years ago. Maybe even the 150cc-class Honda ADV.

But this one will be quite high on the list if it ever comes to the US.

And, yes, the world is in complete uproar at the moment. No idea if there will be many tomorrows left — but Living means more than just “Walking and Breathing”.

One of my goals, having survived the whole death thing a few years ago and continuing to endure this astoundingly-prolonged recovery, adding a few bikes to the stable seems a worthwhile goal.

You gotta have goals.

Getting Back On the Horse

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A year and a half ago, I rode my bike for the first time since the fall.

I fell.

Yes, again. No, not on my head, nor from 4m above concrete.

But, I fell.

Instantly recalling the old adage from my youth, if you fall off the horse, get back on. So, I promptly picked myself back up and rode it again.

But I drew the line at the motorcycle. I most certainly didn’t have the physical coordination or psychological confidence to take the risk. I decided that I’d leave the Wee Star parked — safely garaged — and on her own wheels for however long was needed to return to riding.

Fast-forward 18 months to today:

  • 63F, clear, and windless.
  • I ran 8km as the sun rose.
  • Had an appliance repair I had to tend to.
  • I took care of the batteries in the one outlier smoke detector in the house.

Then thought there was something else — something more — that I needed to tend to before the weather quickly turns rather cold…

A safety-check on the Wee Star, started it up, and donned my helmet to give it another go.

Yes, U-turns were a bit shaky. I need to spend some time practicing them far more and get back to the 3.5m diameter idle U-turns. It was a rather quick spin around the neighborhood. A bit of quick-stop practice. And she still remained on her tires and quite unblemished. I’m rather happy about that.

I’m extraordinarily pleased that I had opted to garage the Wee Star until confidence had returned.

Sometimes, getting back on the horse will take some time.

—

Also, I still refuse to let the Wee Star show up at a home on a trailer. She’ll be ridden there under her own power.

Pondering…

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I have a touring bike that I bought years ago — 2007 maybe? Honestly, I don’t recall exactly when.

Not motorcycle*; a bicycle.

But now I’m pondering another.

Not a mountain bike or road-racing bike. And not another touring-class bike. But perhaps a gravel-bike. Maybe a 650B. Maybe a One-by like a Salsa Journeyman.

2019 Journeyman Apex 1 650

I should see about venturing out to find a nearby purveyor to test the fit of each size.

But, it’s on the ToDo list.

If I lived somewhere that I needed to regularly travel beyond the home to commute to an office, then maybe adding a simplistic E-Bike like an Aventon Pace 500 or a Rad Runner would be reasonable.

—

*I have a motorcycle, which I haven’t had the confidence to ride since my TBI. And I’m entirely too narrow-minded to part with it. That’s another topic.

When You Fall Off, Get Back On

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I got my bicycle out today and filled up the tires. I then pondered – very, very briefly – skipping my helmet. Then decided quickly that it was a worthwhile addition. I wasn’t going any further than the 200 ft long driveway.

I was making U-turns and forgotten it was 24 speed touring bike and how the gears worked. I couldn’t get my foot off the pedal and on the ground quickly enough and tumbled over.

**sigh**

So, I picked myself up and got back on that sucker to ride it some more.

Here I am, 46 years old and learning how to ride something as simple as a bicycle all over again.

Today’s experience also served to reinforce that I’ll be leaving my motorcycle parked until I’m very confident in my coordination and balance. Probably for a year or two.