SuzukiSavage.com /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> The Cafe >> First Impressions (M/C related) /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1296074135 Message started by PerrydaSavage on 01/26/11 at 12:35:35

Title: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by PerrydaSavage on 01/26/11 at 12:35:35 Well, I just stumbled upon something that I had totally forgotten about! A piece that I posted up almost 10 years ago on an online message board catering to noob motorcyclists ... this was before I eventually took our local Motorcycle Training Course and got my license ... I had just bought an old '85 Honda Rebel and was recounting of one of my very first times behind the Bars! Quote: Just got my motorcycle 5 weeks ago ... never rode/owned a bike before. In the first 2 weeks, I looked at it a lot, then managed to "nurse" it around the block in our suburban neighbourhood (1st & 2nd gear ... couldn't make tight right turns!) My 1st "Real Ride" was 3 weeks ago ... had an offer from a co-worker to store my Honda Rebel in her heated garage (bike won't be licenced or insured 'till Spring), but it was about 2 miles away across our section of town! Got up early on a Sunday morning and uncovered the bike in the backyard ... wanted to take the bike out to the street, but found it too heavy to push across grass with my trick back ... looked around to see if my neighbour (who has over 20 years experience with motorcycles) was about, to take her down our narrow drive, past my wife's and my cars for me ... but I was all alone! So, I figure, if the bike's goin' out ot the road, then I'm gonna have to take her ... and under power! Reach down, turn the gas on, set choke, turn key to on, pull in the clutch, hit the starter button ... nothing, just whirring. Try again ... same thing. Several more no-starts and I worry about draining the battery and what the hell's wrong with my bike (I had just got the starter fixed a week earlier)! Get off, wander around trying to think what to do next ... then I notice that the "kill switch" is in the off position ... re-mount, set switch to "Run", pull in clutch, hit the starter and the little Rebel purrs to life! Now out to the street! Gingerly feathered clutch and with a bit of duck-walking, managed to get bike past cars in the driveway and out to the sidewalk. Still no life in our neighbourhood, so I figure if I can get the bike around the block to a friends house, then he can ride her over to the garage for me. Dang, forgot my helmet ... don't want to shut bike off, but she is a bit bit contrary about going into neutral most of the time! Well, a slight upward flick of the toe and the reassuring "snick" and the green dash light tells me that she went into neutral ... slick as butter! Run to the shed, get my helmet and gloves and run back to to the bike ... it's now or never ... strangely I'm only a little nervous ... Don helmet & gloves, toss a leg over the saddle, move choke to 1/2, take up the kickstand. Pull in clutch, take a deep breath and lightly push down with my left toe ... a reassuring "click" and slight surge lets me know that the bike is ready to go. Take another breath (I had been holding the last one), look over my shoulder, coast is clear. Ease out on the clutch and the bike rolls ahead ... a little throttle (very "little"), slowly take up my feet and I'm on my way ... I'm actually riding! A bit more gas and I hesitantly shift to 2nd gear. Funny, the bike feels more comfortable this time than last weeks "limp" around the block? Make it thru a stop sign and over to my friends house with out incident ... but still no sign of life. Don't want to shut bike off and wait for him to get up, so I figure I'll just go home ... decide to take the slightly longer way back around the neighbourhood ... manage to get up to 3rd gear ... am enjoying this too much, so I decide that if the Reb is going to her winter resting place, then I'll have to ride here there myself! Take another deep (and slightly nervous) breath and pull onto the main drag ... still no traffic. Roll on some throttle and keep an eye out for kids, dogs and cars. I start to grin, this is fabulous! Approach an intersection with a slightly blind sweeping left. Ease off the throttle, pull in the clutch and down-shift to 2nd. See the way is clear, but am nervous about making the turn safely. Then remember some advice I read on this Board; "look thru your turns" ... so I do as I apply some throttle and magically, the bike leans over and goes smoothly thru the turn!! Gawd this is great!! So, now I'm on a wide 1 mile stretch of suburban street with great visibility and some long sweeping bends. A bit of gas and an upward flick of the toe and I'm into 3rd gear ... a bit more throttle and then 4th! I feel like I'm flying (eventhough the speedo says I'm only doing 40 kph)! This is honestly one of the best things I have ever experienced! The feel of the breeze on my face, the sound of the engine and the buzz under my butt ... All too soon I'm at my co-workers house and I'm putting down the kickstand and turning off the bike. But, I'm on an incredible high! I rode my own machine 2 miles, without incident and I feel great! Sadly, my little Rebel is asleep until next Spring, but I can't wait to bring her back to life, take a Motorcycle Safety Course and "really" start Riding!

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by LostArtist on 01/26/11 at 13:37:18 that's a neat remembrance, very cool  :)

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by Driller on 01/26/11 at 13:52:08 You captured that moment well, Perry. I bet it was painful having to put the bike to bed for the winter. It still is even after years of riding.

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by Skid Mark on 01/26/11 at 17:11:05 Ahhhh  sweet memories. I wore out the lawn riding around in the yard when I got my 1970 Kawasaki 90.   ;D ;D

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by John_D FSO on 01/26/11 at 18:36:58 Very cool story. 8-) I put the first 40 miles on my S40 on the dead end road behind my house.  Probably less than a mile, with a gentle 90° corner, plus some gravel pulling into the driveway, and a sharp U-turn at the far end.  Actually a pretty good practice ground; no traffic, so you can practice your "weave" if you imagine road cones to go around. ;D  And just wide enough at the end for a U-turn if you hug the edge and turn to the stops. :o

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by kimchris1 on 01/26/11 at 19:03:47 Perry, that was  nice to read. I have fond memories of my Rebel as well.. I loved my Rebel and look back at the pics still. The Honda Rebel in my opinion is truly a great bike. Now and then I see one and it reminds me as well of the many places I went on mine. She never left me stranded and when I traded her in on the S-40, I cried a little.  :) kim

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by Midnightrider on 01/27/11 at 08:02:21 Great story Perry! Theres no feeling like that first, when you realise youre litterally flying over the ground not encaged in glass and steel.  I'll never forget my first experience. I was 8 years old, I had spent the night at my cousins house. He had a new Rupp mini bike. He had spent most of the day doubling me on it. He was a good smooth rider and I felt at ease on the back, content to watch the scenery fly by. Had a nice tractor trail through the woods with sweeping curves past giant oak and poplar trees and a smooth downhill and uphill along a creek bottom. My cousin had a dental appointment, his mom was going to take him. My uncle said Mike you ride the mini bike while Robert's gone to the dentist. He might as well have given me the keys to a Corvette when I was 16. I was thrilled and I was scared at the same time. A 5 HP Briggs and Stratton was a lot of power to an 8 year old, I was trembling inside but I was determined. I did a couple of slow laps laps around the driveway to familiarize myelf with the controls, the 5 HP Briggs wasnt the smoothest of engines, especially when I tried to ride slow. She wanted to cough, spit and jerk but somehow I found the combination to keep her steady and off to the woods I went. It wasnt long and I was literally flying (at least I thought I was) through the woods, trail breaking through the curves and my stomach floating weightlessly as I drop over the steep downhill. I'll never forget the feeling I experienced that day. It was the freedom only an 8 year old can experience, with no concerns about tomorrrow or any other of lifes annoying problems that consume us as we mature. It was complete and total freedom, the kind I would give anything to experience today. Wasnt too long after that I talked my Dad into buying a used Honda 50cc Mini Trail. Thats where my journey began. Thank God it hasnt ended.

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by Yonuh Adisi FSO on 01/27/11 at 14:26:47 I still have fond memories of my Rebel as well. Though I had owned a Honda Aero 50 motorscooter and a Honda MB5 before I got the rebel, I will always consider the rebel my first true motorcycle. http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/112/l_1423d286d79b4edd8a7b4382cd0c6cb8.jpg

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by sluggo on 01/27/11 at 16:45:07 now tell us the wife picking up mc off ya. ;D

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by drharveys on 01/30/11 at 06:59:56 Doesn't get much better than that!

Title: Re: First Impressions (M/C related) Post by PerrydaSavage on 01/30/11 at 10:44:54 455A43515159360 wrote: now tell us the wife picking up mc off ya. ;D LOL!!! That story is on here somewhere sluggo!

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