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!

now tell us the wife picking up mc off ya.