Impulsive? Me? Naw...

Saturday morning marked my one week anniversary as a motorcycle operator. I took the Harley out for a short spin in my neighbourhood and confirmed that my model is designed for experienced riders. The Street Glider is a touring bike and it performs like a dream at higher speeds but tooling around in second or third gear makes it feel heavy and cumbersome for someone who still has to think about EVERY single operation.

Scan ahead. See stop sign. Get ready to gear down to first. Check mirrors for traffic behind. Pull in clutch. Gear down with left foot. Check mirrors for traffic, again. Use right foot and find rear brake. Decide on left or right turn. Steer to proper lane position. Roll off throttle. Apply front brake GENTLY with right hand. Get ready to put feet down. Left foot down. Right foot down. Steady....

This thought process is automatic for anyone who has ridden for any period of time. For me, it is an exhausting brain drain. Looking back, I have always learned like this. In university, I bought a five speed car without knowing how to operate a stick. I took a two minute lesson from the kid who washed the cars and then I DROVE the car off the lot. The first stop light I encountered had me on an incline. I stalled, cranked it back up, stalled again, missed the light, had traffic beeping at me from behind, shed a few tears, turned it over again, put it into first and when the light changed, I gave it way too much gas, let go of the clutch and squealed through the intersection. I was sick to my stomach by the time I made it home. The next morning I got up, saw my keys laying on the hall table and decided that I was going to take the car over to one of the university parking lots to practise. I never looked back.

The experience with my motorcycle is slightly different, though. Now, I am twenty years older and I understand that I am mortal. I am keenly aware that a serious accident on my bike could leave my kids without a mum or worse, with a burden that needs to be fed and changed. My cousin, Ashley, suggested that I park my baby and buy an inexpensive smaller bike to use to develop my skills. Dallas had advised something similar.

So, I went back to the dealership. While there, I ran into Tim and we chatted for a bit. I asked for his advice, as well, since he was intimately familiar with my riding skills (or lack thereof). I was trying to decide between a Buell Blast (which I had learned on) and a 2002 Harley-Davidson 1200cc Sportster. Without hesitation, Tim recommended the Sportster as a good bridge. He felt the Buell would not be challenging enough. I tested the Sportster out back on the range and she was lighter and more responsive at lower speeds.

I put a deposit down and I'll probably pick her up today if I get the right price. Tomorrow, you'll be able to find me on the corner panhandling for food money.