Blessed addiction
Posted 06-06-2009 at 07:11 PM by Driftertank
It always amazes me to see people get tired of riding. To see the ads for a bike for sale, that say, "I only rode it a few times." To see bikes with so few miles on them.
You see, I started riding off-road when I was but a wee tyke. When I was five, my parents got a little Yamaha 75 four-wheeler for me. I remember jumping on it and riding away like a bat out of hell. I rode for about 5 minutes before my dad started reading the manual to see how to adjust the restrictor after I came around a corner too fast and picked it up on two wheels. I can't remember an awful lot about that thing, but I do remember tearing it up out in the California desert for hours on end, going around and around on the 5-acre lot that our house was on, until the engine would start to cough and sputter. I learned early how to switch over the fuel valve to reserve so I wouldn't have to push it back to the shed for gas. I couldn't tell you if it was a 2-stroke or 4; it seems like my dad had to pull the sparkplug and clean the electrodes with a piece of sandpaper almost every other pit-stop. But I don't ever remember him having to pre-mix the gas.
Later I graduated to a Honda Fourtrax 125. Now we were cookin' with gas! This thing had GEARS you could change! I remember my dad telling me to keep it in 3rd or less, but I also remember sneaking it up into 4th occasionally, or even - gasp! - 5th. Man, I was ROCKIN along on that thing.
About the time I was 9 or 10 years old, somebody broke into our shed and stole both quads. I was crushed. I lost most my interest in visiting my dad; there was nothing to do out in that desert without a motorcycle of some kind, except stand around and be hot.
My cousins had a couple of dirt bikes, until their parents separated. My aunt didn't like motorcycles. I only got to ride them a couple times.
For the next several years, I almost never got to ride a motorcycle of any kind. On occasional spin on a friend's dirtbike, that was about it.
In 2006, I bought my Gixxer. 600cc's of sexy, top-of-the-line japanese speed. I jumped on that thing thinking it would be like the dirtbikes I had ridden before. IT WASN'T. I was terrified for the first two days. But I got the hang of it quickly. I had my mishaps (cold-tire lowside, but I put sliders on when I bought the bike) but I learned from them. I put a lot of time and effort into riding the best I could. And it was everything I always thought it would be.
3 years and almost 40,000mi. of street riding later, it's never worn off. I'm still the guy who calls people up wanting to ride when it's 30 degrees outside. I've met fellow riders of all types, all ages, all experience levels. I absolutely LOVE riding, every chance I get. If I didn't have at least one motorcycle to ride, I'd probably be a far more depressed and bothered individual. My life has seen a lot of ups and downs of late, but the ability to go out and see, smell, and feel the world in ways car drivers will never know, is still here.
I think it's funny when people ask me about the appeal of motorcycling. They think it's dangerous, and uncomfortable. But the fact is, if they can't understand the appeal, then nothing I can say will do anything to explain it to them.
I hope it never wears off. I love it. It's been good to me and my sense of well being for 20 years, and I hope I'll always be able to go out, in the open, and get in touch with the world, be one with it, dance with it. Yes it's dangerous, but the greatest things in life always carry a price. And for me, it's a price I will happily pay.
You see, I started riding off-road when I was but a wee tyke. When I was five, my parents got a little Yamaha 75 four-wheeler for me. I remember jumping on it and riding away like a bat out of hell. I rode for about 5 minutes before my dad started reading the manual to see how to adjust the restrictor after I came around a corner too fast and picked it up on two wheels. I can't remember an awful lot about that thing, but I do remember tearing it up out in the California desert for hours on end, going around and around on the 5-acre lot that our house was on, until the engine would start to cough and sputter. I learned early how to switch over the fuel valve to reserve so I wouldn't have to push it back to the shed for gas. I couldn't tell you if it was a 2-stroke or 4; it seems like my dad had to pull the sparkplug and clean the electrodes with a piece of sandpaper almost every other pit-stop. But I don't ever remember him having to pre-mix the gas.
Later I graduated to a Honda Fourtrax 125. Now we were cookin' with gas! This thing had GEARS you could change! I remember my dad telling me to keep it in 3rd or less, but I also remember sneaking it up into 4th occasionally, or even - gasp! - 5th. Man, I was ROCKIN along on that thing.
About the time I was 9 or 10 years old, somebody broke into our shed and stole both quads. I was crushed. I lost most my interest in visiting my dad; there was nothing to do out in that desert without a motorcycle of some kind, except stand around and be hot.
My cousins had a couple of dirt bikes, until their parents separated. My aunt didn't like motorcycles. I only got to ride them a couple times.
For the next several years, I almost never got to ride a motorcycle of any kind. On occasional spin on a friend's dirtbike, that was about it.
In 2006, I bought my Gixxer. 600cc's of sexy, top-of-the-line japanese speed. I jumped on that thing thinking it would be like the dirtbikes I had ridden before. IT WASN'T. I was terrified for the first two days. But I got the hang of it quickly. I had my mishaps (cold-tire lowside, but I put sliders on when I bought the bike) but I learned from them. I put a lot of time and effort into riding the best I could. And it was everything I always thought it would be.
3 years and almost 40,000mi. of street riding later, it's never worn off. I'm still the guy who calls people up wanting to ride when it's 30 degrees outside. I've met fellow riders of all types, all ages, all experience levels. I absolutely LOVE riding, every chance I get. If I didn't have at least one motorcycle to ride, I'd probably be a far more depressed and bothered individual. My life has seen a lot of ups and downs of late, but the ability to go out and see, smell, and feel the world in ways car drivers will never know, is still here.
I think it's funny when people ask me about the appeal of motorcycling. They think it's dangerous, and uncomfortable. But the fact is, if they can't understand the appeal, then nothing I can say will do anything to explain it to them.
I hope it never wears off. I love it. It's been good to me and my sense of well being for 20 years, and I hope I'll always be able to go out, in the open, and get in touch with the world, be one with it, dance with it. Yes it's dangerous, but the greatest things in life always carry a price. And for me, it's a price I will happily pay.
Total Comments 6
Comments
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I have not been riding all of my life, but in the three years since I started, I've learned to manage the risk that comes with the sport. And I think that having the ability to learn this kind of risk management speaks well of my character. And I have all but abandonded other passions which used to occupy my free time, such as woodworking. I didn't get bored with it or anything, I just discovered a new passion. I think I may be on the road to addiction here.Posted 06-07-2009 at 06:57 AM by jdpesz
- nice summary, with you for sure.Posted 06-07-2009 at 07:20 AM by Baystr
- So much of what you said I connected with. There's freedom to be found on top of two wheels. I've made more friends in the last couple of years because of my bike and riding than I can count. To say that it's been a life-changing event would be an understatement.Posted 06-09-2009 at 05:38 PM by Gamuru
- I know how you feel, but it is not for everyone.
Different folks march to different drummers, and many just pass through motorcycling because they think that it is a cool thing to do, but it does not last because it is not in their heart.Posted 06-12-2009 at 05:29 PM by Eicas - agreed.
theres maybe a week when the snow is on the roads i dont ride. when i get on my bike it still feels like the first time. truly one of the only things i do that literally puts a smile on my face. thank goodness for the visor id look like a total idiot.
i started on a honda trail 70. and before that the almighty bicycle. im still a bicycle nut so i crossed over quite easily. anything with 2 wheels ive always seemed fearless on. i think it all comes down to exposure to these things when your growing up am i right?Posted 07-12-2009 at 08:42 PM by FlyingWheelsCycleCourier - Yeah, I don't know. I generally tend to be a relatively restrained rider....at least I think so. I rarely do any of the show-off things people associate with sportbike riders (and when I do, I seem to get hurt
) but I don't have any problem riding aggressively in traffic....it seems to be the safest way, to me. It's gotten to where I'm more terrified of being stuck in traffic with a car than with my bike. I mean, being in heavy traffic always feels like being in a room full of bears, but in a car, I feel like I'm in a room full of bears while wearing 150lbs of plate armor. The extra protection doesn't reassure me....just makes me feel burdened and restrained...Posted 07-13-2009 at 06:49 AM by Driftertank
