My New Motorcycle

[grnidone]

Thank you DB.  I was going to go online and learn how to take care of this thing.  Thankfully, I have the little book that came with it.

I was able to get tags without insurance, though I'm still in the process of getting insurance, but to do so, I must change my auto policy over to someone else.  Bummer.  (What's a good motorcycle insurance place?)

I took Little Blue on a ride today to the local Sonic for happy hour to get a half priced lime aid and to the grocery store to get some cottage cheese.   I dressed in my motorcycle helmet, heavy duty gloves, tennis shoes -- no motorcycle boots yet, and my work boots are filthy -- my bright green bicycle vest and a chiffon scarf which I tied to blow out behind me Red Baron style. 

I've learned a few things:

Getting started is the most difficult part of this process.  After nearly hitting a tree, I've learned the slow, put one foot up on the pegs at a time, policy.  You kind of start and drag your feet and then one foot then the other.  As a peddler, I'm used to having my feet locked in.

Riding a bike is WAY different than riding a motorbike.  For one, I'm sitting straight up on the motorbike.  I feel it more in my back this way.

There is no graceful way to get Blue up on her little kick stand thingy.  One must dismount the bike and sort of haul it up.

If the key is not on AND the switch is set to 'On', Blue won't start no matter how much kicking you do.

If I need to go to the grocery store, I must wear a backpack to put all the stuff I need to wear in order to ride.  No biggie, I just left my helmet on and got my cheese.

One cannot take a swig of one's lime-aid whilst wearing full-faced motorcycle helmet. 

Other than that, the ride was successful. 

[Drastic]

>There is no graceful way to get Blue up on her little kick stand thingy.  One must dismount the bike and sort of haul it up.

heheh, believe me it could be worse. When I take a break from the Yamaha, I have to basically pick it up and put it on its stand. Which normally isn't so bad since you can rest some of the 200 plus odd pounds on the front wheel, but after an exhausting ride, or rather after the 4th or 5th exhausting ride of the day, I start thinking about just resting on the bike.

Gotta love those first rides! Feels like.... victory, yes?

[dogboy]

>little kick stand thingy
Normally you might just drop the stand... put your toe on it, so it doesn't just slide backwards ... and then just lean back, cantilevering it into position.  That's what your doing already?

>scarf which I tied to blow out behind me Red Baron style
Remember, the Baron had his prop in front, and no chain and cog in the rear, that it could get tangled in, and rip his head off 
Same with backpacks with any kind. Straps in general are just one of those things that can go horribly and violently wrong on a bike.

>If the key is not on AND the switch is set to 'On', Blue won't start no matter how much kicking you do.
lol:)

[dogboy]

and maybe get a new spark plug in that thing too.

[grnidone]

Feels like victory

It really does.  I think the next time, I'm going to make a conscious effort to really relax my shoulders.  I was so tense and nervous that my back/ shoulders were really tight after I got home.

>spark plug

Yeah, I think I'm going to give Blue a once over in a couple of weeks.  I'm a bit busy to deal with it now.

[grnidone]

Oh, any recommendations on motorcycle insurance?  I have USAA for everything else, but they don't do Motorbike insurance.

[grnidone]

And...your scarf thing reminded me of The Incredibles where Edna lectures on NO CAPES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNUbPRj9TGM

[dogboy]

I use Progressive.  I think they are pretty good.  They paid top dollar for my '07, and $2500 in medical bills... so I made out ok, if you don't take into consideration all the anguish and suffering:)

[dogboy]

>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNUbPRj9TGM
rofl:) See? I can't make that stuff up!!

I'm telling you, I'm like the wikipedia of ways to hurt yourself:)

[dogboy]

>alternative to golf balls(?)

[dogboy]

>or maybe something that shoots a bunch of golf balls, at once? Non-lethal(?)

[buckworks]

Isadora Duncan died because of her long flowing scarf:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/dancer-isadora-duncan-is-killed-in-car-accident

"No capes" is good advice for active contexts.