first ride after a year

[oldgoat]

well today after a long year of not riding. i took out the yamaha maxim i was going to give to the girlfriend before we broke up.

the venture finaly made its way to a friends house for the tires and rotor and break work. all was going well but i dont know if any one else ever felt this way?

but when i hit the highway. i was scared for about 20 miles. then i started to come around. a friend said im rusty? maybe should see about a refresher course? i took the motorcycle safety course 2 years ago. but that was on a little 250cc bike. i passed with a perfect test run. no mistakes back then. now its time to see what im doing wrong?

im thinking take the maxim. through that course. then move up to the big boy? i do have a hard time makeing a u turn on the venture. i once did a low side on it. came in to a parking space thinking i could turn it to face outwards and found out i ran out of room? didnt want to hit the parked car so just kind of let it slide down on the crash bar. no damage but man what a bear to get back up. a good friend has now taught me how to

get these heavy bikes back up. i was doing it all wrong. never try to muscle that bike he said. he showed me how to get it back upright from both sides. well that has been my day. hope to ride again tomorrow

[Zfrebird4]

So glad you made it out.

 

And I had some of those thoughts, too, with my new knees in 06 when I started riding again after 6 yrs off, and even AFTER taking the training course, even though I had the license for the scoot.

 

We've shared together about knees, so I understand where you are. And, to a degree, we all get those feelings on those first ride in the spring. We just have to wise up and ease into it as the season opens.

 

Keep us posted and keep riding. You can do it! And I like your plan of action, too. Sounds good!

 

JackZ

Jack Tharp

Ft Collins, CO

 

:clap2::happy65:

[MiCarl]

We have a hazardous passion. If you weren't a little skittish after a long lay up there'd be something wrong with you. Also, you're going to feel a lot more nekkid on that Maxim than you do on a Venture.

 

I'm don't think there is any class that will teach you to turn a Venture around in a parking space. There isn't enough room. I can't find the specs, but I bet that u-turn box they use in the course is at least 20 foot wide (even though it looks tiny when you take the course).

Edited March 15, 2010 by MiCarl

[oldgoat]

micarl i should explain. i was trying to get the bike into a parking space by doing a uturn from the space next to it. not enough room LOL i was told that you have 24 ft uturn radius for a bike thats over 500 cc? well i guess 2 parking spaces is not that much. friend said its about 3.? well the 250 cc i took the test on the uturn radius is smaller so me being silly i though the big old girl (venture would handle like that) nope noway. boom down to the left it went. i didnt sign up for this wonderfull site before then or i wold have to donate LOL

[Squidley]

Jim,

I'm with Carl on this too, your a bit rusty, and like mentioned, after a long layup a healthy dose of skittish is normal. I think it would be a good idea for the safety course with the Maxim. You'll get right back into it, I was always the same way when I brought the bike out of hibernation when I live north...your ok man

[Winesap7]

Just a thought, ever consider a trike. Somehow I managed to get old and wanted to keep riding but two wheels just wasn't enough, three wheels are great and I don't think I could ride two again. I had a big touring trike but it was too big for what I needed now my Vulcan trike is a safe, fun, easy to handle ride.