Brenda H

My 79 yr old mum has decided that after 4 years of telling me I'm nuts for going back to riding a bike after 25+ years, she wants to go riding with me. Well, I won't let her on my 650. No sissy bar and no way to help her stay on. But when I get my Venture, knowing her, that sore hand is definite possibility !

Yet another vote for Frogg Toggs. They are temp sensitive. I melted holes in the front legs of my first set leaning up against my pipes. Didn't realize that it had happened as my riding jeans had stopped the heat from going any further. But that set had protected me thru 2 days on nearly non stop rain while I was on a cross country trip. I stayed dry from the rain and myself as I didn't get sweated up wearing them which is what normally happens to me from regular rain gear. I'm not crazy about the dark color of the Road Toads which are my current set. But the reflective strips really light up on them even inside my house where I keep the jacket hanging on a door hook. These are more comfortable to ride in than any other gear I've used. If you watch for sales, they can be a really good buy and are definitely worth the money.

Black Cherry?? Just about my favorite color . Add me to the list of folks interested in it. Probably won't be able to do anything about it but you never know. I just might get lucky!

I wear a SyMaxII as well. VERY neat helmet, good fit, and it's quieter than my last flip face. I like not having to worry if I'm going to warp the earpieces on my glasses pulling them off and back on again. In hot weather, I put the face shield up and the eye shield down. I bought mine at New Enough where they go for around $206. I recently got an email from NE that anounced the arrival of the HJC ISMax. A less expensive version of the SyMaxII, this one is going for just over $150. I'm thinking about getting one as a back up and spare.

Good Lord! A motorcycle version of a Monster Truck! Does anyone want to try picking that thing up?

And people wonder why my favorite color in Goldwings is Hot Rod Yellow Pearl. Why I'm planning on putting alot more lights on my bike although with a 650, that can be rather "fun". Why I ride like the world was out to kill me. And so on. I used to work for a state highway department. The number of morons involved in accidents, repeatedly in some cases, for driving while DUI in one form or another would blow your mind. And this is on the state level only, not local. These same morons got to keep their licenses and their vehicles. IT SUCKS! Some folks say that people should not go to jail for this. That's what probation is for. That's what sizeable fines are for. Suspend their license and MAKE SURE they stop driving. Seize their car, repeatedly if you have to. If they're found behind the wheel again, go directly to jail, do not pass go, etc. And probation should never be for less than 5 years. Who knows, some people might actually "grow up". On the other hand. . . While visiting my mum in Illinois a couple years ago, I kept running across signs set up literally all over town saying in effect "LOOK OUT FOR MOTORCYCLES". First and only time I have ever seen that anywhere before or since. And these were not little signs. They were 4x6 and in some cases 6x8 banners, put up by the city p.d. I thought it rather nice of them since I had ridden up there on my bike. I've found over the years that the laws APPEAR to be leaning in the direction of the cagers. If they hit one of us as riders, they might get a traffic ticket. If we as cagers, hit another vehicle [not a bike], we can get charged with vehicular manslaughter or something along those lines. Not exactly fair so far as I've seen. As I understand it, this is one of the AMA's pet peeves, that motorcycle fatalities are not being treated the same as vehicular fatalities. That has got to change. If you make a mistake, you pay for it, one way or another. And a $65 traffic fine doesn't cut it.

OK Here's one in the "I" for you guys. I ride. My husband doesn't. I'm just starting my fifth year of being back on a bike after having been off of them for over 25 years. Current ride is a 2003 650 Custom and I'm looking at getting a RSV as my touring bike. The fun part is figuring out everything I'm going to have to do to it so I can get it lowered to where I can ride it. Being vertically challenged is a b***h! BTW my 79 year old mum after telling me for the last 3 years that I've lost what mind I had left for getting back on bikes has suddenly decided that she wants to go riding with me . Take Care, Brenda H 2003 650 Custom It's Purple!