At 47 I finally decided to get a street bike. I raced motocross competitively in the early 1980s and had to leave the sport for a gazillion reasons but the passion to ride never left me. I finally decided to pull the trigger and get my licence.
So I wrote the M1 in July and booked a college M1 exit course in mid August. Getting back on a bike at the course was a blast even if it was "just" an XT-250. Even though it had been 30 years it was like I never stopped riding. I had some bad habits from my dirt days to clean up. Did very well and passed the M2 test at the end of the course with zero demerits.
I decided to not be cocky and started "small" with a fresh, new and mild CBR500R. I picked it up last Friday evening (Labour Day long weekend) and managed to put 500kms on it over the long weekend doing everything from slow parking lot maneuvers (like the pylon course at the college) to city riding and runs out in the country. It's now at 750kms and everything is just as I hoped it would be. I long to get back on it whenever I can.
Perhaps in a year or two I'll graduate from the 500R but for now it's a great balance of flickability, smoothness and decent power for a "novice."
So I wrote the M1 in July and booked a college M1 exit course in mid August. Getting back on a bike at the course was a blast even if it was "just" an XT-250. Even though it had been 30 years it was like I never stopped riding. I had some bad habits from my dirt days to clean up. Did very well and passed the M2 test at the end of the course with zero demerits.
I decided to not be cocky and started "small" with a fresh, new and mild CBR500R. I picked it up last Friday evening (Labour Day long weekend) and managed to put 500kms on it over the long weekend doing everything from slow parking lot maneuvers (like the pylon course at the college) to city riding and runs out in the country. It's now at 750kms and everything is just as I hoped it would be. I long to get back on it whenever I can.
Perhaps in a year or two I'll graduate from the 500R but for now it's a great balance of flickability, smoothness and decent power for a "novice."